Erin Andrews

[adam & doctor drew]

here's a guy who wrote about her appearance in Milwaukee this week.
then a follow-up interview with the guy.

here's her reaction.

and here's a surprising reaction from a female reporter in Milwaukee.

discuss.

[Tripe Face]

Originally Posted by adam & doctor drew

here's a guy who wrote about her appearance in Milwaukee this week.

then a follow-up interview with the guy.

here's her reaction.

and here's a surprising reaction from a female reporter in Milwaukee.

discuss.

What struck me the most throughout the four items you linked to is this line from the "follow-up interview"

Originally Posted by interview

DS: Do you think she does her job well?
MN: Honestly, I don't pay enough attention to Erin or any other sideline reporter, regardless of gender, to make such a judgment.

Imagine that he devotes an entire column to attacking a journalist and he doesn't even bother to figure out if she does a good job.

I'm not in Erin Andrews fan club (Rachel Nichols flutters my heart) but I would think Nadal should have at least watched her work before he attacked her for the way she does her work. And he might have had common sense to call her for a response... but judging from his misogynist remarks, he didn't have the balls.

[Consider This]

Originally Posted by Tripe Face

Imagine that he devotes an entire column to attacking a journalist and he doesn't even bother to figure out if she does a good job.

Except he didn't attack her work, he attacked her attire and her demeanor on the job. Those are two different things. The comments he made concerned first person observations.

Far from misogynistic, he didn't object to female reporters, just those who discredit the journalists among them by going to cover a baseball game dressed for a cocktail party. His point was simply that if you want to be taken seriously, you dress professionally.

And that dress she was wearing on the occasion was uncomfortably small. No one in any of the articles I've seen on the subject asked Andrews what on earth she was doing dressed like that in the clubhouse or even what she thought professional attire for her profession should include.

[Tripe Face]

Originally Posted by Consider This

Except he didn't attack her work, he attacked her attire and her demeanor on the job. Those are two different things. The comments he made concerned first person observations.

Far from misogynistic, he didn't object to female reporters, just those who discredit the journalists among them by going to cover a baseball game dressed for a cocktail party. His point was simply that if you want to be taken seriously, you dress professionally.

And that dress she was wearing on the occasion was uncomfortably small. No one in any of the articles I've seen on the subject asked Andrews what on earth she was doing dressed like that in the clubhouse or even what she thought professional attire for her profession should include.

Why is it ok for middle-aged male sports anchors cover summertime sports in shorts and a sports shirt, but she wears a lightweight dress to stand outside in Chicago in AUGUST and she's suddenly non-professional? Funny, look closely at the picture in the second link provided by the OP... there are at least 3 men, all sports journalists I would wager, wearing shorts. Why because it was HOT. She's wearing a lightweight dress, it's not sleeveless, it's not slit up the thigh to her hip bone.

I stand by my criticism of Nadal... he should have AT LEAST asked her for a reponse... but as I said I don't think he has the stones.

[Consider This]

You think she wore that dress because of the weather? Lame!

And, sorry, none of the male sportswriters showed that much thigh, thank God.

What was the columnist going to ask Andrews?

[Tripe Face]

Originally Posted by Consider This

You think she wore that dress because of the weather? Lame!

What would you have her wear, a woman's pant's suit? A turtle neck?

Originally Posted by Consider This

And, sorry, none of the male sportswriters showed that much thigh, thank God.

What was the columnist going to ask Andrews?

How about
"Why did you shake Aramis Ramirez's hand and say 'Good for you, Rammie?' Was it appropriate to bend forward when you did it?"

"Wasn't your outfit too 'skimpy' to wear while covering a baseball game?"

"Why did you place your hand on Soriano's bicep? Were you being 'suggestive?'"

[sportzchick]

She could have worn a number of clothing items that were a bit longer in the hem and a bit less revealing in the cleavage area. That dress is too flirty for the ball park IMO. If you want to be taken seriously, then you need to dress the part.

I am thinking most ball parks have sunken dugouts... if she were standing on ground level she could possibly give the boys a show.

She could wear super cute capri pants or shorts (appropriate lenght), a longer skirt that might not blow up in the wind, sleeveless tops with higher necklines...cap sleeve shirts. The options are endless for a girl with her figure. She has done a pretty good job with some of her clothing selections at previous events, however this outfit was not a smart choice for the venue. She is a pretty enough girl that she doesn't need to show all that skin to look good.

[Kace]

I think just to be cute, Erin should start wearing the suit/tie. And a fedora.

