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Unguarded with Rachel Nichols

Washington Redskins Name Controversy; Jeter's Post-Retirement Plans; Will Cal Ripken Become a Manager?; Derrick Coleman Inspires with Super Bowl Success

Aired October 03, 2014 - 22:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight, on UNGUARDED WITH RACHEL NICHOLS, from the floor of the U.S. Senate to Jon Stewart to "South Park," the controversy over the Redskins name is boiling.

SIMON MOYA-SMITH, CITIZEN OF OGLALA LAKOTA NATION: When it comes down to it, a racial slur is a racial slur.

ANNOUNCER: Derek Jeter's career ended in spectacular fashion. But what about the hole he leaves behind in baseball? And what's next for the superstar?

DEREK JETER, FORMER PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER: I mean, there's only one George Steinbrenner, but I'd like to be as close to him as I could.

ANNOUNCER: One of the sport's most legendary figures, "Ironman" Cal Ripken Jr. addresses rumors he's headed back to baseball as a manager.

CAL RIPKEN JR., FORMER PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER: I don't know how it's going to end up. But I do know that I have -- I have an inkling or need to test myself there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RACHEL NICHOLS, HOST: Welcome to UNGUARDED, tonight out of our L.A. studios.

Now, if you watch NFL games on TV, and the numbers say that most of you do, this will affect you. The FCC announced this week that it is considering banning television and radio stations from using the word "Redskins" when referring to the Washington, D.C., NFL team. This could be a landmark moment.

While owner Daniel Snyder has sworn to never change the nickname, it would be hard to see the NFL allowing him to keep it, if it can't be used in major media.

And the FCC is not alone in weighing in here. Earlier this year, the U.S. Patent Office actually canceled the team's trademark registrations, noting the nickname is, quote, "disparaging of Native Americans." Pop culture has also taken note. The team was satirized on "South

Park" last week, and "The Daily Show" devoted an entire segment to the debate putting Native Americans in the same room as team supporters.

I want to dig deeper now and welcome in Simon Moya-Smith, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation, who falls on one side of this issue, as well as Don Wetzel Sr. of the Blackfeet Nation, who falls on the other.

We're also joined by George Washington law professor John Banzhaf, and he's the man who filed the petition the FCC is now considering. Let's start there, John. What is your main argument here?

JOHN BANZHAF, GEORGE WASHINGTON LAW PROFESSOR: What we're arguing is that repeatedly using a word look the "N" word or the "R" word on broadcasting, hundreds of times a day in many cases, is clearly contrary to the public interest, which is the standard that the FCC enforces.

NICHOLS: Well, Don, you have a unique place in this debate. Your father was the chairman of the Blackfeet Nation, a very respected member of that community. And he's actually the one who suggested the logo that other Native Americans now find so offensive. He's the one who petitioned the team to use it.

DON WETZEL JR., CITIZEN OF BLACKFEET NATION: The name Redskins has been around for 83 years. And the logo, since 1967, I believe. Rocky Wetzel gave to the owner six pictures. And they picked the picture that they wanted on the helmet.

And he did it right. He had medicine men. They prayed over these pictures. And then, all of a sudden, Blacky's (ph) logo showed up on the -- on the Redskin helmet.

NICHOLS: Well, Simon, you may beg to differ there, right?

SMITH: There are new studies now to prove that there is an impact on the mental health and stability of Native American kids as a result of these Indian mascots and racial epithets. And that's what this is. The term itself is a racial slur. And it does harm Native American kids. These children are -- are adversely impacted by these images and by this language.

BANZHAF: Rachel, in the court proceedings, virtually every major American Indian organization has signed on to say that the "R" word is as reprehensible to them, as American Indians, as the "N" word to African-Americans. So I think it's incontrovertible. Whatever it may have been 60 years ago really isn't too relevant.

NICHOLS: And when you look at the evolving attitudes. ESPN recently conducted a poll. It's a good point about how things changed. It showed that 23 percent of Americans now think the team's name should be changed. And that's actually a significant increase over the past 20 years.

But you have to look at the poll still found 71 percent of Americans think the team should be allowed to keep the name. I mean, Simon, do polls like that even really matter in this debate?

MOYA-SMITH: No, and they shouldn't. Because you have to think about it. I mean, these are polls. These are numbers. But when it comes down to it. A racial slur is a racial slur. Just because you approve of its use doesn't make it any less harmful. And that's one of the arguments that we hear. Is that, you know, they're not being malicious. You know, the intent is all good. And we're honoring you. But intent doesn't, you know, change the outcome, the consequence.

