On Saturday night, Canadian broadcaster Tara Slone was on the air in California, covering a breaking story as part of her new job with the San Jose Sharks and NBC Sports. Goaltender James Reimer was refusing to wear a Pride-themed jersey during warm-ups, citing his religious beliefs.
“I think it is an active thing that he is doing by sitting out and not wearing the Pride jersey,” she said during the broadcast. “I think a lot of us are very disappointed. We were hoping that the whole team would show this act of solidarity and inclusion and acceptance.
“What’s hard to watch happen, I think, right now, is this sort of ripple effect.”
Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov boycotted his team’s scheduled Pride night in January. Days later, the Rangers elected not to wear Pride-themed jerseys as scheduled. Earlier this month, the Wild declined to wear Pride jerseys during a pregame warm-up.
“I woke up today just really sad,” Slone said in an interview with The Athletic on Monday. “It’s less about James Reimer himself, and more about what’s happening in the world, which I find so painful.”
Slone relocated to California last fall, months after Sportsnet announced the cancellation of “Rogers Hometown Hockey,” which she had co-hosted with Ron MacLean. Her partner, former defenseman Dan Boyle, had settled in San Jose in retirement.
In November, Slone began working as host/contributor for the Sharks and NBC Sports Bay Area. As reaction continued to roll in from the weekend, she fielded questions from The Athletic.
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
When did you hear about the stance James Reimer was going to take?
I think a lot of us were anticipating there would be a holdout or two. Coach (David) Quinn was asked about it a few days before the Pride game. And with his answer, it just didn’t seem like the whole team would be wearing them. So we were prepared for somebody to hold out.
I got a text from my producer, Sean Maddison, shortly after it was announced. It was Saturday morning.
How did you decide what you would say on the air?
Obviously, for me, it’s a balancing act, right? I work for the team. I also work for the broadcaster that works for the team. I knew I had to be careful. Honestly? My first feeling was I was so heartbroken for the organization itself, because I knew how much work had gone into all of the events leading up to the Pride game itself.
And I know how much work they do internally. That’s one of the things about being employed by the team: I know that this is an organization that puts their money where their mouths are in terms of internal education. It’s not just a one-night thing.
What really sucked is seeing that their efforts were being overshadowed by James Reimer’s decision. I knew that I had the faith of NBC. They brought me in for a reason. They knew exactly what they were getting when they decided they wanted me to be part of the team.
And I think part of it is to address issues like this, to have real conversations about hockey culture. If they were looking for another hockey talking head, I’m not it. I am not an analyst.
I didn’t script anything, no. And I haven’t watched it back, actually, so I don’t really remember what I said. What made it easy for me is that I felt so aligned with what Brian Burke had sent me.
Did you interview him?
He texted it to me. I had spoken to him. He came through with the Penguins. I’d spoken to him after Ivan Provorov refused to wear his Pride jersey. I wanted to get Burkie’s thoughts. I knew that, in this case, he would have something to say. Reimer played under him. Reimer played for him at a time when Brendan Burke was out, and when Brendan died. (Reimer was with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, and Brian Burke was the Maple Leafs’ GM, when Brendan Burke died in February 2010.)
To me, other than just being disappointing — and disappointing on behalf of the team itself — it is just such a dangerous time for that community. I felt so heartbroken that this was something that was going to be used as a further launch point for all the people who have demonized the LGBTQ+ community.
That was, and remains, the biggest heartbreaker of this whole thing.
What has been the reaction?
Really divided. A lot of people applauding NBC for allowing that to happen. Applauding the Sharks. Applauding me, I guess. But there’s just so much vitriol out there. People standing by Reimer’s freedom of religious expression. And just complete, horrible, weaponization. Using it as a platform to energize all these false narratives.
Honestly? I feel kind of sick to my stomach. It’s really not about what I’ve taken personally. It’s about what I’m seeing out there, and what is an indication of where the greater world sits. We’re a long way from equality and understanding, that’s for sure.
