Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Nearly one month after he questioned Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III's "blackness," Rob Parker is out of a job.

ESPN announced Tuesday that the commentator's time with the network is over.


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"Rob Parker's contract expired at year's end," an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement. "Evaluating our needs and his work, including his recent RG3 comments, we decided not to renew his deal."

ESPN announced Dec. 20 that Parker had been suspended 30 days for his comments about Griffin. At the time of the suspension, ESPN said in a statement that it took "appropriate disciplinary measures" with "personnel responsible" for the airing of the comments.

During a Dec. 13 episode of "First Take," Parker -- who is black -- discussed elements of Griffin's personal life and asked, "Is he a brother or a cornball brother?"

It was a dumb thing to say, even by "First Take" standards. And now Parker is out of a job because of it.

Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments - NFL.com

I don't really like RG3 in any way but this dude deserves to be let go. I really dislike people being on the air thinking they are allowed to say whatever they damn please. Sure there is a thing like freedom of speech but there is also something called a common human decency.

A question thou, the specific term "cornball brother" what does it mean? I unfamiliar with it and googling it hasn't really helped.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

I have no idea what a "cornball brother" is, but when an idiot like Rob Parker speaks, you can expect to hear a few terms that probably don't exist.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Rob Parker was known as a poor man's 'Al Sharpton' when he wrote for the Detroit newspapers. He incorporates race into every subject he covers ad nauseum and doesn't always concern himself with the facts.

ESPN finally got something right, eh?

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

They kinda showed their a** by waiting for him to emplode on national television before realizing what a fool he is. They should really do some background work on people before hiring them.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Know what.. I am a cracker... and I am Ok with it.

Too many people on this planet with thin skin. The whole PC line of crap is breeding people who need pharmaceuticals and professional therapy to deal with what and who they are. This selective correctness is hypocritical at best.

If you think for a second RGIII and one of his friends hasn't thrown the N word at each other while riding around town joking your delusional.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Don't really see why this comment was SOOOOO much worse than SOOOOO many other comments that come off of that show. I guess because it was about RG3, the Savior of Washington.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

From the Urban Dictionary...

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

That might be the case that they have. Me an my good friends call eachother names all the time and that is ok in that group and setting. If somebody from the outside would do it its a totally different story. If my best friend call me a SOB we can laugh about it but if anybody else would say it I'd might be forced to use the noble art of self defence.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Dude, I agree that people are too sensitive, and I am an outspoken hater of political correctness, but this was far more than politically incorrect. Rob Parker was clearly insinuating that "RG3" isn't a "real" black man because he doesn't follow all the stereotypes. As if one needs to follow a stereotype to be considered a real ANYTHING, regardless of color. That's what made his comment stupid, and if you didn't have the common sense to catch that, then you, my friend, are delusional.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

If "stupid" comments got people fired we wouldn't be dealing with Goodell. This had nothing to do with stupidity, and had everything to do with political correctness. I seriously doubt Robert Griffin III was offended, he probably laughed it off as Parker just being an ignorant arse. Griffin is smart enough to not be offended. So.... If the bearer of the stupidity is not offended then the only reason Parker was fired was to be PC.


Should I be offended that you called me dude?
Urban Dictionary: dude
Dude - A word that americans use to address each other. Particularly stoners, surfers and skaters.

Now if you were banned for a week it would not be because you said anything offensive but because someone thought it PC.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Since when do we count the urban dictionary as anything relevant? Slang talk does not belong in a dictionary. Whatever the case, as I said to Oak, he used that term and his entire rant to insinuate that Griffin isn't a real black man. It's not a matter of racism, it's just plain stupid. You're now suppoed to act like everyone else to be real? Rob Parker got what he deserved.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Goodell isn't in a position to be fired. He's doing what the owners evidently want. Rob Parker made a total fool of himself by questioning someone's "realness" based upon nothing substantive. He rambled on and on. You know what gets people fired? Being incredibly unprofessional. That's what happened. But you seem to be missing my point. I'm not even explaining why I think he got fired, I'm simply stating the obvious. Rob Parker is an idiot, and he proved that point with these comments.

