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{{Short description|American sports journalist}}
{{Infobox aviator
{{other people|Wallace Matthews}}
| name = David Hugh McCulloch
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
| image = [[File:Lieutenant David H. McCulloch US Naval Reserve Forces Naval Aviator ID.jpg|thumb]]
{{Infobox person
| image_size =
| alt =
| name = Wallace Matthews
| caption =
| image = Rachel Nichols.png
| full_name =
| caption = Nichols in 2021
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|10|18|}}
| native_name =
| birth_place = [[Potomac, Maryland]], U.S.
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| birth_date = April 23, 1890 <!-- {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| birth_place = [[Port Royal, Pennsylvania]]
| alma_mater = [[Northwestern University]]
| occupation = Sports journalist, television host
| death_date = September 20, 1955<!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| death_place = New York, NY
| years_active = 1995–present
| death_cause =
| agent =
| resting_place = Woodlawn Cemetery , West Palm Beach, FL
| title =
| family =
| resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LATITUDE|LONGITUDE|type:landmark}} -->
| monuments =
| birth_name = Rachel Michele Alexander
| nationality = US
| alias =
| education =
| spouse = {{marriage|Max Nichols|2001}}
| spouse = Helen Wheeler Fair
| children = 2
| relatives =
| relatives = [[Mike Nichols]] (father-in-law)<br/>[[Annabel Davis-Goff]] (mother-in-law)
| credits = ''[[NBA on TNT]]''<br/>''Unguarded with Rachel Nichols''<br/>''[[SportsCenter]]''<br/>''[[Monday Night Football]]''<br/>''[[Monday Night Countdown]]''<br/>''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]''<br/>''[[E:60]]''<br/>''[[The Jump (ESPN talk show)|The Jump]]''
| known_for =
| first_flight_date = 1912
| first_flight_aircraft = Curtiss Aircraft
| famous_flights = Co-pilot NC-3 , First Transatlantic Crossing 1919
| license_date =
| license_place =
| air_force = US Navy
| battles =
| rank = Lieutenant Commander, USN
| awards = [[Navy Cross]] <br> [[Order of the Tower and Sword]]
| memorials =
| first_race = <!-- For racing aviators -->
| racing_best = <!-- For racing aviators -->
| racing_aircraft = <!-- For racing aviators -->
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| child =
| module =
}}
}}


'''Rachel Michele Nichols''' ({{née}} '''Alexander'''; born October 18, 1973<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Rachel Nichols|user=Rachel__Nichols |number=1582505670149951491 |title=Also, thanks to all for the birthday wishes, but especially for the free coffee this morning}}</ref><ref name="NYTWedding"/>) is an American journalist and sportscaster. She has covered the [[National Football League]] (NFL), [[National Hockey League]] (NHL), [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), professional [[tennis]], [[College athletics in the United States|college sports]], the Olympics and is most notable for her work with the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). In 2014, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' called Nichols "the country's most impactful and prominent female sports journalist".<ref name="si.com">{{cite magazine |title=The Case for ... Rachel Nichols |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/vault/2014/10/13/106646996/the-case-for--rachel-nichols |access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref>
'''David Hugh McCulloch''' (April 23,1890 - September 20, 1955) was an early American aviator who worked with [[Glenn Curtiss]] starting in 1912 shortly after Curtiss, in 1908, won the Scientific American Trophy for the first public flight of at least 1 km (0.6 mile) with an American airplane. The [[Wright brothers]] had made powered flight a few years earlier, shorter and not publicly witnessed. McCulloch demonstrated, taught and sold planes with Curtiss and participated in early developments of flight. He trained the [[First Yale Unit]], and in two consecutive days in 1917, he and several of his pupils from the [[First Yale Unit]] made flights that convinced the Navy to bring aircraft aboard ships. Later, McCulloch was co-pilot with [[Holden C. Richardson]] and flight commander [[John Henry Towers]] of the NC-3, the lead of the three Navy aircraft forming a squadron of [[Flying boat|flying boats]] involved in the first transatlantic crossing by air.


==Birth and early career==
== Early life ==
Rachel Michele Alexander was born to Jane and Ronald Jacobs.<ref name="NYTWedding"/> Growing up in [[Potomac, Maryland]],<ref name=wapo/> she became a fan of sports during her youth, saying it felt like watching a live storybook movie with heroes and villains, and an ending not yet written.<ref name=gqtough/> Nichols wrote for and edited the school newspaper at [[Winston Churchill High School (Potomac, Maryland)|Winston Churchill High School]], graduating in 1991.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Noah |title=Express lane to Bristol: Why so many D.C. sports personalities end up at ESPN |url=https://wtop.com/local-sports/2016/11/express-lane-to-bristol-why-so-many-d-c-sports-personalities-end-up-at-espn/ |work=WTOP News |date=November 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bhattiprolu |first1=Maya |last2=Cook |first2=Quinn |date=2020-11-11 |title=WCHS alumna Rachel Nichols inspires student journalists |url=https://www.thechurchillobserver.com/features/2020/11/11/rachelnichols/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=The Observer}}</ref>
McCulloch was born in 1890 in Port Royal, Pennsylvania to William Turbett McCulloch and Lucretia Jane McManigal, both of whose families were early residents of Pennsylvania. The McCullochs were mill owners and horse breeders. They also bred springer spaniels and pointers for hunting. From an early age David and his brothers fished for trout, walleye, northern pike, and myriad other fish in the lakes and rivers and hunted deer, turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, quail, and bears.
== Marriage and Family ==
McCulloch married Helen Wheeler Fair, daughter of Robert Maitland Fair and Emma Dean on April 20th, 1920. They had three daughters, Virginia Fair, Elizabeth Maitland, and Helen Lucretia. Their only son, David, died as a baby. Helen’s father, Robert Fair, had been managing partner of [[Marshall Field's]] then the biggest retail business in the world. He funded his niece Neltje Blanchan De Graff (pen name [[Neltje Blanchan]]) and her husband [[Frank Nelson Doubleday]] to setup their publishing business, which became the biggest publisher in the United States.
McCulloch's wife Helen had started coming to Palm Beach in the early 1900's, making deep sea fishing trips with [[Lawrence Waterbury II]] and [[Payne Whitney]]. McCulloch and his wife built a house in [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]] where he was a founding member of the Bath and Tennis Club.
Their children’s life became living in [[Sands Point, New York|Sands Point]] in the spring, trips to [[Blooming Grove Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania|Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania]] in the summer, school in [[Manhattan]] in the fall, and life in Palm Beach from New Year's till Easter.


