When Samantha Ponder comes up, it usually about her husband, former Vikings’ QB Christian Ponder. However, Samantha should be known for her involvement in sports media especially ESPN and her attitude towards female involvement in male sports rather than who she is married to.
Ponder got her start at ESPN during her college days, working as an intern before transferring to Liberty University where she accepted a sideline reporter position. That was just the start of her sideline reporting career which is coincidentally what her career at ESPN would end up being.
Currently, Ponder is the sideline reporter for ESPN’s Longhorn Network. The Longhorn Network is a joint venture which is owned by ESPN, the University of Texas at Austin and IMG College, but operated by ESPN. Along with that job, Ponder also reports for college basketball and has previously worked for Fox Sports and during ESPN College GameDay which she stepped down from to take care of her daughter, Scout.
Recently, Ponder has been in the news due to a completely ridiculous sign that was made by one of the college students at the game. The sign was a direct shot at Ponder and her position which read “Sam Ponder belongs in the kitchen” which is not only completely sexist but totally unoriginal. Ponder’s response really showed how mature and down to earth she truly is which she shared on her Twitter,
Dear "men": your insult makes no sense. The kitchen has pie. And pizza. And wine. https://t.co/oBuxYxkUkb
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) October 11, 2015
While the sign was supposed to be a clear jab at Ponder because she’s a woman, her choice to own the “insult” really shows that she is truly deserving of the job that she has and that she is a true professional in the sports world which seems few and far between nowadays.
Ponder is also very active on her Twitter with a good portion of her tweets being directed at men who feel the need to be blatantly sexist to her. Some of those tweets include,
Oh the irony of men who still live with their mothers saying NFL players can't listen to a woman. Okay I'm done goodbye.
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) July 28, 2015
Twitter guy: women can't talk sports.
Twitter guy when woman talks sports: Omg what is she wearing?!?
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) October 18, 2015
and finally, she shared a conversation between her and her husband discussing the Arizona Cardinals hiring Jen Welter.
Proud to be married to a guy like this. Women & men are different but both capable of being great teachers of fball pic.twitter.com/Q8xp84Zh8V
— Samantha Steele Ponder (@samponder) July 28, 2015
Women & men are different but both capable of being great teachers of fball” which is just plain refreshing. Ponder’s ability to juggle her career and her family is another thing that is not mentioned enough about her.
