Steve Lyons Fired for Racially Insensitive Comments

bababui · 10-14-2006, 05:24 PM

Unfortunatly, no one is saying what those comments were so its hard to tell if they were that insensitive. Fox is the home of lots of un-PC programming. Is this hypocritical?

Sdpm100 · 10-14-2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that slugger Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.

Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" -- hot in Spanish -- because he was currently "frio" -- or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.

Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" -- butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" -- and added, "I still can't find my wallet."

"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ox.lyonsfi.ap/

spark240 · 10-14-2006, 05:29 PM

Here's the account of it from SI.

Like a lot of people, I guess, I watched this broadcast but somehow missed this whole exchange.

Erik W. · 10-14-2006, 05:31 PM

I heard the exchange, and thought Lyons was a bit out of line, but I'm not sure he should've been fired for it. I took it more as "Lyons is an idiot, and I don't know what he's talking about half the time" than "Lyons is a racist."

spark240 · 10-14-2006, 05:32 PM

Lyons' comments were boneheaded and not particularly funny, but that's about par for him.

Cowboys3356 · 10-14-2006, 05:35 PM

Sounds like a big misunderstanding gone wrong in an overly sensitive world.

dsvitak · 10-14-2006, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark240

Lyons' comments were boneheaded and not particularly funny, but that's about par for him.

If you're his bosses, you've given him a contract partially because his nickname is "Psycho."

So, you shouldn't then be surprised when he makes the occasional inappropriate comment. I didn't think it was that bad.

GForce · 10-14-2006, 05:40 PM

Certainly not worthy of being fired over...but that said, anything that gets Lyons out of the booth is TT.

GH

dougfireghost · 10-14-2006, 05:40 PM

I guess I don't see what's so bad about it.

Jonzard · 10-14-2006, 05:42 PM

I'm guessing the wallet line is what got him fired.

Quote:

Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" -- butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" -- and added, "I still can't find my wallet."

JDOldSchool · 10-14-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonzard

I'm guessing the wallet line is what got him fired.

At the time I thought Lyons was continuing Pinella's analogy, as in, he still can't hit the ball.

Either way, I'm glad I don't have to listen to him anymore. But if he was wrongly fired, and I think he was, that sucks.

GForce · 10-14-2006, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDOldSchool

At the time I thought Lyons was continuing Pinella's analogy, as in, he still can't hit the ball.

Either way, I'm glad I don't have to listen to him anymore. But if he was wrongly fired, and I think he was, that sucks.

Agreed on all counts.

GH

The Professor · 10-14-2006, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GForce

Certainly not worthy of being fired over...but that said, anything that gets Lyons out of the booth is TT.

GH

" "

I think it is an overreaction to a stupid comment, but Lyons was a lousy analyst anyway so, perhaps, it will improve the broadcast in the future.

...but this is FOX, so I doubt it.

Scoman · 10-14-2006, 05:50 PM

Just as well,because he sucks as a sportscaster anyway.

LeiterFanatic · 10-14-2006, 05:55 PM

I heard Joe Morgan say the very same thing on ESPN. You guys will back me up, right? Right?!?

The Professor · 10-14-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonzard

I'm guessing the wallet line is what got him fired.

Actually, it was probably the "I can't understand him and don't want to sit too close to him now..." line that did him in, especially since he was given a slap on the wrist for the Shawn Green/Jewish comments of a few years ago.

Stupidity will out and it was just a matter of time until Lyons big mouth shot off in the wrong direction.

KurtBevacqua · 10-14-2006, 06:01 PM

It's not like he stripped down to his underwear in the middle of a game.

Jonzard · 10-14-2006, 06:03 PM

If it were truly offensive, Pinella would have had one of his trademarked tantrums

kq76 · 10-14-2006, 06:08 PM

Well, that sucks. Yeah, he wasn't that good, but at least he broke up the monotony of Brennaman and kept us from hearing Piniella too much. The only part I found bad was, "and I don't want to sit too close to him now", but certainly it was said in a jovial manner. I heard the wallet on Friday part, but somehow I don't remember hearing the stuff that got Lyons fired.