NICHOLS: I want to give Don a chance to answer this, because I think that's sort of what his perspective is. Right?

WETZEL: Yes. Those guys are whacking away at me here. Let me tell you, the great team out at Colorado, formed a pro football team. And they had four Indians on it. And they had the coach was Indians. And they voted to call themselves the Redskins. I mean, we were proud, proud of our color. We were proud to be red men. And they felt the Redskins would be a great name.

BANZHAF: Far as I know the team here in Washington is not made up of American Indians. They have not chosen it to honor themselves. We can't really make policy based upon one person who has certain memories about things. Today is today, and it's clearly a racial slur. It's so clear. It's in virtually every dictionary.

MOYA-SMITH: I would encourage people to look up Chelsey Luger's piece on "Huffington Post" where she said growing up on the Pechanga (ph) reservation, she was OK with mascots; she was OK with the term Skins.

But when she left the reservation, she saw it in the other people's hands, nonnative's hands. And that was when it became very problematic, because they did not know the -- the Native American history. They don't know the plight of the Native American. So in the wrong hands. The term itself, "R" word does have an impact on Native Americans. Even if you are from the reservation.

NICHOLS: John, you filed this petition with the FCC. And this really could be the real game changer. The FCC chairman certainly seemed favorable. He promised to consider it. He said, quote, "There are a lot of names and descriptions that were used over time that are inappropriate today." And he said, "I think that name that is attributed to the Washington football club is one of these."

So, given all of that, what do you think is going to happen here? What do you think the ruling is going to be, and when?

BANZHAF: First thing is, we're going to be filing a very similar complaint against some stations out in Los Angeles, which has the largest urban population of Indians. I think broadcasters are going to decide it's not worth their while to go through expensive proceedings with their licenses held up for years and years. And they're going to do the thing they should be doing all along. I think we'll all be better off for it. I think we used to have a team here in Washington we called the Bullets. And we changed it. And the fans just kept coming. NICHOLS: All right. Well, clearly, a debate with a lot of passion on

all sides. We're going to have to stop there, guys. But I want to thank you all for your time. Really appreciate it.

BANZHAF: Thanks.

NICHOLS: All right. Now switching gears, coming up right after this break, Derek Jeter was the most iconic baseball player of his era. But now that he's retired, how does the sport move on? And how does he move on? You'll hear from the man himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JETER: Well, my first plan is no plan. You know, that's what I have been -- I've been on a schedule pretty much my entire life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: I'm Rachel Nichols, and welcome back to UNGUARDED.

Major League baseball playoffs got under way this week. And despite some cool extra innings barn burners, nothing yet matched the emotion of the final days of the regular season. And the sports farewell to its biggest star, Derek Jeter.

We're going to discuss what Jeter's departure means to baseball. But first, here's a clip from my interview with Jeter this summer. I asked him what it's been like to have so many people emotional over his retirement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JETER: It's a bit overwhelming. I've gotten a lot of appreciation, which makes you feel good. You know, people saying, whether it's fans or players, or managers or coaches. Just saying that they respect the way you play the game. It makes you feel good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One and two on Jeter. Maybe his last step out as a Yankee. At the coliseum.

NICHOLS: You've gotten gifts everywhere you've gone to. I think people have given you've pretty much pinstripe everything. What's the oddest object that you've received?

JETER: I wouldn't say odd. You know, I think all of them have been unique. The paddle board in Anaheim was pretty interesting. Not going to be too active the first two months when I retire. But you know, I'll definitely use that. But I've got a lot of great things.

NICHOLS: Has there been a moment, a whisper of regret. I don't know about this?

JETER: No, not at all. I'm very content with my decision. NICHOLS: You and I talked last year about possible post-retirement

plans, talked about maybe wanting to own a team yourself one day. Now that this is all more real, are you thinking more seriously about that?

JETER: Well, my first plan is no plan. I've been on a schedule pretty much my entire life. And I'd look to take time to not make any plans. But yes, definitely that's my next dream. My next goal. Who knows when it will happen. But it's something that I would set my sights on.

NICHOLS: Your first year, be a bum, hang out. Then you may be George Steinbrenner after that?

JETER: Well, I mean, there's only one George Steinbrenner. But I'd look to be as close to him as I could.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLS: Hey, Michael Jordan owns the Charlotte Hornets. So I wouldn't bet against Jeter pulling off that same kind of transition. Of course, that's not going to be immediate. And I want to bring in ESPN's Ian O'Connor to talk about baseball's new reality here. Ian literally wrote the book on Jeter, a best-seller titled "The Captain."

And Ian, just how big a deal do you think it's going to be to the sport to lose Derek Jeter as its face here?

