
ESPN
Jemele Hill, an ESPN columnist and co-host of ESPN2âs Numbers Never Lie, said that while Time magazine uses its Person of the Year award to recognize impact, she wouldnât use âSports Person of the Yearâ to recognize high performers such as Serena Williams or Peyton Manning. Instead, she would nominate the n-word for 2013âs most impactful performer, Hill said during a recent appearance on ESPNâs The Sports Reporters: Parting Shot.
âMy âSports Person of the Yearâ wouldnât be a person at all, but a word that is both reviled and revered,â she said. âIn 2013 sports took on the n-word.â
Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper was captured on video yelling it at a concert, and Miami Dolphins lineman Richie Incognito was caught on camera using it âaffectionately with black teammates,â she said. Further, Hill said that after Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams reportedly shouted the word at an umpire, the Fritz Pollard Alliance requested that the NFL fine players for using the word on and off the field.
âEradicating the n-word wonât eliminate racism,â Hill said. âBut this year, sports challenged our grip on the word. Thatâs impact.â
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