While attending the [[Medill School of Journalism]] at [[Northwestern University]], she had summer internships at ''[[USA Today]]'', ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' and ''[[The Washington Post]]''.<ref name=wapo/> [[Michael Wilbon]], a lead sports columnist of ''The Washington Post'' at the time, met Nichols when she was an 18-year-old intern and said "she had supreme confidence."<ref name=sbjfear/> One of Nichols' earliest assignments was to attend [[Chicago Bulls]] practices as a freelance newspaper reporter amid the team's first [[three-peat]]. After a few media sessions where she took notes and did not ask questions, [[Michael Jordan]] called her out to speak. The two began to talk on a regular basis after the exchange and Nichols credited the experience in growing her skills as a journalist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportscasting.com/michael-jordan-got-blunt-rachel-nichols-admitted-why-he-rarely-interviews-anymore/|title=Michael Jordan Got Blunt With Rachel Nichols and Admitted Why He Rarely Does Interviews Anymore|author=Kyle Dalton|publisher=Sportscasting|date=15 May 2021}}</ref> At age 21, she received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moellers |first1=Beth |title=Co-anchor of NBC's 'TODAY Show,' Host of ESPN's 'The Jump' named 2018 Medill convocation speakers |url=https://www.medill.northwestern.edu/news/2018/graduation-speakers-sheinelle-jones-and-rachel-nichols.html |website=Northwestern University |publisher=Medill School of Journalism |date=April 4, 2018}}</ref>
==Early Interest in Aviation==


== Career ==
In 1912 at the age of 22, McCulloch learned to fly at the [[Curtiss Flying School]] in [[Hammondsport, New York]]. He then purchased his own plane for sport and business. A sportsman and bon vivant McCulloch made friends with and enthused people who later became leaders in the industry. In 1915 he worked with the Aero Club of America (of which he was member and received Hydroaeroplane Pilots's Certificate No. 16) and the Aero Club of Pennsylvania to aid in establishing planes for the defense of the area by purchasing and donating two aerohydroplanes (valued at $15,000 in 1915 dollars) to help form Pennsylvania's aerial fleet of 5 planes. <ref>{{cite journal |title=Fleet of Aeroplanes Planned for Three States |journal=Aerial Age Weekly |date=August 9, 1915 |page=497}}</ref>.
===Newspapers===
Among David's friends were [[Harry Frank Guggenheim]], [[Edward Francis Hutton]], Nelson Slater, [[Vincent Astor]] (from whom he bought Shore Cottage in [[Sands Point, New York|Sands Point]]), and [[Rodman Wanamaker]]. Each of these friends were high achieving self-starters who became fascinated with, and eventually leaders in, the new field of aviation.
Nichols' first job was as a sportswriter for the ''[[Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel]]'' covering the [[University of Miami]] football team and [[Miami Dolphins]].<ref name=gqtough>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-18 |title=Rachel Nichols Doesn't Think Asking Tough Questions Is Scary at All |url=https://www.gq.com/story/rachel-nichols-espn-interview |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=GQ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DOLPHINS PLAYERS TALK ABOUT ABUSE |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1995-10-18-9510170477-story.html |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Sun Sentinel}}</ref> In 1996, Nichols joined ''[[The Washington Post]]'' to cover the [[NHL]]'s [[Washington Capitals]].<ref name=wapo>{{cite news |title=Rachel Alexander |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/talk/alexndr/rabio.htm |access-date=June 15, 2008}}</ref> She later branched out into other sports including professional tennis, the Olympics, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nichols covered [[Pete Sampras]], [[Andre Agassi]] as well as [[Venus Williams|Venus]] and [[Serena Williams]] early in their careers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-09-06 |title=Sampras to Semis |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/09/06/sampras-to-semis/cbc7021e-9d0b-4b62-bf6a-f6fd08b74cce/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-07-30 |title=Workmanlike Agassi Advances |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/07/30/workmanlike-agassi-advances/8b27f966-cd3b-40e8-96ca-7048c07b6240/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WashingtonPost.com: Open Final Lands On Venus |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/tennis/longterm/1997/usopen/articles/open6.htm |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>


===Television===
== Work with [[Glenn Curtiss]] ==
====ESPN====
[[File:David McCulloch in Curtiss Model F Flying Boat with Oct. 3, 1915.jpg|thumb|Photo of David Hugh McCulloch in Curtiss Model F Flying Boat - F. C. G. Eden on far right <ref>{{cite journal |title= David H. McCulloch in Flying Boat| journal=Aerial Age Weekly |date=October 15, 1915 |page=129}}</ref>]]
She transitioned to broadcasting in 2004 when ESPN hired her as a reporter.<ref name="bleacher">{{Cite web |last=Axelrod |first=Joshua |title=Rachel Nichols Highlights from 9 Years at ESPN |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1502059-remembering-rachel-nichols-a-few-highlights-from-nine-years-at-espn |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> Nichols made regular appearances on ''[[SportsCenter]]'', ''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]'', ''[[Monday Night Countdown]]'' and was a recurring [[sideline reporter]] for ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' and NBA broadcasts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2013/01/24/espn-rachel-nichols-cnn/1862515/|title=Rachel Nichols leaving ESPN for CNN|last1=Hiestand|first1=Michael|date=January 24, 2013|work=USA Today}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/profiles-strategies/2019/03/espns-rachel-nichols-asks-the-tough-questions.html?page=all|title=ESPN's Rachel Nichols asks the tough questions|last=Spanberg|first=Erik|date=March 25, 2019|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=April 29, 2019}}</ref> She was also a correspondent for ''[[E:60]]'' and became a recognizable face at the network due to her rapport with prominent sports figures, with ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' naming Nichols one of the "Women We Love".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esquire.com/women/ESQ0207SURVEY|title=The Esquire Survey: The Sexiest Women on the Planet|date=November 1, 2005|work=Esquire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508045819/http://www.esquire.com/women/ESQ0207SURVEY|archive-date=May 8, 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=June 15, 2008}}</ref><ref name="bleacher"/>
After McCulloch received instruction at the [[Curtiss Flying School]] at [[Hammondsport, New York]]. He became a close friend and employee of Curtiss. While with Curtiss from 1912 to 1914 he demonstrated, taught, and sold Curtiss [[flying boats]] to the governments of South American countries. <ref>{{cite journal|date=December 21, 1912|title=Will Demonstrate Boat in South America|journal=Aero and Hydro ; America's Aviation Weekly|pages=214}}</ref> He worked with the Brazilian Government and flew Brazilian president [[Hermes da Fonseca]] over [[Guanabara Bay]] (1st flight of a Brazilian president). Starting in 1914 he managed the [[Curtiss Flying School]] at [[Hammondsport, New York]]. In 1915 he was sent to be the instructor at the Italian Naval Aeronautics School in [[Taranto]]. McCulloch continued his affiliation with Curtiss using [[Curtiss Model F]] flying boats for instruction and eventually co-piloting the Curtiss NC flying boats for the Navy on the first transatlantic crossing.


