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as olbermann signs off, espn signs colin off too

Colin Cowherd taken off ESPN air after Dominican rant
By Brian Lewis

July 24, 2015 | 2:27pm

cowherd1.jpg

ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd Photo: Getty Images for SXSW

A day after Colin Cowherd insulted an entire country, saying baseball can’t be too complicated because so many Dominicans are able to play, an outraged MLB population forced the radio jock into a hasty — and some say insufficient — apology. And now, he’s really out at ESPN.

“It’s too complex? I’ve never bought into that ‘baseball is too complex.’ Really? A third of the sport is from the Dominican Republic,’’ Cowherd said Thursday on his ESPN radio show “The Herd.”

Cowherd, who reportedly will be joining FOX Sports 1, no longer will appear on ESPN following comments he made about baseball players from the Dominican Republic one day earlier, the company said in a statement Friday.

According to Sports Business Journal, Cowherd’s time at ESPN was almost up.


“Colin Cowherd’s comments over the past two days do not reflect the values of ESPN or our employees,” ESPN said in a statement. “Colin will no longer appear on ESPN.”

The reaction to Cowherd’s comments was immediate and visceral. Dominican-born Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista led the players’ contingent, using some vivid imagery in asking Cowherd to explain himself.


MLB joined the chorus, and USA Today reported the rank and file of the players’ union was seeking a formal apology — as furious over the ignorant remarks as at the lack of response from ESPN and Cowherd’s presumed future employer FOX. The union reportedly was considering a plan to withhold cooperation with the networks. Dominican players make up approximately 10 percent of MLB rosters.

Earlier, Major League baseball demanded Cowherd make an apology.

“Major League Baseball condemns the remarks made by Colin Cowherd, which were inappropriate, offensive and completely inconsistent with the values of our game,” the league said in a statement released Friday. “Mr. Cowherd owes our players of Dominican origin, and Dominican people generally, an apology.”

cowherd3.jpg

Jose BautistaPhoto: Getty Images

Cowherd led Friday morning’s show with an apology and an attempted explanation.

“I could’ve made the point without using one country, and there’s all sorts of smart people from the Dominican Republic. I could’ve said a third of baseball’s talent is being furnished from countries with economic hardships, therefore educational hurdles,’’ Cowherd said. “For the record, I used the Dominican Republic because they’ve furnished baseball with so many great players.”

Cowherd proceeded to refer to “data” about the country’s rankings with regards to education.

“I understand that when you mention a specific country, they get offended. I get it. I do. And for that, I feel bad. I do,’’ said Cowherd. “But I have four reports in front of me…where there are discussions of major deficiencies in the education sector at all levels. … It wasn’t a shot at them: It was data. … I’m not saying there’s not intelligent, educated people from the Dominican Republic. I cringe at the data, too.’’

Earlier, ESPN, in the midst of a split with the well-compensated Cowherd, followed his on-air apology with a rather vanilla statement.

“Some of Colin’s comments yesterday referencing the Dominican Republic were inappropriate and do not reflect ESPN’s values of respect for all communities,’’ ESPN said in its statement. “Colin’s on-air response today addressed the importance of making sure his opinions are fact-based and responsible for all people.’’

Cowherd did at least attempt – clumsily – to touch on that aspect on Thursday, when he said: “The Dominican Republic has not been known in my lifetime as having world-class academic abilities. A lot of those kids come from rough backgrounds and have not had opportunities academically that other kids from other countries have.”

But that understandably got lost in the shock of his initial comments, after which nobody wanted to hear any softening or backtracking or explaining.
 
Colin Cowherd taken off ESPN air after Dominican rant
By Brian Lewis

July 24, 2015 | 2:27pm

cowherd1.jpg

ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd Photo: Getty Images for SXSW

A day after Colin Cowherd insulted an entire country, saying baseball can’t be too complicated because so many Dominicans are able to play, an outraged MLB population forced the radio jock into a hasty — and some say insufficient — apology. And now, he’s really out at ESPN.

“It’s too complex? I’ve never bought into that ‘baseball is too complex.’ Really? A third of the sport is from the Dominican Republic,’’ Cowherd said Thursday on his ESPN radio show “The Herd.”

Cowherd, who reportedly will be joining FOX Sports 1, no longer will appear on ESPN following comments he made about baseball players from the Dominican Republic one day earlier, the company said in a statement Friday.

According to Sports Business Journal, Cowherd’s time at ESPN was almost up.


“Colin Cowherd’s comments over the past two days do not reflect the values of ESPN or our employees,” ESPN said in a statement. “Colin will no longer appear on ESPN.”

The reaction to Cowherd’s comments was immediate and visceral. Dominican-born Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista led the players’ contingent, using some vivid imagery in asking Cowherd to explain himself.


MLB joined the chorus, and USA Today reported the rank and file of the players’ union was seeking a formal apology — as furious over the ignorant remarks as at the lack of response from ESPN and Cowherd’s presumed future employer FOX. The union reportedly was considering a plan to withhold cooperation with the networks. Dominican players make up approximately 10 percent of MLB rosters.

Earlier, Major League baseball demanded Cowherd make an apology.

“Major League Baseball condemns the remarks made by Colin Cowherd, which were inappropriate, offensive and completely inconsistent with the values of our game,” the league said in a statement released Friday. “Mr. Cowherd owes our players of Dominican origin, and Dominican people generally, an apology.”

cowherd3.jpg

Jose BautistaPhoto: Getty Images

Cowherd led Friday morning’s show with an apology and an attempted explanation.

“I could’ve made the point without using one country, and there’s all sorts of smart people from the Dominican Republic. I could’ve said a third of baseball’s talent is being furnished from countries with economic hardships, therefore educational hurdles,’’ Cowherd said. “For the record, I used the Dominican Republic because they’ve furnished baseball with so many great players.”

Cowherd proceeded to refer to “data” about the country’s rankings with regards to education.

“I understand that when you mention a specific country, they get offended. I get it. I do. And for that, I feel bad. I do,’’ said Cowherd. “But I have four reports in front of me…where there are discussions of major deficiencies in the education sector at all levels. … It wasn’t a shot at them: It was data. … I’m not saying there’s not intelligent, educated people from the Dominican Republic. I cringe at the data, too.’’

Earlier, ESPN, in the midst of a split with the well-compensated Cowherd, followed his on-air apology with a rather vanilla statement.

“Some of Colin’s comments yesterday referencing the Dominican Republic were inappropriate and do not reflect ESPN’s values of respect for all communities,’’ ESPN said in its statement. “Colin’s on-air response today addressed the importance of making sure his opinions are fact-based and responsible for all people.’’

Cowherd did at least attempt – clumsily – to touch on that aspect on Thursday, when he said: “The Dominican Republic has not been known in my lifetime as having world-class academic abilities. A lot of those kids come from rough backgrounds and have not had opportunities academically that other kids from other countries have.”

But that understandably got lost in the shock of his initial comments, after which nobody wanted to hear any softening or backtracking or explaining.
As Keith Olberman would say " the man is an idiot"!
 
Cowherd bashes baseball on an almost daily basis. He hates the sport. That he would stoop to questioning the intelligence of Dominicans for their love of baseball is incredibly stupid and possibly racist. I wonder if this will be a career-ending episode for him. Incredibly, a day later he was citing statistics to show that education in the Dominican Republic is sub-standard. What arrogance! Fox needs to distance themselves from him.

I don't exactly understand his animus against baseball. I know his father was born overseas (England, I think). Perhaps he never was fully enculturated into american life. How can you be a nationally aired sports guru when you hate one of the nation's favorite sports? It doesn't make any sense to me.
 
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