Longtime ESPN announcer Ron Franklin was pulled off ESPN’s Saturday Fiesta Bowl radio broadcast by ESPN executives after an incident involving the veteran broadcaster and ESPN-TV sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards.
Scheduled to work on the ESPN-TV broadcast of the Chick-fil-A Bowl Friday, Franklin and Edwards were part of a production meeting before the game that was also attended by ESPN announcers Ed Cunningham and Rod Gilmore. During the meeting, the subject of Gilmore’s wife Marie being elected Alameda (CA) mayor came up.
As Gilmore, Cunningham and Franklin discussed the subject, Edwards tried to join the conversation.
When she did, Franklin said to her, “Why don’t you leave this to the boys, sweetcakes.”
Edwards responded to Franklin by saying, “don’t call me sweetcakes, I don’t like being talked to like that.”
Franklin then said, “okay then, a–hole.”
After the meeting Edwards reported Franklin’s comments to ESPN management.
Once ESPN college football coordinating producer Ed Placey confirmed Franklin’s comments to Edwards with Cunningham, ESPN executives made an attempt to pull Franklin off the Chick-fil-A Bowl broadcast the same day. Because of late notice, no replacement for Franklin was found and the longtime play-by-play announcer called the game - without incident - with Cunningham and Edwards.
With Edwards and Franklin scheduled to work together the next night in Arizona, top ESPN programming executives - including Norby Williamson and Mark Gross - were involved in the decision to pull Franklin off the Fiesta Bowl radio broadcast.
Dave Lamont filled in for Franklin.
When contacted, an ESPN representative could not comment on Franklin’s current status with the company.
Franklin signed a two-year contract with ESPN last July, with the deal calling for him to work 35 events for the network per year.
For college basketball this season, Franklin is scheduled to call Wednesday and Saturday Big 12 regular telecasts.
This isn’t the first time Franklin has said something inappropriate to a female ESPN TV sideline reporter.
In 2005, then-ESPN.com ombudsman George Solomon wrote of an incident involving Franklin and Holly Rowe:
On Oct. 1, according to the Chicago Tribune, sideline reporter Holly Rowe lauded Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack for using all three timeouts on defense despite trailing by four touchdowns late in the game. “If the coaches are giving up,” Rowe added, “what does that say to the players?” Play-by-play commentator Ron Franklin responded: “Holly, it’s not giving up. It’s 49-21, sweetheart.”
Franklin’s comment, and demeaning tone, in response to Rowe’s legitimate observation was disrespectful to the audience and to a colleague. “It was an inappropriate comment, and we’ve communicated that to Ron,” said Mo Davenport, senior coordinating producer for college football. “There’s never a reason to say something so mean-spirited. Ron apologized. We dealt with it internally.”
Solomon’s take:
Play-by-play commentators need to take sideline reporters — many of whom are women — more seriously. So does ESPN, which needs to give these reporters more airtime and more serious issues to address.
With this the second known run-in between Franklin and an female ESPN colleague, it’ll be interesting to see what the company does this time.
UPDATE: When asked about Ron Franklin’s employment status, ESPN Spokesman Josh Krulewitz said in a statement to me on Sunday:
“We made a late play by play change to the fiesta bowl radio team.
“We’re not going to get into specifics other than to say adhering to our personal conduct policies and showing respect for colleagues are of the utmost importance to our company and we take them extremely seriously.”
Obviously that gives us no indication of Franklin’s status with the company but Krulewitz’s comment does seem to acknowledge that something inappropriate involving Franklin took place.
Follow Brooks on Twitter for real-time updates.
3:31 pm on January 2nd, 2011
If he had called Michelle Beadle “sweetcakes” she would have knocked him out cold.
I am sure Erin Andrews has been called “sweetcakes” before.
Next time, he should say “Not now pumpkin, the men are talking” I am so glad to see chauvanism is sitll in vogue in 2011!!!
3:35 pm on January 2nd, 2011
This sounds like bad news for Ron Franklin - don’t forget him getting in trouble for patronizingly calling Holly Rowe “sweetheart” on air in 2005. I enjoyed hearing Franklin call an SEC-affiliated game again (South Carolina vs. FSU in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl) but that might be it for him at ESPN.
3:49 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I don’t know why this is a story sweetcakes.
4:00 pm on January 2nd, 2011
poor old man. the whole world changed before his eyes. good thing she wasn’t a black or Muslim woman. he would have spontaneously combusted
4:09 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Ron Burgundy Franklin
4:13 pm on January 2nd, 2011
the first one wasn’t so bad but the recent one was.
trailing by 4 TD’s and calling TO’s is harry high school stuff and her acting like it was important was asinine.
4:15 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I hope he gets canned permanently. The A-hole deserves it.
4:21 pm on January 2nd, 2011
In his heydey, there wasn’t a better college football play by play announcer than Ron Franklin.
But I know someone very close to Ron who works on ESPN’s college football package, and RF has become a crotchety, temperamental prick in his old age.
I wouldn’t be surprised if finally got canned over this.
4:21 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Chic calls me “Sweetcakes,” I see it as a compliment. Put your big girl panties on. Say somethin’ like, “I felt the group IQ needed to be elevated, studmuffin’.” These are guys working in a world of sports. Learn to work in that environment or get the hell out. It’s called friendly banter. It ain’t like Peyton Manning pressed his naked, sweaty buttocks against your face. How come ain’t nobody takin’ up 4 that chic?
4:40 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I don’t see the problem here…….
4:44 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Franklin should be fined or suspended, at minimum. It certainly is not friendly banter, as one person commented. To speak toa man or woman in such a demeaning manner is insulting and rude behavior!
I would have dealt with Franklin first in front of the other 2 ESPN announcers, and then reported the behavior if it couldn’t be resolved in a decent manner.
Maybe it is time for retirement, Franklin.
4:50 pm on January 2nd, 2011
“Laud” means: “to praise”
4:54 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I don’t see the problem.
5:08 pm on January 2nd, 2011
This is pretty typical SEC behavior.
5:10 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I think Gary Barnett said it best when he said “She was awful. Jeannine was not only a girl, she was terrible, OK? There’s no other way to say it.”
5:14 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Tits McGee could not be reached for comment.
5:23 pm on January 2nd, 2011
He shouldn’t have called her an asshole. He should have just stared at her while giving the jolly belly chuckle-laugh….. That usually gets the point across!
5:32 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Just another example of “the good ole’ boys” click. Short of sounding “age” discrimanatory here, this remark is so typical of Franklin’s age group… even when women have been involved in certain sports for years, the “Guys” seem to know best… now it is on every subject… I thought we were over the “male dominance” idealisms in this country. Broadcasting needs to do a sweep and clear out the old school cronies and put in fresh, new faces of male and female athletes and sportscasters. Give us all a breath of fresh air and leave it to the New Blood, sweetcakes!
5:34 pm on January 2nd, 2011
there shouldn’t be women sideline reporters anyways. They ask the dumbest questions. Just stop talking already
5:37 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Women being on the sidelines is about as stupid as female reporters in FB lockerooms who get offended because they had to see a naked player. Get em out of there!
5:54 pm on January 2nd, 2011
@ Eric Walker: If he had said that to Michelle Beadle she’d have laughed and said, “I AM one of the boys, honey, and don’t you forget it.” She is a “sweetcake” and she knows it.
Ron’s a good guy and though he’s lost a step he’s still better than most.
6:12 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Franklin is a douche
But sideline reporters are not needed. Give them more issues to address? How about get rid of them altogether? If you must have a sideline reporter then they should be for injury updates only.
6:15 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Many women have learned to have some pretty snappy comebacks for dumb comments like Franklin made. And if they are done in public that usually ends the crap. At the same time I do not blame Jeanne Edwards for complaining to ESPN.
If there are going to be men and women working together no matter what the sport, respect needs to occur.
6:21 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Ron Franklin has always appeared to me to be an arrogant tu homer a-hole. I don’t think we will be seeing him around for awhile
6:39 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Ron should have said, “Now just get back in the kitchen, sweetcakes, and make me a sandwich”.
6:44 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Having women talk about football is like having men describe childbirth.
7:03 pm on January 2nd, 2011
He should be fired. He demeaned a colleague in the presence of several other colleagues, based purely on her gender, regardless of the terms he used to do so. Those terms, in and of themselves are cause to terminate him.
Even if his behavior wasn’t completely sexist — which it clearly was — it was obnoxious and completely inappropriate in the workplace. He is an a**hole.
7:06 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Edwards was brought into ESPN because of her background in horse racing. Horse racing? WTF is she doing football reporting for anyway? They only use her as a sideline report because of her boobs and looks, why should she then get pissed because of any sexiest treatment?
7:07 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Poor guy….too old to still be working and probably withered penis
7:11 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I think he just had penis envy.
7:22 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Meh. This is a case of much ado about nothing. You pc monkeys need thicker skin.
7:23 pm on January 2nd, 2011
He should have slapped her for backtalking.
7:50 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I think RF was wrong…..btw,that half-naked picture of Kim Kardasjian in the skimpy bikini,showing her beautiful butt-crack is AWESOME!!!!
