NBC Analyst, Mike Millbury, Suffers Major Backlash After Misogynistic Comments but NBC Still Wary of Firing Him
Mike Millbury has faced severe backlash for the comments he made in the New York Islanders’ 4-0 series-ending rout of the Washington Capitals.
In the final minutes of Thursday night’s game, one of Millbury’s broadcasting colleagues made a comment about how playing in the bubble would be easier for a much younger Islanders team, full of players who don’t have families or children at home to worry about or miss. Millbury then proceeded to make the comment that, “[There are] not even any women here to disrupt your concentration.”
Mike Millbury has made some pretty unwise comments in the past, but this one takes the cake.
NBC has had trouble with misogyny in the past with analyst Jeremy Roenick. Roenick has publicly made misogynistic comments in the past including an incident on Barstool Sports’ Spittin’ Chiclets podcast in which he joked about having the prospect of having sexual relations with colleague, Kathryn Tapper. NBC suspended Roenick in December of 2019 and then fired him in February when his suspension expired.
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One who is unaware of NBC’s troubles with Roenick may believe that NBC will have no qualms in showing Millbury the door after his comments. Unfortunately, Roenick has sued NBC for wrongful termination on the ludicrous grounds that “he was discriminated against as a straight, white man and as a supporter of President Donald Trump.” The problem with Roenick’s lawsuit is that it may deter NBC for possibly firing those who make offensive comments in fear of getting sued.
NBC has taken no action against Millbury as of my writing this article at 1:00 AM eastern on Friday, but they should definitely get rid of him. Millbury’s dreadful commentary and biased analysis are enough to get him fired on their own, but misogyny has absolutely no place in sports.
NHL and USA Hockey have been trying very hard in recent years to promote gender equality in hockey. At the 2019 All-Star game, women from the US Women’s National Hockey Team participated in the skills competition, and at the 2020 All-Star Game, there was a 3-on-3 game held between the US and Canadian Women’s National Teams. Comments like Millbury’s severely undermine their goal of gender equality and are a step in the wrong direction. Though they might be sued in retaliation, NBC must fire Mike Millbury.