====CNN====
== [[American Trans-Oceanic Company]] ==
In January 2013, Nichols left ESPN for [[CNN]]/[[Turner Sports]] and was announced to anchor the network's first sports-related program in twelve years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2013-01-25 |title=Rachel Nichols Leaves ESPN For Turner; Will Anchor CNN Show |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013/01/rachel-nichols-leaves-espn-for-turner-will-anchor-cnn-show/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Sports Media Watch |language=en-US}}</ref> She was called a "revered player in the space" and considered a 'big get' for CNN.<ref name=deadline/> ''Unguarded with Rachel Nichols'' premiered in October of that year and changed from a regular series to an occasional special by October 2014.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/10/unguarded-with-rachel-nichols-air-as-specials-cnn-turner-shakeup | work=USA Today | title='Unguarded with Rachel Nichols' will only air as specials after Turner shakeup}}</ref> During this period, Nichols also worked the sidelines for the [[NBA on TNT]] program in both regular season and playoff games as well as regular appearances on ''[[Inside the NBA]]''.<ref name=deadline>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/11/rachel-nichols-returning-to-espn-leaving-cnn-turner-sports-1201646809/|title=CNN's Rachel Nichols Heading Back To ESPN|publisher=Deadline|date=30 November 2015|author=Lisa de Moraes}}</ref> She was a sideline reporter for [[CBS]] and [[TBS (American TV channel)|TBS]] during the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA men's basketball tournament]], paired with [[Verne Lundquist]] and [[Bill Rafferty]], and was a dugout reporter for TBS during [[MLB]] playoff games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lepore |first=Steve |date=2013-09-30 |title=TBS announces MLB Playoff broadcast teams |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2013/9/30/4787862/tbs-broadcasters-mlb-division-series |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Pete |date=2013-03-15 |title=Former ESPN reporter savors new challenges |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Former-ESPN-reporter-savors-new-challenges-4356572.php |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Times Union |language=en-US}}</ref> Nichols was widely praised for her tough questioning of NFL Commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] in the wake of the [[Ray Rice]] scandal<ref name="usatoday.com">{{cite news |title=Rachel Nichols refused to let Roger Goodell off the hook |work=USA Today |url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/09/rachel-nichols-roger-goodell-nfl-press-conference |access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> and likewise for confronting boxer [[Floyd Mayweather]] on his history of domestic violence.<ref name="mediaite.com">{{cite news |title=CNN's Rachel Nichols Confronts Floyd Mayweather over Domestic Abuse Charges |work=Mediaite |url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnns-rachel-nichols-confronts-floyd-mayweather-over-domestic-abuse-charges/ |access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' recognized her as one of the "10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports Media".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/10-powerful-voices-sports-media-811583|title=The 10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports Media: Simmons, Barkley and More|work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
In 1916 McCulloch became the manager and chief pilot of the newly formed [[Rodman Wanamaker]] [[American Trans-Oceanic Company]] based in [[Port Washington, New York]]. It was formed with a vision of becoming the first commercial airline to offer non-stop trans-Atlantic flights. It become one of the earliest commercial airlines in the US. While at [[American Trans-Oceanic Company]], McCulloch became the instructor for the [[First Yale Unit]].


====Return to ESPN====
== Training the [[First Yale Unit]] ==
In 2016, Nichols was recruited back to ESPN by then-president [[John Skipper]]. She pitched "a conversation about basketball" as a daily program where former players, reporters and associates of the NBA community discuss the league. [[Tracy McGrady]] joined ''[[The Jump (ESPN talk show)|The Jump]]'' when it debuted in February 2016. A sit-down interview with Nichols became a benchmark for active players, and ''Sports Illustrated'' called ''The Jump'' "TV's smartest basketball show".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2017/12/29/rachel-nichols-espn-the-jump-nba-smartest-basketball-show|title=How The Jump became TV's smartest basketball show|last=Bechtel|first=Mark|website=SI.com|language=en|access-date=April 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/shlomosprung/2021/02/18/rachel-nichols-discusses-the--importance-endurance-of-espns-nba-show-the-jump-on-its-five-year-anniversary/?sh=67096f273dd7|title=Rachel Nichols Discusses The Importance, Endurance Of ESPN's NBA Show 'The Jump' On Its Five-Year Anniversary|date=18 February 2021|author=Shlomo Sprung|work=Forbes}}</ref> She also became a recurring guest-host on the podcast ''[[Pardon My Take]]'' (2016–present), as well as on the TV show ''[[Pardon the Interruption]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfrontrow.com/2016/07/nichols-teams-post-mentors-wilbon-kornheiser-pti/|title=Nichols teams with Post mentors Wilbon, Kornheiser on PTI - ESPN Front Row|date=July 28, 2016|access-date=February 11, 2018}}</ref> During the following years, Nichols interviewed [[Meek Mill]] and [[Philadelphia 76ers]] co-owner [[Michael Rubin (businessman)|Michael Rubin]] on criminal justice reform, [[Mark Cuban]] after an NBA investigation into workplace harassment within the [[Dallas Mavericks]] organization and [[Kobe Bryant]] in one of his final interviews.<ref name=sbjfear>{{Cite web |last=Spanberg |first=Erik |date=2019-03-18 |title=No Fear: Rachel Nichols |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2019/03/18/Media/Nichols.aspx |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=www.sportsbusinessjournal.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lauletta |first=Tyler |title=Tracy McGrady says Kobe Bryant used to tell him early in his career that he wanted to 'die young' and be 'immortalized' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tracy-mcgrady-kobe-bryant-die-young-the-jump-2020-1 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> She was nominated for "Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Host" in the 2021 [[Sports Emmy Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nominees |url=https://theemmys.tv/sports/nominees-2021-sports-personalities/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=theemmys.tv |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[World War I]] was underway. With the examples of the [[Lafayette Escadrille]] and the heroic exploits of [[Tommy Hitchcock Jr.]] in the [[Lafayette Flying Corps]] in France, a group of Yale students decided to set up their own unit to join the War. [[F. Trubee Davison]] who had been to Paris in 1915 came home and decided to start the group which became know as the [[First Yale Unit]]. They sought an instructor. Davison's mother Kate Trubee Davison, and her husband [[Henry Pomeroy Davison]], (senior partner at [[J.P. Morgan & Co.|J.P. Morgan & Co]]. and a player in the formation of the [[Federal Reserve]]) gave them a plane. They discovered McCulloch who was then manager and pilot at Wannamaker's Trans Oceanic Company. He agreed to instruct the Yale students and put them through a thorough, methodical course at [[Port Washington, New York|Port Washington]] and [[Huntington, New York|Huntington]] in the summer and fall, and [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]] in the winter. These young men of the First Yale Unit ended up playing a major role in the beginning of American airpower. Members (such as [[Robert A. Lovett|Robert Lovett]]) of this First Yale Unit became important not only in World War I but right through World War II and on to help guide American military policy into the 1950s.<ref>Wortman, Marc: The Millionaires' Unit, The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power. New York : PubicAffairs, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-1-58648-328-9.</ref>