7:52 pm on January 2nd, 2011
“if he would of called Michele beadle sweetcakes she would have knocked him out”
Or she would have slept with him just like Dan Patrick or Bruce Bowen lmao!
7:54 pm on January 2nd, 2011
The issue of female sideline announcers is one with which I have a bone to pick. They are flat out useless. They’ve never played the game and just don’t get it. I’m sorry. I remember a female announcer trying to talk to Bear Bryant at half time and her first question was asking why he did something.. His reply was “… Hell, I’m trying to win a game here little lady.”, then walked off indignantly. I would much rather see a former player get a shot at doing that stuff. Trying to throw the feminist movement a bone (no pun intended) has completely screwed up sports casting IMHO……
8:04 pm on January 2nd, 2011
AfterTax, that’s ridiculous. I’m smart enough to understand what I’m seeing. I see Tony Siragusa (a former player) doing sideline reporting, and I can’t see a difference than a woman asking “Coach, what was the difference in the second half?”
All they do is ask questions to get cliche’ replies, whether they’re male or female. The coaches don’t have any use for them; they just want to get to the locker room, but the big-money contracts say they have to. So who cares?
8:58 pm on January 2nd, 2011
She probably just asked a very bad question.
9:12 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I’m a woman and a football fan. I find female football reporters good at is demanding their rights, but have very little knowledge of what football fans want from a reporter. Respect is earned, not a right. Football fans can tell if a reporter is a pretender or someone who really understands football. When women football reporters prove they understand football, they will earn respect they are demanding.
9:28 pm on January 2nd, 2011
franklin is the best in the business but this kind of stuff keeps him from being at the top again. i had hopes he would replace verne lundquist on cbs but that won’t happen now.
9:47 pm on January 2nd, 2011
I think Jeannine Edwards is pretty hot. So there.
10:23 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Excuse me while I whip this out.
10:25 pm on January 2nd, 2011
How about a nice polite quiet talk with Ron and explain her side instead of being fragile and crying up to managment.
Nobody is going to want to work with Edwards if she is going to cry to management.
She put her career in as much risks as Franklins for being a tattle tale.
Managment doesn’t like fragile minds working for them.
10:34 pm on January 2nd, 2011
In today’s society as a male you CANNOT make flippant remarks of ANY kind to a female co-worker.
You open yourself up for severe repercussions regardless of how the remark was made or intended. You’re also guilty in the court of PC public opinion. By default.
Welcome to the further wussification of America.
10:49 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Since he didn’t call her the c word, he will survive.
11:14 pm on January 2nd, 2011
So why do we need women calling football? Have we not been feminized enough by now? Ron, show some class. Jeannine, grow a pair.
11:26 pm on January 2nd, 2011
How many football fans would stop watching the broadcasts if there were no more inane broads doing their ‘mostly’ pre scripted schtick? Just as I thought……….NONE. Get rid of ‘em.
11:37 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Hey…isn’t everyone getting a bit too PC and sensitive here? Sports and boradcasting are both rough and tumble businesses. Maybe Ron should have said it differently, but Edwards needs to stick with covering horse racing. She does well and is in the right environment for her!
11:43 pm on January 2nd, 2011
Sports Picks, I guess you didn’t read the entire story. This isn’t the first time Franklin got into trouble. Holly Rowe didn’t tattletale on him. The bosses heard the whole thing…on live TV.
From what I have read, someone else alerted ESPN to what he said to her. To say that Edwards whined about it is incorrect. How do you know she told ESPN?
12:08 am on January 3rd, 2011
Truth is they pick the sideline reporter based upon their titilation factor. Most know nothing about sports and the PC crowd makes us tolerate their inane questions and moronic comments. If they got the jonb based on merit they could claim harassment. Since they got the job based on gender alone, let them show their breasts on cue and back up to the pay window.
12:16 am on January 3rd, 2011
Wow, she looks dazed and crazed in that photo.
“Would you like some arsenic on that sammich?”
12:24 am on January 3rd, 2011
I worked for ESPN for about 8 months. This was tame sh*t from some of the stuff I saw there. Worst job I ever had in my life. And sideline reporters are about as useful as a prosthetic testicle. All show and no go.
12:29 am on January 3rd, 2011
Well said, Kassie.
Now show me those sugart*ts, Jeannine!
1:11 am on January 3rd, 2011
Ron Franklin has been a very good play by play announcer for many years. Unfortunately the world has changed some in the past 35 years and he apparently wasn’t involved in it.
1:50 am on January 3rd, 2011
I heard one minute of the bowl game she announced. I turned it off bec. I couldn’t listen to a female voice announcing football. Just didn’t sound good. It was not
right. Didn’t like it. Now with this incident, I can see other people don’t like her announcing either. Get rid of women in the booth.
3:12 am on January 3rd, 2011
He should be fired. It’s the 21st century not the 18th.
3:41 am on January 3rd, 2011
No way!
4:41 am on January 3rd, 2011
Ron’s judgement is the only thing in question, because Jeannine is a very ugly woman, she is no sweetcakes. If anyone should be fired it should be her, because woman should not be sideline reporters.
5:59 am on January 3rd, 2011
Firstly, the conversation was about politics not sport, so it was a bit off.
Secondly, we have the same controversy with female touchline reporters in the UK.
Sara Elgan daughter of a great Welsh player and wife of another one, is pretty good. Her touchline interview with her husband along the lines of ‘You came off with a rib injury Simon, we’re not going to get any whinging when you get home are we?” was comedy gold.
The female reporters used by the BBC are generally inane, have no knowledge or feel for the game
6:11 am on January 3rd, 2011
More politically correct feminist crapola. No wonder women rule the courts and are slowly taking over the US with their flawed logic. Men (sadly) have done this to themselves. A womans place is the kitchen, on her back in bed, and in the delivery room.
6:19 am on January 3rd, 2011
Was Billy Gillespie available for comment?
6:38 am on January 3rd, 2011
They are just fluff adding nothing to the game but filling a quota to be “politically correct”.
6:44 am on January 3rd, 2011
The hotties should be seen on the sidelines….with pom poms!
6:54 am on January 3rd, 2011
ESPN hires jerks to be be announcers. Many of them end up getting fired. ESPN has low standards when employing people. That is how they operate
7:02 am on January 3rd, 2011
Wow, there are a lot of simple-minded folks on this message board. Many have said that a woman can’t possibly report live on a football match because they didn’t play the sport. (Which is completely beside the point, since Franklin would NEVER have gotten away with calling a male announcer/reporter an “a**hole” on air either. This is not the locker room, gentlemen.) But, since a number of you brought it up, I would place bets that I could talk circles around many of you when it comes to the football. I’ve been watching all levels of the sport since I was 5 years old, I’m a season ticket holder, and I played rugby in high school, so I know a little bit about the training, the drills, the drive to win, how to take an injury, and how it feels to take an opposing player down. I know how to execute a proper tackle, what constitutes a “football move” after a catch, and the purpose of the I formation versus the shotgun. So, sugarcakes, you bring the freshly baked pie, I’ll bring the whiskey, and we’ll see who comes out the winner…
7:28 am on January 3rd, 2011
Go make me a sandwich, toots. After that we can go to my favorite Italian restaurant.
7:53 am on January 3rd, 2011
What do you think ESPN is doing with female reporters, put them in a 2 piece bathing suit for ratings will come soon.
8:34 am on January 3rd, 2011
These women need to STFU, there’s no Title 9 in sports broadcasting. If they want to be serious broadcasters, then they need to go do some women’s sport. Otherwise, they’re not there to have opinions, they’re there to look good for the fans while the pros do their jobs. Sorry if that isn’t politically correct enough for ESPN, besides, if they want a woman announcer, they can always rehire Olbermann.
8:38 am on January 3rd, 2011
Sounds like Edwards can’t take the pressure of the workplace. If a woman had said something like that to a man and the man had whined to management, the whole world would be laughing. Toughen up, sweetcakes.
8:40 am on January 3rd, 2011
If men and women are going to work together in a sports related occupation, the men simply need to have their testicles removed and become the eunuchs the women want them to be.
8:42 am on January 3rd, 2011
So to replace the guy who was sexist, they flew in the guy who had a meltdown in the press box and challenged everybody to a fight? Really? Good job, ESPN!
8:46 am on January 3rd, 2011
She’s stinks as a reporter, after the game she asked Jimbo Fisher :: so how does it feel to be the first coach to win a bowl game in his first season at FSU– Lets see they only had one other coach before him!!!!
8:52 am on January 3rd, 2011
Get women out of football announcing. They pretend to understand what they are doing without having a clue.
8:57 am on January 3rd, 2011
The only place for females in sports is as cheerleaders. Females should stick to whatever is female domanated like the view or maybe gymnastics. Then again I don’t really know what is it that the modern woman wants other than money at any cost.
9:02 am on January 3rd, 2011
Ozzie,
You don’t know what they want? Heck, the women themselves don’t know what they want!
