When Sportscasters Get in Trouble

ESPN suspends Bill Simmons for controversial comments.

Stephen A. Smith's controversial statement on females caught in domestic violence: - "What I've tried to employ the female members of my family...is that again, and this what, I've done this all my life, let's make sure we don't do anything to provoke wrong actions." (Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Time Warner Cable)
Rob Parker - In December 2012, Rob Parker controversially pondered live on ESPN's First Take whether or not Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is a “brother or is he a cornball brother?” That led to ESPN suspending him for 30 days. After the suspension, ESPN announced in January 2013 that Parker would not return.(Photo: First Take via ESPN)
Jason Whitlock - Jason Whitlock didn’t get suspended by Fox Sports for saying Serena Williams was overweight in 2009 and that “She'd rather eat and half-a-- her way through non-major tournaments and complain she's not getting the respect her 11-major-championships résumé demands.” Wow. But he did receive a whole lot of backlash on the Internet.(Photo: ESPN)
Tony Kornheiser - ESPN yanked Tony Kornheiser off the air for two weeks after his February 2010 comments about SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm’s wardrobe. The talking head called Storm’s clothes a “horrifying, horrifying outfit,” adding that she’s wearing “red go-go boots” and her “Catholic school plaid skirt” is “way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now.” Wow, Tony. Respect that woman. (Photo: Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)Max Bretos - ESPN cracked down on two employees in February 2012 over the racially-insensitive manner that they covered then-New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. One such employee was ESPN anchor Max Bretos, who uttered the phrase “chink in the armor” to describe a weakness in Lin’s game on television. Although there might have been no ill-intent behind the phrase, it was deemed offensive to Lin, who is of Asian-American descent. Bretos was suspended for 30 days and offered up an instant apology. Meanwhile, another employee, who ran the phrase as a headline on ESPN’s mobile website, was terminated.(Photo: ESPN)

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Rob Parker - In December 2012, Rob Parker controversially pondered live on ESPN's First Take whether or not Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is a “brother or is he a cornball brother?” That led to ESPN suspending him for 30 days. After the suspension, ESPN announced in January 2013 that Parker would not return.(Photo: First Take via ESPN)

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