[Consider This]

Originally Posted by Tripe Face

What would you have her wear, a woman's pant's suit? A turtle neck?

Already answered by someone who knows more about women's wear than me. I am sure they make comfortable summer wear for women that show much less skin than the outfit she sported at the game in question. But if you still think that Andrews wore that dress because of the weather, you probably she got her job because of the solid journalism credentials she supplied in her application.

And you still haven't said anything remotely convincing that he needed quotes from Andrews to write an opinion column reflecting his personal observations.

[adam & doctor drew]

Originally Posted by Consider This

Except he didn't attack her work, he attacked her attire and her demeanor on the job. Those are two different things.

that's exactly how I read it as well.
he thought she dressed and acted inappropriately at the park, and wrote about it.

[commercial hack]

...and those high heels she wore didn't accentuate her gorgeous legs, either.

[Gail sirens]

Gee, I wonder what her Daddy thinks.
I'll have to go ask him.

[22]

I don't see anything at all wrong with that dress. She is all covered up and the skirt is pretty typical of the length women wear today. I am no fan at all of Andrews. In fact, I think she is awful! But the dress is just fine. I think you are all a bunch of jerks looking for something to b!tch about.

Here... take off on this...

Bad reporter
Great hair
Ugly girl

[sportzchick]

I'm a jerk for giving an opinion? Sweet.

Listen, I worked in the sports environment and had to be careful not to dress too provocative. The fact that players/coaches made comments about Erin and her outfit say to me that the outfit was inappropriate.

When I worked in sports I had to be extra careful to not dress sexy or show too much skin as I know how hard I worked to be taken seriously as a female in sports in the first place. One bad outfit choice can undo all your hard work.

She isn't the first to wear something questionable... and she won't be the last... but if she wants to be seen as a serious sports journalist she should dress more like Suzy Kolber or Bonnie Bernstein. That outfit screams "entertainment" and not serious journalist.

[Kace]

Kinda surprised Fearmonger hasn't arrived with a photo of some woman in thigh high stockings yet.

[22]

Originally Posted by sportzchick

I'm a jerk for giving an opinion? Sweet.

Listen, I worked in the sports environment and had to be careful not to dress too provocative. The fact that players/coaches made comments about Erin and her outfit say to me that the outfit was inappropriate.

When I worked in sports I had to be extra careful to not dress sexy or show too much skin as I know how hard I worked to be taken seriously as a female in sports in the first place. One bad outfit choice can undo all your hard work.

She isn't the first to wear something questionable... and she won't be the last... but if she wants to be seen as a serious sports journalist she should dress more like Suzy Kolber or Bonnie Bernstein. That outfit screams "entertainment" and not serious journalist.

You are not a jerk for having an opinion. But is really jerky behavior for anyone to waste any time about worrying about how this women is dressed. The dress is not pertinent to her job. We don't waste anytime talking about how a man dresses. Good, bad or indifferent. It is sexism at it's worst. Would you dare say "A black man should dress better than that."?

[Karma +]

This comment from in the first article by fatalghost addressed to the author had me in stiches:

"Dude why didn't you try and tap that? Oh thats right....you're bald."

Random.

[Tripe Face]

Originally Posted by sportzchick

I'm a jerk for giving an opinion? Sweet.

Listen, I worked in the sports environment and had to be careful not to dress too provocative. The fact that players/coaches made comments about Erin and her outfit say to me that the outfit was inappropriate.

When I worked in sports I had to be extra careful to not dress sexy or show too much skin as I know how hard I worked to be taken seriously as a female in sports in the first place. One bad outfit choice can undo all your hard work.

She isn't the first to wear something questionable... and she won't be the last... but if she wants to be seen as a serious sports journalist she should dress more like Suzy Kolber or Bonnie Bernstein. That outfit screams "entertainment" and not serious journalist.

No, you are not a jerk for offering an opinion. You are just a jerk.. (I kid, I kid... the pitch was over the plate I had to swing.)

As a guy who has been in sports lockerrooms before I will note two things... the athletes and the coaches that are being covered are often in various states of undress... all the way down to stark naked. I find it hard to believe that ANYONE can define the proper professional outfit to wear while talking to a centerfielder who is standing there in his birthday suit.

Second... the MALE reporters who are there seem to have NO concept of dressing professionally. The ones who are not on-air tv employees wear all sorts of casual wear... shorts, t-shirts, sandals... At most the on-air types will wear a coat over a shirt with no tie (only during the World Series did I see guys in coats and ties in the press box/lockerroom.)

