ESPNMedia MonsterNBA

Anthony Federico, Fired Over “Chink In The Armor” Jeremy Lin Headline, Speaks Out On Twitter

by Glenn Davis | 5:51 pm, February 22nd, 2012

You heard from Anthony Federico, the ESPN editor who lost his job after publishing the now-infamous “Chink in the Armor” headline about Jeremy Lin, when he spoke with the New York Daily News about the situation a few days back. In that interview, Federico denied any ill intent in writing the headline, and also profusely apologized, and expressed admiration for Lin and no bitterness toward ESPN. And earlier today, he spoke out again: this time more directly, via his Twitter account. And this time, he went a little more in-depth about his personal history:

If those who vilify me would take a deeper look at my life they would see that I am the exact opposite of how some are portraying me.

They would see that on the day of the incident I got a call from a friend – who happens to be homeless – and rushed to his aid….They would see I used my vacation time last year to volunteer in the orphanages of Haiti. They would see how I ‘adopted’ an elderly Alzheimer’s patient and visited him every week for a year. They would see that every winter I organize a coat drive for those less fortunate in New Haven. They would see how I raised $10,000 for a friend in need when his kids were born four months premature. They would see how I have worked in soup kitchens and convalescent homes since I was a kid.

Can you totally blame Federico for posting about all his good deeds, given the controversy he’s embroiled in now? It’s quite a list. Of course, such deeds have nothing to do with ESPN’s decision to fire him (it was a huge mistake – Federico himself called it “an awful editorial omission” – and they had to come down hard). But they do further suggest that Federico seems to be a pretty good guy overall, one who indeed didn’t mean to make a racist comment with the headline. And he brings up a solid point, too, when he says:

My career was taking off. Why would I throw that all away with a racist pun?

Anyone would have to know that if they made an intentionally racist joke in a visible public setting, especially in the context of their job, they’re getting fired, or suspended at the very least. (But probably fired.) How devoted a bigot would one have to be to know all this, and knowingly go through with it anyway?

Again, Federico made a bad mistake, but we thought so a couple days ago and think it even more now: it was a bad accidental mistake. Hopefully, he gets a chance to, as he says, “move on with [his life].” We can say this for almost certain: he won’t make a mistake like that again.

Filed Under:
Jeremy Lin

Anonymous

whata mu-shu dork
Bill

You can’t miss this,#### casual’mingle. ‘c-o -m #### is a wonderful place for seeking causal encounters and short term relationship, explore the excitement and your lost passion in your life. You will never regret for dating with s3xy beauties/guys in your area. Life is short, come on and enjoy. gjghj,jkl,jk
Thewhitecomet637

Anthony will easily get hired by the KKK with this added to his resume… But I think the KKK is a non-profit organization.
Fenhyip

we all learn FORGIVENESS. People shouldn’t make a big deal out of it.
Anthony deserves 2nd chance.
Observer

”Chink in the armor” is a phrase that has been used by numerous ESPN
writers and editors in thousands of articles and in headlines in
reference to teams and individuals. An advanced google search of the
ESPN website returns more than 16,000 results. “A chink in the Ray’s
armor” May 24, 2010. “For the Saints, a chink in the
armor.” September 28, 2010 “It’s the one chink in the Bulls’ armor.”
May
19, 2011. I tried hard to find a chink in the armor in something
related to Texas
A&M or Coach Sherman, but I could not find it. January 21, 2010. The
Jayhawks have won bigger, but they haven’t won better. With everyone
looking for a chink in the armor, and some already thinking they’ve
found it — this week marked the first time this season the Jayhawks
weren’t a unanimous No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. January 2, 2010.
From a legal standpoint, Federico has an excellent lawsuit against ESPN
both for wrongful discharge and potentially for other tortuous conduct
in the handling of the discharge. He should hire an attorney and file
suit. I bet ESPN would be willing to pay him millions just to make the
story go away.
YimmyJuan

I agree with you that “Chink in the Armor” is a phrase that is often used to describe many things. However, no other ESPN article has EVER used that phrase to describe an Asian athlete. Yao played in the NBA for years, but I don’t ever recall someone using that phrase to describe his weaknesses. Maybe, it was unintentional, maybe it wasn’t. Let’s look at it from this perspective, if and I emphasize the IF, there was a phrase that is commonly used with the ” N-word” in it do you think it would ever make a headline one ESPN, especially if it’s being used to describe an African American athlete? In my mind there is no possible way you can use that phrase, especially while describing an Asian athlete, without the at least a subconscious thought that this might be taken offensively.
Observer

Here’s one from FOX Sports: Firstly, even
though the armor has a few chinks, the Rockets roster is looking quite
exceptional: Superstar center Yao Ming showed once again why he
is the most efficient and poised low-post scorer in the game by shooting a
perfect 9-of-9 from the field to finish with 24 points despite playing just six
minutes in the second half. April 19, 2009.
http://www.videoconverterfactory.com/tips/rip-dvd-to-mkv.html Jason Howard

We chinese people are very magnanimous, we will forgive what he said.