ESPN Benches Curt Schilling for Remainder of MLB Season

Updated on Friday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. PT: Jessica Mendoza has been named Curt Schilling’s replacement on “Sunday Night Baseball” for the rest of the season.

Previously:

ESPN analyst Curt Schilling has been removed from the network’s baseball coverage for the remainder of the season following a controversial tweet last month comparing Muslims to Nazis.

Schilling will no longer commentate on any “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcasts for the rest of the 2015 season, nor will he appear on the network’s broadcast of the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday, Oct. 6,the network announced Thursday.

Also read: Curt Schilling Benched by ESPN After Comparing Muslims to Nazis

“At all times during the course of their engagement with us, our commentators are directly linked to ESPN and are the face of our brand,” ESPN said in a statement to TheWrap.

“We are a sports media company. Curt’s actions have not been consistent with his contractual obligations nor have they been professionally handled; they have obviously not reflected well on the company. As a result, he will not appear on ESPN through the remainder of the regular season and our Wild Card playoff game.”

Former Red Sox and Phillies pitcher Schilling has been replaced by Jessica Mendoza for the rest of the season, ESPN announced on Friday, after she became the first-ever female “Sunday Night Baseball” analyst at the L.A. Dodgers-Chicago Cubs game on Aug. 30.

Also read: ESPN Names Jessica Mendoza as First-Ever Female 'Sunday Night Baseball' Analyst

Mendoza, a gold-medal-winning Olympic softball player, won great praise for her work alongside Dan Shulman and John Kruk in the booth at Dodger Stadium that it secured her position for the remaining 2015 games.

Schilling had previously been removed from ESPN’s coverage of Little League World Series.

The former Major League Baseball star tweeted a photo of Adolf Hitler and the words: “It’s said only 5-10% of Muslims are extremists. In 1940, only 7% of Germans were Nazis. How’d that go?” He accompanied the picture with the caption, “The math is staggering when you get to the true #s.”

Also Read: CNN's Rachel Nichols on Tom Brady Legal Win: 'A Lot of Wasted Money on a Few Probably Deflated Footballs'

“Curt’s tweet was completely unacceptable, and in no way represents our company’s perspective,” the sports network said in a statement at the time.

Shilling later issued a formal apology on Twitter, writing, “I understand and accept my suspension. 100% my fault. Bad choices have bad consequences and this was a bad decision in every way on my part.”

21 Biggest Media Missteps of All Time (Photos)

The Washington Post's Fabricated Heroin Child Addict

Janet Cooke, who falsely claimed a master's degree from the University of Toledo, wrote a profile in 1980 for the Washington Post on an 8-year-old heroin addict. The story went viral and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1981. Two days after winning, the Post admitted the story had been fabricated and she resigned.
TheWrap
"The Daily Show's" "Blow Me" Blow Up

In 1997, then-host Craig Kilborn told Esquire in an interview that co-creator Lizz Winstead found him attractive, asserting: "If I wanted her to blow me, she would." He was suspended and she quit some time later.

Also Read: Craig Kilborn: Grilled on His Comeback, the Late-Night Wars
Comedy Central
The New Republic's Shattered Glass

Stephen Glass, formerly a journalist for The New Republic, was discovered to have fabricated almost half of his articles. In 1998, it was revealed that he had invented events, quotes and sources for a number of publications.

Also Read: Jonah Lehrer Compared to Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair by Journalism Professors
CBS News
NY Times' Faulty Coverage of Iraq's Weapons Program

Judith Miller of the New York Times was discovered to have reported on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in 2002 using inaccurate information from unreliable sources. At the time, her articles were used to push the U.S. case for war with Iraq.

Also Read: Jon Stewart Rips Apart Judith Miller Over Iraq Reporting: You Pushed Us Into ‘Devastating’ Mistake
Comedy Central
The New York Times' Trail of Plagiarism

Jayson Blair worked as a journalist for the New York Times before resigning in May 2003 when his editor questioned him about similarities between his work and that of other journalists. Blair later told "Talk of the Nation" that his bad habit started when he grabbed a quote from a press conference that he had not attended.

Also Read: Jayson Blair to Give Speech to Journalism Ethics Institute
OWN
CBS News' Rathergate Affair

Dan Rather, then a correspondent on "60 Minutes," produced a flawed CBS News story in September 2004 that challenged President George W. Bush's National Guard service. Rather used fake documents to show Bush had received special treatment. Once the scandal made news, several CBS producers were fired.

Also Read: Cannes: Sony Classics Buys ‘Truth,’ Robert Redford/Cate Blanchett Film About Dan Rather
Getty Images
Don Imus' "Nappy-Headed Hoes" Slur

CBS fired Don Imus in April 2007 for using racial slurs on his radio program, during which he referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hoes." Opponents protested the show, sponsors pulled advertising and the show was canceled a week later.
Getty Images
Sue Simmons F-Bomb Outburst

WNBC New York news anchor Sue Simmons dropped a serious gaffe in a teaser for the 11 p.m. news in July 2008, yelling "What the f-ck are you doing?" on-air. Simmons was subsequently fired, but loyal fans fueled a #SaveSueSimmons hashtag and encouraged WNBC to bring her back.

Also Read: Sue Simmons, Anchor in F-Word Flap, Leaving New York’s WNBC (Report)
WNBC
Ed Schultz's "Right Wing Slut" Remark

MSNBC host Ed Schultz called rival pundit Laura Ingraham a "right wing slut" in May 2011, resulting in his suspension and later replacement. The slur was in response to Ingraham’s criticism of President Obama’s Ireland trip while tornadoes were devastating the United States.

