ESPN “obviously extremely disappointed” by wife of Scot McCloughan

AP

ESPN has released a statement backing its reporter in a bizarre dustup with the wife of Washington General Manager Scot McCloughan.

After a report from ESPN’s Dianna Russini about dissension within the organization about whether to move on from quarterback Robert Griffin III, Jessica McCloughan directed a tweet at Russini saying, “Please tell us how many BJ’S you had to give to get this story. And did they laugh at you before or after?”

Although the team initially claimed the tweet came from a fake Twitter account, Jessical McCloughan has now admitted that she did, in fact, write the tweet. ESPN is understandably not happy about that.

“Dianna is an excellent reporter who should never have to be subjected to such vulgar comments. We are obviously extremely disappointed by today’s developments,” ESPN said in a statement.

ESPN is, obviously, correct in standing by its reporter, as the accusation that Jessica McCloughan leveled is completely inappropriate, and dragging Russini’s name through the mud is unacceptable.

246 responses to “ESPN “obviously extremely disappointed” by wife of Scot McCloughan

  1. ESPN, we are dissapointed in people you have employed over the years and we shouldn’t be subjected to such idiots and I’m not talking about the girl in this story.

  2. wow….a lot of alcohol being consumed in that household and it shows as her husband was probably drunk putting together this High School roster that will finish last for the 20th year in a row….FTTR!!!!

  3. Why HBO didn’t follow these folks around for a couple months is beyond me. Forget Texas. Must see television and sky high ratings in DC. Not to mention a 75% boost in fire retardant sales across the country.

  4. the comment aside – Washington looks ever more dysfunctional after saying the comment was fake, then having to admit that it was real.

    Doesn’t give you a lot of confidence in much they say or do

  5. Hell Yeah!! Even if you she didn’t tweet it she should just say she did. Screw ESPN, I used to watch them all the time but now they are just make up news like tabloids.

  6. Wow ESPN is disappointed. Maybee we should boycott all their sponsors. With all the misinformation and outright lies that ESPN has been involved with over the years.

  7. C’mon, it’s an ESPN “reporter” for crying out loud. No one takes ESPN seriously. With the spelling errors and juvenile writing skills, it’s a miracle they can get any content out.

  8. Only one thing left to say…. Hail to the Redskins, Hail victory!

    Hard knocks should have been here, So much drama!

  9. After a report from ESPN’s Dianna Russini about dissension within the organization about whether to move on from quarterback Robert Griffin III, Jessica McCloughan directed a tweet at Russini saying, “Please tell us how many BJ’S you had to give to get this story. And did they laugh at you before or after?”

    Sounds like the criteria has been exceeded for next year’s ESPY – Arthur Ashe Courage Award

  10. Pretty tasteless bringing up the issues that Scot has had boysroll. The internet muscle that some people flex on here is outrageous. The man is talented and has built up rosters in the past. Doesn’t have an easy task over in DC. Not sure what purpose comes from you bringing up alcohol to the post. Please take up a hobby like thinking before you publish something on the internet. Much appreciated.

  11. I’m sorry that’s hilarious. I want to have a beer with Jessica Mccloughan. She seems like a great ball buster.

  12. Gee, the hypocrites at ESPN will stand by a female reporter, but let Curt shilling dangle in the wind when he was absolutely right! Must be fun to work for such a dysfunctional network.

  13. what is the over/under on days until the divorce papers are filed here?

    I am going under minus 10 days before Scott files for divorce on her!!!

  14. I’m disappointed that mortenson hasn’t been fired, or suspended, or even required to take some responsibility for his reckless (and incorrect) tweets about air pressure. So as far as I am concerned, anything ESPN gets has already been earned and then some. F off ESPN

  15. Why is it reporters all jump on the band wagon and circle the wagons the first time someone they report on has the nerve to strike back? I mean reporters don’t mind undermining a team, destroying a players future, and could care less about who gets run over in the 24/7 new cycle. Seriously toughen up a bit it was a joke.

  16. bspn itself routinely does for the No Facts League what their reporter inappropriately accused of doing. At least what the reporter wrote was credible, unlike the network itself

  17. Too bad they’re not “obviously extremely disappointed” by the constant stream of lies, innuendo and plagiarized reports they post.