9:11 am on January 3rd, 2011
Hey sweetcakes….go fix me a sandwich
9:18 am on January 3rd, 2011
There should be NO women sideline reporters.
9:20 am on January 3rd, 2011
What he did was wrong. He is so over the hill it is incredible he can dress himself anymore. Get rid of him and let’s put a female in the booth to “broad”cast the play-by-play. Y’know what I’m saying sweetheart?
9:32 am on January 3rd, 2011
Notice how the sideline ‘fluffers’ are always first asking their ‘interviewee’, “How did it feel……………” Typical of what fluffers in any situation want to know.
9:32 am on January 3rd, 2011
What about play-by-play guys who never played? You don’t know football just because you’re a man. Ask some of these crappy coaches. They seem to know nothing.
9:36 am on January 3rd, 2011
Anthony Williams,
It’s not about who knows or doesn’t know it’s about women being seen and not heard. If we want to live in reality, the only reason they are picked for anything is because of there beauty. Name a popular female in TV or entertainment be it music or even just the news were her looks aren’t 98% of the reason why she is were she is. Women don’t even watch or follow female sports they are put in these major sports broadcasts as eye candy, I don’t need to hear eyecandy put the cameras on the cheerleaders longer. The modern day female should stick to chaseing money and leave major sports to the men.
9:37 am on January 3rd, 2011
So, if Edwards had been spoken to dismissively in a production meeting, say, as a bitter, old, liquified dinosaur who was past his prime, there would have been no consequences? I seriously doubt that.
9:52 am on January 3rd, 2011
This is why women will never be taken seriously. Correct reply is “eff off you old bastad”. Running to management and whining about it is something a woman does and will assuredly not help her gain the respect of her male colleagues.
9:57 am on January 3rd, 2011
Well, most sideline reporters are not the sharpest crayon in the box.
His comments to Holly Rowe were spot on. My dream broadcasting team is Ron Franklin, Gus Johnson and the peephole version of Erin Andrews working the sideline.
10:01 am on January 3rd, 2011
Hey Sweetcakes, come here and powder my balls!
10:01 am on January 3rd, 2011
Just do away with the sidelines interviews. No coach wants to be interviewed while trying to win a ball game. His job might be on the line and he’s got to deal with some DA trying to further a broadcasting career. Injury only updates from the sideleines. Also, quit making baseball managers perform interviews during a baseball game. The people who come up with this crap amaze me at how clueless they are about what sports fans want to hear.
10:05 am on January 3rd, 2011
Now get back in the kitchen and make me some breakfast, sweetcakes!
10:14 am on January 3rd, 2011
Don’t know this Jeannine Edwards, but I always tune out when the sideline wing nuts come on the air. As to Holly Rowe, she gives dingbats a bad name and does nothing to enlighten the audience.
10:24 am on January 3rd, 2011
These women add nothing to the games but fluff and should all be replaced. They ask dumb questions when coaches are leaving the field at half and report on stuff I could care less about on the sidelines. Where’s Lloyd Carr when you need him? He put most of them in their place.
10:27 am on January 3rd, 2011
One can only wonder how some of you would respond if your wife or daughter reported that she was spoken to or treated in such a disrespectful manner at her workplace and in front of other co-workers? A backhand…get me a sandwich….? Really??? Some less than impressive responses there, men.
Ron Fanklin should be fired for being stupid! It’s one thing to think the thought, but an entirely different matter to make it personal and say it aloud to a co-worker and in front of others. Ms. Edwards apparently didn’t need to “tattle”; Franklin opened his mouth and proved who the ASSHOLE is.
And for the record, as a woman sports viewer, there seems to be absolutely no shortage of lame announcers, MALE or FEMALE, who ask stupid questions (”Coach, your team just lost, how do you feel?”) or make totally useless lip-flapping blather (”The Tigers are wearing orange socks and had sushi for lunch, will that translate into a touchdown?”); just to hear themselves speak or fill-up every quiet minute of a broadcast instead of knowledgeable commentary or intelligent questions. A smart, knowledgeable and experienced announcer, male or female, can enhance any sports broadcast.
Ron Franklin is clearly not smart enough to keep his mouth shut, or show common courtesy and respect to a co-worker. That kind of employee is not an asset to any organization, much less an organization, such as ESPN, on a national and international stage.
Ignorance, stupidity and poor behavior are never pretty; especially when a jerk like Ron Franklin opens his mouth and proves it.
10:27 am on January 3rd, 2011
Vetting, it’s about vetting. Go back to CBS’ “experiment” in the ’70s where Musberger, Irv Cross, Jimmy the Geek, and Phyllis George crowded a studio on Sunday. George was a rose among three thorns, although Cross was as affable and apolitical as any of them. A former beauty contest winner and always twinkling and personable. Did she apply for that job? No. Someone with zero conviction @ Title Nine and the dearth of women in non-competitive sports in virtually any capacity, decided to charge to the lead of early political correctness and figured what WOULDN’T American men love about a beautiful woman talking football on Sundays? Well, she never did talk football, per se. She was given interviews to do (a la 60 Minutes type) and human interest pieces about the field, or weather, or cleats, or the towel counter….She may have dated jocks but Phyllis George “knew” nothing about football. All the comments to CBS were identical: Musberger’s an air hog, Geek’s an a**hole, Cross is legit but boring, and for-God’s-sake put that broad in the bedroom or kitchen where she belongs. That was the ’70s.
So, how far exactly has the incorporation of women into predominantly men’s sports come in terms of reporting, interviewing, broadcasting, and acceptance? Pam Oliver: sideline, cold, 30-seconds total air time, good coats and hats. Erin Andrews: Remains what every red-blooded American man wants under the tree every Christmas but not one word that means anything during a broadcast except to claustrophobes and her mom. Bonnie Bernstein: Great beauty, too, but she’s a bit closer to being believable, almost as perfect as a woman “could” be on a sideline. The ESPN MNF women are Phyllis Georges without the looks or credentials, even though ol’ drunken Joe Namath wanted to wax Suzie Colber. Nothing to see or hear there, folks. I don’t begrudge them being there nor would I say they can’t be there. The reason they are there, though, remains the same. Who hired them and why?
Now Judy Rankin and Dottie Pepper, for their limited amount of airtime, are excellent golf reporters. I look forward to their assessments and reads. But the Golf Channel has two or three twinkies on air that dress and act like they’re crusing singles bars. And despite the trouble she ran into with an aside about lynching Tiger, Kelly Tilghmann is very good, easy on the eyes, but a little too macho for me. Charlsie Canty is horse racing’s best reporter and inside track info person. I don’t watch women’s hoops, college or pro, so I’m in the dark there but I bet they have credible ex-pros or college women players or coaches who can explain the women’s game perfectly. Olympic sports - skiing, diving, curling, track and field - no problem. The NASCAR reporters are (or is) an absolute knockout that PLAYBOY missed, Nicole Emanski. She doesn’t strike me as a “get-er-done” grease monkey but she knows her stuff about cars and you have to admit, that’s eye candy beyond belief. Mary Carillo is a great tennis reporter, commentator. Soccer? IDK.
Surfing, fine. Water skiing, fine. Baseball? Uh-uh. There are exceptional WRITERS you don’t see (Sally Jenkins and a Boston Globe or Herald writer) but in the booth? On camera? In the LR? Oy. Suzyn Waldman? Cancer survivor, animal rights activist, dog lover, opera singer…great, beautiful, and honorable. But put her on the mike with, Dear God in Heaven, John Sterling and you might consider hari-kari. Strongly. Often. Or the SAP if there is one for radio. Anything but her with that pompous blowhard homer.
The law says women are equal in sports broadcasting and reporting and writing. Ok. That’s what they wanted and that’s what they got. But where are they? Hunted in hotel rooms, on the sidelines in 10-degree weather, in the oily, volatile pits at Daytona, talking about someone playing the game despite a cousin who’s ill with something, uniform colors or changes, new sod that’s not settled, what does someone have to do differently in the second half? Y-a-w-n.
Sooooo, are they there because of talent and experience, the only girl in an all-boy family growing up? Are they there to appeal to men, although a minor distraction to the supposed reason to watch the sport?
This is forty years on, folks. The talking heads at ESPN Sports Center are just awful. Hannah, Sage, Nix, Brunson, and Hendry? Stop it. Yucccch. Not much has changed at all.
10:30 am on January 3rd, 2011
Miss buttinsky should have minded her own business as she was not involved in the conversation. She tried to horn in and the old codger gave her a condascending comment when he should have told her or him….MIND YOUR OWN F’EN BUSINESS I AM NOT SPEAKING WITH YOU!
10:31 am on January 3rd, 2011
franklin shouldn t have said what he did but its frustrating for these guys to deal with these meaningless dribble from these women during the game.people don t care about who sparents came from where ever to see their kid play or who just got out of jail and is seeing their kid play for the first time .useless information the public really don t need to know or cares!
10:40 am on January 3rd, 2011
Penis does not equal football knowledge, BTW.
These comments are ridiculous in modern times.
10:42 am on January 3rd, 2011
Iron my shirt.