You’ve been on NBC for less than a year …
Yeah. I only got my work visa in December.
Were you concerned about what kind of editorial freedom you might have, given your brief tenure?
It wasn’t a matter of that. Like I said, they knew who I was coming into this. Both the Sharks and NBC really created a situation for me because of who I am, because of what I bring. And my outspokenness is part of what I bring. I’ve said this many times at this point: It’s really refreshing for me to be in a place where I am celebrated and not just tolerated — where my viewpoints are actually encouraged.
At the same time, it is a balancing act, and I have to be careful. I want to make sure that I’m honest, but also fair to the team. I spoke to Scott Emmert, who’s the (vice president) of communications. He knew that we were going to say something. I assured him. I said: “Scott, I’m going to be fair, but we have to talk about this.”
Nobody told me to watch myself. Nobody gave me anything to say or not to say.
How are people reacting around San Jose?
I don’t know. I’ve only been hanging out with my 13-year-old daughter. (Smiles) But certainly, in the hockey world and in the Sharks fan community, it’s the biggest topic of conversation.
What happens next?
I think it has opened some important discourse. I really wonder, though, moving forward, how the fans are going to react to Reimer. But as I’ve seen in hockey — over and over again — stuff, unfortunately, tends to be forgotten pretty quickly. I think what happens next is life goes on. It’s been a hard enough season for the team. It’s almost over. I think everybody would love the chance to just regroup.
How have you adjusted to working in California?
Working as a team is really different. You come across the challenge of finding stories about that one team, for however many broadcasts a year. And just making sure you are representing the organization properly.
The fanbase is different here. I think it is a much more diverse fanbase. A rabid fanbase. They’ve had a lot of years of success. With the team, it’s not the happiest place right now. But I think people have a lot faith.
Do you have a sense of how long you’ll stay in California?
(Laughs) Well, the man I love is here. If I left, that would mean leaving him, and I have no intention of doing that. He’s not leaving. He’s built his dream home. And job-wise, I’m really excited about the future with both the Sharks and with NBC.
I think we’ll re-assess what everything is going to look like in the offseason. But I certainly hope this is just the beginning for me.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points in a record-setting performance and the Sacramento Kings beat the Toronto Raptors 122-107 on Wednesday night.
Domantas Sabonis added 17 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season for Sacramento. He shot 6 for 6 from the field and 5 for 5 at the free-throw line.
Keegan Murray chipped in with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and De’Aaron Fox scored 21.
The 35-year-old DeRozan has scored at least 20 points in each of his first eight games with the Kings, breaking a franchise mark established by Chris Webber when he reached 20 in his first seven games with Sacramento in 1999.
DeRozan spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Bulls. The six-time All-Star also has played for Toronto and San Antonio during his 16-year NBA career.
RJ Barrett had 23 points to lead the Raptors. Davion Mitchell scored 20 in his first game in Sacramento since being traded to Toronto last summer.
Takeaways
Raptors: Toronto led for most of the first three quarters before wilting in the fourth. The Raptors were outscored 33-14 in the final period.
Kings: Fox played strong defense but struggled again shooting from the floor as he is dealing with a finger injury. Fox went 5 for 17 and just 2 of 8 on 3-pointers. He is 5 for 25 from beyond the arc in his last three games.
Key moment
The Kings trailed 95-89 early in the fourth before going on a 9-0 run that gave them the lead for good. DeRozan started the spurt with a jumper, and Malik Monk scored the final seven points.
Key stat
Sabonis had the eighth game in the NBA since at least 1982-83 with a triple-double while missing no shots from the field or foul line. The previous player to do it was Josh Giddey for Oklahoma City against Portland on Jan. 11.
Up next
Raptors: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night, the third stop on a five-game trip.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps are one win away from moving on to the next round of the Major League Soccer playoffs.
To get there, however, the Whitecaps will need to pull off the improbable by defeating the powerhouse Los Angeles FC for a second straight game.
