ESPN’s Jenna Laine has apologized for her position within the awkward alternate between Tampa Bay Buccaneers operating again Giovani Bernard and herself and two different reporters.
A clip of the NFL participant went viral after Laine shared it on social media after Sunday’s loss to the Bengals wherein Bernard tried to depart the locker room with out answering questions from reporters resulting in a tense alternate.
Laine has since apologized for the incident in addition to her preliminary protection of posting video of the alternate and her clarification of her actions afterwards.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine apologized for the awkward alternate with Tampa Bay’s Giovani Bernard
In her assertion posted to Twitter, Laine revealed she had first apologized to Bernard earlier than acknowledging her actions had lacked empathy.
Her assertion started: ‘Did not need to submit one thing on right here till I 1) I apologized to Giovani Bernard first, personally telling him I’m SORRY, which I did and a pair of) Till I absolutely understood the missteps I took in postgame Sunday, as I did not need this to be some hole apology missing sincerity.
‘Clearly I afforded myself a interval of grace that Giovani did not get to have when asking him to speak postgame. He is a greater individual than me. For a lot of causes.
Essentially the most tough factor about this has been that on this second I turned what I swore I’d by no means be: missing empathy, and that was one thing that was very a lot wanted right here. I’ve at all times needed nothing greater than to humanize the folks I cowl – it is actually why I do that – and in that second, I misplaced contact of it.
‘I used to be too caught up in attempting to get the total story and assembly deadlines and in my very own “stuff.” I did not think about what HE wanted from me in that second. So clearly I’ve some rising to do.’
The reporter posted a press release to Twitter, acknowledging her actions had lacked empathy
She continued to apologize for her ‘defensive feedback’ following the video as she stated she acknowledged that it got here throughout as ‘merciless and insensitive.’
‘The second misstep – my very defensive feedback after,’ she added. ‘My intent was that these athletes did not get to the place they’re with hand-holding, they’re among the hardest folks on the planet and accountability is a part of their day by day lives.
‘I understand that it got here off as merciless and insensitive. On no account was I making an attempt to weaponize his damage in opposition to him both by pointing it out. I used to be reminding him of us not with the ability to discuss to him beforehand as a result of the workforce would not make injured gamers obtainable.
‘Essentially the most tough factor about this has been that on this second I turned what I swore I’d by no means be: missing empathy, and that was one thing that was very a lot wanted right here.
‘I’ve at all times needed nothing greater than to humanize the folks I cowl – it is actually why I do that – and in that second, I misplaced contact of it. I used to be too caught up in attempting to get the total story and assembly deadlines and in my very own “stuff.” I did not think about what HE wanted from me in that second. So clearly I’ve some rising to do.’
The locker room incident got here after Bernard botched a pretend level throughout the Bucs’ 34-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bernard initially did not need to take questions on a pretend punt try that he fumbled
After taking a 17-3 lead into halftime on Sunday, the Bucs suffered 5 straight turnovers in a nightmarish second half to lose back-to-back video games this month after getting blown away by the San Francisco 49ers final week (7-35).
Sadly for Bernard, issues began going downhill for Tampa Bay within the third quarter after he botched a pretend punt on a fourth-and-1 with 13:34 left on the clock.
The operating again did not get a agency grip on the soccer and needed to get down shortly on the unfastened ball for a two-yard loss at Tampa Bay’s 16-yard line. The Bucs held the Bengals to a area targets and nonetheless led 17-6 after that error. Nonetheless, Bernard’s blunder began a succession of errors that allowed the Bengals to get again into the sport and outscore the Bucs 17-0 within the third quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
Cincinnati would go on to outscore its opponent, 31-6 within the second half.
Bernard’s Sunday did not appear to enhance after the sport when he tried to depart the Bucs locker room with out taking any questions from reporters. When approached, a way of rigidity adopted.
The 31-year-old even dared to ask reporters why they needed to talk with him after they hardly ever sought his feedback this season.
At one level, one reporter will be heard asking: ‘What have you ever completed for us to speak to you about all 12 months?’
Bernard has solely featured in 5 video games for the Bucs this season because of an ankle damage and ESPN’s Jenna Laine could possibly be heard telling the participant: ‘You have been injured all 12 months!’
‘Can I’m going to my household that I’ve outdoors?’ Bernard then requested.
‘You may. Simply do not say we did not discuss to you all 12 months,’ one other reporter stated in response.
The operating again has featured in 5 video games for the Bucs this season because of an ankle damage
Transferring on from the awkward alternate, Bernard fielded questions however repeatedly supplied the identical reply over and over when requested about his fumble on the pretend punt try.
‘Miscommunication, that is all it was on my half,’ the ex-Bengals operating again stated. ‘I take full fault for that.’
‘It was all me,’ he added when requested on his consciousness of the play and whether or not the workforce had ever practiced it earlier than.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles later confirmed that the workforce did not execute his concept as deliberate.
‘He missed the ball,’ the 59-year-old stated. ‘Yeah, we would have liked one yard. We had it. We practised all of it week. We simply didn’t deal with the soccer.’
The Bucs are actually 6-8 after Sunday’s loss however are nonetheless prime of the NFC South regardless of being beneath .500. Tampa Bay subsequent performs the Arizona Cardinals on Christmas Day.
