Sky Sports presenters making sexist comments

Chucky the tree · 23-01-2011 9:06pm #1

Sky Sports presenters Richard Key and Andy Gray were recorded off air making comments about a lineswomen in yesterdays Wolves vs Liverpool match. I'm curious what a female opinion of this is. Should they be punished for saying something sexist off air? For example, if two lads had this conversation in the canteen would you report them over it?

Commenting on Ms Massey, Mr Keys said: ‘Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.’

Mr Gray, a former Scottish international footballer, replied: ‘Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.’

Mr Keys replied: ‘Course they don’t. I can guarantee you there will be a big one today. Kenny (Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish) will go potty. This isn’t the first time, is it? Didn’t we have one before?’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349729/Sky-Sports-presenters-sexist-diatribe-female-linesman-Apprentice-star-Karren-Brady.html

Audio: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01_04/sky.mp3

Another clip here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWcPxDdJbeo

Update: Gray been sacked after a second video was leaked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9373280.stm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cS8OkAiXCI

Yakult · 23-01-2011 9:08pm

Fools the two of them.

Wonder will anything be done about it?

Chucky the tree · 23-01-2011 9:14pm

Yakult wrote: »

Fools the two of them.

Wonder will anything be done about it?

Unlikely. Keys has said some stupid stuff about Theo Walcott(called him a stupid little boy or something similiar) and nothing happened to him.

Mister men · 23-01-2011 9:18pm

Sky Sports = tabloid TV. You get what you deserve if you watch that ****e.

neveah · 23-01-2011 9:31pm

Well first off I can't stand Andy Grey anyway but those are extremely sexist comments it can't be denied. I was watching that match yesterday (great result btw:p) and the female linesperson did a good job. Initially I was surprised to see it was a female purely because it is so rare. I don't get why men think that women don't understand the offside rule, of course we do (well those of us who watch soccer regularly), it's not rocket science ffs!:rolleyes:

Just want to add that I definitely think that Grey and Keys should apologise for those comments, they've really showed themselves up here and sure aren't Sky Sports the ones who have all those pretty ladies fronting the Sky Sports News, they obviously don't mind a woman talking about soccer as long as she's easy on the eye!!

Sephiroth_dude · 23-01-2011 9:35pm

neveah wrote: »

Well first off I can't stand Andy Grey anyway but those are extremely sexist comments it can't be denied. I was watching that match yesterday (great result btw:p) and the female linesperson did a good job. Initially I was surprised to see it was a female purely because it is so rare. I don't get why men think that women don't understand the offside rule, of course we do (well those of us who watch soccer regularly), it's not rocket science ffs!:rolleyes:

Was watching it too and she did very well,oh and I'm not to fond of andy gray what with been an evertonian and everything :pac:

TheNewMee · 23-01-2011 9:46pm

I was delighted when she got that major offside decision right for the first goal - you could imagine the headlines the next day if she didn't.

neveah · 23-01-2011 10:00pm

TheNewMee wrote: »

I was delighted when she got that major offside decision right for the first goal - you could imagine the headlines the next day if she didn't.

I can imagine! I think it would be safe to say that the main focus of every story would be that she was female. Sure we all know that linesmen don't make any mistakes or bad calls!:rolleyes:

On a serious note though she wouldn't have been given the job if she didn't have the relevant experience, she must know her stuff.

Dudess · 23-01-2011 11:42pm

Very unprofessional. Stuff like this, when in a messing context, doesn't bother me in the least - I find it funny myself. But they just seemed to be really sneering and condescending.

Up-n-atom! · 23-01-2011 11:52pm

So sick of Andy Gray, this doesn't really surprise me - just more of his so-called "expert opinion". Most women don't know the off-side rule because they couldn't care less about football, while those who take an interest generally keep themselves informed. Although the way the rules are at the moment I wonder if anybody truely understands it now! I am surprised that they've seemed to be let away with it though - it can be alienating enough being a female football fan at the best of times without this sort of sh*te!

coffee_cake · 23-01-2011 11:53pm

Chucky the tree wrote: »

For example, if two lads had this conversation in the canteen would you report them over it?

In the canteen? No, they can say what they like.
On tv though, they'd want to have some fcuking cop on and join the rest of us in the current century

amiable · 24-01-2011 12:04am

I've heard they have apologized

http://www.epltalk.com/andy-gray-and-richard-keys-aim-sexist-remarks-against-sian-massey-say-report-28711

panda100 · 24-01-2011 12:18am

I really dislike the rampant sexism in sport. Hearing this made me want to do a Cantona on Grays head.
Theres something altogether very seedy about Sky sports female staff. It's odd how they're all very young and attractive,yet most of the male commentators are old and balding.

WesternNight · 24-01-2011 12:41am

I was kind of hoping that these comments were said in a sarcastic tongue-in-cheek context and it was just blown out of proportion but having listened to the audio there's no chance of that unfortunately.

I like how they forget the amount of mistakes male referees make, but I guess they must just blink at the wrong time or something. The confirmation bias is in full swing in Sky Sports it seems.

amacachi · 24-01-2011 12:44am

WesternNight wrote: »

I was kind of hoping that these comments were said in a sarcastic tongue-in-cheek context and it was just blown out of proportion but having listened to the audio there's no chance of that unfortunately.

