VIDEO: ESPN Anchor Todd Grisham Makes "Trail of Tears" Reference

SportsCenter Comment Draws Controversy

We in the media are always looking for catchy phrases, usually in relation to some sort of historical event.

Well SportsCenter anchor Todd Grisham did that last night with disastrous results.

After Oklahoma lost to Texas Tech on Saturday night, 41-38, Grisham led in the broadcast with “It’s a Trail of Tears in Oklahoma!”

That, of course, is a reference to the Indian Removal Act of 1830 in which Native Americans were forced to relocate to Oklahoma in one of the nation’s most embarrassing historical moments.

This certainly isn’t how Grisham wanted to start his ESPN career after leaving the WWE earlier this month. Grisham has since apologized on Twitter:

“Sincerely didn’t mean any harm with that comment after OU loss. I saw a shot of fans crying, historical reference didn’t even cross my mind.”

“My Great Grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee. I am very proud of my Native-American roots.”

Stay tuned on whether that apology is enough to satisfy those in Bristol or whether Grisham will be handed a suspension.

[Mock Session]

11:46 AM on 10/23/2011

Best of the Web

Rick Y

Great, from the WWE where everything is fake to ESPN where everything is fake. Figures!
Derwood

If the cried all the way back home, technicaly, isn’t that a trail of tears. Somebody needs to stop sitting on the edge of their seat, waiting to be offended.
- Henry
  
  “if they were strung up with defeat doesn’t that make it a ‘lynching’?” You make the stupid “THEY WERE JUST BEING LITERAL” argument tons of inane statements.
- suzybel58
  
  My thoughts exactly!
TAHOE DAVE

OKLAHOMA ..GET OVER YOURSELF…YOU AND YOUR COACH ARE A BUNCH OF OVERRATED
CRY BABIES…YOU COULDN”T EVEN BEAT BOISE ST…THEY DIDN”T CRY LAST YEAR WHEN
THEIR SEASON WENT DOWN THE TUBES TO NEVADA….GROW UP AND ACCEPT DEFEAT WITH
HUMILITY, THEN YOU CAN REJOICE IF YOU WIN NOW AND THEN……………….I DON”T SEE ANY THING
WRONG WITH STATEMENT…MOST PEOPLE DIDN’T EVEN ATTACH STATEMENT WITH INDIAN HISTORY,
UNLESS THEY WERE HISTORIANS OR OF INDIAN ANCESTORY……I LOVE HISTORY BUT LET’S
GET PAST BEING SO SENSITIVE OVER NOTHING………………….T.D.
- Tom
  
  Congratulations on you being ignorant of history. I presume you don’t think that there’s any Native American football fans who still suffer under the reservation system and harsh treatment by the federal government connected to the cruelty of the Trail of Tears?
  
  Because there are.
- Nmc1496
  
  Actually, most people in Oklahoma DO understand the relevance of that statement. I’m NOT and will never be a Sooner fan but the statement was insensitive to the DEATHS of many people.
  
  I am also NOT an American Indian….it is just a terrible blight on the face of our country.
  
  The phrase that most people don’t understand that is an insult to Oklahomans is Okie.
knklhd57

ESPN = Exceptionally Sensitive Politics Network.
George B Vieto

ESPN sure how to get publicity by hiring WWE castoffs.
Soonerfan516

As a proud Sooner, we didn’t play well enough to win. Dropped balls and a lack of a sustained running game cause defeats. The article was about Grisham apologizing for making what some felt were insensitive remarks. Stoops troops know they didn’t play well enough to win and will offfer no apologies.
onagertom

I agree that we sportsfans need to stand tall against the jerks who invoke political correctness in every sports situation that lends itself to such hogwash. I grew up in Indian country in Minnesota and am proud to say that we coexisted as sportsmen with the Indian community in every sport without any bickering about indians/cowboys/whitemen….Only the political correctness era brought such problems to the sports arenas of America. I played basketball, baseball and football in highschool on a team named ‘the Sleepy Eye Indians’ and was proud of it then and now. They are still (60 years later) called the ‘Indians’ and every graduating class is proud of the heritage. The text books of my day properly taught the important part that the American Indians played in our culture and we have always admired the Indian culture that was all around us because of that learning experience.
- Nmc1496
  
  Research the “trail of tears” – it was called that because of all of the DEATHS, etc. on the way to Oklahoma. Your cohorts in Minnesota did not have to endure the Trail.
CF

If Oklahoma gets upset over that statement they really all a bunch of pansy a****. I guarantee there was a big trail of crying, screaming, cussing and yelling okies all the way to their cars or wagons or whatever they drove to the game.
bigdawgrefwmd

they should be offended in the way Oklahoma played. Quit crying already!!
Jay K.

Lost in certain brilliant comments is the truth that nobody from Oklahoma has complained about that particular reference. I would also submit that anybody who is less than halfway ignorant of American history knows the trail of tears reference and what it represents. Some people just need a reason, however lame, to spread hate toward a team like OU, but when they have to lie in order to do so, it only makes them look foolish.
The dry guy

This had nothing to do with football. As a native american, I’m extremely offended that he would even choose that term. He had a conscious thought stream going, I say suspend him
KenFromBaltimore

Great, another talking idiot from ESPN. That network became unwatchable several years ago.
politesouthernboy

what’s particularly galling is an “impartial” broadcaster was obviously not and decided to rub the loss in OU’s face. Todd took particular joy in OU’s defeat rather than in Tech’s win. This is what has him in hot water. Don’t fool yourself thinking he’s in trouble for insulting the Cherokee Nation (and as part Cherokee myself, i take particular exception to being equated with those Sooner jerks) . He’s in trouble for gloating over someone’s loss.
Bill

Stupidity is no excuse. This was their Holocaust. Being an anchor at the premier national sports network requires an education and degree of respect to serious issues of the real world. Forgive this fool, but do it after his two-week suspension.
Chuck

People will always look for a reason to start controversy. Unfortunately he gave them on. I hate people!
FreedomLover

Why not build gulags to reprogram everybody that says something the ruling elite deem offensive? Oh yeah, they’re working on it now. And what’s the end game of the PC thought police?
BosFanInChgo

It amazes how the level of disregard for the history of a people is treated. Another member of the majority who put his foot in his mouth. Why would ESPN hire someone from the WWF? As an African-American with Blackfoot in his ancestry, it is just ridiculously insulting the way the majority believes we should just get over it. Al Campanis, Jimmy the Greek, and now this idiot, Hope my boys fron NU ,Wilbon and Blackistone give him h***.
Keven

ESPN will fire him. They go so overboard with political correctness it’s unbelievable.
Not about being PC

For him to say he had no idea about the historical reference is chicken sheet. Of course he did. Oklahoma, trail of tears. He just stumbled on that happy coincidence? Four thousand people dead. Funny stuff. Make a joke about it. Only thing worse are those here who defend it. He deserves a reprimand and we deserve a genuine apology. What next, a quippy reference to 9-11 next time the Jets lose? It’s inafreakinpropriate. That’s it.
jake of Tucson

I know Todd. He was a sportscaster here in Tucson. We all make errors. Want to IMPROVE ESPN? get rid of chris berman his sophomoric commentary makes my hair hurt
War Eagle

As a Native person,I suppose I should be offended by Grishams remark,but I am not. Yes,it was thoughtless,but that is all it was.Hypersensitivity is an unfortunate byproduct of a hyphonated society.

SportsCenter Comment Draws Controversy

Best of the Web

headlines