  18. I find it pathetic that a ‘mature’ adult behaves like that on Twitter. She doesn’t have the nerve to ask the reporter the question to her face. She’s a coward.

    We all need to stop hiding behind our screens.

  19. Two Questions,

    1. Has this organization done anything right on or off the field since D Snyder has owned it?

    2. How can butthurt patriot fans make everything about themselves?

  20. I also have every ESPN channel blocked on my Direct tv. If you stood this reporter in front of me I would not know who she is. Could care less

  21. Didn’t McGloughlan say they were gonna beat people up this year? Maybe he should have mentioned that this included his wife via twitter drive by….

  22. ESPN is a joke of a network and is always mining for sensational stories. ESPN should be the first 24 hour a day network with nothing but commercials. There are more commercials on the network than reporting on what is going on the the sports world. Hail to the Redskins.

  23. I’m normally one of the first people to hop on the anti-ESPN bandwagon, but I don’t get the comments making it seem like they’re the bad guys here. In this case, we’re not talking about a reporter involved in bogus leaks. She was just doing her job, and got publicly attacked in a rather disgusting way. It’s hard enough for female sports reporters to earn respect. Having another woman make comments about her performing oral favors in exchange for news tips only makes that unnecessarily more difficult.

  24. It’s bad enough when everyone on an organization’s payroll is either incompetent or ignorant but things are real bad when even family members of the organization bring shame and outrage. By this time next year, everyone associated with this terrible team will be looking for work and one can’t help but wonder what the vile mouthed Ms. McCloughan will be willing to do to help support her family.

  25. Boo hoo ESPN. Who cares? Are you guys so sensitive this stuff requires a comment from you? I suggest you grow some thicker skin and not give “tweets” like this any notice.

  26. Who cares what ESPN thinks about this? We all know they are the TMZ of sports now but they are going the way of MTV in that all they care about is who is Tweeting what and whom does it offend? I remember waking up every morning as a kid in the 90’s to see sports highlights from the night before. Now if and that’s a big if ESPN is on its some woman anchor who knows nothing about sports but has a fancy journalism degree trying to talk about sports but ultimately reverts to who tweeted what that morning. Don’t even get me started on the 24/7 coverage on the Redskins….a team that hasn’t mattered to the NFL in 23 years. This team hasn’t even reached the NFC championship game since 1992. Hell even the Jaguars have been closer to the Super Bowl in the last 20 years then the Redskins.

  27. I get that two wrongs never make a right and therefore all of ESPN’s false and irresponsible reporting does not justify a vulgar tweet. That said, Mortenson’s poor excuse for an apology still rankles a bit. ESPN is definitely in no shape whatsoever to get indignant no matter how crass this tweet was. When ESPN reporters show a little humility and own up to their own mistakes they will probably find others more willing to cut them some slack.

  28. Thank god it wasn’t a man who tweeted that! Can you imagine the world-wide uproar over that?!?!?!? I’m with those that think it was hilarious and espn can bite me.

  29. My wife told me many years ago: “basically all women hate all other women.” I have seen this verified dozens if not hundreds of times since then and this is just more proof.

  30. People forget….

    Remember in the last CBA where they passed that the team voted “Biggest Dumpster Fire” gets an additional 8 #1 draft picks ???

    The Redskins were worried about losing out to the 49ers and Jets…

  31. ESPN may be right but they are also the network that employs Cris Carter, Stephen A and the crazy blonde from The state of Washington so defend your reporter and rightly so but you have 3 reporters on your payroll that are low lifes, and Schilling too

  32. That is actually an awesome tweet
    A little more spice in the Wash locker room
    Next thing you know South Park will be busting their balls

  33. This organization’s best days are far behind them.

    Am I referring the cable network or the football team?

    You decide!

  34. Fire the GM.
    That would teach some of the loose-lipped WAGs out there a valuable lesson.
    Also, ESPN sucks.

  35. America 2015.

    The speech might still be free, but use it? And its going to cost you.

    Big time.

