I call it an "epic rant" only because it's not Countdown and not a "Special Comment." But, it is.
Keith explains how sports sexism let the NFL get away with suspending a wife-beater for two games when an on-field stomp got another player a five-game suspension.
Some of the transcript follows:
"Does this look like a game? Is this during a play? Is this part of a violent sport? Does it look like this victim had been wearing a helmet? The National Football League's concern for Janay Palmer Rice is slightly less than the concern for her that Ray Rice showed on that tape."
Olbermann started the episode with several examples of men demeaning women in sports (e.g. calling a female sideline reporter the b-word).
"You don't do that. You don't do any of that. Because by some tiny amount, each one of those things lowers the level of basic human respect for women in sports. And sooner or later, there are so many tiny amounts that the basic human respect is gone altogether. And eventually, after all the B-words, and hoe comments, and penis remarks, and nudity demands, and waitress jokes, the most powerful national sports league in the world can then get away with suspending a wife beater for just two games.
"The National Football League's concern for Janay Palmer Rice is slightly less than the concern for her that Ray Rice showed on that tape. After he hit her, after he dragged her, after he propped her up, at least he didn't try to sell her anything...The message to the women who the league claims constitute 50% of its fan base is simple, the NFL wants your money. It will do nothing else for you. It will tolerate those who abuse you verbally and those who abuse you physically."
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/...
Keith says it better than I ever could. I miss watching him every night. I'm still hoping Al Jazeera America hires him before the 2016 election heats up.