IAN O'CONNOR, ESPN: Rachel, it's a huge deal. It really is. I mean, this guy's life in baseball has really been like "The Truman Show." And so losing the face of the game is a big deal.

When Derek Jeter was the face of the Yankees and the Yankees were a dynastic team, I think that that was generally good for baseball. But not having a very significant figure and one who did represent the ideals that baseball wanted to put forth in Derek Jeter, I do think that's a big hit. The new commissioner, Rob Manfred, is going to really have to sort of find a guy to sell to the masses. And that's going to be difficult.

NICHOLS: In your book you describe how Jeter had an incredibly rough transition when he first made the jump to joining the Yankees organization: crying, phone calls home from the minors. He's an adult now, obviously. But do you think this next transition for him is going to be harder than he thinks?

O'CONNOR: He's off to a good start. And his new website, obviously, he broke a story. It's funny that I think he learned something from sports journalists over the years. He led with his best stuff. And that is Russell Wilson saying that he used to beat people up when he was younger. And that was rather shocking. Listen, everything he touches turns to gold.

I think the big question is whether or not he's ever going to own a baseball team. And I would not be surprised if, in five, ten years, Derek Jeter is the owner of the New York Yankees. NICHOLS: All right, Ian, thank you so much. Really appreciate you

joining us tonight.

O'CONNOR: Thanks, Rachel.

All right. From one baseball icon to another. Don't go anywhere. Because after the break I sit down with the legendary Cal Ripken. Will you soon see him back in the dugout? This time as a manager? The clock is ticking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIPKEN: I'm at a point in my life that, if I was to decide to do something, pretty soon I would have to decide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: Welcome back to UNGUARDED. I'm Rachel Nichols.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to know Cal Ripken and what he stands for. The sports Ironman came to work every day, day after day for 16 straight years. More than 2,000 straight games.

Now that he's retired, you can hear him in the broadcast booth. He'll be calling the playoffs for TBS this weekend. But will we soon see Ripken taking the huge leap into managing a Major League team? I asked him directly. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLS: There's been speculation that you are finally ready to get more deeply back into the game. How interested are you if someone come to talk to you about managing?

RIPKEN: I answer the question very carefully all the time. I don't know how that's going to end up. I do know that I have an inkling, or need to, to test myself. I'm at a point in my life that, if I was to decide to do something, I think pretty soon I would have to decide. If you're going to get back in, it would have to be fairly soon.

NICHOLS: You've been doing all kinds of things in your post-baseball career. But I have to say, what fascinated me most was these books for kids that you've been writing. This isn't some vanity project. You're on your fourth one of these.

RIPKEN: I always loved my influence that I had with kids. This one, Squeeze Play, is about the parents putting pressure on their kids. I really wanted to highlight some of those issues from a kid's perspective, how do you deal with it. From a parent's perspective, maybe I should change my behavior.

NICHOLS: Your dad coached your team at the Major League level when you were with the Orioles. People would ask your dad about coaching his sons, managing his sons. He would say, "All the players on my team are my sons." And that didn't sit so well with you.

RIPKEN: No, the -- there were times when dad downplayed that. There was a way to handle it. We grew up in professional baseball. It was just normal for us. There were times when you wanted Dad to be Dad. I really wanted to grab him and say, "Hey, we're your sons. You know, we want you to say that."

NICHOLS: Your son Ryan, how much pressure is it on him to be the next generation of Ripken baseball player?

RIPKEN: It's a terrible burden, to be honest with you. The problem with the name is that there's always repercussions and there are always expectations that are far greater than they should be. I can't shelter him from that. I can only give him perspective. And he handles it pretty well. Fortunately enough, he's a good-sized kid. He's got some talent. But it is his situation. He has to deal with it.

NICHOLS: I do have to ask you about one of your other post-playing career activities. You were named by the State Department as a diplomatic envoy.

RIPKEN: Pretty fancy title, isn't it?

NICHOLS: Jon Stewart had a funny line about, oh yes, we're going to send Cal Ripken to China. That's going to help.

JON STEWART, HOST, COMEDY CENTRAL'S "THE DAILY SHOW": To get China to like us, we'll send a guy they've probably never heard of to crush them in a sport they've never played.

RIPKEN: Where was the funny part of that one? Just kidding.

I don't look at as I'm a diplomat. I look at it as you're making friends. Or you're taking sport, which has a real value worldwide. And you're sing that sport to, to, be friends. Kind of give a feeling of what it's like.

NICHOLS: There was controversy over Dennis Rodman. Should he have been in North Korea?

