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NBC Hiring Babcock Revives Questions Of Player Treatment

Mike Babcock joins NBC Sports more than a year after being fired as Maple Leafs coachGETTY IMAGES

Mike Milbury is "out and Mike Babcock is in for NBC Sports' coverage of the NHL this season," according to Stephen Whyno of the AP. Milbury, who had been with the net since '08, "stepped away from broadcasting during the 2020 playoffs after drawing widespread criticism for saying players should be more focused in the league's coronavirus bubble because there were 'not even any women here to disrupt your concentration.'" Milbury's ouster comes less than a year after NBC parted ways with Jeremy Roenick in February after "suspending the former player for making inappropriate comments about coworkers." Babcock joins NBC Sports more than a year after being fired as coach of the Maple Leafs. He, too, "came under fire late last year for tactics that some considered to be mental abuse." NBC Sports Exec Producer Sam Flood said that a representative for Babcock "reached out about doing some work during the playoffs, and the network decided in light of pandemic protocols to wait until this season" (AP, 1/11).

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: In Toronto, Simon Houpt writes the call that NBC had arranged to "celebrate a fresh start quickly took on a noxious odor" when ESPN's Greg Wyshynski asked Flood about the accusations of psychological abuse against Babcock. Wyshynski: "Is this something you discussed before hiring him, and might this be something that you might have him discuss on the air?" Flood replied, “We’ve had a full process of conversations, as we do with anyone we bring in, onto the team.” Houpt notes the line "went silent," then the moderator "moved on to the next question." A few minutes later, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro brought up Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan’s comments about Babcock, and "asked whether NBC had any concerns about the allegations." Flood: “We looked at everything.” Houpt writes Babcock needs to "finally, fully -- and publicly -- address the issue of his past behaviour" (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/12).

WHERE'S THE GROWTH? USA TODAY's Hemal Jhaveri writes in "ditching Milbury, NBC had an opportunity to bring a new, talented and diverse viewpoint into the fold," one that "might push back against the narrative of old-school hockey by old-school hockey guys." Yet, "unfortunately, they decided to give an in-studio platform" to Babcock, a "legendary NHL coach also known for being verbally abusive to players." In the context of these allegations, NBC "isn't showing any growth or even accountability." By giving Babcock a national hockey platform, they are "condoning his abusive style, and showing that there are little to no consequences for the mental anguish he inflicted on players" (USA TODAY, 1/12).

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