ESPN Fires Longtime National Reporter Over Her Vulgar Confrontation with Fellow Journalist
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking,” the book of Proverbs tells us, “but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
Or her lips, as the case may be.
Marly Rivera, a veteran reporter covering Major League Baseball for ESPN for 13 years, learned that lesson the hard way after an incident last week in which she failed to hold her tongue.
Rivera had been attempting to interview Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge at Yankee Stadium on April 18 when Ivón Gaete, a freelancer on assignment for Tokyo Broadcasting, tried to get the same interview, according to the New York Post.
Rivera attempted to explain that her interview with Judge had been previously scheduled, but Gaete ignored her.
In response, Rivera called Gaete a “f***ing c**t,” a comment that was caught on video.
ESPN later fired Rivera over the incident, issuing the same short statement about it to the Post and Fox News.
“She no longer works here,” the statement said.
According to the Post, Rivera attempted to apologize, but Gaete wasn’t having any.
“I fully accept responsibility for what I said, which I should not have,” Rivera told The Post. “There were extenuating circumstances but that in no way is an excuse for my actions.
“I am a professional with a sterling reputation across baseball,” she added, “and I do believe that I am being singled out by a group of individuals with whom I have a long history of professional disagreements.”
Rivera may have been referring to MLB’s vice president of communications, John Blundell, who happens to be Gaete’s husband.
Rivera had worked as a dugout reporter on the Home Run Derby and some ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ broadcasts, the Post reported. She also served as an ESPN Radio playoff game analyst, as well as writing for ESPN’s online outlets.
“Bilingual, she brought a different perspective to the telecasts; especially when speaking to Latin players,” the Post said.
The Yankees, who were hosting the Los Angeles Angels, lost last Tuesday’s contest by three runs, 5-2, but that’s probably not what Rivera is going to remember most about that game.
“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,” Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel.
Sometimes the reckoning comes sooner than that.
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