So if there is no real standard for the MALE journalists nor for the Athletes you are covering, why do you as a female journalist feel the need to set a standard for yourself, that no one else is following? I'm not faulting you for having standards, in fact they are admirable in many ways, but it must be a source of frustration for you.

My second question , Sportchik, is had this Nadal guy decided he didn't like what YOU were wearing and attacked you, how would you have felt... and don't you think you should at least have a chance to respond to his comments BEFORE he publishes his remarks?

Finally, isn't doing serious journalism the only true measure of a serious journalist?

[sportzchick]

Originally Posted by 22

You are not a jerk for having an opinion. But is really jerky behavior for anyone to waste any time about worrying about how this women is dressed. The dress is not pertinent to her job. We don't waste anytime talking about how a man dresses. Good, bad or indifferent. It is sexism at it's worst. Would you dare say "A black man should dress better than that."?

If a guy showed up wearing something I felt was inappropriate...maybe I'd give my opinion on it. However I am not a guy... so I can't really give insight as to why some men might feel a certain outfit is appropriate/inappropriate. I just know as a former female sports reporter what I feel is appropriate.

Am I worried about it? No... it isn't keeping me up at night... however I can see why other female sports reporters might take issue with it. This is a discussion board after all.
Again, as a female who has worked in sports I know FIRST HAND how hard it is to be taken seriously and wearing a short skirt in that venue isn't the best choice IMO. Obviously EA felt otherwise.
Her outfit had people talking and last time I checked we weren't supposed to be part of the story. I know she didn't choose to be written about... but she chose that outifit for that venue.

I also said I have seen her dress more appropriately in other venues...and that I felt this dress was not the proper attire for the job that day. Maybe if she reported from the Kentucky Derby it might have been okay.
The comment about how a black man should dress better... well... I'm not even quite sure what to say about that as it really has nothing to do with this discussion.

[sportzchick]

Originally Posted by Tripe Face

No, you are not a jerk for offering an opinion. You are just a jerk.. (I kid, I kid... the pitch was over the plate I had to swing.)

As a guy who has been in sports lockerrooms before I will note two things... the athletes and the coaches that are being covered are often in various states of undress... all the way down to stark naked. I find it hard to believe that ANYONE can define the proper professional outfit to wear while talking to a centerfielder who is standing there in his birthday suit.

Second... the MALE reporters who are there seem to have NO concept of dressing professionally. The ones who are not on-air tv employees wear all sorts of casual wear... shorts, t-shirts, sandals... At most the on-air types will wear a coat over a shirt with no tie (only during the World Series did I see guys in coats and ties in the press box/lockerroom.)

So if there is no real standard for the MALE journalists nor for the Athletes you are covering, why do you as a female journalist feel the need to set a standard for yourself, that no one else is following? I'm not faulting you for having standards, in fact they are admirable in many ways, but it must be a source of frustration for you.

My second question , Sportchik, is had this Nadal guy decided he didn't like what YOU were wearing and attacked you, how would you have felt... and don't you think you should at least have a chance to respond to his comments BEFORE he publishes his remarks?

Finally, isn't doing serious journalism the only true measure of a serious journalist?

Okay... let me see if I can answer your questions or give you my point of view.
Just because others choose to dress down or wear clothing that I deem unprofessional for the job at hand... it doesn't mean that I shouldn't hold myself to my own professional standard. Unfortunately as women in sports, we aren't viewed in the same light as men. As for naked athletes... i never interviewed one who wasn't covered up in some fashion. I only saw one athlete who refused to put on any clothing for an interview... and my SD conducted that interview.
I think there is an appropriate dress for each occasion/sporting event. When I was shooting NFL summer camp stuff... i normally wore a golf shirt and khaki shorts of an appropriate length. If I were doing the interviewing or expected to be on air.. I wore pants/capris or a skirt that had a hem closer to the knee a golf shirt or nice blouse. If I were at an MLB game I'd wear the same thing. I don't think I ever wore a strappy heel to any sporting event. However not being network I normally had to do more than just carry around a microphone. I was running tapes, carrying equipment, helping set up break down live shots. I probably wore outfits that some here have called "dykewear" but I guess I'd rather have that than be seen only as eye candy.