10:43 am on January 3rd, 2011
The only reason women are there is because they are pretty… aka sweetcakes. They never add anything to a game, and should all be fired. Political correctness sucks. I always turn off the sound when one of those useless bimbos come on. Hypocritical women, they know the only reason they were hired is because they are “pretty”. Ef em
10:56 am on January 3rd, 2011
Wanna play with the boys? Play with the boys but don’t go whining to Mommy if you get your feelings hurt. Side line reporters, male and female, should be removed anyway. The teams came to play, not to talk to reporters during the game.
11:01 am on January 3rd, 2011
Nc,
What modern times are you talking about. The world remains the way it has alway been the changes are minor put scciety has maintained the same rules . Females maintain this selective use of there equality to men they can do everything we can except pay for a first date or make the first move. How many female CEO’s are there even if they are graduating from college at a higher rate. Women still get paid less for the same job as men. Look at the cover of magazines the primary use for women is there looks , porn makes billion’s a year and the females are the ones putting out . If anyghing the change in women have just served to make it harder for them to marry and have kids which still continues to be what society demands of them. All of the above were true 30 years ago one can tell me if they have changed now unless you have your own reality.
11:09 am on January 3rd, 2011
I would take Ron Franklin over a sex pushing female sideline reporter who wears tight revealing clothing then complains about advances from males. All these women are on the sideline for pure looks and ESPN is exploitting them worse than Ron Franklin calling them “sweetheart” or “sweetcakes”. Erin Andrews is the biggest doof of them all and this Edwards isn’t much to look at either. If ESPN wants these ladies to be taken seriuosly, then make them walk around in a bikini during the sporting events because that is about as serious anyone will take these dumb bimbos. Holly Rowe is the only female with actual substance to what she is talking about. The rest are just trying to help ESPN sell a sexy side to sports. Stick to the half naked calenders and swimsuit magazines and leave these dumb bimbos off the sidelines and they won’t have to worry about getting their little feelings hurt while showing 90% of their clevage and sporting camel toes!!!
11:10 am on January 3rd, 2011
When will espn and other politically correct media outlets get it? Men (and many women) DO NOT like having women report on football games!! They usually report on inane and asinine stories. Worse than that they always ask painfully obvious questions that just make you want to reach through the tv an slap them upside the head and they never provide meaningful analysis of the game.
I’m sorry honey, it’s a man’s game; leave it to the men.
11:10 am on January 3rd, 2011
I despise PC, but this clown Franklin is thee a–hole here. But, this whole sideline reporter thing was created to give women jobs and get them involved and no we don’t need to give them more air time and more serious stuff to do as one chucklehead suggested. Of course this kind of stuff always gets milked by the feminists to do exactly that.
11:23 am on January 3rd, 2011
ChickaBOOMer: ESPN Chick Filet
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2011/01/espn-chick-filet.html
11:33 am on January 3rd, 2011
Ron Franklin is STILL the best in the business. Sideline reporters both MALE and FEMALE add nothing to a game. If she can’t play with the big boys, then go find a girl’s game. I’m sick of these whiney cry babies having to run to management because they can’t work with the veterans. Respect is earned, not given!
11:34 am on January 3rd, 2011
Are you serious? they replaced franklin with Dave Lamont? Isnt he the guy who imploded on the radio just a month ago and threatened to fight the entire press box? And thats who espn replaces franklin with? Wow it seems like the more you screw up and act like a complete tool at espn the better assignments you get! Look for franklin to call next years rose bowl! Nice work espn management! I am sure there are a few ex cons coming up for parole soon- your next espn hires!
11:37 am on January 3rd, 2011
My, the fairer sex to up in arms today! Apparently hanging is too good for this fellow, he must be drawn and quartered too and - most horrifyingly - sent to sensitivity training. Yikes.
11:39 am on January 3rd, 2011
I think all side line reporters should be female and they should be dressed like the ring girls in boxing. The best part of boxing is the girls holding up a big sign telling us what round is coming up next. I’m sure that they don’t know anymore about boxing than the side line reporters know about football, but you don’t hear anybody complaining.
11:40 am on January 3rd, 2011
I agree with Ron- what business does a female have in sports, played by men—I mean, our local station now have women anouncing sports and I can’t stand the squeaky voice and unintelligence reporting—I switch channels when they come on—-
12:01 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Hey Jeanine……..only in Colorado is c… a term of endearment. And by the way, to ask the same silly question all of the side line broads ask………..”How do you feel?”
12:11 pm on January 3rd, 2011
For all of you complaining about women sideline announcers, just who do you think interviewed and hired them? Writes their programming? Decides how much or how little on-air exposure and what they wear while broadcasting??? ESPN’s management and marketing guys thinking with their “little head” instead of their big head and assuming most men can’t be entertained by football and other sports alone, so we must need a little “fluff or pretty” down on the sidelines? Your complaints and whining really should start higher up than the women announcers. It’s a sure bet that many of these women are far more knowledgeable about various sports than they are actually given time or programming to discuss and demonstrate that knowledge. And granted, some women are on-air for looks, not knowledge, but that takes you back to the first question - just who do you think interviewed and hired them?
12:17 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I personally think RF is one of the most knowledgable and entertaining announcers doing college football games. I also agree with those who say the sideline reporters add nothing to the game for me. If ESPN wants to do football fans a favor, get rid of JE and put RF on more of the big games. When you start trying to discipline every announcer who says something inappropriate off the air, there won’t be any male announcers left, Perish the thought!! Go home and whine to mummy JE!
12:21 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Franklin is a great announcer. Sure, it was an unfriendly thing to do. But so was running to management. If you can’t get along, honey, go find another job. Running to managers won’t make you more professionally respected. In fact, it makes you another, typical, whiney woman who can’t handle dealing with a jerk. Next time a man says something you don’t like, get in his face. Don’t run to your PC management to defend your “honor.” I’d fire your ass today if it were up to me, just for being weak. Forget harrassment…real adults don’t worry about that kind of nonsense. They handle it themselves.
12:28 pm on January 3rd, 2011
To those who said Ron didn’t learn his lesson: sure he did. Got his rip in off the air. Ron still does a great job on college football and basketball - if ESPN fires him because some woman takes herself too seriously (she’s lucky Ron wasn’t channeling Walter from The Big Lebowski or she would have gotten “Shut the f*ck up, Jeannine!), he won’t be out of work long.
12:37 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I personally think RF is one of the most knowledgable and entertaining announcers in college football. I also agree with those who feel the sideline announcers add nothing to the game, and one of the worst is JE. Do us a favor ESPN and put RF on more of the big games and get rid of JE and the rest of the sideline reporters. What RF said was inappropriate, but shouldn’t he be allowed to carry on a conversation with his coworkers without this airhead butting in? When the networks fire every announcer for making inappropritae comments off the air, there won’t be any left!
Tired of Sideline Cream Puffs
12:39 pm on January 3rd, 2011
You stay classy Ron Franklin!!
12:46 pm on January 3rd, 2011
How is it that so many commenters completely ignore the fact that what Franklin did was workplace harassment? Are you just stupid or mysogonistic?
Regardless of what kind of job is being performed, Federal (and State) laws prohibit employees from harassing other employees. Franklin’s calling Edwards “sweetcakes” or “asshole” while at work is equivalent to any of us going to work one day and calling an African American co-worker “the n-word” or a Muslim co-worker a “towel head,” all of which is thoroughly inappropriate in the work place. It’s inappropriate anywhere public (who cares if you’re despicable in private), but especially in the work place.
So, it genuinely doesn’t matter whether you “approve” of female sports reporters… What matters is you can’t harass people at work.
12:51 pm on January 3rd, 2011
When feminists can’t win a debate, they try to INCARCERATE the opposition: http://goo.gl/491PA
12:55 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Time for Franklin to retire…being disrespectful and demeaning to female colleagues shows a lack of understanding about how the world has changed. Step aside old man.
12:56 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I’d just like to point out that Jeannine Edwards and Ron Franklin have both logged exactly the same number of hours playing the game of football at the collegiate level. So let’s not talk so much about whether the ladies have the hands-on experience to report on a game. Ron’s called tennis for years; think the guy has ever picked up a tennis racket?
12:58 pm on January 3rd, 2011
It is nice to see that the idiots are out in force today.
1:01 pm on January 3rd, 2011
He should have known better. In the world we live in today, a white man (unless a liberal one) can only disagree with or talk down to another white, male, republican.
His career is over…
1:18 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Iron my shirt!
1:21 pm on January 3rd, 2011
if these ladies cant handle the toughness that goes with the sport and their broadcasting industry…….then it may not be for them. I do believe no one should be called an a-hole…….and those who do call people an a-hole shows lack of intellect and tolerance.
1:28 pm on January 3rd, 2011
So, if he had said the same to another male, would there have been a problem??
Take a hormone pill, and quit being so darn sensitive people!
