Anybody know what Tony Kornheiser said that got him suspended? Pardon the Interruption is just about my favorite show. The show just isn't the same with these rotating substitute hosts. Given that ESPN has him and Michael Wilbon ripping about all things sports, it seems kind of hypocritical to suspend him because he says something about ESPN.

From today's Bottom:

[quote] Tony Kornheiser is learning it's not smart to bite the hand that feeds you. Kornheiser, who does a radio and a TV show for ESPN (to the tune of $500,000), was suspended a week without pay for derogatory comments he made about management. Kornheiser's comments, on his radio show, were made during a commercial break and heard only on the Internet feed. It's weird that ESPN, which spins itself as hip, edgy and Xtreme, would take offense to something probably heard by five people, but the honchos who run the network are apparently thin-skinned.

---

G-V - One version I heard (no link unfortunately) was that Kornheiser made a derogatory racial comment about Dennis Green during a break. The stream was not stopped during the break; hearing the remark, a Washington attorney called Jesse Jackson's office who communicated with Michael Eisner directly.

Again, hearsay as I didn't catch the source on the radio. Edt4Typo

[ July 17, 2002: Message edited by: Wurm ]

From the Hartford Courant. Seems like the Dennis is NOT Dennis Green:

``The firings (of two producers)- particularly that of his show's senior producer, Denis Horgan Jr., upset Kornheiser.

Kornheiser discussed the firings of Horgan and associate producer Kelvin Alvarez several times on the show. "I would do just about anything to get them back," he said on a recent broadcast. "Denis' contributions to this show were enormous. All the funny, creative things were Denis', just about."

ESPN management apparently asked Kornheiser to stop talking about the matter on the air. He did but continued to discuss it on commercial breaks, which until recently were broadcast over the Internet.''

Wow! I certainly am glad to know it wasn't a result of a racial comment. I couldn't imagine Kornheiser saying anything racially offensive, especially given his co-host on PTI is black.

If I do remember correctly, Dave Letterman didnt go to ABC because he wasnt sure if the powers at be at disney would like his usual ribbing of the company, like he does at CBS. I guess he was right in his assumptions, mickey mouse doesnt seem to want to take the heat....from anyone

ESPN management seems to be confused about what is & is not tolerated on the air: during Wimbledon, Dan Patrick & Sean Salisbury joked that Mauresmo isn't a "real woman" and did a riff on that for about ten minutes, but later, when Rob Dibble asked whatever happened to former ESPN anchor Larry Beil (a guest had used the word "aloha,") Patrick said they weren't allowed ro discuss former employees and changed the subject--quickly.


~Adam

[quote]Originally posted by Jim at Outsports:
From the Hartford Courant. Seems like the Dennis is NOT Dennis Green

---

Jim - thanks for the confirmation. As you can see from the attached article from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, there were published reports in the mainstream press (not just internet rumors)- my hearing on the radio may have been an announcer reading the MSP story on-air (of course, it's still important to mark rumors as such until they are verified)

MSP Star-Trib Report (It's in the lower part of the "Vikings Notes" column)

Ozzie's speech at Cooperstown didn't deserve todays bottom. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame, he can say (or not say) anything he wants without critizism. I for one would like to hear your speech when your inducted so I can roll my eyes.
A better bottom would have and should have been the disgusting display between Boston and Baltimore with their bench clearing fight of unsportsmanlike conduct.

Thumper, when I give my Nobel Peace Prize speech, roll away!