Did you see where Ron Franklin was fired by ESPN? He’s the former radio voice of the Longhorns who went to work for the TV cable network in 1987 broadcasting football and basketball games. He is a thorough professional.
So, he makes some sexist remark to Jeannine Edwards at a staff meeting, not on the air. She says something in response, and then he calls her a nasty name. Someone "rats" on him to a high mucky-muck at ESPN, and Franklin is dismissed.
Now, I’ve been in radio-TV for 45 years, and I’ve said a bad word or two in staff meetings. I don’t think anything was ever reported to my boss, and I know I never ran to the boss with, "Guess what ol’ Ronny said to Jeannine…!" Oh, you can be sure I told some co-workers who weren’t present what transpired. Golly, what fun would it be to hold that in?
I think Ron Franklin said some things he shouldn’t have, but do you think that should have resulted in his termination? I don’t. He really hurt himself a lot worse than he hurt Ms. Edwards.
First of all, she should have fired (excuse the pun) right back at him with venom, no holds barred. A four-letter-word duel would ensue. Tears from both eyes would signal the end of the confrontation only if a handkerchief is needed so a combatant can still see. Calling one friend for additional help will be allowed to receive filth you wouldn’t say to a sailor—uh, a woman sailor.
Let me wade into deep water here, since sailors are among us. Probably, if Franklin had sprayed expletives at a man, the target of the vocal blast would not have required a bad-word Thesaurus to keep the conversation alive. Plenty of women wouldn’t have minded showing off their vocabulary, either. I remember once…uh, we’ll save that for another time.
Maybe someone important—but not very smart—at ESPN didn’t like Ron and grabbed the opportunity to remove him. I know this, he joins at least two pretty fine broadcasters who were recently asked to vacate the ESPN television booth after two decades of work: baseball announcers—and Hall of Famers—Joe Morgan and Jon Miller.
Anyone who would fire this trio would fire Benjamin Franklin.
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