Vancouver blanked the visitors 3-0 on Sunday to level their best-of-three first-round playoff series at a game apiece. As the matchup shifts back to California for a decisive Game 3 on Friday, the Whitecaps are looking for a repeat performance, said striker Brian White.
“We take the good and the bad from last game, learn from what we could have done better and go to LAFC with confidence and, obviously, with a whole lot of respect,” he said.
“We know that we can go there and give them a very good fight and hopefully come away with a win.”
The winner of Friday’s game will face the No. 4-seed Seattle Sounders in a one-game Western Conference semifinal on Nov. 23 or 24.
The ‘Caps finished the regular season eighth in the west with a 13-13-8 record and have since surprised many with their post-season play.
First, Vancouver trounced its regional rivals, the Portland Timbers, 5-0 in a wild-card game. Then, the squad dropped a tightly contested 2-1 decision to the top-seeded L.A. before posting a decisive home victory on Sunday.
Vancouver has scored seven goals this post-season, second only to the L.A. Galaxy (nine). Vancouver also leads the league in expected goals (6.84) through the playoffs.
No one outside of the club expected the Whitecaps to win when the Vancouver-L. A. series began, said defender Ranko Veselinovic.
“We’ve shown to ourselves that we can compete with them,” he said.
Now in his fifth season with the ‘Caps, Veselinovic said Friday’s game will be the biggest he’s played for the team.
“We haven’t had much success in the playoffs so, definitely, this is the one that can put our season on another level,” he said.
This is the second year in a row the Whitecaps have faced LAFC in the first round of the playoffs and last year, Vancouver was ousted in two straight games.
The team isn’t thinking about revenge as it prepares for Game 3, White said.
“More importantly than (beating LAFC), we want to get to the next round,” he said. “LAFC’s a very good team. We’ve come up against them a number of times in different competitions and they always seem to get the better of us. So it’d be huge for us to get the better of them this time.”
Earning a win last weekend required slowing L.A.’s transition game and limiting offensive opportunities for the team’s big stars, including Denis Bouanga.
Those factors will be important again on Friday, said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini, who warned that his team could face a different style of game.
“I think the most important thing is going to be to match their intensity at the beginning of the game,” he said. “Because I think they’re going to come at us a million miles per hour.”
The ‘Caps will once again look to captain Ryan Gauld for some offensive firepower. The Scottish attacking midfielder leads MLS in playoff goals with five and has scored in all three of Vancouver’s post-season appearances this year.
Gearing up for another do-or-die matchup is exciting, Gauld said.
“Knowing it’s a winner-takes-all kind of game, being in that kind of environment is nice,” he said. “It’s when you see the best in players.”
LAFC faces the bulk of the pressure heading into the matchup, Sartini said, given the club’s appearances in the last two MLS Cup finals and its 2022 championship title.
“They’re supposed to win and we are not,” the coach said. “But it’s beautiful to have a little bit of pressure on us, too.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
Each PWHL team operated under its city name, with players wearing jerseys featuring the league’s logo in its inaugural season before names and logos were announced last month.
The Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens will start the PWHL’s second season on Nov. 30 with jerseys designed to reflect each team’s identity and to be sold to the public as replicas.
Led by PWHL vice-president of brand and marketing Kanan Bhatt-Shah, the league consulted Creative Agency Flower Shop to design the jerseys manufactured by Bauer, the PWHL said Thursday in a statement.
“Players and fans alike have been waiting for this moment and we couldn’t be happier with the six unique looks each team will don moving forward,” said PWHL senior vice president of business operations Amy Scheer.
“These jerseys mark the latest evolution in our league’s history, and we can’t wait to see them showcased both on the ice and in the stands.”
Training camps open Tuesday with teams allowed to carry 32 players.
Each team’s 23-player roster, plus three reserves, will be announced Nov. 27.
Each team will play 30 regular-season games, which is six more than the first season.
Minnesota won the first Walter Cup on May 29 by beating Boston three games to two in the championship series.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