DENNIS RODMAN, FORMER PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER: I don't give a rat's (EXPLETIVE DELETED) what the hell you think. I'm saying, look at the guys here.

NICHOLS: What do you think of the idea of sports diplomacy? Do you think it can be effective?

RODMAN: Well, I think in general it can be effective. It's much safer when you do it with the United States than do it on your own and have to deal with all those issues.

NICHOLS: You think?

RIPKEN: Sports can heal, yes. There's many examples over time. I mean, at the end of my last year was, 2001, 9/11. And it was really amazing how sports was able to aid in the healing and the -- and the distraction of something that we all couldn't really get around.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLS: Interesting stuff. I mean, certainly always thought- provoking when sports reaches beyond the playing field. Something Cal Ripken has done often in his post-baseball career.

All right. Coming up on UNGUARDED, you're not going to want to miss the story of the NFL player who has succeeded against seemingly impossible odds. That's right after this break.

But first our Nikon "UNGUARDED Moment of the Week." Take a look at this from last night. Kansas City's Mike Moustakas with the huge solo home run. This came in the 11th inning, sealing the underdog Royals, 1-0 lead in their best-of-five series with the Angels.

You know, after a 29-year playoff drought, the Royals are certainly turning into this year's October darlings. I'm not sure how much more of these extra-inning wins fans can take. But right now they are loving it in Kansas City.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: I'm Rachel Nichols. Welcome back to UNGUARDED.

Imagine playing in the NFL but not being able to hear your quarterback call plays on the field; not being able to hear your coach's speeches; not being able to hear when the referees blow their whistles. Sounds almost impossible, right?

Well, Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman isn't just managing to play this way. He won a Super Bowl playing this way. And CNN's Dan Simon has his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The NFL's reigning champs, the Seattle Seahawks, every player on the team, every professional athlete for that matter, has their own personal journey. But few have had to overcome obstacles like fullback Derrick Coleman.

DERRICK COLEMAN, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS FULLBACK: It's definitely a blessing to be able to have that Super Bowl title underneath my name for the rest of my life. I mean, nobody can take that away from me.

SIMON: It's a title that no one would have predicted. At just 3 years of age, Derek lost his hearing. Doctors determined it was an incurable genetic condition.

COLEMAN: I think it was my right ear that went out first, but the hearing wasn't going down. And the next thing you know, my left ear was leaving, too. And it was really profound from the start. And then it kept getting worse and worse.

SIMON: Ever since he can remember he's been wearing hearing aids. He's considered legally deaf. (on camera): Do you mind being known as the football player who is

deaf?

COLEMAN: I love it. You know, the fact that because -- that's who I am. It made me who I am today.

MAY EVANS, DERRICK COLEMAN'S MOTHER: He was always bullied and teased in elementary school. Not a little bit but a lot. They would call him four ears. They would go and want to knock his hearing aids out.

SIMON: Derrick's mother says she did everything she could to keep up his self-esteem.

EVANS: And I would just tell him, anybody who's teasing you and bullying you is already beneath you, and they're trying to pull you down. You stay at your level, and you keep moving and you keep pushing forward.

COLEMAN: They told me it couldn't be done, that I was a lost cause.

SIMON: Derrick's determination displayed so vividly in a commercial for Duracell, viewed more than 22 million times on YouTube. His story all the more inspiring because he wasn't even picked in the draft.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the last pick is...

COLEMAN: They didn't call my name. Told me it was over. But I've been deaf since I was 3, so I didn't listen.

It's the story about my life. And I got chills, too.

When you want something, find a way to make it work. Don't let anybody or anything derail you.

SIMON: Coleman says the key for a deaf player like himself is to be able to read lips, because he can't filter the noise in a loud stadium. And he has to keep his eye on the center snap to know when the play begins.

As you can imagine, he's an inspiring figure to the hearing impaired community, especially to children. Here's just one piece of fan mail, with a little girl cheering him on in the Super Bowl. "I know how you feel. I also have hearing aids. Just try your best,: she wrote.

(on camera): How often do you get those kinds of letters?

COLEMAN: I have about two big boxes in my room. I would tell everybody to make no excuses for anything you do. If people say I can't do that, well, I'm just going to take that as fuel, motivation and prove them wrong again.

SIMON: Dan Simon, CNN, Seattle.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLS: Terrific stuff, Dan. Thank you. And thank you for joining us out here in Los Angeles this week. That

is it for tonight's show. But, you can get more of your UNGUARDED fix by following me on Twitter and Facebook and on the Web at CNN.com/Unguarded. Then we'll see you right back in our regular spot next Friday night on UNGUARDED, where the end of the game is just the start of the story. Good night.