But.. who knew Piniella was Hispanic?? I certainly didn't.

magnet · 10-14-2006, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kq76

Well, that sucks. Yeah, he wasn't that good, but at least he broke up the monotony of Brennaman and kept us from hearing Piniella too much. The only part I found bad was, "and I don't want to sit too close to him now", but certainly it was said in a jovial manner. I heard the wallet on Friday part, but somehow I don't remember hearing the stuff that got Lyons fired.

But.. who knew Piniella was Hispanic?? I certainly didn't.

Where did you think the name Piniella was from?

10-14-2006, 05:24 PM	#1
bababui Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 14,147 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Steve Lyons Fired for Racially Insensitive Comments Unfortunatly, no one is saying what those comments were so its hard to tell if they were that insensitive. Fox is the home of lots of un-PC programming. Is this hypocritical?

10-14-2006, 05:31 PM	#4
Erik W. Global Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Rivière-du-Loup, Qc Posts: 4,615	I heard the exchange, and thought Lyons was a bit out of line, but I'm not sure he should've been fired for it. I took it more as "Lyons is an idiot, and I don't know what he's talking about half the time" than "Lyons is a racist." __________________ Free agent baseball fan. Let's go (insert team name here)!

10-14-2006, 05:40 PM	#9
dougfireghost Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: houston Posts: 129	I guess I don't see what's so bad about it. __________________ e

10-14-2006, 06:01 PM	#17
KurtBevacqua Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,968	It's not like he stripped down to his underwear in the middle of a game. __________________ "The type and formula of most schemes of philanthropy or humanitarianism is this: A and B put their heads together to decide what C shall be made to do for D. The radical vice of all these schemes, from a sociological point of view, is that C is not allowed a voice in the matter, and his position, character, and interests, as well as the ultimate effects on society through C's interests, are entirely overlooked. I call C the Forgotten Man" - William Graham Sumner

10-14-2006, 06:03 PM	#18
Jonzard Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,647	If it were truly offensive, Pinella would have had one of his trademarked tantrums __________________ For a scientist must indeed be freely imaginative and yet skeptical, creative and yet a critic. There is a sense in which he must be free, but another in which his thought must be very precisely regimented; there is poetry in science, but also a lot of bookkeeping. — Sir Peter B. Medawar FTB

10-14-2006, 05:29 PM	#3
spark240 All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Highest county in the Virginia hills Posts: 637	Here's the account of it from SI. Like a lot of people, I guess, I watched this broadcast but somehow missed this whole exchange.

10-14-2006, 05:32 PM	#5
spark240 All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Highest county in the Virginia hills Posts: 637	Lyons' comments were boneheaded and not particularly funny, but that's about par for him.

10-14-2006, 05:35 PM	#6
Cowboys3356 All Star Starter Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,572	Sounds like a big misunderstanding gone wrong in an overly sensitive world.

10-14-2006, 05:40 PM	#8
GForce Banned Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,458 Infractions: 0/2 (2)	Certainly not worthy of being fired over...but that said, anything that gets Lyons out of the booth is TT. GH

10-14-2006, 05:50 PM	#14
Scoman All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: heath ohio Posts: 1,830	Just as well,because he sucks as a sportscaster anyway.

10-14-2006, 05:55 PM	#15
LeiterFanatic All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,348	I heard Joe Morgan say the very same thing on ESPN. You guys will back me up, right? Right?!?

10-14-2006, 06:08 PM	#19
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 11,770	Well, that sucks. Yeah, he wasn't that good, but at least he broke up the monotony of Brennaman and kept us from hearing Piniella too much. The only part I found bad was, "and I don't want to sit too close to him now", but certainly it was said in a jovial manner. I heard the wallet on Friday part, but somehow I don't remember hearing the stuff that got Lyons fired. But.. who knew Piniella was Hispanic?? I certainly didn't. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist \| My FAQ List OOTP Wiki \| Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project) Last edited by kq76; 10-14-2006 at 06:10 PM. Reason: know to knew