As a female in sports we are already under the microscope... so I tried to steer clear of any dress that would get me noticed (which was hard when you have a somewhat large chest). It sucks that we have to be on guard... but it is reality. Do I think the article that the reporter wrote was unfair because he didn't talk to Erin about it? I have mixed feeling there. Maybe I would have first had to ask myself "were his observations valid". Did I act/dress unprofessionally. If not, sure I'd be upset...and I'd have a response, including a direct discussion with the reporter. I knew thought that if I ever got to the national level that I would be under a larger microscope and would probably have to work even harder to prove myself.

However I'd like to think that I probably wouldn't have put myself in a position to be so "friendly" with some of the athletes. I never really felt comfortable hanging around the locker room when we were done with interviews. I was there to do a job and then we were out of there. Maybe trying to build a rapport with athletes is part of the job, but there is a time and place for that...and a locker room or clubhouse isn't the place.

I feel that female sports reporters have a responsibility to other female sports reporters to make wise choices when on the job. Maybe EA is the kind of girl that could wear a burlap sack and still get comments... but I have seen other screen shots of her where she is wearing something more professional and she didn't become the story.

As for your final point, if only that was the only standard in which we were measured. Unfortunately, for women in sports that isn't the case.

[Kace]

I have no doubt that if a male reporter showed up in the clubhouse wearing a low cut short dress that he would be scrutinized far worse than Erin.

[22]

I've got news for you kids. Ballplayers would be making comments about her if she had worn a baggy sweat suit. It's what they do. Trust me on this one.

[sportzchick]

But would a reporter have commented about it? Would the manager made a comment about it? Would she have become the story wearing a baggy brown sweat suit?

[Tripe Face]

Originally Posted by sportzchick

Okay... let me see if I can answer your questions or give you my point of view.
Just because others choose to dress down or wear clothing that I deem unprofessional for the job at hand... it doesn't mean that I shouldn't hold myself to my own professional standard. Unfortunately as women in sports, we aren't viewed in the same light as men. As for naked athletes... i never interviewed one who wasn't covered up in some fashion. I only saw one athlete who refused to put on any clothing for an interview... and my SD conducted that interview.
I think there is an appropriate dress for each occasion/sporting event. When I was shooting NFL summer camp stuff... i normally wore a golf shirt and khaki shorts of an appropriate length. If I were doing the interviewing or expected to be on air.. I wore pants/capris or a skirt that had a hem closer to the knee a golf shirt or nice blouse. If I were at an MLB game I'd wear the same thing. I don't think I ever wore a strappy heel to any sporting event. However not being network I normally had to do more than just carry around a microphone. I was running tapes, carrying equipment, helping set up break down live shots. I probably wore outfits that some here have called "dykewear" but I guess I'd rather have that than be seen only as eye candy.

As a female in sports we are already under the microscope... so I tried to steer clear of any dress that would get me noticed (which was hard when you have a somewhat large chest). It sucks that we have to be on guard... but it is reality. Do I think the article that the reporter wrote was unfair because he didn't talk to Erin about it? I have mixed feeling there. Maybe I would have first had to ask myself "were his observations valid". Did I act/dress unprofessionally. If not, sure I'd be upset...and I'd have a response, including a direct discussion with the reporter. I knew thought that if I ever got to the national level that I would be under a larger microscope and would probably have to work even harder to prove myself.

However I'd like to think that I probably wouldn't have put myself in a position to be so "friendly" with some of the athletes. I never really felt comfortable hanging around the locker room when we were done with interviews. I was there to do a job and then we were out of there. Maybe trying to build a rapport with athletes is part of the job, but there is a time and place for that...and a locker room or clubhouse isn't the place.

I feel that female sports reporters have a responsibility to other female sports reporters to make wise choices when on the job. Maybe EA is the kind of girl that could wear a burlap sack and still get comments... but I have seen other screen shots of her where she is wearing something more professional and she didn't become the story.

As for your final point, if only that was the only standard in which we were measured. Unfortunately, for women in sports that isn't the case.

Thank you for enlightening me. Everything you write makes sense. I take no issue with any of it.

I guess my problem with the guy who criticized her is that if people don't point out that he's being a jerk, he and people like him will continue to judge women journalists strictly on their appearence and not their reporting... and Sportschik, your daughters will have to hold themselve to the same high standards that you hold yourself, while their male counterparts will continue to slide by.

Anyway, your was a reasonable and respectful response. I'm not sure I can handle that... back to Openline where I can argue about fart jokes on "Blazing Saddles."

[adam & doctor drew]

Originally Posted by Tripe Face

he and people like him will continue to judge women journalists strictly on their appearence

that's kinda tough to avoid when the only reason she's there is because of her appearance.