Plans to have ''The Jump'' serve as the Finals pregame show were scrapped amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], when ''[[NBA Countdown]]'' with host [[Maria Taylor (sportscaster)|Maria Taylor]] was made the Finals' pregame and halftime show.<ref name=ap_09102020/> During the [[2020 NBA Bubble]], an employee at ESPN's Connecticut headquarters used a cell phone to record Nichols in her hotel room without her knowledge. The recording included a phone call with [[LeBron James]]' advisor Adam Mendelsohn, which was reportedly 30 minutes long, taken from a continuous video feed connected to ESPN's servers. The employee texted the recording to ESPN employees and executives, as well as ''[[Deadspin]]''.<ref name=deadspin>{{cite web| url=https://deadspin.com/espn-creep-used-the-jump-video-feed-to-secretly-record-1844398846| title=ESPN Creep Used 'The Jump' Video Feed To Secretly Record Rachel Nichols in Her Hotel Room — Video Got Sent to Us| author1=Jim Rich| author2=Eric Barrow| author3=Carron J. Phillips| author4=Julie DiCaro| date=July 15, 2020| publisher=Deadspin.com| access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://people.com/sports/espns-rachel-nichols-apologizes-to-colleague-maria-taylor-after-leaked-call/| title=ESPN's Rachel Nichols Apologizes to Colleague Maria Taylor After Leaked Disparaging Comments| author=Karen Mizoguchi| date=July 7, 2021| publisher=People.com| access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> ''Deadspin'' declined to publish the video, citing that it was an attempt to discredit Nichols and the employee may have committed a crime. An ESPN spokesperson acknowledged the issue in a comment to ''Deadspin'', "We are extremely disappointed about the leak of a private conversation. It's indefensible and an intrusion on Rachel's privacy."<ref name=deadspin/> Nichols was the sideline reporter for the [[2020 NBA Finals]] and hosted its championship trophy presentation.<ref name=ap_09102020>{{cite news|title=Doris Burke to make history by calling conference finals, NBA Finals on radio|date=September 10, 2020|work=Pro Basketball Talk|agency=Associated Press|url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/09/10/doris-burke-to-make-history-by-calling-conference-finals-nba-finals-on-radio/|access-date=July 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/07/07/espn-rachel-nichols-maria-taylor-controversy| title=ESPN Waits a Year to Clean Up Rachel Nichols–Maria Taylor Mess, Makes Mess Messier| author=Jimmy Traina| date=July 7, 2021| publisher=SI.com| access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref>
== McCulloch's role in expanding the usefulness of Naval Aviation ==
By 1915, the US Navy had begun experimenting with aircraft landing on ships but the value of seaplanes for coastal defense was not fully realized. During the week of September 5th, 1915 the annual training maneuver of the Naval Reserve and the regular Navy were taking place at [[Gravesend]] Bay in Brooklyn. McCulloch and some of his students of the Yale Unit now known as the "Volunteer Aerial Coastal Patrol Unit No. 1" took part. Their role was to operate with the fleet to help work out problems of coastal defense. The Navy had secretly laid a field of mines and the first task of the group was to attempt to discover them by air. McCulloch piloted the plane and Harry Davison was the observer. They quickly discovered and charted the mines. Even more spectacular, their next task was to discover two destroyers masquerading as hostile cruisers that were attempting to sneak past defenses. McCulloch piloted a plane with [[F. Trubee Davison]] as observer. They succeeded in finding the two ships even though visibility was low. They received praise from the Navy and to quote [[Alan R. Hawley]], president of the [[Aero Club of America]], from a letter to [[F. Trubee Davison]], "The fact that we have not an adequate Air Service accentuates the value of the efforts being made by the patriotic members of your Unit. Your good example is being followed by hundreds of others who realize that aeronautics is the most important branch of our defenses and that naval aeronautics has been shamefully neglected."<ref>{{cite book|last=Paine |first=Ralph Delahaye |date=1925 |title= The First Yale Unit, A Story of Naval Aviation, 1916-1919|location=Cambridge |publisher=The Riverside Press |page=42-47 |isbn= |authorlink=Ralph Delahaye Paine}}</ref>


One year later, four minutes of edited footage from the phone call leaked to ''[[The New York Times]]'' before the [[2021 NBA Finals]] amid ESPN's contract negotiations with Taylor. The footage included Nichols noting that being [[NBA Countdown]] host for the 2020 Finals "is in my contract in writing" and had been announced via press release by ESPN.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Traina |first=Jimmy |title=ESPN Botches Handling of Rachel Nichols Again, Humiliates Her on the Way Out |url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/08/26/espn-pulls-rachel-nichols-from-nba-coverage-cancels-the-jump |access-date=2022-06-28 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN Reimagines NBA Pregame Coverage with New Strategy|date=October 8, 2019|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2019/10/espn-reimagines-nba-pregame-coverage-with-new-strategy/|access-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> She also alleged that internal pressure from a ''New York Times'' investigation into racism at ESPN and the network's "crappy record on diversity" led to executives asking her to step aside for Taylor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Draper |first=Kevin |date=2020-07-13 |title=ESPN Employees Say Racism Endures Behind the Camera |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/13/sports/espn-racism-black-employees.html |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Draper |first1=Kevin |title=A Disparaging Video Prompts Explosive Fallout Within ESPN |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/04/sports/basketball/espn-rachel-nichols-maria-taylor.html |access-date=July 6, 2021 |agency=The New York Times |date=July 4, 2021}}</ref> In response to the article, ESPN removed Nichols from sideline reporting for the 2021 Finals and skipped airing ''The Jump'' for a day before she returned and issued an on-air apology to Taylor.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/07/08/espn-maria-taylor-rachel-nichols-diversity/| title=Rachel Nichols is back on the air, but the fallout at ESPN is just beginning| author=Ben Strauss| date=July 8, 2021| work=WashingtonPost.com| access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> NBA players including [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], [[Vince Carter]] and [[Chris Paul]] appeared on ''The Jump'' over the following days.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nba/pacers/news/nba-finals-suns-bucks-kareem-abdul-jabbar-thinks-bucks-can-win-the-finals-in-this-many-games|title=NBA Finals Suns-Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Thinks Bucks Can Win The Finals In This Many Games|publisher=All Pacers}}</ref> NBA commissioner [[Adam Silver]] was asked to weigh in on the ESPN controversy at the annual Finals press conference, pointedly remarking how "particularly unfortunate that two women in the industry are pitted against each other...I would have thought that in the past year, ESPN would have found a way to be able to work through it."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tapp |first=Tom |date=2021-07-07 |title=NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Defends Embattled ESPN Host Rachel Nichols, Wonders Why Network Didn't Resolve Conflict Sooner |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-defends-espn-host-rachel-nichols-1234787332/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=2021-07-07 |title=NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: "Unfortunate" That Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor Were "Pitted Against Each Other" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/adam-silver-espn-rachel-nichols-maria-taylor-1234978592/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Curtiss NC-3 and the First [[Transatlantic flight]] team ==


