On Monday, ESPN broadcast the second half of the NFL’s week one Monday night doubleheader, an AFC West rivalry matchup between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Los Angeles Chargers from Denver. While the Broncos’ last-second thwarting of the Chargers’ fourth-quarter comeback was exciting, the game will be most remembered as a landmark in diversity.
In the broadcast booth at Sports Authority Field at Mile High was Beth Mowins, a veteran college football broadcaster who became the first woman to announce a Monday Night Football game. On the sidelines, it was also the Monday Night Football debut of Sergio Dipp, a Mexican-American reporter who spent the last four years of his career broadcasting in Spanish for ESPN Deportes. But unfortunately for Dipp, his debut was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
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In his sideline report, Dipp attempted to make note of another landmark in diversity, the debuts of two black head coaches, Vance Joseph of the Broncos and the Chargers’ Anthony Lynn. But when Mowins threw it to Dipp, he fumbled his lines and delivered them in an odd cadence. “Here on the field, from up close, just watching … coach Vance Joseph … from here. You watch him now on the screen,” he said. His quick report ended with him attempting to scream over the crowd in Denver. “And here he is, having the time of his life this night making his head-coaching debut!” he shouted.
The report quickly drew jeers from across the Internet:
No more Sergio Dipp tonight. The NFL put him in the concussion protocol.— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) September 12, 2017
Sergio Dipp: How do you guys think my first update went???
Entire world: pic.twitter.com/QFJHl72013
— KFC (@KFCBarstool) September 12, 2017
Sergio Dipp is basically me at a bar when I try speaking to women— Luke Bellus (@lukebellus4) September 12, 2017
After the game, Dipp made a heartfelt apology for his bizarre report from his hotel room. Sitting on his hotel room bed, he explained that his attempt was to demonstrate the parallels between his debut as a minority and that of the head coaches. “All I wanted to do was to show some love to these two historical head coaches,” Dipp said. “Hopefully, I’ll have another chance and be sure I’ll make the most out of it.”
Thank you…
And God bless America. pic.twitter.com/mYXwBNFB6g
— Sergio Dipp (@SergioADippW) September 12, 2017
Here’s some of Dipp’s work on ESPN Deportes that proves he deserves a second shot.
¿Ya conoces a @SergioADippW ?
Con el arranque de la NFL Sergio está listo para traerte lo mejor de los emparrillados.
Síguelo ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0V7xF8j8Cs
— ESPN Deportes (US) (@ESPNDeportes) September 8, 2017