    BTW, are we as Americans supposed to be outraged about this and call for her husbands job yet? I am just so confused with all of the things that don’t affect me in the slightest that Im required to be outraged about that I seem to have misplaced my pitchfork, does anyone have an extra pitchfork? Perhaps some excess tar and feathers as well?(I hate to be a mooch!)

  36. I swear I am in love. Jessica was not being literal, she was speaking the absolute truth by alluding to what we all believe, and it is not gender specific. Reporters will to ANYTHING for a scoop. DC fans should be proud. The wife of the GM has a definite pulse so maybe the GM has a pulse and there is hope for an organization when there is passion. This is awesome stuff. Irony alert, the World Leaker in Sports is the very last organization that should be throwing stones on personal integrity issues.

  37. The new GM certainly brought a lot of class to the organization. With her inappropriate, careless and unprofessional comments, she made RG3 look like a Boy Scout. I wouldn’t be surprised if he initiated a preemptive strike and demanded a trade in order to separate himself from this dysfunctional team.

  38. Having no facts never stopped ESPN from making up stories about FSU players based on facebook stuff.

  39. Sigmund Freud must be spinning in his grave. This site is normally full of Redskins haters. I know they’re here but they can’t get the mental image of that text out their mind long enough to hate. Scot McGloughan is a genius.

  40. So I guess you guys don’t care about the tweet anymore huh?

    There was an earlier tweet like this too calling Russini the side girl… I think that the Redskins GM might be double faced in regard to more than just his QB’s

  41. ESPN: “We are disappointed by Jessica McCloughan’s remarks. At ESPN we take our false and disparaging reporting seriously and Mrs. McCloughan is a rank amateur who has no business intruding on our signature style of sports journalism.”

  42. My wife is “colorful” as well and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. Yeah it can get spicy but it is so much better than boring and not really knowing what she is thinking because she won’t say it. Good luck to you and your pc, afraid to say it (fake) “lady”.

    Whoever said a divorce would come of this is probably single. I am sure that comments like this is one of the things he loves about her…until it gets him in trouble of course…like now.

  43. They should have just said that this was a term of respect for a woman and denounce any other interpretation as political correctness gone amok.

  44. ESPN is garbage feeding football know nothings. I quit watching that mess years ago. Who is Russini, better yet, who cares?

  45. Also,it really really irks me by how hypocritical the media can be, it’s ok to write stories bashing a person or group of people because of a so called “source” but god forbid people say anything negative back. I get what she said was vulgar but it’s no worse than telling lies to get clicks on a site or your name out there. Just because one persons lies are vulgar in nature and the other persons is written professionally for money doesn’t make one better than the other……………………. They are both lies!

  46. The biter bit!

    Personally the more people who beat up on ESPN the better. It is a for garbage company who have no problem with ethics as far they they are concerned.

    I love football and I love talking football but nowadays its just too much and half the time the reporters are just reporting something for the sake of it or to boost ratings. I guess we as fans need to be more selective about things, I know I am I will probably never watch ESPN again unless its a live game and I bet a lot of people out there feel the same way.

  47. ESPN has a muderer, Ray Lewis, on their NFL show every Sunday. And they’re offended by this? Really?

  48. Was the reporter having an affair with her source as the sources wife appears to he saying ? Wow you mean a reporter might actually sleep with someone? Stop the thin blue line coverup and ask the damn question.

  49. If the allegations are proved to be true( which I’m sure won’t be, since no one has anything to gain for coming forward with the truth) you’d have to imagine Snyder fires the GM or Scot resigns. The one guy who we thought could fix our woes, has instantly become part of the problem.. It really is tough being a Skins fan.

  50. The media’s depression spiral every time they are forced to confront the reality that for all the PC efforts theyve made to transform the people of the world into mindless, prim and proper liberal speaking drones arent actually doing anything to keep people from speaking what they want to speak and feeling what they have the right to feel ks always such a pleasure to watch.

    The guy’s wife was standing up for him and mouthed off on *gasp* the internet.

    If that reporter can handle comments on the internet, then she’s in the wrong business. I would wager though, that she can handle it and the media cares more than she does and the only ones that care are those who look for opportunity to tell people what they should think and speak.

