While I am not so sure that Franklin should have been fired for this, I understand why ESPN did it....For years they have been called out for being a boys club & with the Harold Reynolds & Steve Phillips incidents still on the publics minds, they had to do it....I hope this 1 incident doesn't tarnish Franklin's career, but unfortunately I think he may have trouble finding employment....
Franklin will find a Job..If Marv Albert can comeback so then will Mr. Franklin
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This is HER SIDE of the Story...
ESPN sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards wants to clear up a few things about Friday's incident where she says she stood up to colleague Ron Franklin after the radio announcer allegedly made sexist comments that led to the network yanking him from Fiesta Bowl coverage this weekend.
In an email to Game On!'s Michael McCarthy, Edwards said she wanted to clarify what exactly happened. The dust-up between Edwards and Franklin was broken by SportsbyBrooks.
First of all, Edwards says Franklin called her "sweet baby," not "sweet cakes." Second, it wasn't Edwards that reported Franklin's behavior to the ESPN brass. It was a colleague who did that, she says. But yes, it's true. Edwards says Franklin did call her an "a--hole."
The trouble started, she said, during a production meeting before Friday's Chick Fil-A Bowl that was also attended by ESPN announcers Rod Gilmore and Ed Cunningham.
Edwards says she was talking with Gilmore about his wife being elected mayor of Alameda, California. After a few minutes, she said Franklin joined in the conversation and said, "Listen to me sweet baby, let me tell you something . . . " with a condescending tone.
Edwards says she told Franklin not to address her like that. To which Franklin said, according to Edwards: "OK, then listen to me a-hole."
She says she told Franklin she didn't appreciate his attitude -- and asked why he was stooping to such levels. Florida Sate head coach Jimbo Fisher then arrived and they proceeded with the meeting. Edwards and Franklin both worked the game.
Afterwards, a colleague reported the incident to ESPN management, she said. SportsbyBrooks said ESPN tried to pull Franklin from the Chick Fil-A coverage that night but didn't have enough time. With the duo scheduled to work together again Saturday night, ESPN decided to pull Franklin from its Fiesta Bowl radio coverage. He was replaced by Dave LaMont.
"We made a late play-by-play change to the Fiesta Bowl radio team," says ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz in a statement. "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."
-- Michael McCarthy
Who was the wuss that Reported the incident..
Had to be Gilmore or Cunningham as they were only others there :shrug:
