For our podcast “Settle In,” Amna Nawaz spoke with legendary CBS sportscaster James Brown, better known as J.B. Among many things, including his upbringing in D.C. and how being cut from the NBA shaped his path, they talked about the role of protest in sports and how he decides when to weigh in on difficult topics.
William Brangham:
Football fans are going to love this one.
As part of our podcast “Settle In,” Amna Nawaz spoke recently with legendary CBS sportscaster James Brown, better known as J.B. Among many things, including his upbringing in D.C. and how being cut from the NBA shaped his path, they talked about the role of protest in modern sports and how he decides when to weigh in on difficult topics.
Here is some of that conversation.
James Brown, CBS Sports:
I have delivered probably at least four commentaries. One was on domestic violence. And the only pushback that I got was from Rush Limbaugh, God bless him, who said that I was trying to chickify football.
Well, that’s the problem. That characterization is exactly what I wanted all of us men especially to understand. No, I’m not chickifying football. This is an issue in society at large with women.
I talked about the rise of antisemitism and hate, and I just said, to disavow that the Holocaust never occurred is like telling me that my forefathers weren’t lynched. Strong wording. I knew I was going to get some pushback on that, but I wanted to make certain.
As the lawyers looked it over, they understood where I was coming from because I had to have a strong example to capture the attention and to make the point.
Amna Nawaz:
J.B., there are people who will have watched that and say, I don’t need to hear all this when I just want to tune in and watch a football game.
James Brown:
That’s right.
Amna Nawaz:
That there’s no place for this in sports.
James Brown:
And they’re still going to watch a football game. Turn me off then at the time that I’m giving a commentary. Turn the football game back on. But that doesn’t mean that I’m supposed to stick my head in the sand and ignore something that is problematic and has been for a while and continues.
And I certainly want to make certain that young people understand that there’s a meaningful way, a proper way that we can go about resolving this, and that is to confront it properly and together. It ought to be universal.
William Brangham:
You can find that full episode of “Settle In” and more on our PBS News YouTube page or wherever you get your podcasts.
