Global Courant 2023-05-10 07:23:25
A Manitoba NHL player says he accepts an apology from a US sportscaster who made a derogatory joke about his last name after a Stanley Cup playoff game Monday night.
Zach Whitecloud, 26, had just scored his first goal of the playoffs to help his Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers to give them a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series in the second round.
As the highlight of the defender’s goal was replayed on ESPN’s flagship SportsCenter show, host John Anderson tried to inject some levity.
“What name is Whitecloud?” Anderson asked.
“Great name if you’re a toilet paper.”
During the Vegas-Edmonton highlight on SportsCenter, John Anderson makes fun of Zach Whitecloud’s name, saying it’s a “great name if you’re a toilet paper.”
Whitecloud is the first native NHL player from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. pic.twitter.com/gngA1yg8wk
Regular sports watchers will be familiar with the steady diet of one-liners that broadcasters often pepper their highlights packs with. But in this case, Anderson’s attempt at humor failed.
Social media commentators took credit for the 57-year-old anchor, some denouncing the joke as a slur that disrespected Whitecloud’s background as a member of the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, about 30 miles west of Brandon, Male.
Whitecloud addressed the controversy Tuesday in a scrum with reporters on the Golden Knights’ website.
“I’m proud of my culture. I’m proud of where I come from and where I grew up, who raised me,” he said.
“I carry my grandfather’s surname and nothing makes me prouder than to be able to do so.”
After hearing about the comments via social media, Whitecloud said he spoke to members of his family and eventually decided to contact Anderson directly.
“People make mistakes,” says Whitecloud
“In our culture we were raised to be the first to reach out and offer our help, so that’s why I reached out this morning and wanted to make sure he understood that.”
Whitecloud said Anderson acknowledged what he said was insensitive and apologized, which the player accepted.
“People make mistakes and this is a scenario where not only John, but everyone can learn and move forward in a positive direction and obviously try to get better from it,” he said.
Anderson also issued a more public apology to Whitecloud, his team and his fans earlier in the day, essentially blaming the blunder on his failure to learn about the player’s background.
ESPN anchor John Anderson with a statement last night about his comment about Zach Whitecloud: pic.twitter.com/joZyaURsDF
In a statement Tuesday night, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs pointed out that First Nations names are sacred and carry the legacy of ancestors.
AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said she was discouraged that Whitecloud had to endure such inappropriate commentary, and called on ESPN and the NHL to do more to address racism within the sport.
Towards the end of his media availability on Tuesday, Whitecloud’s voice began to break with emotion. He said the controversy wasn’t the sort of thing he wanted to address, but he hoped it could be used as a learning experience to ensure similar incidents don’t happen again.
“It’s just a time for everyone to learn,” he said.
Zach Whitecloud talks about his pride for his heritage. pic.twitter.com/3j5pIQT120
