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 3:13 PM ^
I only watch games on ESPN. I watch nothing else. I sometimes watch the games with the sound off...My life is better for all of this.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:34 PM ^
I can't fall asleep unless I'm watching sportscenter at night. Otherwise, I watch the DP show in the mornings if I don't have class and I like E60 and NFL/CFL Live. First Take is pure unadulterated crap. ESPN radio isn't half bad. I like Cowherd's and VP's shows.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:40 PM ^
That's all I do. I'll visit Grantland and EspnChicago, and listen to AM1000 here, but I'm totally done with National ESPN coverage besides live sports and 30 for 30s.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:38 PM ^
I agree. ESPN deserves some blame because they even replayed some of the segment during the afternoon a couple hours after it originally aired.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:16 PM ^
I feel it is incumbent upon us to call out people who make racists remarks no matter what ethnic background they are. It doesn't make it okay that he questioned RGIII's fiance' choice or he should flaunt himself to be more black in societies eyes.
It's just ridiculous that he feels like he can make statements like that because he's black and others can't....no one should, we are all peoples of this globe that need to love one another and be accepting.
In the immortal words of MLK:
It is not the color of ones skin but the content of their character (paraphrased).
December 14th, 2012 at 5:47 PM ^
As a black guy, there is nothing I hate more than people telling me what it means to be black as if there is a agreed upon criterion. It's actually worse coming from other black people because instead of drawing from stereotypes and prejudice based on (non pejorative use of the word) ignorance, this comes from a self-anointed or perceived intimate knowledge. In reality it is just his effed-up opinion and pathologies on display.
Oh, and Rob Parker is a SOB on every other opinion he has ever had, so there's that. Paired with that IQ-sucking Skip Witless; king of the morons Jay Whitlock and the cast of characters that make up an echo chamber of nonsense, I question why I watch anything but the games.
December 14th, 2012 at 6:51 PM ^
We need more guys like you and less of guys like Rob Parker, he ain't doin' anybody any favors keeping that type of attitude to be pervasive.
Hell, eventually when everyone in the future will be mixed race anyway, what are people gonna want to bitch about then?
December 14th, 2012 at 9:16 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 3:42 PM ^
America needs more divisive comments now more than ever. Does anyone watch First Take even? Other than 30 for 30, most programming on espn is total garbage.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:45 PM ^
ok, that was unprofessional to be sure, but damn if i wouldnt have laughed my ass of if i would have been there to witness that, its funny
edit: this was to the rod marinelli daughter thing, i just didnt use mgoblog correctly
December 14th, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^
I once got accused of not being Polish enough because I can't play the accordion or bowl very well. Seriously though, people like this wouldn't have jobs if listeners/readers would stop being surprised and outraged when they say/write asinine things.
December 14th, 2012 at 6:07 PM ^
But that was because I quit serving kielbasa, pierogi and dill pickle soup at Christmas Eve dinner for my extended family. I married a Sicilian woman and find the holiday cuisine preferrable.
Come to think of it, maybe I'm NOT Polish enough....
December 15th, 2012 at 1:40 AM ^
my family have done kielbasa and pierogi on Christmas Eve for years and we don't have a drop of Polish blood. Viva la melting pot
December 15th, 2012 at 7:31 PM ^
Until you have the Feast of the Seven Fishes (it's a Sicilian thing, but I'm pretty sure it's unrelated to "sleeping with the fishes").
December 14th, 2012 at 3:53 PM ^
I tend to think that the media is too sensitive now adays and that a lot of these blow ups of race issues in sports media just get blown out of proportion. This is not the case this time. Rob Parker went way over the line and needs to be fired, not suspended.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:59 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
I think questioning whether a person is a real member of his race because of his actions vis-a-vis tired stereotypes of 'blackness,' and doing so in an unprovoked manner on a SPORTS show, is pretty goddamn suspension-worthy.
December 14th, 2012 at 4:04 PM ^
Finally. Took them long enough. Hopefully it's a suspension without a return.
December 14th, 2012 at 4:28 PM ^
I don't watch that terrible television but at least some justice was served. People deserved to be punished for being such idiots. That's sort of justice in my eyes.
December 14th, 2012 at 4:42 PM ^
The stupidity of the whole episode is stunning.
December 14th, 2012 at 4:58 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 6:02 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 8:33 PM ^
Why did they even hire him in the first place? Why didn't they fire him long ago for being incompetent? He is one of those rare writer/performers who as actually gotten worse with experience. Parker really doesn't have any redeeming factors that should keep him employed, other than being a fairly decent columnist when he first broke in.
It seemed to me that he got arrogant when he started going on radio and TV, and it affected his writing. Now, he just seems to get by on as little research and as much bombast as possible.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:19 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 9:21 PM ^
2 things:
1) When Stephen A. Smith is uncomfortable, you know you've fucked up.
2) When Rob Parker's wife left him, I wonder if she wished she married a better sportswriter...
December 14th, 2012 at 11:48 PM ^
...and I didn't even know who Rob Parker was.
I must be doing something right.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:49 PM ^
The only cornballs to come of this is Parker and ESPN. How they can espouse such racist garbage is over the line.
December 15th, 2012 at 3:40 AM ^
I am SO waiting for Jalen to take a chunk out of his ass.
December 15th, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^
Jalen said something somewhat similar to that about Grant Hill on the 30 for 30 episode about the Fab Five. Yeah, it wasn't as callous or ridiculous as this but it did create quiet an uproar. Also, in all seriousness, why do people do this? I know a bunch of hispanic people down here that don't know spanish and when a hispanic person who does speak spanish finds out they say they are a disgrace to the race - wtf is wrong with people???
December 15th, 2012 at 11:38 AM ^
Blacks have their own code and if you don't act or think or vote in a certain way you aren't Black. They have certain names they give to those that stray from the racist groupthink that blacks have locked themselves into. And it's this narrow minded and racist thinking that has utterly decimated their community.
God forbid a black man or woman think independently.
December 15th, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^
ESPN is ESPN, I don't know why they keep these idiots on staff. People are still going to watch if you get GOOD reporters. There's no other option.