More heads should roll
Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times
ESPN’s Ron Franklin is an excellent play-by-play man, even-toned, mostly mistake-free, easy to listen to and now he’s fired for calling a co-worker “Sweet baby.”
And after Edwards indicated a preference for a reference a bit more appropriate, Franklin took a step down the taste ladder. And while there’s no getting around the fact Franklin had to go, maybe it’s time for someone else at ESPN to lose a job.
Because Franklin, who was at least a two-time offender, hasn’t been the only one. Reference Tony Kornheiser, Steve Phillips; Harold Reynolds.
Many of us have had an occasional urge to spit out something demeaning or obscene to an annoying colleague but we don’t. We understand this because the folks in charge make that clear.
So ESPN honchos? It might be time to make something clear. There are no “sweet babies” on the staff roster. There seem to be a couple of jerks though.
dpucin@tribune.com
Don’t overreact
Shannon Owens, Orlando Sentinel
Let’s be real. What company doesn’t have a problem with inappropriate behavior?
I don’t mean to apologize for Ron Franklin’s foul mouth, but it may be too soon to throw the ESPN organization under the bus.
There isn’t a company in America that hasn’t dealt with problem employees. To my knowledge, I’m not aware of any public documents that confirm if ESPN has more inappropriate behavior. But considering it has more full-time and contract employees than any other sports media outlet today, I wouldn’t be shocked if records proved that anyway.
ESPN isn’t your typical media outlet. It’s a little Hollywood and therefore gets all the perks and knocks of increased scrutiny and attention.
I suppose if you look deep enough in any company closets you’ll find skeletons. ESPN’s closet happens to be more exposed.
sowens@tribune.com
Response matters
Paul Doyle, Hartford Courant
It hasn’t been an especially peaceful holiday season for the World Wide Leader, starting with a plagiarism case that resulted in the suspension of an anchor and continuing with an awkward on-air celebration between an anchor and reporter after Eric Mangini’s firing was announced Monday.
And, of course, there was the sexist remark from analyst Ron Franklin.
Let’s face it: ESPN is not the only company embarrassed by dirty laundry. But ESPN does have a long history of sexual harassment cases. In recent years, management has been quick to respond and we’ve seen a long list of big and no-so-big names disciplined.
And that’s the important point here. A company with such a large and diverse work force — just think of all the ex-jocks passing through campus in Bristol — is going to have personnel issues and with this company, they’re going to be public.
It’s all about how ESPN responds.
pdoyle@courant.com
High-profile boors
Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune
Who knows if Disney-owned ESPN has any more of a problem with inappropriate behavior than other businesses its size? What is certain is its boors have a higher profile than most, its incidents are better known and sanctions more public.
This time it’s announcer Ron Franklin getting axed for calling a female colleague “sweet baby” and, after she objected, adding an expletive for emphasis. Earlier, baseball analysts Steve Phillips and Harold Reynolds were canned for separate incidents involving fellow female employees.
You want a laundry list? It doesn’t take a lot of digging to find the ranks of dishonorably discharged, people who have hurt others, themselves, their profession, their industry and, of course, ESPN.
ESPN will do fine without any of them. But it’s easier to take out the trash than to get rid of the lingering stench.
prosenthal@tribune.com