  51. And women wonder why their husbands don’t “share ” their innermost thoughts. Maybe because the women love to spill their guts all over the internet

  52. And then she called me a bad name. WTF, like this is the worst to be said about her. You should hear what my neighbors yell across the street; and they like each other i think.

  53. Yea it’snot nice but probably some truth to it which makes it worse. At least she confessed she said it; perhaps TombBrady should follow her example and confess gun

  54. She must be auditioning for a role in Donald Trump’s media relations department. Obnoxious, vulgar, crude…yep, she’s definitely got what it takes

  55. I think Scot is generally aware of the answer to that question. Make him turn over his phone and then leak all his private emails. Suspend him for a quarter of his year if he refuses to.

  56. Why hasn’t ESPN denied the allegation? This is an organisation with a long history of sexual misconduct. All benefit of doubt is gone. Disney needs to hire Ted Wells ASAP to investigate if ESPN reporters deflated any balls.

  57. I don’t see anything in what Russini reported that should cause any Redskin official to be upset.

    I do have this question though. A few months back, I think it was Ashley Fox on NFL Insiders who made the comment that she did not know if McCloughan could handle the pressure of the GM job because he was a recovering alcoholic. I thought that was way out of line, but apparently nobody else had a problem with it.

    It seems to me that ESPN is becoming a TMZ type network but is more dangerous. TMZ openly owns up to being gossip and, if you will, a guilty pleasure while ESPN keeps portraying itself as journalism but does not necessarily maintain the ethics of impartially reporting the news.

  58. Spouses should keep their noses out of their mates’ work business and their mouths shut about what happens in that workplace. Especially when it’s such a public job and business. Butt out.

    I’d be so POed if my wife spouted off publicly about stuff going on at my jobs.

  59. You have to be use to vulgarity if you report on a NFL team. Heck, ESPN sounds like an equally vulgar place to work with their endless scandals. Dianna can take it.

  60. “Dianna is an excellent reporter who should never have to be subjected to such vulgar comments. We are obviously extremely disappointed by today’s developments,” ESPN said in a statement.

    So, if she was a crappy reporter all would be okay?

    So, it’s okay for her to go into male locker rooms and have her subjected to guys intentionally putting their junk in her line of sight, but that’s not “vulgar” while this is???

    It’s sad how many media types aren’t afraid to ruin an athlete’s reputation in the name of “just doing their job”, yet the get all pissed off and cry about somebody ripping their work. Hypocrites.

  61. “dragging Russini’s name through the mud is unacceptable.”

    Yet, the same press has no qualms whatsoever stating – or “hinting” – that Brady is a cheater, Eli is dopey, Big Ben is a known rapist, Lynch is an angry jerk, RGIII is a narcissist, every football player that is not 100% compliant with the press is uneducated, let’s not forget the mandatory Ryan brothers fat jokes, etc., etc. In fact, the more I think about it, 99.9% of “journalism” seems to be based on doing nothing BUT dragging people’s names through the mud. I can’t remember the last time I read a factual report that wasn’t heavily laced with scandal & innuendo. Why is it unacceptable when the shoe is on the other foot?

  62. …and of course the Brady groupies continue to post their mindless attacks on ESPN to justify their arrogant paranoia

  63. Female sports reporters have to deal with enough harassment, and it doesn’t help that relatives of a pro team’s senior management encourage further harassment. Then again, this comes from representatives of a team with the most progressive and enlightened nickname in the NFL.

  64. Were the as extremely disappointed when their own Britt mchenry verbally thrashed that tow truck employee? Sure they suspended her for a week but the official statement was a one sentence Facebook post stating she was suspended. Hypocrites.

  65. And ESPN has never had anyone on staff that had a misguided tweet. or said something on air they might have been better off not saying. I don’t understand why anyone would have a twitter account where anything you say can be over scrutinized.

  66. ESPN has become an absolute joke.

    I’m “obviously extremely disappointed” by what ESPN passes off as “news”:

    Kevin Frazier
    Dana Jacobson
    Keith Olbermann
    Britt McHenry
    Skip Bayless
    Stephen A. Smith

    I could go on….but why bother?

  67. BSPN has absolutely NO “excellent reporters”, nothing but gossip girls who spin their take for click-bait. Absolutely no integrity from BSPN

  68. The typical ESPN employee probably uses the term BJ a dozen times a day.

    I think we’re still waiting for an answer to Jessica’s question….

