ESPN: The “P” Stands For “Progressive”
By Wyatt Earp | October 7, 2011
By now, most of you know about the Hank Williams, Jr flap. I’m not going to defend Williams, because his remarks were stupid, but I wanted to point out two things:
1. Williams, Jr. didn’t call Obama “Hitler.” I don’t think he even compared him to Hitler, per se, but I won’t argue that point. The issue, in my opinion, is that he made a stupid analogy and mentioned Obama and Hitler in the same paragraph. Stupid, but something that demanded Williams’ dismissal? Please. ESPN completely overreacted.
Now why would ESPN overreact to such a simple, yet stupid comment? Maybe because the comment was directed at Barack Obama, a liberal Democrat. Am I overreaching? No.
2. The above tweet by Mayne passed without mention, criticism, or punishment from ESPN. They let it pass because the comment was directed toward Sarah Palin, a conservative Republican. In fact, a few people on the ESPN staff – including Mayne and football analyst Adam Schefter – have made disparaging remarks about conservatives in the past, and both are still collecting a paycheck.
You may also remember the Paul Azinger flap from August, where he mocked Obama about playing golf and opined that he (Azinger) created more jobs than the president. ESPN dropped the hammer quickly on Azinger and threatened punishment, suspension, or dismissal.
An ESPN spokesman said, “Paul’s tweet was not consistent with our social media policy, and he has been reminded that political commentary is best left to those in that field.”
Unless, of course, that commentary attacks conservatives or Republicans.
The double standard . . . it burns.
Topics: People I Hate | 15 Comments »
October 7th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
I’m torn here. Obviously he didn’t deserve to be fired for this, but on the other hand I don’t have to hear that stupid song when I watch Monday Night Football.
October 7th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Remember when Rush Limbaugh had to resign from ESPN because he said “Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed”?
But, ESPN had no problem hiring Snoop Doggy-Dogg as an NFL “commentator” a couple of years ago despite the fact he worships at the altar of the almighty hemp plant and was arrested for murder.
October 8th, 2011 at 12:22 am
And now they’ve replaced Jr. with a black guy?
Toeing the line much?
October 8th, 2011 at 1:05 am
I’d say the “P” stands for putzes, myself
But hey, it’s your blog.
October 8th, 2011 at 2:12 am
Dang. I could never work on TV I’d be saying stuff like that ALL the time, especially about Hitler wannabe obambi. I had to listen to stuff like that for years when GW was in office, so this is music to my ears.
I’d say..P = Pissants
October 8th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Fozzy – But they’re replacing him – at least for one week – with former football great Barry Sanders. Eh, what?
Ferrell – Rush was also banned from buying a small interest in the St. Louis Rams by the NFL. Racist much?
Skip – Yeah, sounds like overcompensation to me.
Wes S. – Putzes is a good choice.
Jon – It is amazing how a lot of people on the left called Bush “Hitler,” but that was okay.
October 8th, 2011 at 9:44 am
ESPN equals ABC equals Cap Cities! They are left of Pelosi!
October 8th, 2011 at 9:54 am
What is this ESPN that you speak of? Meh, I must just spend too much time outside to be in the know
Please excuse me, I have to go outside and shoot and blow stuff up right now…..
Besides, I was always the “A Country Boy Can Survive” type anyways
Be safe (and have a great weekend!).
Scott
October 8th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Danny – And free speech there is okay – if it’s their kind of free speech.
Swarner793 – Williams will be fine, but yeah, there’s not much reason to watch ESPN anymore regardless.
October 8th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I heard the clip yesterday and my question is how do they know he wasn’t calling Obama, Netanyahu? I guess that would be almost as bad to the left-wing anti-Israel nuts.
October 8th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Fozzy, if I could “like” your status, I would. That sums up exactly how I felt: I didn’t think it was bad enough to fire him (or even get him in trouble), but I don’t want to hear him either, so anything that “De-Hankifies” my Football is a win for me.
Then again, they came for the Hanks, and I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t a Hank……
October 8th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Ingineer66 – He was making a (bad) comparison between those two and Obama and Boehner. I could almost see if he called Obama “Hitler,” but he didn’t.
Picky – I always muted the song – and Faith Hill’s song on SNF – but the firing was just a ridiculous move, IMO.
October 8th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
That was my point. He didn’t call anybody Hitler or Netanyahu so what is the big deal. The guilty people here are the management at ESPN and the media that assume when the words Hitler and Obama are in the same sentence that it must be a comparison between the two. Now why would people think that? Could there be a reason.
October 8th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Why am I thinking of the “Burn the witch” scenes in Monty Python’s ‘In Search of the Holy Grail’ when anyone mentions liberals and logic/commonsense in the same sentence?
Inquisitor: And what else floats on water?
Liberal peasant: Small rocks!??
October 9th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I will remember that about ESPN. Why does the word hypocrites come to mind. My other thought here is they are cowardly because they are afraid of the leftist looneys on the FCC launching an “investigation”.