Tennis analyst Doug Adler found himself out of a job at ESPN earlier this year after describing Venus Williams’ “guerrilla” style of playing at the Australian Open. Adler, who’s suing ESPN over the termination, isn’t alone. Read on for other sports personalities who’ve been accused of racism.
Legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell was accused of racism after referring to Washington Redskins wide receiver Alvin Garrett as “that little monkey” in 1983, though Cosell denied being racist and Garrett later said that he didn’t feel like it was a demeaning comment.
Kelly Tilghman received a two-week suspension from Golf Channel after suggesting that golfers hoping to challenge Tiger Woods should “Lynch him in a back alley.”
Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder’s infamous theory that black people make better athletes because of how they’re “bred” got him fired from CBS in 1988.
Jason Whitlock was accused of perpetuating a stereotype about Asian men in 2012 when he tweeted, as New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin racked up a 38-point performance against the Lakers, that “Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain tonight.” Whitlock later apologized.
Baseball sportscaster Steve Lyons was canned from Fox in 2006, when he jokingly suggested that Lou Piniella, who is of Hispanic heritage, might have stolen his wallet and added, “I don’t understand him, and I don’t want to sit too close to him.”
ESPN’s Rob Parker drew criticism when he seemed to suggest that he didn’t feel Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was black enough, asking, “Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?” and saying, “I keep hearing these things. We all know he has a white fiancée. There was all this talk about he’s a Republican.”