  69. Joe Gibbs, Darrell Green, Art Monk, John Riggins, Mark May, Joe Jacoby and Charles Mann are all spinning in their graves!!! I really, really used to love this franchise!! SMDH!!!

  70. So this is what the world has come to. There is no hope for humanity. I got a chuckle out of it myself, that being said, if your spouse is the General Manager of an NFL franchise, you might wonder about someone’s oral fixation in a more private circle. Don’t get me wrong, it disgusts me twice as much, that all these blithering sycophants will thumbs up that they don’t care for the cut of ESPN’s jib either. No wonder it’s so difficult to find leaders in this country, you’re all blind sheep.

  71. I’m sure that the wife of an NFL GM got to where she is by giving outstanding blow jobs. That said– ESPN also knows quite a bit about sucking. They have been doing it ever since Disney bought the network.

  72. Not defending ESPN, but this is the exact reason I don’t care to hear from any “wife” on subjects they are not the expert in. From Michelle Obama to Laura Bush to this dingbat, sit back, enjoy the “air time” and keep your yaps closed.

    Let your husband, whether appointed or elected, pull his big-boy pants up and handle his own issues.

  73. Funny that when someone apologizes to ESPN, they make it a big deal. Bur when ESPN apologizes for repeatedly referring to a false report about the Patriots, they apologize one time at 12am when no one is watching.

  74. I just want to hear about “FOOTBALL”-I have become very disappointed and disenchanted with this website which is sad because I have devoutly followed this website for 6 years. This website has become a “He said/She said-you need to stick with football, if no football-say nothing-thank you!

  75. ESPN can say any kind of derogatory, baseless thing about players, coaches and owners but when someone fires back at one of their own they take offense.

    The Redskins have been sliced and diced in the press. I hope to see more posts from Jessica McCloughan.

    And by the way, maybe the question was based on fact… Could Russini please answer the question?

  76. This kind of garbage goes on every day on Twitter. Why is this even news? Twitter has become a cesspool of irrational and ranting. Anyone who bothers paying attention to Twitter gets what they deserve.

  77. I thought Scott was the only alcoholic in that household. Perhaps someone else needs some time in rehab too.

  78. Get off our high horse ESPN your reporters say things all the time that are not true or insulting. You’ve allowed your brand to be destroyed by allowing it to be run by the NFL

  79. First of all, I’m purty sure Jess McCloughan didn’t just dream up this accusation. I’m guessing she looked at Scot’s phone and saw some pretty graphic texts to base this accusation on. Pardon the pun, but, if I’m a betting man, this story has some teeth to it. She has to be doing something to get EVERY bit of information before any other reporter. Diehard Skins fan but damn, we truly have become “The Factory of Sadness, Eastern Division”.

  80. Sounds like a woman scorned. Somebody from within the organization has been leaking information to Rossini… Hard to believe it would be the GM. if so it would be grounds to fire him. Even though as a fan I like the moves we’ve made…

  81. When you get “in bed” with these leagues this is what you open yourself up to. ESPN isn’t a legitimate news reporting agency, they are league mouthpieces who cow tail to the checkbook.

  82. Jessica sounds like a cool woman.

    NOW…lets find a way to blame it on Brady…it came from his cell phone.

    NFL needs to involve Wells again…..and McNair will state that JJ Watts wife would NEVER say such a despicable [ but true] thing.

    This would not have happened had Redskins balls been properly inflated….But,,,it all sounds so LOGICAL

  83. How do we know it’s not true. There are a number of female sports reporters who are known to gobble the ole knob for a story. We tend to forget women want sex as much as men do so why would they pass up the chance especially if it will help their career.

  84. The tweet is everything people say it is.

    That said, ESPN, an outlet that has been spreading lies about Tom Brady and working in unison witht he NFL to smear him for 8 months is in no position to be pointing a moral finger at anyone.

  85. It is open season on the NFL and ESPN and they brought it on themselves with their own arrogance.

    I think Mike Reiss is a great guy but reading his blog is no longer enjoyable because there is an ESPN hit piece posted to it every day.