Nearly seven weeks after the NBA Finals, ESPN canceled ''The Jump'' and removed Nichols from its programming.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Tapp|first1=Tom|date=July 6, 2021|title=Rachel Nichols' Show 'The Jump' Replaced On ESPN Tuesday Schedule Just Hours Before Start Of NBA Finals|url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/rachel-nichols-the-jump-tuesday-episode-canceled-espn-1234787129/|access-date=July 7, 2021|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=mangan_07062021>{{cite web |last1=Mangan |first1=Dan |title=ESPN sits NBA reporter Rachel Nichols for Suns-Bucks finals amid furor over Maria Taylor race comment |date=July 6, 2021|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/06/espn-sits-rachel-nichols-for-nba-finals-over-maria-taylor-comments.html |website=CNBC |access-date=July 6, 2021}}</ref> At the time, she had over a year remaining on her contract.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jason|last=Owens|title=ESPN removes Rachel Nichols from NBA programming, cancels 'The Jump'|date=August 26, 2021|work=Yahoo Sports|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/espn-removes-rachel-nichols-from-all-programming-cancels-the-jump-194504948.html|access-date=August 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=ESPN cancels Rachel Nichols' show, pulls her from NBA coverage following race controversy|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/rachel-nichols-espn-cancels-the-jump-removes-her-from-nba-coverage.html|author=Pramuk, Jacob|date=August 25, 2021|accessdate=August 25, 2021|publisher=CNBC}}</ref> As Connecticut and Florida are two-party consent states for lawful recording of phone calls and conversations, Nichols was reported to have a strong legal case against ESPN.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://nypost.com/2021/08/31/whats-next-for-rachel-nichols-after-her-split-from-espn/| title=What's next for Rachel Nichols after her controversial split from ESPN?| author=Kirsten Fleming| date=August 31, 2021| publisher=NYPost.com| access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> In January 2022, Nichols settled with ESPN and left the network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/588402-rachel-nichols-officially-leaves-espn-after-settlement|title=Rachel Nichols officially leaves ESPN after settlement|last=Oshin|first=Olafimihan|website=thehill.com|date=January 4, 2022|access-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref>
Curtiss built four [[Curtiss NC]] [[flying boats]] (Curtiss NC-1 through [[Curtiss NC-4]]) for the US Navy that were to be used for hunting submarines. But World War I ended and as the NC flying boats were no longer needed for war, the Navy decided to attempt a first transatlantic crossing by air and to use three of these flying boats. McCulloch was brought into active duty in March of 1919 to partake in the flight. He was chosen as co-pilot of the NC-3, the flagship plane, along with [[Holden C. Richardson]] as pilot and [[John Henry Towers]] as navigator and commander of the fleet. The triumphant flight across the Atlantic began on May 8,1919. On the leg of the trip from [[Trepassey Bay|Trepassey Bay t]]<nowiki/>o the [[Azores]], upon the landing in heavy seas near the Azores on May 17, one of the wing pontoons broke. While at sea for two days McCulloch and the rest of the crew of the NC-3 alternated tying themselves to the wing opposite the one with the broken pontoon so as to keep the flying boat level. In order to survive they drank radiator water. During the two days at sea, back home in the US, the crew of the NC-3 was all but given up for as it was assumed that the flying boat had sunk. After traveling for two days at sea, once spotted at Ponta Delgado, they refused to be towed in and came into port under their own power. The NC-4 continued on to complete this voyage with their arrival in [[Lisbon]]. McCulloch and his crew went by destroyer to [[Plymouth, England]] to join the festivities in Europe for this first successful transatlantic crossing by air. McCulloch was awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for this service.<ref> {{cite magazine |last= Reynolds |first= Clark G. |date= April 1987|title= Voyage of the NC-3|url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/1987-04/voyage-nc-3 |magazine=Naval History Magazine |location= |volume= 1 | issue= 1 | publisher= |access-date= }}</ref>


====Showtime====
In September 2022, Nichols joined [[Showtime Sports]] to contribute to their basketball coverage.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Draper|title=Rachel Nichols Joins Showtime After Contentious ESPN Exit|date=September 30, 2022|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/30/sports/basketball/rachel-nichols-showtime-espn-maria-taylor.html|access-date=October 1, 2022}}</ref>


==== Undisputed ====
== Seaplane Altitude Record Setting Flight==
In August 2023, it was announced that Nichols joined [[Fox Sports]] as one of the panelists for the weekday morning debate show [[Undisputed (sports show)|Undisputed]] with [[Skip Bayless]], [[Keyshawn Johnson]], [[Michael Irvin]] and [[Richard Sherman (American football)|Richard Sherman]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDaniel |first=Mike |date=2023-08-09 |title=Rachel Nichols to Join FS1’s ‘Undisputed’ With Skip Bayless, per Report |url=https://www.si.com/media/2023/08/09/rachel-nichols-fs1-undisputed-skip-bayless |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}</ref>
On August 19, 1921 McCulloch took the [[Loening Model 23]] to a seaplane record setting flight of 19,500 feet. The flight took place in Port Washington, NY. There were three passenger, [[Leroy Grumman]], Ladislaus D'Orcy, and [[Grover Loening]]. This flight was said to also better the American record for land planes flying with passengers. <ref name="altitude record">{{cite journal |title=Loening Hydro-Monolplane Breaks Altitude Record |journal=Aerial Age Weekly |volume = XIII | date= August 22, 1921 |pages=560}}</ref>[[File: Loening Model 23 Seaplane Altitude Record Flight Chart August 16 1921.jpg|thumb|Loening Model 23 Seaplane Altitude Record Flight Chart August 16 1921]]


==Personal life==
== World War II re-enlistment ==
Nichols married film and music video director Max Nichols,<ref>{{cite news |title=Helmer has 'Two Night Stand' |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/helmer-has-two-night-stand-1118055282/ |access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> son of film and stage director [[Mike Nichols]], in a [[Judaism|Jewish]] ceremony in [[Venice]] in 2001.<ref name="NYTWedding">{{cite news| title = Weddings; Rachel Alexander, Max Nichols | work = The New York Times| date = May 27, 2001 |at=Sect. 9, p. 9| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DD1F3DF934A15756C0A9679C8B63 | access-date = June 15, 2008 }}</ref> Her stepmother-in-law, the stepmother of Max Nichols and the last wife of Mike Nichols before his death, is [[Diane Sawyer]].<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Ryan |url= https://www.thewrap.com/gma-remembers-mike-nichols-we-are-thinking-of-diane-this-morning-video/ |title= 'GMA' Remembers Mike Nichols: 'We are Thinking of Diane This Morning' (Video) |work=The Wrap |date=November 20, 2014 |access-date=July 4, 2021}}</ref> The couple have twin daughters (born March 2011).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salao |first=Colin |date=2023-12-26 |title=Rachel Nichols told Dan Le Batard about a shockingly offensive comment a top exec once told her |url=https://www.thestreet.com/sports/rachel-nichols-dan-le-batard-offensive-comment-top-exec |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=TheStreet |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Rosen|first1=Rick|title=Max Nichols, Rachel Nichols Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|url=http://heavy.com/sports/2016/02/rachel-max-nichols-dating-boyfriend-married-husband-family-children-daughters/|website=heavy|date=February 18, 2016|access-date=December 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deitsch |first=Richard |date=2015-07-26 |title=Pregnant and on-air: Women in sports media discuss managing work, motherhood |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/07/27/women-sports-media-pregnancy-motherhood-amber-theoharis-rachel-nichols |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shister |first=Gail |date=2013-10-23 |title=‘Hard-Nosed’ Sports Reporter, Still Hit On in the Locker Room, Gets CNN Back in the Game |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/hard-nosed-sports-reporter-still-hit-on-in-the-locker-room-brings-sports-back-to-cnn/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.adweek.com |language=en-US}}</ref> She also has one older brother and one younger brother.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Karalis |first1=John |title=Feb 28- ESPN's Rachel Nichols on working with Pierce & Perk, Tatum's ascension, & being a role model for girls |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feb-28-espns-rachel-nichols-on-working-pierce-perk/id1049169349?i=1000466917060 |access-date=March 2, 2020}}</ref>
McCulloch reentered the [[United States Navy]] on June 29th, 1942 as a Lieutenant Commander to assist the Naval Air Force with administrative duties during World War II. His first duties were with the training department at [[Floyd Bennett Field]] in New York, and he was later transferred to the staff of Vice Admiral [[Patrick N. L. Bellinger]] and stationed in [[Norfolk, Virginia]]. Toward the end of this period of service, he spent time in the hospital in convalescence due to chronic arthritis. He left the Navy at the age of 56 in June, 1946. Following this, his ill health led to quiet retirement in New York City.