2:03 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I have to say I am appalled at some of the comments here. They were in a staff meeting talking about the wife of one of their colleagues being elected mayor of her town. They were having a conversation about a high-achieving woman finding success — a woman who happens to be married to one of the men in the room. And when Edwards contributed to the conversation, which had nothing to do with football remember, she was shushed by Franklin and then subsequently called an asshole.
Would you seriously put up with behavior like that from a co-worker, male or female?
2:07 pm on January 3rd, 2011
It appears to me that she was attempting to enter (butt into) a private conversation about the man’s wife. If so, he is well within his rights to tell her to butt out - obviously in more pleasant and less demeaning terms initially- but if someone continues to intrude on personal conversations, and can’t get the hint that their participation is unwelcome and unwanted then the offending party is the buttinski, not the person letting yhem know that they are being an ass.
2:34 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Kenny Powers: Put up or shut up! If you have information about NCAA violations by Rick Stansbury or anyone else in the Mississippi State basketball programs, give the specifics–names, events, dates, etc. You are living proof that any idiot can spread innuendo.
2:36 pm on January 3rd, 2011
But it wasn’t about his wife. It was about a third party’s wife and that person didn’t say anything to her.
I mean honestly, I have people I work with who I don’t like and who try to join into semi-private conversations I may be having with another friend and co-worker during some downtime before or after a staff meeting. But if I called that person an asshole for trying to join my conversation that I was having on work property, during work time, then you can better believe I would be disciplined for it, regardless of the other person’s gender.
2:37 pm on January 3rd, 2011
sounds like it’s retirement time for someone. same goes for all the boring, tired sexists on this thread. i know it’s a big scary world where women can be treated like people. must be terrifying to not be automatically superior anymore. god forbid men maybe need to EARN something over others now.
this guy, and half the comments here, are pitiful. catch up with the world, old timers.
2:37 pm on January 3rd, 2011
jim, he’d have to see her as a person to have a personal problem with her. his first comment illustrates quite explicitly his issue is with women. poor old fella.
2:50 pm on January 3rd, 2011
This guy sounds like a douchebag. Why be so rude to the girl? She was just trying to join in a conversation. It sounds like he has some personal animosity towards her, and possibly all his female co-workers in general.
She did stand up for herself first–she told the guy not to talk to her that way. His response was to call her an asshole, which was uncalled for, and a gutless thing for a man to do to a woman. She was justified in reporting the incident to ESPN management. She was not “whining.” The guy was hostile to her for no reason.
I would agree that I would prefer not to have women doing play by play or color commentary for men’s sports–it does not really fit. However, keep in mind that these women are probably not thrilled with the assignment of sideline reporter either, and are probably aware that they are being made to jump through some hoops to get a different type of assignment. Employers love to torture employees by sticking them with a crap assignment to see how they’ll handle it. The “inane” questions are being fed to them from some idiot in their earpiece in the background–so give them a break. They’re just trying to do the best they can with the job they’re assigned to. They should probably leave the coaches alone as they’re coming off the field at halftime, but there’s nothing wrong with talking to coaches and players on the field after the game. And frankly, I’d rather look at Erin Andrews or Suzy Colber than fat ass Tony Siragusa. Are all of you gay?
Some of these women sideline reporters are very attractive, and some are not. Regardless, there is no reason to make personal attacks against Jeannine’s looks, and she is a pretty attractive lady–probably much better than the slobs most of you have at home.
3:03 pm on January 3rd, 2011
My previous post to the wrong list–Sorry! Never mind….
3:15 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I think Franklin and all the other over the hill male chauvinist pigs should be lined up and fired, never to work again. The replacements should be young metro-sexuals who can park there testicles at the door upon hire.
Women suck on the sideline. They bring nothing to the table. I don’t want to hear football opinion or strategery from a woman who has never played or been around the game. Piss off, ESPN. Tell “Sweetcakes” to grow a set or go make a platter of sammiches for the boys. Welcome to the neutering of American sports.
3:16 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I don’t care how or why, I’m just glad he’s gone and hope he never returns!
3:19 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Does anyone take female reporter seriously? Really, I know it sounds bad, but it’s brutal listening to them talk about the game.
3:27 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Should have never let women in men’s sports. Do they really think they are used in these games for their keen insight???? Give me a break. let women call women’s games and leave the real stuff to the men…. They are all sex objects!! They get paid to get the old fat men interested in the game…..Your selling a product sweetheart nothing else. get over it.
3:37 pm on January 3rd, 2011
The best defense is a good offense…
He really just rolled over submissively and showed his soft underbelly.
She could have diffused it with humor, but she didn’t.
She could have busted his balls, but she didn’t.
She rolled over and showed her soft underbelly too.
Women deserve to be there for the same reason men are there: to bring in viewers. Women are gaining a place because they are an untapped market.
Think pink.
3:38 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Hey RickyP, are you a chick or a dude? Thats a girl or boy, fem or macho…
3:52 pm on January 3rd, 2011
sports were much more enjoyable when women were not involved in reporting or calling ball games. Why does ESPN and all the other networks water down coverage with eye candy. Ron should be promoted, not punished!
4:01 pm on January 3rd, 2011
please… espn.. you have turn into a sissy net work… give me a brreak…who care about this dip on the side line,,, she brings nothing to the game … whimps!!!!!!!
4:18 pm on January 3rd, 2011
What Pepper99 said.
I also enjoy and respect Judy Rankin and Dottie Pepper for their true knowledge of the sport of golf and, I’m a golfer.
Kelly Tilghman couldn’t win last place at the dog show.
I can’t stand her with her mouth open or closed.
I’m waiting for the day when one of the sideline eye candies asks the football player what it was like to make that 95 yard winning drive and he says, “long and hard”.lol
There is one and only one female sideline reporter I like and respect for her knowledge and that is Andrea Kramer. She knows her stuff.
4:23 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Sideline chick reporters are ok, as long as they are in bikinis or less and jump up and down. Otherwise,what a waste of time….Coach, you are down 50 points, what do you have to do in the second half?
4:40 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Boy oh boy do I resent “female” sports reporters especially when the broadcasters “think” it is the correct/kool thing to do. alf the time the “broads” dont even know what they are talking about. But what the heck doI know. I am just a viewer with the channel changer in my hand. AND I USE IT!
4:50 pm on January 3rd, 2011
This guy is my friggin hero. I mean, look at the eyes on that broad. She’s the daughter of Satan!
5:20 pm on January 3rd, 2011
it doesn\t seem like suck a big deal to me. But then again i work for a living and all this pc correctness is destroying the economy. I give you the a-hole comment might have gone a bit far but if he was smiling when he said she just took it all wrong
6:42 pm on January 3rd, 2011
A big deal over nothing, he should of been aloud to go on the air as scheduled. It was off the air and there was nothing wrong with what he said. Peolpe get their feeling hurt to easy now a days.
6:48 pm on January 3rd, 2011
who gives a s– t
7:04 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Lets be real here! They only added sideline reporters cause females and dykes and such were complaining about discrimination. Everybody afraid to be sued now so corp. America relented. Notice almost all network sideshows, I mean reporters, are good-looking T&A’s package! Isnt that discrimination. When are they gonna have a Susan Boyle lookalike report from the sidelines. Aint gonna happen! Quit your witchin MaBugg, Ron Franklin is good at what he does, and I like watching knowledgeable announcers, not sideshow reporters who ask dumb questions at halftime.
7:05 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I’m sick of all the women announcers, let the women do women sports women sideline reporters are stupid get rid of them!!
7:07 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Non-story
To Edwrds, keep ur nose outta others business
To Cow Holly Rowe; LOOSE WEIGHT
7:18 pm on January 3rd, 2011
if she had made similar comments, similar disciplinary action would have happened.
the fact that he’s done it before should mean that his career is in jeopardy.
if he had made a racist comment, he would be gone already. enough with sexism in sports, my husband and I want to watch football!
7:19 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Sounds like she may have a legitimate sexual harassment case against ESPN. There is already notice on record. He’s done it before and they didn’t take appropriate action.
7:22 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Women should not have anything to do with men’s sports. They have no practical expierence with regards to the sport. They should only work womens sports. We don’t want them in our games. I want someone that has experience
7:42 pm on January 3rd, 2011
what i don’t understand was the reluctance of of the states to ratify the equal rights amendment years ago. twice, twice the bill passed congress by the required 2/3 majority, but failed togain the necessary approval of 3/4 of the state legislatures. since female voters far exceed male voters, ladies you blew it. issues such as the one noted today would have been rendered moot. the way it’s been left, one can be a female idiot and seemingly get away with it,while the male idiot is immediately castigated and/or professionally castrated.
7:43 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Go, Ron! Who the hell wants to see women broadcast a sporting event involving men? Tell them to get lost and go bake cookies.
7:44 pm on January 3rd, 2011
i bet if she had called him sweetcakes or what ever nothing would have been done huh. always the sale poor women mistreated ha ha ha get out of the kictchen if you can’t take the heat your morons
7:47 pm on January 3rd, 2011
You know why women want broadcasting jobs? For two reasons. 1. They can meet and marry an athlete making big bucks and become a celebrity wife. 2. They are looking for even a hint of harrassment in order that they can file a sexual harrassment claim for big bucks. Female broadcasters in men’s sports are worthless. Who the hell needs them? They have nothing to offer, nothing to say. Just a bunch of brainless bimbos looking to cash in. Fire them all.