    I also stopped watching ESPN and NFL Network. I actually went so far as to have my cable company cut the NFL Network service.

  86. Seems like ESPN has garnered a lot of sympathy and respect over the last year or so – not. I wonder if they have learned anything? Like maybe their Jerry Springer tactics of reporting don’t sit well with main stream America.
    Get over yourselves ESPN. Nobody cares about your desire for your personal 15 minutes of fame. Just report the news honestly, fairly and void of all sensationalism. The only people that remember who “broke” a story are yourselves. The comments in these posts perfectly reflect the outrage associated with Jessica McCloughan’s comments – there is none.

  87. Doesn’t ESPN employ Britt McHenry? Now THERE is someone who has exhibited some extremely disappointing behavior …

  88. The thing that gets me is that if it was a guy that sent the tweet, such a McCloughlan himself, there would be a huge feminist outcry most likely costing McCloughlan his job.

  89. We at ESPN hold ourselves to a higher moral standard. As such, we severely denounce these vulgar comments directed at our employee. We strive to uphold respectful, moral and humane interaction.

    Now, please stay tuned for Britt McHenry and Cris Carter honoring Caitlyn Jenner.

  90. Nobody likes ESPN, that being said the skins are a train wreck full of liars, bad players, bad management and foolish wives.

  91. She probably brought up a valid point, I’ve seen Dianna who hosted a sports show with a former Redskin player, and numerous times, you could tell by the way she was dressed and her comments she was doing some serious flirting, I even commented to someone watching along with me, that she better be careful as this players wife might kick her arse…actually I’m glad the four letter station took her from the local station, she was a bit annoying.

  92. Since when did vulgarity become acceptable?
    Where did tact and courtesy go?
    Does anyone exhibit an attempt at morality or even professionalism anymore?

  93. Jessica McCloughan should be charged with plagiarism. Katie Coiric already asked that exact question of Jessica Savage several years ago.

  94. turn the tables and the media gets upset! If the story was reversed espn would be all over this story…

  95. Dear ESPN ,

    Do you not employ Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, two self promoting jerks who make a living out of insulting and embarrassing athletes and others for their amusement and YOUR profits?

    Yeah, I thought so. Please refrain from the self righteous and pity mode, it is hypocritical. If ESPN and their sports “reporters” can not take the insults, I suggest they do not give them out to begin with.

  96. PFT should post a special thread showing all the comments that were censored from this one.

  97. “Excuse me Judge Berman, but I have a Mr. McCloughan on the line and he wants to know if you could possibly release your ruling and order in the Brady case today, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

  98. It would be funny to watch how fast these idiots in this post would be crying to their lawyers (public defenders, actually) if that comment were aimed at THEIR spouse or daughter.

  99. Is this story about the Redskins? NBC journalists are a joke. Whether you like it or not, the team name is the Washington Redskins. You are suppose to be journalists. Serious journalists don’t decide to omit facts just because it hurts their feelings.

  100. Maybe Dianna Russini should be held accountable for her actions instead of shaming Jessica McCloughan for most likely speaking the truth. Shame on you ESPN for protecting a floozy.

  101. And why is ESPN acting as if this act is impossible? I’m sure there are many who have done some type of favor to get a scoop…and who knows maybe she offered…

  102. Baseless accusations – character assassination – How does it feel – Throw in some lies and its just doing things the ESPN way!!!

  103. As another poster wrote this is one of the best PFT comment threads ever. I especially loved the one about Mrs McLoughan being an ex Trump communications worker, just precious, as I laughed out loud about this.

    Piecing together the quilt from interesting posts, it seems entirely possible that Mr and Mrs GM are still understandably pissed about an ESPN reporter questioning whether Scot as a recovering alcoholic is up to his job. This is a blow aimed right at his crotch. It also seems plausible that the GM and his wife have heard all the rumors about which players and which reporters are messing around together. One plus one could easily lead to this twittergasm.

    Bottom line
    ESPN prostitutes itself for ratings
    Redskins are NFL’s biggest soap opera
    This of course is all old news.

  104. After ESPN’s recent re-reporting of Spygate, I have to say, I like Ms. MCCloghan’s style more and more.

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