November 20, 2008
ESPN Wimps Out on Chris Fowler Comments: No Rush Limbaugh-style Apology; Just a Slap on the Hand
After I wrote about ESPN's Chris Fowler and his comments on the air, calling non-Obama voters--55 million-plus Americans--racist, many readers complained to ESPN.
Well, after several days of silence, ESPN finally responded. Here's the wimpy response ESPN gave:
Thank you for writing, [insert first name].We understand your concerns. The political reference was an unnecessary addition to the valid point he was making about the lack of diversity in college football coaching. We have spoken with Chris about it. We appreciate you contacting us.
Sincerely,
ESPN Viewer Response Team
Hmmm, let's guess how the "we have spoken with Chris about it" part went:
Hey, Chris, a bunch of those 55 million racists you exposed on Saturday are angry. Can you believe these right-wing wackos? Anyway, we're just letting you know. You were sooo right. But it was, ya know, "unnecessary." Next time, be a little more cryptic so we don't have to read all of their crazy e-mails.Love,
the drooling ESPN apologists forced to answer e-mails from the little peopleP.S. Chris, You are sooo hot, especially like when you get all political and stuff.
Bottom line. ESPN is not disciplining Fowler, nor are they asking him to make an apology to all the non-Obama voters throughout America, whom Fowler blatantly slandered. Yup, at ESPN, forced apologies are only limited to Rush Limbaugh.
And the network apparently takes the official position that--while over 75% of the positions on the college football field are held by Blacks, and over 80% of college football scholarships are taken by Blacks--the real discrimination is in the head-coaching position.
Here are some of the great letters readers sent to ESPN.
Steve:
By irresponsibly allowing and endorsing Chris Fowler to call me and 55 million other Americans who did not vote for obama, racist as his reasoning and ludicrous claims we would not hire a black coach, is so outrageous, slanderous and defaming.I DEMAND AN APOLOGY FROM CHRIS FOWLER AND ESPN. MAYBE IT IS ESPN WHO IS RACIST?
How about 55 million Americans slap you with a class-action lawsuit for slander and defamation?
Stick to sports because you all suck at preaching politics!
***
Timothy:
I was offended that your host made the comment that certain people that didn't vote for Obama are somehow less likely to hire African Americans. He is way out of line. I own a business have great African American employees and would never vote for Obama. Not because of his color, because of his views. Fowler made his own point. People like him judge based on stereotyping people not looking at credentials. Could that be why there are less African American coaches?
***
Leah:
A football game commentator should not dispense political diatribe. Especially when it is ignorant. Chris Fowler's comments yesterday are beyond ridiculous. Since he is representing your station, can you please tell me if you agree with the comment that 55 million people in this country are racist? Do you really mean to alienate anyone who disagrees with your commentators comments?In this day and age of easy access, I will no longer be supporting your station. I can watch elsewhere.
Posted by Debbie at November 20, 2008 11:41 AM
Comments
Good that you pushed this matter, Debbie. Ultimately, we have to insist that there is not one code of conduct for leftists (or non-whites) and another for everyone else. Maybe if the leftists have to live by the rules that everyone else does, they will be a little less eager to defame us.
Posted by: skZion ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.debbieschlussel.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 20, 2008 12:24 PM
I'm always amazed when people "demand" an apology because something someone has said offends them. You can't demand an apology. It has to be offered by the offending party because said person is genuinely sorry he or she offended someone.
We have the freedom of speech in this country and we need to feel the freedom to voice our opinions no matter how stupid they may be. Mark Twain was notorious for offending people. His response was that he was offending exactly the people who needed to be offended.
I'm frequently offended by the stupid ideas of the Rush Limbaughs, the Bill O'Reillys and, yes, the Debbie Schlussels of the world. But I don't demand an apology. I laugh at them for the morons that they are and move on.
I didn't hear the statement you seem to want to make a big deal about. Frankly, sports reporters are not the kind of people I look up to as intellectuals. They're more like -- I dunno -- right-wing pundits, just above a stoplight and below an electric toaster on a scale of intelligence.
Posted by: martinwschwartz at November 20, 2008 12:43 PM
I do believe that is a sports caster slurred a black he would be fired. Remember IMUS> While I don't think racism in any kind should be tolerated, it seems the only people you can dis are white.
Posted by: MdDeeDa at November 20, 2008 12:56 PM
Here's my take how that conversation between ESPN Executives and Fowler went:
Hello Chris ... hey, ya got any more of them great comments you're gonna lay on the land this Saturday? Can you believe many of those 55 million morons took the time to complain. Anyway, keep up the good work ... and oh yeah, just for the record ... hee hee, snort, hee ... tone it down on any remarks ... hee hee ... that might ... ha hee ... be considered ... hee snort ha hee ... racial ... HAAAAAAAAA!!!
Jimmy Lewis
SCS, Michigan
Blog: http://rougerevival.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Jimmy Lewis at November 20, 2008 01:10 PM
From Howard Cosell all the way up to today. The tradition of the insufferable Leftist sports commentator,exploiting race relations for the hysterical slandering of anyone to the right of them to make sports more and more Politically Correct ( Read:Anti-White ). Let one rare,"Right" commentator say something true, and you get burned at the stake,while Lefties get away with grossly inaccurate slandering EVERY day,and never have to worry,their jobs are secure,yet always whine about imaginary "pressure" from The Right.
Posted by: OldSchoolW at November 20, 2008 01:33 PM
Here is what I sent to ESPN good thing I did not hear this little punk ass liberal bitch!
This guy should be fired or at the least put him in a room with me and let smack some sense into him. I don't understand how ESPN can have this type of double standard racist comments about Republicans or anyone who did not vote for Obama being a racist being said on the televsion. So fire him and make and apology to your viewers. If Imus can be fired for this type of behavior so should Chris. Also tell Chris to keep his liberal view to his self and report the football stuff.
Posted by: ohboyohboy at November 20, 2008 02:17 PM
how about a little more diversity on the bench?
lol
Posted by: ploome at November 20, 2008 02:36 PM
Well unforently I have to watch ESPN to get my sports news. If I don't, I won't know what's happened in the day.
But then agian I'm not into college football, so this guy can go to hell. I'm still waiting for his reaction to what I said....about not all black people voting for Obama.
I'm waaaaaiting.
Posted by: Squirrel3D at November 20, 2008 03:39 PM
Debbie, part of the reason I stopped reading Sports Illustrated a long time ago was the absurd liberal bias, belive it or not. It was mainly to do with racial politics, and it seemed they were fluffing the Black athletes they covered. I think Fowler must be under the same pressure. These white guys like Fowler realize if they're down w/Obama their jobs are safe and if they're perceived as Republicans they will be frozen out.
Posted by: Anonymous1 at November 20, 2008 07:38 PM
I haven't met too many sports nuts that had any common sense. Most of them that I have known don't know much about anything other than sports and are all besotted with thier "man crushes" on their favorite players.
Posted by: rtaylor174 at November 21, 2008 12:32 AM
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