OT: Rob Parker suspended by ESPN
Rob Parker has been suspended by ESPN for comments in which he questioned Robert Griffin III's "blackness." Shocking, I know.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8747379/espn-suspends-rob-parker-robert-griffin-iii-comments
December 14th, 2012 at 2:29 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
Seriously though it's only a matter of time until that's an actual quote. Jemele Hill = Rob Parker in terms of reporting ability/racial profiling.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
It probably was... If he was anything other than the same race as the guy he was questioning he'd be fired by now...
December 14th, 2012 at 2:30 PM ^
First good thing i've heard today
This is the same clown that mocked ex Lions coach Rod Marinelli about his daughter marrying the D Coordinator, isn't it?
December 14th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
Indeed it is. The guy is a complete hack. Only reason he keeps getting jobs is that he's controversial and gets hits/views.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^
Yup, that's him.
Currently if you look up "Rob Parker" on Wikipedia the disambiguation page refers to him as "American sports bigot."
December 14th, 2012 at 3:05 PM ^
Also the same asshat that accused Kork Coupons - in print - of assault and battery without a shred of truth to it.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Thanks a lot, WDIV (at least it's buried on their website). Click at your own peril.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
But "Do you wish your daughter had married a better Defensive Coordinator?" is gold. Gold!
December 14th, 2012 at 10:41 PM ^
Maybe gold for a fan to say, not at all for someone who's supposed to be a serious journalist.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
... from a scientific perspective. I mean, RGIII is pretty fast - are his filled with dilithium as well or something slightly less dilithium-y than Denards. Inquiring minds want to know!
December 14th, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^
When is Rob going to learn to just keep his mouth shut.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
When he stops getting paid a lot of money to open it.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:49 PM ^
And ESPN isn't exactly in the clear here. That episode of "First Take" was rebroadcast. the producers OK'd that.
Ratings man, ratings.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:47 PM ^
ESPN afternoon television stinks. ESPN Radio, though, I enjoy.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:37 PM ^
December 15th, 2012 at 1:35 AM ^
The link at the top is the worst thing about ESPN... ESPN (the news agency) reporting on ESPN (the entertainment company) personality Rob Parker's comments on ESPN (the TV network), which is a story because it was immediately picked up on by ESPN.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
We lock a thread mourning the loss of 26 peple and 18 grade school kids as being political but one about a black guy getting suspended for questioning the "blackness" of another black guy is still here. Thread lock in 3...2...
December 14th, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^
I'm sorry, it didn't even occur to me that this could be considered political. I apologize if it crossed the line.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:59 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 3:07 PM ^
Big brother is watching . . . waiting . . .
December 14th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Thanks for killing my only halfway decent excuse to put off cleaning the stove and the bathroom before leaving for a month. The girlfriend now wins; I really appreciate it, profit...
December 14th, 2012 at 3:18 PM ^
DItto. Dishes, and packing here I come. Kudos to Profit for getting me off my ass.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:37 PM ^
Wait...YOU"RE LEAVING US?!?!?!
December 14th, 2012 at 3:44 PM ^
Abandon ship!
December 14th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^
I'll be on MGoBlog, just not in my apartment. Coming back to a dirty apartment is pretty much the worst feeling, so today has been spent scrubbing everything.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:09 PM ^
I think that is fair and should be easy enough...stupid comes in every color
December 14th, 2012 at 8:49 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^
Not sure what's political about "Rob Parker is an asshat," though.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:16 PM ^
It's a little bit offensive to asshats, but I think we can let it slide.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:54 PM ^
Why is the ass talking? Shouldn't it be the hat?
December 14th, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^
Rob Parker is such an asshat. This is the same guy who asked Marinelli whether he wished his daughter had married a better coordinator.
Even more insulting than his comments was the completely asinine, yet unsurpising follow up question by Bayless, "What about his braids?"
You know something is ridiculous and offensive when Stephen A. Smith states on live air that something made him uncomfortable.
Essentially, Parker said if you are a "real" black person, not a "cornball" black person, you must be a democrat, date or marry a black female, and preferably have dreads or braids. Par for the course for First Take though.
December 14th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
All I want for Christmas is for Drew Sharp to follow directly in his footsteps (provided Parker ends up canned over this).
December 14th, 2012 at 2:52 PM ^
Idiots of ever race. I have hope that the generation of kids in their 20's will finally transcend race (not entirely as this impossible) since they are first group which is truly multiracial/desegregated.
I have some experiences with this topic as I am married to a Latina and have seen first hand a multitude of issues arise because of these experiences.
With the results of the recent election minorities can see that they do have a voice in this country so the old argument about 'The Man' holding them down sounds hollow.
As for us in the majority we need to keep holding our racists accountable. There was no need for some morons to circulate pictures of the president with large ears, eating watermelon with nose rings etc in mass email blasts the past four years.
Racism will always be with us, anyone who says otherwise needs to put down LeGuin utopia tripe. However we can make sure our children see color of skin for what it truly is - DNA and chemistry - not the character of a person.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
I have no idea how Rob Parker continues to have any type of job in media. His writings while he was at the Freep were terrible-- poorly written and poorly argued. His TV appearances are just as bad.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
What was even worse what his radio show "Parker and the Man" with some complete asshole Sparty. Worst. Radio. Ever. I though his career would be circling the toilet by now.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
Parker and the Man, That was terrible radio!! Co-host was Mark Wilson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Wilson_(radio_broadcaster)
December 15th, 2012 at 1:37 AM ^
I used to listen to Parker and the Man nights between Kramer and Twitch and Loveline
oh god, were those sad days.
HEY MAHHHHK, GO GET STARK-HICKEY!
December 14th, 2012 at 2:47 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
Helping to get idiots high paying jobs at ESP... Oh, nevermind.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:56 PM ^
There is no cause anymore just a straw man. Same as the old argument that idiots in the majority use to pigeonhole all blacks as thugs.
When a kid turns out as well as RGIII we should all be proud regardless of race, religion or economic status. RGIII is a success story that should be celebrated.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^
To illustrate how apologetic Parker was, ProFootballTalk has this:
"After making those comments on Thursday morning, Parker was inundated with criticism on Twitter, and in his responses on Thursday afternoon, he generally acted as though he was the one who was owed an apology for anyone daring to question what he’d said. Parker called his critics, among other things, “uneducated” and “silly.”
It is looking as if Rob Parker's personal goal is to see if it is possible to get an entire planet to roll their eyes and walk away whenever his name is mentioned. If he is going to follow up the total opposite of insightful journalism with the total opposite of a responsible reply, then he may very well succeed yet. It's hard enough to succeed in being an embarrassment on "First Take" when the bar is already set high in that regard, but it doesn't shock me that Parker would rise to the challenge.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:05 PM ^
Just another reason why I avoid ESPN...
December 14th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
It is stuff like this that pushes me to the brink of avoiding ESPN despite the games, 30 for 30s, etc. The more important issue is not that he was suspended, but why do you have him on in the first place? I assume they think controversy drives ratings, but I do not know anyone who watches that show...