To start with a bit of sexism, when Andy Gray and Richard Keys were caught red-handed making derogatory and quite frankly malicious remarks about a female assistant referee, Sian Massey, who helped officiate the weekend's game between Wolves and Liverpool. With comments including a swipe at Massey's inability to know the offside rule because of her gender, we would have expected Sky Sports to take swift action, order the two to apologise and remove them from their positions that they have had for so long. Not quite. The two were pulled off air for last night's game between Chelsea and Bolton and replaced by Dave Jones (in the 'Keys' role) and Sam Allardyce, a man I usually have no time for, who was honest and appeared to have more football knowledge than Gray. Overall it appeared that most approved of this new partnership. But currently there is no news as to the long-term future of Gray and Keys or any public apology. Rio Ferdinand labelled the two as "prehistoric", which has reaffirmed the belief that many have of the 'old-boys club' way that football is now run, which is institutionally sexist, set in their ways and not open for change.
I think this scandal is an opportunity. Not only is it an opportunity for women to break the stereotypes we have long suffered in football, but more importantly is an opportunity to shake things up, especially within Sky Sports, a channel that is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. There will always be those who will never accept female participation in football, and will judge one's knowledge of the game on whether you know the offside rule or not, but we need to make sure these people become the minority, and not the majority. A removal of the institutionalised Gray and Keys would be a start.
In Other News...
- Melanie Phillips caused yet more, almost inevitable, outrage from another of her Daily Mail columns expressing her....distaste.... for the "government-backed drive to promote the gay agenda"
- Oscar Nominations were announced, with the surprising absence of Christopher Nolan in the "Best Director" category, despite producing one of the stand-out films of the year.
- A local council has found a...unique (!) way of saving on their swimming pool's heating bills
UPDATE
So Andy Gray has been sacked by Sky Sports for another incident from last month. But let me guess, they're too scared to sack both of them. Although how Keys will be able to show his face after this debacle i don't know. I may slightly miss Gray's humorous ineptitude with all the new-fangled technology at his disposal, especially on 'The Last Word', but good riddance that he's gone.
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