Same here. "She probably doesn't know the offside rule" isn't that bad, just a lame attempt at a joke but Keys saying "The game's gone mad" and especially the way he said it was more than crap.

WesternNight · 24-01-2011 12:47am

amacachi wrote: »

Same here. "She probably doesn't know the offside rule" isn't that bad, just a lame attempt at a joke but Keys saying "The game's gone mad" and especially the way he said it was more than crap.

It was the sigh that did it for me.. the slightly defeated sigh as if she was ruining his day or something.

Chucky the tree · 24-01-2011 12:52am

bluewolf wrote: »

In the canteen? No, they can say what they like.
On tv though, they'd want to have some fcuking cop on and join the rest of us in the current century

It wasn't on TV though, it was said off air but I'm guessing someone in the production studio leaked it.

panda100 wrote: »

I really dislike the rampant sexism in sport. Hearing this made me want to do a Cantona on Grays head.
Theres something altogether very seedy about Sky sports female staff. It's odd how they're all very young and attractive,yet most of the male commentators are old and balding.

Sex sells, especially for men. For a station who's main audience is males then it's not that surprising they employ attractive females.

Dudess · 24-01-2011 12:54am

Yeah, but the point being made is: it's ok for women to work in a sports-related field on certain terms.

WesternNight · 24-01-2011 12:55am

It's not like it should matter where it was said, it's about respect and none was shown by them in this instance.

amacachi · 24-01-2011 1:00am

WesternNight wrote: »

It was the sigh that did it for me.. the slightly defeated sigh as if she was ruining his day or something.

I suppose we should feel sorry for him, I mean his whole professional life has been in football and it's just gone now.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 24-01-2011 1:02am

I've seen a few people on this forum and other forums on boards complaining that womens sports don't get the same media attention as male sports. well in the case of football that video that was linked earlier in the thread should put the argument to rest. that was just hilariously awful.

Bodhisopha · 24-01-2011 1:07am

amacachi wrote: »

I suppose we should feel sorry for him, I mean his whole professional life has been in football and it's just gone now.

It's not gone, not by a long shot.

Up-n-atom! · 24-01-2011 1:10am

Yup, I did cringe watching the female football bit - I wouldn't delude myself and say women's football is on par with men's, but it's got a lot of catching up to do in terms of funding, a women's 'culture' of football etc (eg. new dads - or indeed, mums, don't generally kick a football around with their daughters as soon as they can walk like they would with their sons)

amacachi · 24-01-2011 1:12am

Bodhisopha wrote: »

It's not gone, not by a long shot.

Yes it is, he said himself "the game's gone mad" :pac:

Ebbs · 24-01-2011 1:15am

bluewolf wrote: »

In the canteen? No, they can say what they like.
On tv though, they'd want to have some fcuking cop on and join the rest of us in the current century

It wasn't on TV, it was off air. No one heard it bar whoever heard the tape in the studio.

Everyone calling for their heads is laughable, I am sure you have all said something way way way worse to a friend.

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Sex sells, especially for men. For a station who's main audience is males then it's not that surprising they employ attractive females.

That and the fact the men are for the most part ex footballers, hence old and balding. Any chance to get a young footballer is jumped at, look at Jamie, he is loved by oul Rupert.

Sky have always favoured young employees, dont make this about gender.

WesternNight · 24-01-2011 1:24am

Ebbs wrote: »

Everyone calling for their heads is laughable, I am sure you have all said something way way way worse to a friend.

So, what, for people to be validly annoyed about something no-one can ever have said anything worse? Seriously?

Logical Fallacy · 24-01-2011 1:25am

WesternNight wrote: »

So, what, for people to be validly annoyed about something no-one can ever have said anything worse? Seriously?

May he who is without sin, cast the first stone. Etc.

In all seriousness, it was said off air, so what can you do to the lads? Not much.

Freedom of speech etc.

WesternNight · 24-01-2011 1:27am

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

In all seriousness, it was said off air, so what can you do to the lads? Not much.

Freedom of speech etc.

I wouldn't want anything done to them. It'd just be nice for them to realise that their prejudices aren't justified, is all.

Jimmy Iovine · 24-01-2011 1:30am

Richard Keys is a goon. Andy Gray is one of the most annoying pundits in the game. Stuck up his on arse and hasn't a clue what he's on about most of the time but says it in such a way that people think he's a genius.

As for them laughing at the women's match, it was pretty laughable in all fairness. I am all for equality to an extent in sport but that was shocking quality. That is meant to be the FA Cup final not a Junior match.

The boys are fools for saying what they did . If there was justice they would be fired and replaced with proper pundits and presenters, but that's hardly ever going to happen unfortunately

Stheno · 24-01-2011 1:31am

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

I've seen a few people on this forum and other forums on boards complaining that womens sports don't get the same media attention as male sports. well in the case of football that video that was linked earlier in the thread should put the argument to rest. that was just hilariously awful.

SDCC, can you keep to the original topic being discussed, rather than posting in a manner that is derailing the thread?

Thanks
Stheno.

Stheno · 24-01-2011 1:33am

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

As for them laughing at the women's match, it was pretty laughable in all fairness. I am all for equality to an extent in sport but that was shocking quality. That is meant to be the FA Cup final not a Junior match.

Jimmy Iovine,

As above please keep to the original topic being discussed and do not derail the thread.

Thanks
Stheno.

Sky Sports presenters making sexist comments

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