I’ll start by pointing out that I am hardly a social justice warrior. I think the immediate reaction by many to champion the latest [insert historically maligned race, gender or orientation] to get to [insert role typically occupied by white men] does as much of a disservice to that person as it helps them, because it reduces them to nothing more than their narrowly defined identity, like the Rooney Rule does for people like Duce Staley when he’s laughably brought in to interview for a job he’s not qualified for (say nothing of the fact that the guy who got the job may not have been qualified either). Far too many people are quick to point out that “so and so” is terrific solely because that person has broken a barrier or shattered a ceiling. In other words, it’s OK to say a woman sucks if she’s a bad broadcaster. It’s OK to say a black guy sucks if he’s a bad writer. It’s OK to say a gay guy sucks isn’t good if he uses his orientation to heighten his draft profile and marketability the way Michael Sam did.

HOWEVER.

You are arguably a bigot if you have a problem with any of the aforementioned folks taking on a role, if they’re qualified to do so. I have no idea if Beth Mowins, a college football play-by-play woman who called the second game of the Monday Night Football doubleheader on Monday, is a good broadcaster. I don’t watch enough college football and didn’t see the Broncos-Chargers game she broadcast on Monday night. Neither did Mike Missanelli. But of course he has an opinion that hinges solely on the fact that Mowins has a vagina where Mike would prefer to find a flaccid old man’s penis that only summons the courage to right itself upon the sight of a young quarterback’s hot girlfriend.

Here’s Missanelli discussing Mowins with producer Andrew Salciunas yesterday:

Missanelli: “I don’t know why the sporting world needs a female play-by-play person on an NFL game. And I know that sounds harsh, and I just want to know what is the reason for it? Do you have any thoughts on that, Andrew?”

Missanelli: “Here’s my rationale for that: women don’t grow up playing football. Now, I understand that women also don’t grow up playing baseball and that Jessica whatever her name is does a really good job, not as a play-by-play person, but as an analyst.

Salciunas: “Jessica Mendoza.”

Missanelli: “Mendoza, yes. So I don’t know if I’m out of line by presenting that. I’m just curious as to why we need to have a woman call an NFL game. Now I know she’s called many college games, uh, I don’t know, maybe I should quit while I’m ahead.”

Salciunas: “I just want to give my rebuttal real quick. Do you think Sean McDonough ever played a down of football in his life?”

Missanelli: “I don’t know if he did or not. Um, but, I think that he… see, I would have to understand how Beth Mowins grew up, if she grew up following football and, um, you know, I don’t know. Sean McDonough as a guy is more in-tuned with football than a woman would be, in my opinion. Now, I know people are saying I can’t believe he’s saying that, he’s usually liberal. And usually I am, and I’m feeling kind of hinky bringing this up, I just don’t understand why there is the need for it.”

Missanelli: “It just to me sounds unnatural for her to be calling the NFL. Now, in college, it sounds sort of unnatural as well. But I can live with college. But this is prime time, Monday Night Football. I didn’t catch a lot of the game. Was she good? If she did a good job, then I’m wrong.”

Good Christ. Besides the fact that you can almost smell the hypocrisy in his comments, the part about him needing to know Mowins’ background is ridiculous. Name me another announcer, media person or coach whose background Missanelli would demand to know before passing judgement on their current work. Mind you, Missanelli is the same person who called Michelle Beadle fat and caught the ire of Erin Andrews for critiquing her dress at the All-Star Game. So his track record on this matter seems to center more on what a woman looks like rather than her qualifications.

H/T to reader Dylan