7:55 pm on January 3rd, 2011
several things wrong with this picture.
1.she butted into the 3 guys conversation
2.women want to be in a mans world but with special treatment.
3.why not apologize for sticking her nose into something she wasn’t a part of.
4.if it wasn’t for her female attractiveness she would be working the concession stand.horse announcer.
5.get some of the female underwear players for sideline announcers,at least they know what the hell they’re talking about.
8:06 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I agree these women broadcasters in men’s sports are awful… First of all they don’t know CRAP about what they are talking about, they read strictly from the teleprompter or scripts and secondly they always bitch and complain about they always want “equal” no matter what. Men’s sports are men’s sports such as football and women are never going to play just let it be a man’s sport and quit it with this constant BS always wanting a lawsuit. I do agree using the word sweetcakes is really cheesy but at the same time they are constantly looking for that damn payout. Knock it off women, men are sick and tired of women claiming lawsuits and most of them are frivolous crap that should be thrown out. I’m betting also she was the one that said “asshole”. I’m betting he would have turned around and said “bitch” rather than “asshole”. It sounds like it would come from her since he called her “sweetcakes” she probably turned around and said “asshole”. If she said asshole she should be fired as well. These women reporters are always on a witch hunt for a payout. They have it coming to them since they constantly dress slutty. I think these female reports that dress slutty should be terminated for dress code.
8:17 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Why are women hired to make stupid comments about a man’s game of which they have no comprehension? Put them in charge of a girl’s sport…like basketball.
8:43 pm on January 3rd, 2011
And we gave the right to vote and look what happens…
8:44 pm on January 3rd, 2011
women sports announcers have no business being in men’s sports world…. get em outa here! They are needed desperately by women’s sports… why are they afraid to be there? because is it boring for them to be with other hens? Other than being a distraction to sports fans, they don’t bring anything of value to the table as far as men’s sports go. This is about sports not about cutesy women who get offended easily. The other day I heard a female sideline reporter saying ad nauseum “I asked the coach what his sales pitch would be…. and repeated it on many other football matches as well! who wants to hear about coaches’ sales pitches…get outa here! There is only one sales pitch for any coach…WIN stupid!
9:10 pm on January 3rd, 2011
All I can say is I hope the majority of the posters here do not have wives or daughters. I cannot believe the attitudes displayed by many of the men here, for a minute I thought I was back in the 1950s. I’d like to think that you don’t really believe the crap you are spouting but I have met enough people like you in real life to realize you probably believe it. I don’t care if announcers are male or female, have played the sport or not, I only care if they know what they are talking about and treat each other with respect.
10:26 pm on January 3rd, 2011
A goody two shoes poster. Sorry, lady, you just don’t get it. Female sportscasters of men’s sports are a colossal bore. Do you really think anyone listens to what they have to say? They’re only there to snag a rich husband or cry harrassment and try to cash in per a big court judgment. They are useless, and if they couldn’t be broadcasters, they’d be waiting tables in Malibu. Brainless bimbos. ESPN should fire them all.
10:30 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Women on reporters for men’s sports is nuts. They should stay in their own yard. Can you see a man going into the locker room of a WNBA team when the girls are showering and dressing? Why should a woman invade the men’s room? Also, most of the women do a lousy job. Women want freedom and rights for themselves but invade the world of men. We really have a sick country. All the young men are becoming wussies.
10:31 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Political correctness has run amok in the age of Obama. You can’t say anything to women or colored people without them getting offended.
10:37 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Females in the booth, and especially on the sidelines, are very annoying to me. I quickly change channels. It’s obvious that a quota is working for them. It’s like men on the sidelines of a brownie bake-off. Of course, none of these “career” women would even know how to bake a brownie, maybe “prepare and cook” a frozen pizza.
10:40 pm on January 3rd, 2011
I don’t see the problem with calling a woman “sweetcakes” or “baby” but if they tell you to stop then you probably should, or at least don’t respond by calling her an a-hole.
However, I’m thankful that I’ve never had to work with stuffy women who get upset with words like “sweetcakes”. Only women who dress like men hate to be called that anyway.
10:40 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Dear Tom,
Wrong. I have a wife, two daughters and 7 granddaughters. They are all very successful in their careers. Wife is President and CEO of family owned bank, one daughter is top sales rep for Eli Lilly and the other is CFO of the family bank. They are not in locker rooms or dorking around men’s sports. By the way, wife is a graduate of Northwestern with grad degrees from Stanford, one daughter has under grad and masters from UPenn the other daughte is magna Cum from Harvard with MBA from U Cal Berkeley. All are avid football fans. Watching Orange Bowl now.
11:05 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Women - in the booth piss me off. Go away - - Football is a MAN sport. Ron and Mark are still the best.
11:18 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Exactly what do sideline reporters add besides completely useless fluff? The job in itself is completely demeaning to women.
And if you guys really want me to take Erin Andrews seriously, than maybe you shouldn’t hit the pipe quite so hard…
11:47 pm on January 3rd, 2011
Clearly the sheer amoun of feminazi vermin and fag boy losers on this board shows how ignroant and desperate the time we live in are getting worse. Smearing and defaming an intelligent and enjoyable sportcaster because he si a man and has a real understanding of sports and atheltics a pair of knockers like JE can’t fathom is considered all because he made a comment and said sweetcakes. He didnt cuss her out and tell the dumb broad to shut up he merely stated some facts and added an exclamation in terms of phraseology towards her positioning. In reality he just made a sane comment and only nasal self wroshipping fools would take offense. Sweetcakes…..Thats something granfathers call their grandaughters its not an insult so warping it into to something show how stupid this messed up country is. And to the nimrod that said “I dont like pc but this idiot Franklin” what bs you are defendin pc and assaulting the victim fo it. Stereotypical repression of truth. Its called mind rot men are men women are women and pervesions of it is a fantasy pf the deluded and cowardly. Simple logic, common sense, reason, investiation of the shallow kind confirms women do not relate to men and football so who the hell would want to watch one read a stupid script they dont understand when a man like franklin or jackson can articulate it with no starey eyed locked onto the prompter stare?
12:17 am on January 4th, 2011
Yes , nothing like a chick acting like she is a sports expert and tries getting in the locker rooms to “interview” naked 275lb men.
There is only a couple of them that do that sidline BS without looking like a dopey chick.
If they want this job then do WNBA games or womens NCAA games.
Not that I ever heard of that geezer doing any games either.
1:18 am on January 4th, 2011
Since i’m the fan, i buy the tickets, i buy the products on their televised commercials, what i say should count. (but they won’t care). I’d honestly rather not see women talking to me about sporting events. And lately, they’ve been causing unnecessary trouble, with harrasment suits & such. I know what holding is, I know what roughing the passer is. They act like it never happened before. They talk down to and AT the fan. We really don’t need that. Ok haters, let me have it now telling me how chauvenistic i am. But remember, i’m the fan that spends the money & buys the $10 beers. GO RAMS
1:44 am on January 4th, 2011
Funny as hell…ESPN handled it properly…now move on.
1:54 am on January 4th, 2011
Why don’t they talk about Herbstreit banging Erin Andrews ..???
2:48 am on January 4th, 2011
Lets face women DO NOT belong in A mans game PERIOD. Unless they are playing in the sport, they DO NOT belong. If they can’t take the heat, they shouldn’t be there. And why did the subject of his wife come up.? Has nothing to do with the game.
3:42 am on January 4th, 2011
Women have no business reporting sporting events, or being an analysis as reporters think of themselves, in which the sport is exclusively male. Coaches are ignored with having to answer dumb questions rather than being well on their way to the locker room to approve a winning program for the second half, nor interrupted in the thought process with another dumb question when returning to the field. I watched 2 bowl games so far where 1 of the booth reporters was female. Neither was knowledgable of the sport. One’s voice was such that I could only understand about every third word. I finally muted the
video. I turned off the TV when the other game came on. ESPN could care less about its viewing public. Given a choice, or missing a game I would like to see, I will not view ESPN at all because of their use of female reporters, and because They did not discipline Craig James for using his influence which contributed to the dismissal of Mike Leach from TX Tech. The next thing we know the game of football will be weakened to the point that females will be able to physically compete so the institutions will not be brought into court. Ron Franklin is in a very select group of the most knowledgable reporters. I have had the pleasure of hearing his broadcast for years until I shut ESPN out of my life.
4:14 am on January 4th, 2011
One part of the problem is that women are getting hired for these jobs for their looks, not their knowledge of the game. The women who are actually getting these jobs usually don’t know football. There are plenty of women who do know football, and we should hire them to talk about it.
And come on, you don’t have to play a sport to understand it. Don’t you know any skinny guys who’d never make it on a real playing field, but understand and love football? A woman who grew up watching the game could come to understand it just as well.