Update- (since you edited during my reply)

Your analogy to the word "dude" was just ridiculous. You have got to be kidding me, Oak. What the hell kind of comparison is "dude" to "Robert ain't one of us, cause he talk like a white man", or whatever his exact words were? If someone got offended by the word dude, then that would be pathetic, now wouldn't it? But I'm not talking about a word. I'm talking about a 5 minute rant about how Robert isn't black enough. That is just stupid. Excuse me, but I frankly don't give a rats a** if you think that wasn't a justifiable reason for being fired. It doesn't make him any less of a fool.

I don't remember anyone saying anything like he did, and NOT get fired.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Rob Parker was incredibly unprofessional and an idiot before December 13th 2012. It didnt get him fired then and it wasnt the reason he was fired.


"On December 21, 2008, at a press conference following the Lions' 42–7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, during the Detroit Lions historic 0-16 season, Rob Parker caused controversy when he addressed a question at Lions head coach Rod Marinelli about Lions defensive coordinator Joe Barry, Marinelli's son-in-law, inquiring whether Marinelli wished that his daughter had "married a better defensive coordinator."[8] The question was criticized as unprofessional and inappropriate. The next day, Parker wrote that the comment was "an attempt at humor" and not a malicious attack.[9] Parker wrote no further columns forThe Detroit News, nor did he attend any press conferences, following the incident. On January 6, 2009, The Detroit News announced that Parker had resigned from the newspaper the previous week.[10]"
Rob Parker (sports journalist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He was fired to be PC, not out of his ignorance, stupidity, or unprofessionalism. The fact that ESPN hired him was incredibly stupid and unprofessional.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

I didn't claim it was relevant. I thouht it was funny and hit on some valid points.

If the shoe was on the other foot and he claimed a white guy was acting too black, he'd be deported, after being tarred and featherd.

He deserved to be fired.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

How is it that you believe he wasn't fired from his previous job for what you just quoted? He says those things, then never writes for them again, and eventually resigns. Sounds like he was asked to resign, and I can't imagine it was for any other reason. So you're not making any sense there.

As for ESPN hiring him, I said earlier in this thread that they were stupid for hiring him. Of course they were stupid. Apparently they didn't think he would say something so moronic again. But he did, and now he got canned. End of story.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Well, I wasn't quite sure what your angle was there. But yes, he indeed deserved to be fired.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Yes. But no more than Peter King, Pat Yasinskas, or John Clayton.

Idiocracy and lack of professionalism do not get you fired in the world of Sports Entertainment.

Not being politically correct will get you shown the door in a heartbeat.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

I see that you don't want to give it up, nor have you attempted you explain yourself for that "dude" analogy you tried to shove on me.

You have just given another bad example. Pat Yasinskas, Peter King and John Clayton are all annoying, and say things we might whole heartedly disagree with, and I certainly don't like any of them, but they at least have enough professionalism to state their opinions without calling people names, or questioning the validity of their race. You are allowed to say things that might not make a lot of sense, if you can at least make a level headed attempt to explain yourself. What Rob Parker was talking about, had nothing to do with football. It had nothing to do with anything.

I can't recall anything like this being said by any of those guys you mentioned.

Being politically incorrect WILL get you fired, yes. As I said earlier, I hate political correctness. But I also said that this went beyond PC. I say he deserved what he got, because he made a fool of himself.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

If you want to bash a guy like a Ryan Leaf, Cam Newton, Terrel Owens, or any of the countless number of premodonna's for being exactly that, then that's fine. I do it. You can question a man's integrity if he's behaving like a selfish, spoiled brat as so many players do. But don't try to "figure out" if he's black or white. He is what he is, period. I'm not a fan, per se', of RG3 but he seems like a pretty level headed guy, and he's a good player. There was no reason to call him out like that.

Re: Rob Parker out at ESPN for Robert Griffin III comments
 

Who is Rob Parker anyway. Why do we care about what he as to say. Clearly he did thing before he opened his mouth. Think before you speak.

I wish Robert Griffin III a speedy recovery.