Independent news from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance
May 8, 2024

News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

— Featured

CBS Sports Network broadcasters apologize after on-air insults of Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
by
jodi@imfreedomalliance.org https://twitter.com/JodiRave
We are part of The Trust Project
Wichita State's Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler addressed jokes about his Native American name. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Wichita State's Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler addressed jokes about his Native American name. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Wichita State claimed victory during the November 21st game, with a score of 55-43 over Grand Canyon University. The team’s victory quickly became overshadowed by CBS Sports Network broadcasters Chris Walker and Chick Hernandez’s remarks concerning the Shockers’ forward, senior Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler.

During the WSU and GCU game, Walker and Hernandez, broadcasters for CBS Sports Network, made out-of-place remarks concerning Poor Bear-Chandler’s name in their live commentary. The two broadcasters, discussing the offensive rebound, turned to mocking Poor Bear-Chandler’s name instead of simply covering the game.

Walker earns credit for starting the back-and-forth during the broadcast, “Who got that offensive rebound? I don’t even want to say it. I’ll let you say his name because I want to be sure. Is it ‘Pooh Bear?’ Come on. You got to be kidding me.”

Hernandez attempted to clarify the cultural significance of Poor Bear-Chandler’s name but still mispronounced it: “Isaiah’ Pooh Bear’ Chandler is 50% Native American from the Oglala Lakota tribe, so he chose to use ‘Pooh Bear’ on his jersey.”

Poor Bear-Chandler is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota until high school, when he relocated to Omaha, Nebraska. He is the son of Larry Chandler and Pte San Win Poor Bear, and carries the name with him as a part of his Native ancestry.

Senior highlights of Omaha Central’s (NE) Isaiah “Poor Bear” Chandler.

Walker’s response to the cultural background was a shoutout to Coach Isaac Brown for ‘allowing it to happen,’ then continued to compare the forward to Winnie the Pooh – live on the air.

It was not long after the comments were made by the broadcasters that fans took to social media to express their distaste, including Poor Bear-Chandler himself.

After the incident, both Walker and Hernandez personally met with Poor Bear-Chandler to apologize for the incident. Hernandez is quoted, saying, “Chris and I would like to take this time to publicly apologize to Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, his family, the Native American community, NABC, the Hall of Fame Classic for our comments and lack of sensitivity surrounding Isaiah’s name during yesterday’s game.”

Wichita State Athletics also took to Twitter to clarify the incident and to express that Poor Bear-Chandler desires that the circumstances serve as a positive learning opportunity in support of the Indigenous community.

Hernandez added, “We asked for and met with Isaiah this morning to apologize in person and express our deep regret. We appreciate Isaiah taking the time to educate us on the significance of his name and his heritage. We will continue to learn from this and be better moving forward.”

References:

Yahoo!Sports, Callie Lawson-Freeman, “Wichita State player Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler calls out CBS broadcasters who made jokes about his name,” November 23, 2022, https://sports.yahoo.com/wichita-state-player-isaiah-poor-bear-chandler-calls-out-cbs-broadcasters-who-made-jokes-about-his-name-174146690.html

Lee Bailey’s eurweb, Willy Mwanza Mwanza, “CBS Sports Broadcasters Apologize After Mocking Black/Native American Basketball Player,” November 26, 2022, https://eurweb.com/2022/11/26/cbs-sports-broadcasters-apologize-after-mocking-native-american-basketball-player-watch/

The Wichita Eagle, Taylor Eldridge, “Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, WSU respond to announcers’ comments on Native American name,” November 23, 2022, https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article269148997.html

WSU Shockers’ Men’s Basketball Roster, Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/isaiah-poor-bear-chandler/7222

Posted in Featured PerspectivesTagged
Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
jodi@imfreedomalliance.org https://twitter.com/JodiRave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Related Articles