5:02 am on January 4th, 2011
I meet and visited with Ron and another broadcaster during the Houston Oilers glory years (mid 70’s) while I was working for a newspaper and a Industrial Photographer as they called games in the Astrodome. Both of the Ron’s as they were known in Houston invited me into the both and treated me like family-I doubt this side of Ron Franklin has never gone away even after years of travel and calling sports. I know my Mom and myself still love to find him calling games. I sense people just don’t take the time to get to know the ones they work with or each other any more which is a sad fact of our times.
6:12 am on January 4th, 2011
Okay…I’m a woman I love football, and I understand the game. However, I have to say that I don’t see why women cover the sidelines. It is so obvious that it is just a way to find a spot for ,”the girl who has equal rights in the workforce.” Believe me, I want to be treated equal and respected, but ladies we have to pick our battles. Now what women need to do is talk smart football, shrug off the insults, and learn to give it back to them. Some will say that women shouldn’t have to take verbal insults, but really; there are worse things to be called than sweetcakes. The conversation she tried to join was probably ridiculous banter from an old windbag bragging about his WIFE’s success.
6:32 am on January 4th, 2011
Ok, seriously, why do some men have to act like whatever guys do, especially pertaining to the world of sports, is just “boys will be boys” and innocent fun? Are you dense of just want to justify what some of YOU are subjecting strong, successful, hardworking women to? What most of you misogynistic a$$ clowns don’t understand was that it wasn’t that her feelings were hurt, or that that she couldn’t “hang with the boys” (which is such an idiotic notion), it was that calling her “sweetcakes” was meant to be insulting, it was passive aggressiveness and it was demeaning in front of her colleagues. Franklin was being purposefully condescending. Get a clue. Woman are still subjected to insults and disrespect on a daily basis that they do not deserve. How can you see it as right? Such a shame that most of you man have yet to evolve. And yes, I’m a woman, but don’t try to get neanderthal and quintessentially sexist- I’m a g@dd@mn Army veteran (show some frakking respect, punks), successful career woman, and can handle my own.
6:35 am on January 4th, 2011
And for those of you who claim women shouldn’t be on the sidelines- get a grip. It’s 2011 not 1915. Women have every right to go into whatever career path they choose. Plenty of women love and respect the game and they should all have the chance to be a part of it. Just because some of you can’t or won’t do it doesn’t mean you have to act like “oh, why are women even doing that.” You’re stupid to say that and probably need to get out of the kitchen and into the real world once in a while.
6:39 am on January 4th, 2011
keep these bimbos off the sidelines and out of the locker room. They are absolutely worthless.
If you try to polish crap you still have crap.
6:54 am on January 4th, 2011
It is getting harder and harder to deal with women in the workplace.
7:14 am on January 4th, 2011
lets all be honest here, who the hell hasn’t said something demeaning about a sideline reporter at one point of their sports-watching lives?
Now i don’t think its very classy to call them out on national tv but I’m not surprised at all that someone snaps now and then.
7:55 am on January 4th, 2011
Now the male broadcasters have tailor conversations for the women. Gone are the good ole days. I tell my wife all the time these women broadcasters/sideline reporters take all the fun out of watching football. Just listen to them describing incidents or when they interviewing. They can’t relate one bit. “What does it feel like”. They have not played the game and have no clue. I am just waiting to see if NFL Today will let a women join the Hall of Famers. Franklin’s comments would look good.
7:56 am on January 4th, 2011
If they’d put serious women on the sideline instead of eye candy, problem solved. Instead they send pageant types who don’t know squat about the sport they’re covering and pipe in every 20 minutes to say something retarded.
8:50 am on January 4th, 2011
i am a woman and this was so predictable. why in hell don’t the woman stay out of mens sports. so, if you insist, for whatever reason, to be involved in mens sports then suck it up and just give it back don’t go running to management . why should the men have to worry about every thing they say of do, there are common sense reasons why women should stick with women and leave the men to their own sports and their world.
8:58 am on January 4th, 2011
Let the guys announce men’s sports and the ladies do the ladies!!
Can’t see a “sweetcakes” doing any of the guy sports-coed announcing perhaps—
9:41 am on January 4th, 2011
ESPN is getting their undies in a wad over nothing…err should I say panites?
10:10 am on January 4th, 2011
Good for Ron! These women have nothing to offer to any viewer. They’re just annoying in the extreme with their insipid drivel. All they really want is to hook up with a rich athlete or file a sexual harrassment suit in order to cash in. They’re worthless, a bunch of brainless bimbos. ESPN should fire them all and right now. I mean, ESPN, read the comments here. NO ONE wants them on the air. Wake up, you jerks.
10:33 am on January 4th, 2011
Hello… anyone paying attention here????? They weren’t even discussing SPORTS! They were discussing politics. In my opinion, some men just can’t handle a run for their $,intellect, or guts with women when it comes to such things as sports, politics, I don’t know corporate ladder, whatever. Wake up people, it’s not a man’s world and we are living in it. I have 3 young boys and enjoy and know sports all as well as my husband, and don’t get me started on politics. We share our likes and dislikes. I have respectful powerful husband as he does wife and we treat each accordingly. This Ron Franklin asshole is a woman hater and belittler. No time for such BS. Anyone defending his way of talking to anyone in professional business that way is no professional at all. Enough said.
10:40 am on January 4th, 2011
Meh, he’s an old guy set in his ways using language from a bygone era that’s apparently not PC enough for today’s liberal media. Either she toughens up, or they cut him lose. I don’t see him changing though.
10:44 am on January 4th, 2011
@ Sarita
So then in the interest of “equality” you have no problem with male reporters in the women’s locker rooms, right? Where’s your indignation that there aren’t women on TV in their towels with male reporters swarming around them?
11:45 am on January 4th, 2011
To Sarita, it’s nice to know there are real women out there. all this talk abpout a man’s place and blah blah blah. I bet you and I have more balls, brain and beauty than any of the naysayers posting and defending that unprofessional prick. Having said that, it would not be professional for a woman to be so crude to a man commentator in any “female dominating” extracurriculars either. If you hold a position, which I beleive every career does, you act professional, speak professional. He only made himself look like a bowing up idiot by talking to her that way.I’m sure that ESPN is wise enough to weed out unsaavy sportscasters in their good faith to all their loyal male fans!and female fans for that! I don’t want some bimbo out there making the rest of us look bad! Lighten up on the ladies guys. No amount of $ could make me do anything I wasn’t passionate for. These women obviously have a passion for their jobs or they wouldn’t eat, breathe, sleep, and crap sports like all of you guys. Let alone put up with the constant scrutiny they have to in a male dominating field! By the way I can catch and throw a pretty mean football as well as hit homeruns in my pee wee ball field at home! Get over yourselves already respect your almighty women who wear the panties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks, now enough said! I have to go play sports with my 3 yr old…
12:29 pm on January 4th, 2011
Theres a reason why Women should not be allowed in the locker room, they may see something they want or don’t want.
Theres a reason Women don’t belong in the announcers booth, they have no lockler room sense of humor.
Women stay out of the BOys room s and discussions.
Sorry shes not a *sshole, she’s a K unt
12:34 pm on January 4th, 2011
Hooray for Franklin…obviously he should have phrased it “Shut up you dumb bitch”
12:37 pm on January 4th, 2011
or he could have said “hold on hot pants I’ll be with you in a minute”
12:37 pm on January 4th, 2011
Just an opinion- In most instances I do not care for a high pitched or at times shrill voice of any announcer male or female (and there are some men that fall into this catagory). I do not care if the announcer is knowledgable or not if they are a distraction to listen to I will find something else to watch. As far as locker room or side line reporting, get rid of it all.
12:41 pm on January 4th, 2011
Ron Frankllin: why don’t you go to the unemployment line and look for a new job, ‘ sweetcakes!’ =P
12:49 pm on January 4th, 2011
I took some time and read all the comments and I have come to realize why Islamic culture still stone women.
They stick thier nose’s into a MAN”S sport or business.
1:00 pm on January 4th, 2011
Hey, it’s never good to embarass a colleague, but other than Erin A. the rest of them are mindless bimbos that no coach wants to communicate with anyway. Ron said what everyone else is thinking.
1:00 pm on January 4th, 2011
If ESPN can say the UConn women just broke the UCLA men’s streak, Ron Franklin can call this cunt an asshole. Karma’s a bitch.
1:27 pm on January 4th, 2011
Personally, I’m sick of those ridiculous reporterettes running around the sidelines giving their inane little reports about the first peanut butter and jelly sandwich the quarterback ever ate acting like it’s serious journalism. If you can’t take the gals, get out of men’s sports.
1:35 pm on January 4th, 2011
Sideline reporters really don’t add anything. One of them ask Mike Leach, “coach, what is the key to winning today”? Coach Leach: ‘Score more points than they do”. Stupid questions deserve answers like that. I agree with most-get rid of the female sideline reporters………except for Michelle Lafoya. She is good and knows of what she speaks!
