The ESPN+ broadcast made an inappropriate comment through the first round of The Players Championship.
And it unfortunately got here on the expense of Hideki Matsuyama.
The 33-year-old golfer had a rough first day at TPC Sawgrass, where he finished at just two over.
His rough day on the course was made worse by a woefully ignorant comment made on the published.
Matsuyama was putting for bogey on 14 when John Maginnes thoughtlessy and carelessly stereotyped the Japanese native.
“He hasn’t smiled yet,” Maginnes said of Matsuyama on the published.
“Bad sushi. That is only a brutal round of golf to this point.”
For whatever reason, the previous skilled golfer turned analyst, Maginnes, thought that was okay to say.
Comparing Matsuyama’s poor round to have had ‘bad sushi’ was bad form.
Maginnes’ comment left the viewers understandably upset.
“Hey @espn, your @ESPNPlus commentator saying ‘should have been bad sushi’ referring to Matsuyama being +4 through 5 holes is essentially the most insane, unprofessional thing I’ve ever heard, holy hell mate,” one viewer posted on X.
“Needed to rewind to be certain I actually heard it. That’s a WILD thing to say,” one other viewer chimed in.
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Within the grand scheme of things what Maginnes said wasn’t life or death, but he must be far more aware of what he says in the long run.
He probably thought nothing of it, and positively meant no harm to Matsuyama.
But that is the problem with stereotypes.
You do not know the harm you are causing if you’re doing or saying something.
Maginnes needs to be higher.
Besides, Matsuyama became the primary male Japanese golfer to win a significant championship when he won the Masters in 2021.
Put some respect on his name.