== Death ==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
McCulloch died of throat cancer on September 20, 1955 in New York, NY and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in
West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA.


==External links==
== Awards, Honors, and Achievements ==
{{Commons category|Rachel Nichols (journalist)}}
* Curtiss Marine Flying Trophy (1915) for longest flight made in 10 hours in a flying boat (flew 480 miles in 7 hours 42 minutes)
* {{IMDb name|2269883}}
<ref>{{cite journal |title=David McCulloch Flies for Curtiss Trophy|journal=Aerial Age Weekly|volume = II |date=October 18, 1915 |pages=103}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite journal |title=David H. McCulloch in Flying Boat (photo)|journal=Aerial Age Weekly|volume = II |date=October 25, 1915 |pages=129}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Curtiss Marine Flying Trophy|journal=Flying|volume = 4 |date=November 1915 |pages=737}}</ref>.
*[[Order of the Tower and Sword]] by government of Portugal; Awarded to the crews of the First Transatlantic Flight.
* [[Navy Cross]]; Awarded to the crews of the First Transatlantic Flight.
* Decorated by Italy for work in training the newly formed Italian Naval Air Force.
* Altitude record for seaplanes August 16, 1921 <ref name="altitude record" />


{{ESPN}}
==Timeline==
{{ESPN NFL Personalities}}
*1890: Birth in [[Port Royal, Pennsylvania]]
{{NBA on ABC}}
*1912: Student at [[Curtiss Flying School]]
*1912-1914: Demonstrated, taught, and sold Curtiss aircraft in South America
*1913 April 15: Flew Brazilian president [[Hermes da Fonseca]] over [[Guanabara Bay]] (1st flight of a Brazilian president)
*1914: Managed [[Curtiss Flying School]] at [[Hammondsport, New York]]
*1914: Membership in [[Aero Club of America]] (Hydroaeroplane pilot's certificate no. 16)
*1915: Instructor, Italian Naval Aeronautics School at [[Taranto]]
*1916: Manager and chief pilot of [[Rodman Wanamaker]] [[American Trans-Oceanic Company]] [[Port Washington, New York]]
*1916 - May 1917: Flight Instructor for [[First Yale Unit]] at [[Port Washington, New York]] and [[West Palm Beach, Florida]]
*1917 Oct 30: Enrolled as Lieutenant (Naval Aviator #168) in [[Naval Reserve Flying Corps]] (NRFC) Heavier Than Air (HTA) group at [[Hampton Roads]], Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
*1919 March 5: Called to active duty in Naval Aviation as Lieutenant to participate in Naval First Transatlantic Crossing
*1919 May: Copilot of NC-3 as part of Squadron in First Transatlantic crossing
*1919 June: Promoted to Naval Lieutenant Commander
*1919 Fall: Inactive duty Navy
*1919-1933: Pilot Manager of [[American Trans-Oceanic Company]] and President and owner Curtiss Metropolitan Airplane Co.
*1921 August 16: Set altitude record (19,500 feet) for seaplanes, carrying three passengers in a [[Loening Model 23]]
*1921 September 30: Received honorable discharge from Navy
*1924 March 24: Elected to the [[National Aeronautic Association]]
*1928: Membership in [[Naval Order of the United States]]
*1933-1942: President and owner Engineers Motors Corporation
*1942 June 29: Entered WWII as Lieutenant Commander stationed initially at [[Floyd Bennett Field]] with Atlantic Fleet
*1946 Feb 1: Retired from Navy
*1955 Sept 20: Died of throat cancer
*1973: Posthumously awarded Glenn Curtiss medal commemorating flight of the NC flying boats


{{Authority control}}
==References==

;Citations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Rachel}}
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:American television sports announcers]]
;Bibliography
[[Category:American women non-fiction writers]]
*Smith, Richard K.: First Across, The U.S. Navy's Transatlantic Flight of 1919. Annapolis: The United States Naval Institute, 1973. ISBN 0-87021-184-6.
[[Category:American women sportswriters]]
*[[Ralph Delahaye Paine|Paine, Ralph D.]]: The First Yale Unit, A Story of Naval Aviation, 1916-1919. Cambridge: The Riverside Press , 1925.
[[Category:College basketball announcers in the United States]]
*Stierman, Hy and Kittler, Glenn D.: Triumph, The Incredible Saga of the First Transatlantic Flight. New York : Harper & Brothers, 1961. 61-10216
[[Category:ESPN people]]
*D'Orcy, Ladislaus: D'Orcy's Airship Manual, An International Register of Airships with a Compendium of the Airship's Elementary Mechanics. New York : The Century Company, 1917.
[[Category:Living people]]
*Wortman, Marc: The Millionaires' Unit, The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power. New York : PubicAffairs, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-1-58648-328-9.
[[Category:Major League Baseball broadcasters]]
*{{cite AV media |people= Ron King , Darach Greer, Harry Davison |date=2014 |title=The Millionaires' Unit, The First US Naval Aviators in World War I |trans-title= |medium= DVD|language= English|url=http://www.millionairesunit.org/home.php|access-date= |archive-url= |archive-date= |format= |time= |location= |publisher= |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= |ref= }}
[[Category:Medill School of Journalism alumni]]
;External links
[[Category:NBA broadcasters]]
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/96138063/david-hugh-mcculloch/ David H. McCulloch Gravestone]
[[Category:National Football League announcers]]
*[http://www.aviastar.org/air/usa/curtiss_nc-4.php/ Curtiss Flying Boat Description ]
[[Category:People from Potomac, Maryland]]
*[http://www.earlyaviators.com/emccullo.htm/ Early Aviator Page for McCulloch]
[[Category:Sportswriters from Maryland]]
*[http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ggbain.22642/ 1915 Photo of McCulloch and other early aviators]
[[Category:Women sports commentators]]
*[https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/curtiss-f-boat-mcculloch-david-h-glass-negative-0/ McCulloch Seated in Curtiss Model-F flying boat - Hon. F. C. G. Eden standing far right]
[[Category:21st-century American journalists]]
*[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015066918981;view=1up;seq=1/ Online version of First Yale Unit Book by Ralph D. Paine which is cited above]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
*[https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-47000/NH-47950.html/ April 13, 1919 photo of McCulloch likely taken at Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia]
[[Category:1973 births]]

Revision as of 22:35, 10 May 2024

For other people named Wallace Matthews, see Wallace Matthews (disambiguation).