Also Read: MSNBC’s Ed Schultz Explodes at Caller: ‘Get The F— Out of Here!’ (Audio)
MSNBC
News Corp.'s Phone Hacking Scandal

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation was busted for hacking the phones of celebrities, government officials and members of the British Royal Family on several occasions. The issue became a huge topic after the Guardian reported in July 2011 that the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked by News Corp., leading to the arrests of a number of top company editors.

Also Read: How Rupert Murdoch’s Son James Pulled Off Comeback After NewsCorp’s Hacking Scandal
AP
New York Post's Falsely Portrayed "Bag Men"

Salaheddin Barhoum and Yassine Zaimi were misidentified as the Boston Marathon bombers by the New York Post in April 2013. The publication printed a photo of the men on its front page with the damning headline "Bag Men." They later sued for libel, invasion of privacy and emotional distress.
Washington Post
CBS' Discredited "60 Minutes" on Benghazi

"60 Minutes" correspondent Lara Logan and her producer were asked to take a leave of absence after it was revealed her October 2013 report on Benghazi was flawed. Her eyewitness volunteered information to "60 Minutes" about an attack that differed from the version he told the FBI. She returned six months later.

Also Read: CBS News’ Lara Logan Back in Hospital
CBS
CNN Reporter's Contact High

Reporter Randi Kaye looked a bit under the influence while on air with Anderson Cooper in January 2014. In the "Gone to Pot" segment, Kaye is seen swaying back and forth and giggling while covering the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado.

Also Read: 5 Biggest Whoppers From Donald Trump’s Anderson Cooper Interview

CNN
BuzzFeed's 41 Instances of Plagiarism

In July 2014, Twitter users began noticing familiar phrases between BuzzFeed writer Benny Johnson's articles and those of other websites. BuzzFeed found 41 times when he had plagiarized someone else's work or improperly attributed. He was fired and BuzzFeed issued a statement.

Also Read: BuzzFeed Reporter Sexual Harassment Claims: ‘Mad Men’ Actor’s Rep Disputes; Lawyer Dissects (Exclusive)
HLN News Now
ESPN's Truth or Dare

Bill Simmons was suspended by ESPN for three weeks in September 2014 for his criticism of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of the Ray Rice scandal. He dared ESPN to fire him for speaking out, stating he'd go public about Goodell if anyone punished him. In 2015 Simmons' contract was not renewed.

Also Read: 5 Potential Destinations for Bill Simmons After ESPN Divorce
ESPN
Rolling Stone's Erroneous "A Rape on Campus" Story

Sabrina Rubin Erdely published a story in the Dec. 2014 issue of Rolling Stone that claimed several fraternity members at the University of Virginia raped a woman named "Jackie" during a chapter house party. The story was discredited after other journalists noticed discrepancies in Jackie's story, and Rolling Stone retracted it in Apr. 2015.
Rolling Stone
New Republic's Unwarranted Facelift

Known as the man who bought and subsequently ruined the New Republic, Chris Hughes was blasted in Dec. 2014 by the journalism community for drastically changing the publication. Approximately 50 of the magazine's staffers resigned in protest.

Also Read: The New Republic Owner Chris Hughes on Purchase of Magazine: ‘I F–cked Up’
TheWrap
ESPN's Very Own Goes to War Over Penn State's THON

Keith Olbermann's sharp tongue has gotten him into trouble a few times, including his Twitter war with Penn State students in Feb. 2015 over their annual THON fundraiser. Olbermann mocked the university, which two years earlier had been penalized by the NCAA over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. ESPN suspended him.

Also Read: Keith Olbermann Jokes His Next Job Will Be as ‘Donald Trump’s Campaign Manager’ (Video)
ESPN
Brian Williams' Exaggerated Iraq Experience

"NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams Tells Matt Lauer Suspension Was ‘Torture,’ But ‘Absolutely Necessary’ (Video)" href="https://www.thewrap.com/brian-williams-tells-matt-lauer-suspension-was-torture-video/">Brian Williams admitted in Feb. 2015 that he exaggerated his experience aboard a helicopter that was struck by RPG fire during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Williams was suspended by the network and will return as Brian Williams Demoted to MSNBC Breaking News Anchor" href="https://www.thewrap.com/brian-williams-demoted-to-msnbc-breaking-news-anchor/">a breaking news anchor for MSNBC in August.

Also Read: Insiders: Brian Williams Stumps MSNBC as Executives Debate Anchor’s Role (Exclusive)
Getty Images
ESPN Reporter's Run-In with Towing Company

ESPN reporter Britt McHenry was suspended for a week in Apr. 2015 after a video in which she berates a towing company employee went viral and received heavy public backlash.
Twitter/LiveLeak
Gawker Outs Condé Nast Executive

For the first time in its history, Gawker removed a controversial post in July 2015 that outted Condé Nast's chief financial officer for soliciting a gay porn star. Gawker's executive editor Tommy Craggs and editor-in-chief Max Read both resigned several days later.

Also Read: Is Gawker Still Gawker After Pulling Story About Condé Nast CFO and Gay Porn Star?
Gawker

1 of 21

Gawker’s Condé Nast controversy joins a growing list of spectacular media fails

The Washington Post's Fabricated Heroin Child Addict

Janet Cooke, who falsely claimed a master's degree from the University of Toledo, wrote a profile in 1980 for the Washington Post on an 8-year-old heroin addict. The story went viral and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1981. Two days after winning, the Post admitted the story had been fabricated and she resigned.

View In Gallery

21 Biggest Media Missteps of All Time (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL