ESPN retracted a report by anchor Josina Anderson discussing the showering habits of openly gay St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam. Anderson, who has been covering the Rams training camp, was asked about how Sam was fitting in with his new teammates, and apparently what has become the Michael Sam shower story was completely off-base.
Anderson reported that a teammate of Sam’s felt the rookie player was “respecting their space” and “kinda waiting to take a shower as not to make his teammates feel uncomfortable.” The report ran on “Sports Center” and soon after backlash began flying across the Internet including Rams teammate Chris Long, who was enraged. Long directed this short but sweet tweet to ESPN: “Everyone but you is over it.”
Rams coach Jeff Fisher expressed his disappointment about the report to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I think it’s unethical,” Fisher said. “I think it’s very, very unprofessional. Not only the piece itself, the content. The manner in which she did it.” Fisher believes the reporter twisted the words of fellow players in an attempt to craft a story.
The network quickly issued an apology. “ESPN regrets the manner in which we presented our report,” the network said in a statement. “Clearly yesterday we collectively failed to meet the standards we have set in reporting on LGBT-related topics in sports.”