Wallace Matthews
Nichols in 2021
Born
Rachel Michele Alexander

(1973-10-18) October 18, 1973 (age 51)
Potomac, Maryland, U.S.
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupation(s)Sports journalist, television host
Years active1995–present
Notable credit(s)NBA on TNT
Unguarded with Rachel Nichols
SportsCenter
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Countdown
Sunday NFL Countdown
E:60
The Jump
Spouse
Max Nichols
​
(m. 2001)​
Children2
RelativesMike Nichols (father-in-law)
Annabel Davis-Goff (mother-in-law)

Rachel Michele Nichols (née Alexander; born October 18, 1973[1][2]) is an American journalist and sportscaster. She has covered the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), professional tennis, college sports, the Olympics and is most notable for her work with the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2014, Sports Illustrated called Nichols "the country's most impactful and prominent female sports journalist".[3]

Early life

Rachel Michele Alexander was born to Jane and Ronald Jacobs.[2] Growing up in Potomac, Maryland,[4] she became a fan of sports during her youth, saying it felt like watching a live storybook movie with heroes and villains, and an ending not yet written.[5] Nichols wrote for and edited the school newspaper at Winston Churchill High School, graduating in 1991.[6][7]

While attending the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, she had summer internships at USA Today, Chicago Sun-Times and The Washington Post.[4] Michael Wilbon, a lead sports columnist of The Washington Post at the time, met Nichols when she was an 18-year-old intern and said "she had supreme confidence."[8] One of Nichols' earliest assignments was to attend Chicago Bulls practices as a freelance newspaper reporter amid the team's first three-peat. After a few media sessions where she took notes and did not ask questions, Michael Jordan called her out to speak. The two began to talk on a regular basis after the exchange and Nichols credited the experience in growing her skills as a journalist.[9] At age 21, she received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University.[10]

Career

Newspapers

Nichols' first job was as a sportswriter for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel covering the University of Miami football team and Miami Dolphins.[5][11] In 1996, Nichols joined The Washington Post to cover the NHL's Washington Capitals.[4] She later branched out into other sports including professional tennis, the Olympics, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nichols covered Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi as well as Venus and Serena Williams early in their careers.[12][13][14]

Television

ESPN

She transitioned to broadcasting in 2004 when ESPN hired her as a reporter.[15] Nichols made regular appearances on SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown and was a recurring sideline reporter for Monday Night Football and NBA broadcasts.[16][17] She was also a correspondent for E:60 and became a recognizable face at the network due to her rapport with prominent sports figures, with Esquire naming Nichols one of the "Women We Love".[18][15]

CNN

In January 2013, Nichols left ESPN for CNN/Turner Sports and was announced to anchor the network's first sports-related program in twelve years.[19] She was called a "revered player in the space" and considered a 'big get' for CNN.[20] Unguarded with Rachel Nichols premiered in October of that year and changed from a regular series to an occasional special by October 2014.[21] During this period, Nichols also worked the sidelines for the NBA on TNT program in both regular season and playoff games as well as regular appearances on Inside the NBA.[20] She was a sideline reporter for CBS and TBS during the NCAA men's basketball tournament, paired with Verne Lundquist and Bill Rafferty, and was a dugout reporter for TBS during MLB playoff games.[22][23] Nichols was widely praised for her tough questioning of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal[24] and likewise for confronting boxer Floyd Mayweather on his history of domestic violence.[25] The Hollywood Reporter recognized her as one of the "10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports Media".[26]

Return to ESPN

In 2016, Nichols was recruited back to ESPN by then-president John Skipper. She pitched "a conversation about basketball" as a daily program where former players, reporters and associates of the NBA community discuss the league. Tracy McGrady joined The Jump when it debuted in February 2016. A sit-down interview with Nichols became a benchmark for active players, and Sports Illustrated called The Jump "TV's smartest basketball show".[27][28] She also became a recurring guest-host on the podcast Pardon My Take (2016–present), as well as on the TV show Pardon the Interruption.[29] During the following years, Nichols interviewed Meek Mill and Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin on criminal justice reform, Mark Cuban after an NBA investigation into workplace harassment within the Dallas Mavericks organization and Kobe Bryant in one of his final interviews.[8][30] She was nominated for "Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Host" in the 2021 Sports Emmy Awards.[31]

Plans to have The Jump serve as the Finals pregame show were scrapped amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when NBA Countdown with host Maria Taylor was made the Finals' pregame and halftime show.[32] During the 2020 NBA Bubble, an employee at ESPN's Connecticut headquarters used a cell phone to record Nichols in her hotel room without her knowledge. The recording included a phone call with LeBron James' advisor Adam Mendelsohn, which was reportedly 30 minutes long, taken from a continuous video feed connected to ESPN's servers. The employee texted the recording to ESPN employees and executives, as well as Deadspin.[33][34] Deadspin declined to publish the video, citing that it was an attempt to discredit Nichols and the employee may have committed a crime. An ESPN spokesperson acknowledged the issue in a comment to Deadspin, "We are extremely disappointed about the leak of a private conversation. It's indefensible and an intrusion on Rachel's privacy."[33] Nichols was the sideline reporter for the 2020 NBA Finals and hosted its championship trophy presentation.[32][35]

One year later, four minutes of edited footage from the phone call leaked to The New York Times before the 2021 NBA Finals amid ESPN's contract negotiations with Taylor. The footage included Nichols noting that being NBA Countdown host for the 2020 Finals "is in my contract in writing" and had been announced via press release by ESPN.[36][37] She also alleged that internal pressure from a New York Times investigation into racism at ESPN and the network's "crappy record on diversity" led to executives asking her to step aside for Taylor.[38][39] In response to the article, ESPN removed Nichols from sideline reporting for the 2021 Finals and skipped airing The Jump for a day before she returned and issued an on-air apology to Taylor.[40] NBA players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Vince Carter and Chris Paul appeared on The Jump over the following days.[41] NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked to weigh in on the ESPN controversy at the annual Finals press conference, pointedly remarking how "particularly unfortunate that two women in the industry are pitted against each other...I would have thought that in the past year, ESPN would have found a way to be able to work through it."[42][43]

Nearly seven weeks after the NBA Finals, ESPN canceled The Jump and removed Nichols from its programming.[44][45] At the time, she had over a year remaining on her contract.[46][47] As Connecticut and Florida are two-party consent states for lawful recording of phone calls and conversations, Nichols was reported to have a strong legal case against ESPN.[48] In January 2022, Nichols settled with ESPN and left the network.[49]

Showtime

In September 2022, Nichols joined Showtime Sports to contribute to their basketball coverage.[50]

Undisputed

In August 2023, it was announced that Nichols joined Fox Sports as one of the panelists for the weekday morning debate show Undisputed with Skip Bayless, Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin and Richard Sherman.[51]

Personal life

Nichols married film and music video director Max Nichols,[52] son of film and stage director Mike Nichols, in a Jewish ceremony in Venice in 2001.[2] Her stepmother-in-law, the stepmother of Max Nichols and the last wife of Mike Nichols before his death, is Diane Sawyer.[53] The couple have twin daughters (born March 2011).[54][55][56][57] She also has one older brother and one younger brother.[58]

