In the NFL’s upcoming regular season premiere, Beth Mowins will serve as ESPN’s first female play-by-play broadcaster in the network’s history of airing NFL games. She will be just the second woman ever to get the call for an NFL broadcast, with the first being Gayle Sierens, who pulled booth duty nearly thirty years ago on the final Sunday of the 1986 season for a Seahawks-Chiefs game.
Mowins is no stranger to NFL broadcasting, but thus far, her announcing skills have been limited to Raiders preseason games for the past two seasons. She’s also been a fixture in the booth for NCAA games throughout the college season.
Last year, during a symposium on sports broadcasting, NFL reporter Andrea Kremer put ESPN President John Skipper in the hot seat, asking why it’s taken so long to get a woman in the booth for pro football games. He responded (via Sports Illustrated):
“I think we will get there. We are committed to it. Look, we have women calling NBA games, we have women calling college football games, and we look for opportunities to put women in the booth … There is no reason not to do it now. It is one of things where people are making progress and that would be seen as there is no limit.”
Though the news of Mowins’ appearance in the booth does show commitment, it’s, thus far, a one-night-only engagement. She’ll be tackling the Chargers-Broncos matchup alongside recently fired Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan as part of a doubleheader that night.
Even if her performance is an unqualified success, her prospects for upward mobility at ESPN are limited. The network broadcasts just one game per week and has a proven and popular team installed. However, a strong performance calling the game could open up prospects at other networks and warm football audiences up to the long overdue recognition that a woman can call a game just as well as as a man.
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.