2:45 pm on January 4th, 2011
Frankly, Oh Baby, Ron Franklin,I don’t see a big deal. Unfortunately these hot bod, pretty face chicks think that they are Their gift to the sports world and really have taken the essence of sideline reporting away from where it needs to be. Some of their questions they ask coaches are the dumbest and most ludicrous I have heard. Every network is trying so hard to outdo each other by hiring these so called reporters just to sell viewership to their network by a pretty face and Hot Bod.
jasper
3:19 pm on January 4th, 2011
Did Franklin a favor….the Fiesta Bowl sucked…but I still needed to see the game so I could get those great sideline reports….made me feel warm and gooey…that’s the kind of sport football is you know…. makes you feel warm and gooey…like being in the women’s locker room after a game when they’re showering….whoopee!!!!
3:43 pm on January 4th, 2011
Ron Franklin was out of line for his comments. There is no need for that type of banter toward a co-worker. If he gets away with that, what’s to stop him from a racist comment if the female reporter is Pam Oliver? However, sideline reporters, male or female, should all be removed in my opinion. Erik Dickerson, one of the greatest players ever, lasted one season as a sideline reporter on Monday Night Football. He was let go because he was abosolutely horrible! They really do nothing but annoy the coaches as they are trying to go in before the half.
3:53 pm on January 4th, 2011
This is typical feminazi reactionary BS.. Women want to come into the male locker room but only their terms? What kind of crap is this?
This sanctimonious witch butted into a private conversation and when she was told to get lost she takes offense and whines to the management!
She is the one who have been told to get lost if she can’t hack the hassles! Good grief!
4:54 pm on January 4th, 2011
This is the kind of nonsense men have to put up with in the workplace. Working in law enforcement ,women for the most part understand what you need to do to survive in a male oriented occupation. However you always have some feminist bitch who can’t handle the fire and feels the need to cry to management. The locker room no place for a sweetheart, Female or male.
4:57 pm on January 4th, 2011
If she can’t handle these remarks on her own without running crying to management she should quit. Yeah, he’s a jerk. There are a lot of them in the world. Real professionals figure out how to do their job anyway. Besides, the sideline reporters ARE dumb. It is either a bad concept or badly executed, one. Except for an injury update I have NEVER been glad for the camera to cut to whatever asinine comment the sideline reporter is about to make.
On the other hand, she shouldn’t have to keep working with him if he keeps it up. He shouldn’t be fired, though, either.
5:28 pm on January 4th, 2011
That’s it? That’s a huge controversy? She should just nut up and tell him to go eff himself and forget about it.
If women are that fragile maybe they aren’t equal.
6:06 pm on January 4th, 2011
She chose to play with the boys so she shouldn’t go crying to management. She butted into the conversation then was overly sensitive when he called her sweetcakes. A-hole might have been a little much but she stepped into it.
I’m a woman and I don’t like women on the side lines or in the locker room. If women want to be sportscasters then let them cover womens’ sports or be prepared to banter back with the boys.
6:13 pm on January 4th, 2011
Why would Franklin call the A-hole sweetcakes anyway? Just say what you mean from the start Ron!!
7:02 pm on January 4th, 2011
Women have no business on the sideline, booth, or anywhere else in the world of sport.
They need to be home baking biscuits for their husband.
7:09 pm on January 4th, 2011
The so called “career focus” of women, which by the way is a manifestation of extreme materialism of the modern women, has led to the society suffering on many fronts as they have neglected their families! Just look at the kids these days…what are they doing while their moms are out on the sidelines reporting gibberish? Well the sky is falling…not exactly but just read the birds are dropping out of the sky in the thousands in Arkansas and Louisiana! It would indeed be nice to savor some home made biscuits or am I just dreaming?
8:27 pm on January 4th, 2011
sweetcakes your not that hot, espn when did you become such a PC PUSSY, everytime she appears on the sideline fans should boooo…..
8:48 pm on January 4th, 2011
Ron said what the majority of us think but dare not whisper because of fear of offending the sacred cows like Edwards. Apologies to cows everywhere.
9:11 pm on January 4th, 2011
Ron Franklin should be doing SEC football games. He’s the best in the business and saturdaynoght ganes have not been the same since he left. Come back home Ron, we still love you!
9:17 pm on January 4th, 2011
It is 2011 and all of you that think this was okay are idiots…no one deserves to be disrespected in the workplaceand oh by the way the good ole boy thang is done y’all!!!
6:54 am on January 5th, 2011
Sideline reporters are a distraction at best and those
“interviews” they do as coaches go into and out of half time are just as painful for me as they must be for the coaches. More canned cliches are used in those than any other mic in the face coaching moments.
7:02 am on January 5th, 2011
Disrespected! I’m so sick of that word. You go trough life and everyone who doesn’t talk, think or see things as you do is “disrespecting” me. Get over it!
7:17 am on January 5th, 2011
If I were a woman I think I would be a little offended that my female colleages were basically hired for their looks and they know that. To me that would be insulting. Honestly if they (females) understand the complexity and the statergy on both sides of the ball and their applications for the job outweighted their male couterparts then the job should always go to the most qualified. Now if that really isn’t the case and they are on the sideline strickly because they are eye candy to the majority male watchers, I would be insulted. Period.
9:12 am on January 5th, 2011
I love the comments and ya know what jeannine… Grow a pair! Exactly why we don’t need over sensitive bit*#’s involved in sports! The mothership is such a bunch of little f’n girls. Hey Hanna Storm wear something tighter and skimpier…. Yeah that’s classy!
11:29 am on January 5th, 2011
ron franklin is right go to the cooking channel
12:01 pm on January 5th, 2011
These women sideline experts are on TV just for T and A They dont kn ow shit compared to the men crew. The coaches that are grabbed by these wizards as thet go in for halftime just bite their tongues off putting up with the stupid questions asked by these lovelies give us a break and send them to the showers
12:14 pm on January 5th, 2011
If female sidelines reporters want to be taken seriously then they have to be smarter than Holly Rowe’s idiotic comments on the timeouts. Had Franklin not added “sweetheart” to the end of it no one would have question his comment, because he was exactly right. Calling the timeouts at the end of a 49-21 loss is stupid and only prolongs the inevitable. If Rowe had a clue she would have known that. At least Jeannine Edwards provides some eye candy, and if the ESPN execs were honest they would admit that’s why she’s there.
1:19 pm on January 5th, 2011
With credit to the late George Carlin, this is another shining example of the pussification of our society. That woman had no right to be in that room at ESPN, her skin is obviously too damn thin. Ms. Edwards needs to learn how to roll with the punches or get out of sports broadcasting. If she can’t hack it at ESPN, I suggest she take a position at Oprah Winfrey’s new network or perhaps there’s something for her to do at Bravo or Lifetime.
6:22 pm on January 5th, 2011
In most cases, women sideline reporters are hired less for their sports reporting skills than they are for simply being eye candy for crew and male viewers. No one will ever convince me otherwise.
What’s also true is these women know it and don’t have a problem with it.
Most men, as they always have still see women as slightly inferior and young attractive ones as sex objects and women know this.
My point is, if you’re going to willingly play the roll of eye candy in a mans environment then don’t cry wolf when you’re treated as such.
7:44 pm on January 5th, 2011
“Get women out of football announcing. They pretend to understand what they are doing without having a clue.”
Please. 90% of announcers - almost all of which are men, and many of whom played or coached football - are crap. The networks often hire bad on-air personalities for stupid (I expect largely superficial) reasons, male or female, football knowledge or not.
Edwards did the right thing - she told Franklin to his face that she didn’t appreciate how he was talking to her, and he turned nasty. He’s a relic from the 70s who obviously resents that women have “invaded” his manly profession. He deserves whatever discipline he gets.
Maybe if on-air sports reporters like Andrea Kramer were allowed to do more than sideline reporting for a major network, they would. For now, though, the networks keep the women on the sidelines - literally.
9:17 pm on January 5th, 2011
ESPN MUST BE THE MOST SINSITIVE BUCH OF A-HOLES,, WELL THAT I HEARD OF. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDCULOUS. THAT BUNCH NEEDS TO GET A LIFE. WERE TALKING ABOUT A FOOTBALL GAME NOT A SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIAL. THAT DUMB BROAD SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIM A WHOLE BUNCH OF CHOICE THING BUT SHE RAN AND TATTLED. SHE NEEDS TO TOUGH UP OR START HOSTING SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIALS…
ESPN HAS JUST JOIN THE OTHER BUNCHES OF IRRELIGIOUS LIBERTINES…..AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE A SPORTS NETWORK .
9:38 pm on January 5th, 2011
They should have sex and make up
5:55 pm on January 9th, 2011
More proof that we’ve become a nation of wussies.
8:38 am on May 15th, 2011
No surprise that the PC Pussies at ESPN would pull him for such an innocuos comment,,,but that nasty, wrinkly, old bitch should be happy ANYONE referred to her as “sweet….” anything!
7:23 am on October 19th, 2011
remember when ole Ron had a fishing show on ESPN2 on saturday mornings?
Any guy that can catch a largemouth at 8am and call the Georgia/SC game at 7:45pm is fine in my book.