References

  1. ^ Rachel Nichols [@Rachel__Nichols] (October 18, 2022). "Also, thanks to all for the birthday wishes, but especially for the free coffee this morning" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c "Weddings; Rachel Alexander, Max Nichols". The New York Times. May 27, 2001. Sect. 9, p. 9. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  3. ^ "The Case for ... Rachel Nichols". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "Rachel Alexander". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Rachel Nichols Doesn't Think Asking Tough Questions Is Scary at All". GQ. February 18, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  6. ^ Frank, Noah (November 18, 2016). "Express lane to Bristol: Why so many D.C. sports personalities end up at ESPN". WTOP News.
  7. ^ Bhattiprolu, Maya; Cook, Quinn (November 11, 2020). "WCHS alumna Rachel Nichols inspires student journalists". The Observer. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Spanberg, Erik (March 18, 2019). "No Fear: Rachel Nichols". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  9. ^ Kyle Dalton (May 15, 2021). "Michael Jordan Got Blunt With Rachel Nichols and Admitted Why He Rarely Does Interviews Anymore". Sportscasting.
  10. ^ Moellers, Beth (April 4, 2018). "Co-anchor of NBC's 'TODAY Show,' Host of ESPN's 'The Jump' named 2018 Medill convocation speakers". Northwestern University. Medill School of Journalism.
  11. ^ "DOLPHINS PLAYERS TALK ABOUT ABUSE". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  12. ^ "Sampras to Semis". Washington Post. September 6, 2002. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "Workmanlike Agassi Advances". Washington Post. July 30, 2003. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  14. ^ "WashingtonPost.com: Open Final Lands On Venus". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Axelrod, Joshua. "Rachel Nichols Highlights from 9 Years at ESPN". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  16. ^ Hiestand, Michael (January 24, 2013). "Rachel Nichols leaving ESPN for CNN". USA Today.
  17. ^ Spanberg, Erik (March 25, 2019). "ESPN's Rachel Nichols asks the tough questions". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  18. ^ "The Esquire Survey: The Sexiest Women on the Planet". Esquire. November 1, 2005. Archived from the original on May 8, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  19. ^ Lewis, Jon (January 25, 2013). "Rachel Nichols Leaves ESPN For Turner; Will Anchor CNN Show". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Lisa de Moraes (November 30, 2015). "CNN's Rachel Nichols Heading Back To ESPN". Deadline.
  21. ^ "'Unguarded with Rachel Nichols' will only air as specials after Turner shakeup". USA Today.
  22. ^ Lepore, Steve (September 30, 2013). "TBS announces MLB Playoff broadcast teams". SBNation.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  23. ^ Dougherty, Pete (March 15, 2013). "Former ESPN reporter savors new challenges". Times Union. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  24. ^ "Rachel Nichols refused to let Roger Goodell off the hook". USA Today. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  25. ^ "CNN's Rachel Nichols Confronts Floyd Mayweather over Domestic Abuse Charges". Mediaite. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  26. ^ "The 10 Most Powerful Voices in Sports Media: Simmons, Barkley and More". The Hollywood Reporter.
  27. ^ Bechtel, Mark. "How The Jump became TV's smartest basketball show". SI.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  28. ^ Shlomo Sprung (February 18, 2021). "Rachel Nichols Discusses The Importance, Endurance Of ESPN's NBA Show 'The Jump' On Its Five-Year Anniversary". Forbes.
  29. ^ "Nichols teams with Post mentors Wilbon, Kornheiser on PTI - ESPN Front Row". July 28, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  30. ^ Lauletta, Tyler. "Tracy McGrady says Kobe Bryant used to tell him early in his career that he wanted to 'die young' and be 'immortalized'". Business Insider. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  31. ^ "Nominees". theemmys.tv. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  32. ^ a b "Doris Burke to make history by calling conference finals, NBA Finals on radio". Pro Basketball Talk. Associated Press. September 10, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  33. ^ a b Jim Rich; Eric Barrow; Carron J. Phillips; Julie DiCaro (July 15, 2020). "ESPN Creep Used 'The Jump' Video Feed To Secretly Record Rachel Nichols in Her Hotel Room — Video Got Sent to Us". Deadspin.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  34. ^ Karen Mizoguchi (July 7, 2021). "ESPN's Rachel Nichols Apologizes to Colleague Maria Taylor After Leaked Disparaging Comments". People.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  35. ^ Jimmy Traina (July 7, 2021). "ESPN Waits a Year to Clean Up Rachel Nichols–Maria Taylor Mess, Makes Mess Messier". SI.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  36. ^ Traina, Jimmy. "ESPN Botches Handling of Rachel Nichols Again, Humiliates Her on the Way Out". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  37. ^ "ESPN Reimagines NBA Pregame Coverage with New Strategy". October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  38. ^ Draper, Kevin (July 13, 2020). "ESPN Employees Say Racism Endures Behind the Camera". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  39. ^ Draper, Kevin (July 4, 2021). "A Disparaging Video Prompts Explosive Fallout Within ESPN". The New York Times. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  40. ^ Ben Strauss (July 8, 2021). "Rachel Nichols is back on the air, but the fallout at ESPN is just beginning". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  41. ^ "NBA Finals Suns-Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Thinks Bucks Can Win The Finals In This Many Games". All Pacers.
  42. ^ Tapp, Tom (July 7, 2021). "NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Defends Embattled ESPN Host Rachel Nichols, Wonders Why Network Didn't Resolve Conflict Sooner". Deadline. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  43. ^ Weprin, Alex (July 7, 2021). "NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: "Unfortunate" That Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor Were "Pitted Against Each Other"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  44. ^ Tapp, Tom (July 6, 2021). "Rachel Nichols' Show 'The Jump' Replaced On ESPN Tuesday Schedule Just Hours Before Start Of NBA Finals". Deadline. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  45. ^ Mangan, Dan (July 6, 2021). "ESPN sits NBA reporter Rachel Nichols for Suns-Bucks finals amid furor over Maria Taylor race comment". CNBC. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  46. ^ Owens, Jason (August 26, 2021). "ESPN removes Rachel Nichols from NBA programming, cancels 'The Jump'". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  47. ^ Pramuk, Jacob (August 25, 2021). "ESPN cancels Rachel Nichols' show, pulls her from NBA coverage following race controversy". CNBC. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  48. ^ Kirsten Fleming (August 31, 2021). "What's next for Rachel Nichols after her controversial split from ESPN?". NYPost.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  49. ^ Oshin, Olafimihan (January 4, 2022). "Rachel Nichols officially leaves ESPN after settlement". thehill.com. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  50. ^ Draper, Kevin (September 30, 2022). "Rachel Nichols Joins Showtime After Contentious ESPN Exit". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  51. ^ McDaniel, Mike (August 9, 2023). "Rachel Nichols to Join FS1's 'Undisputed' With Skip Bayless, per Report". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  52. ^ "Helmer has 'Two Night Stand'". Variety. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  53. ^ O'Connell, Ryan (November 20, 2014). "'GMA' Remembers Mike Nichols: 'We are Thinking of Diane This Morning' (Video)". The Wrap. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  54. ^ Salao, Colin (December 26, 2023). "Rachel Nichols told Dan Le Batard about a shockingly offensive comment a top exec once told her". TheStreet. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  55. ^ Rosen, Rick (February 18, 2016). "Max Nichols, Rachel Nichols Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". heavy. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  56. ^ Deitsch, Richard (July 26, 2015). "Pregnant and on-air: Women in sports media discuss managing work, motherhood". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  57. ^ Shister, Gail (October 23, 2013). "'Hard-Nosed' Sports Reporter, Still Hit On in the Locker Room, Gets CNN Back in the Game". www.adweek.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  58. ^ Karalis, John. "Feb 28- ESPN's Rachel Nichols on working with Pierce & Perk, Tatum's ascension, & being a role model for girls". Retrieved March 2, 2020.
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