12/21/24
July 25, 2006
Harold Reynolds Leaves ESPN: Another ESPN sports analyst makes his way out the door...
posted by chemwizBsquared to baseball at 04:41 PM - 72 comments
Too bad, I like Harold's wit, humor, and insight. I, for one, will miss his presence, and, I hope Mr. Gammons can make it back to the booth eventually.
posted by mjkredliner at 04:54 PM on July 25, 2006
I fixed your link chemwiz, but I didn't use the yahoo one. It was just a little stub, not really link worthy. Now if Fox will just fire McCarver... my diabolical plan will be complete. Joe Morgan isn't part of that plan? Why wasn't I consulted?
posted by justgary at 04:56 PM on July 25, 2006
Oh PHASE 1 of the diabolical plan will be complete. PHASE 2 involves Morgan, Hazel Mae and an anchor to be named later.
posted by jerseygirl at 05:12 PM on July 25, 2006
thanks justgary, yeah...I don't know what happened...teach me to not be tripletasking at the lab again... but yeah, this has become more precedent around all business...you can casually flirt and all, but don't get too in depth or else you can lose your job over it all... I second firing McCarver too...he is sooooo annoying...
posted by chemwizBsquared at 05:15 PM on July 25, 2006
PHASE 4 Replace Hazel Mae with Kelly the ball girl. Make it happen jersey...
posted by justgary at 05:31 PM on July 25, 2006
ESPN did not give a reason for firing Harold Reynolds. I think the guy was a great baseball analyst and was superb at the college World Series. Wonder if he did something bad?
posted by Truwriter at 05:53 PM on July 25, 2006
and yes there is no one worse than McCarver. His stories are dated and he is the master of the obvious. Heave ho!
posted by Truwriter at 05:55 PM on July 25, 2006
I enjoy(ed) him more than Peter Gammons
posted by sgtcookzane at 06:23 PM on July 25, 2006
.....Wait a minute didn't Michael Irvin get arrested last year for a pipe or something like that and they gave him a week off.
posted by sgtcookzane at 06:24 PM on July 25, 2006
The sad thing is that nobody cares about illegal drugs. You do illegal drugs and you get a slap on the wrist and a "don't do that again" The growing trend is a "one and done" with sexual harrassment...and they don't give second chances...which is the way the policy should be...guys be careful...and BEHAVE
posted by chemwizBsquared at 06:28 PM on July 25, 2006
I don't exactly get why he got the door. I loved his insight. That means Kruk will get to force his rudeness on the others (like Dibble beofre he got fired). I don;t remember any others besides the two getting fired from BBTN. I really miss Gammons and pray for him every night. Morgan and Jon Miller should get the door, too boring, same with McCarver, reminds me of the annoying Yanks announcer (See Ya, Tha Yankees Win). Joe Buck should get the door to hell next to Ken Lay, he is 100% biased towards the Yankees. He was praying in '04 that LaRussa beats the BoSox (Ya Red Sox Nation) for the Ring. I hope his idol, A.K.-Rod, gets traded, although that would mean Mr. Golden Sombrero dons the my Halos Jersey, NEVER, leat him join the Padres. I do not want Bonds as the Ed either, no 'roids in the O.C. Nor Sosa, nor Palmeiro. Manny, yes, he's natural. The best option here: Soriano to the Dodgers, but we all know he's going to Motown. I just read the article. So what he slept with a female employee, if it was consensual. D-Lowe here in L.A. slept with an FSN anchor, and he still gets millions. Go to Wikipedia and type Carolyn Hughes for more info.
posted by Joe88 at 06:46 PM on July 25, 2006
Huh? I read that twice and it still got past me, and I think that may be a good thing.....
posted by mjkredliner at 07:14 PM on July 25, 2006
So what he slept with a female employee, if it was consensual. It's not that he might have slept with a fellow employee, but that he's being accused of hitting on mulitple personal assistants in the office. Basically, ESPN could get sued if they don't fire him because they would be seen as promoting an unhealthy atmosphere for the female employees he was hitting on. If it's true (the accusations), then ESPN has no other choice than to do the right thing and heave Reynolds out of there.
posted by grum@work at 07:15 PM on July 25, 2006
I do not want Bonds as the Ed either, no 'roids in the O.C. Well, Derrick Turnbow pitched for the Angels and he tested positive for a banned substance when he tried out for the US Olympic team in 2003. I'm sure you reigned down scorn upon him in 2003 and 2004.
posted by grum@work at 07:25 PM on July 25, 2006
I liked Reynolds. He knew what he talked about and was more open to saying he was wrong than what Kruck is. And I deffinately hope for the best regarding Peter Gammons.
posted by kidrayter2005 at 07:54 PM on July 25, 2006
Hr will come out as a sexual predator. he was my favorite analyst until this. More or less sexual harrasment on a new white intern. not that color matters but in this case it does
posted by swami at 08:15 PM on July 25, 2006
Human Resources is the sexual predator?
posted by jerseygirl at 08:17 PM on July 25, 2006
Sexual harrassment has made the workplace a bit of a minefield (one person's harmless flirting is another's egregious violation), but it still sounds like Harold totally skipped any gray area, at least if the second and third hand info in the article can be trusted. It's too bad, because he was good at his job, but he's been out of the locker room long enough to know better.
posted by ctal1999 at 08:49 PM on July 25, 2006
If they can fire Human Resources for sexual harrassment then what's next? They'll be looking into legal for conduct unbecoming and accounting could be busted for embezzlement! what is the world coming to. In all seriousness, I have never liked convicting someone (i.e. firing someone and in turn slandering them) without really any sort of trial or evidence. If he is guilty, provide evidence, then fire him, and we can all move on and if there is no evidence than there is no crime, that's the way our legal system is supposed to work.
posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 08:51 PM on July 25, 2006
Please ship Hazel Mae back to Canada. What a beautiful way to get your morning sports fix! I don't really give a rats ass about what happens on espn as we don't get it in Canada, but sexual harrassment anywhere is DEPLORABLE!
posted by tommybiden at 08:56 PM on July 25, 2006
worth noting as the note at the end points out: The sexual harassment allegations are even more laughable when you consider that he is being replaced by Steve Phillips -- a man who has never met a skirt he wouldn't chase and who was caught in one of the more embarrassing front office sexual harassment scandals in MLB history." kinda interesting to think about. even more interesting is the idea thrown out just before that line that says he had a meltdown because of ESPN's coverage of arod. which is kinda believable to me since, sportscenter, baeball tonight et al would cause my ass to meltdown if i had to deal with it on a daily basis. espn teevee sports news coverage in general has pretty much sucked ass for quite awhile now. maybe harold just woke up to it.
posted by oliver_crunk at 08:58 PM on July 25, 2006
Is everyone speculating that it was sexual harassment or was there something out in print on that?
posted by Truwriter at 09:32 PM on July 25, 2006
Turnbow is no friend of mine, I am an Angels fan, and a baseball fan against substance abuse. BTW, Buster Olney is another Yankee-lover who needs the door. I don't think he's a predator, he doesn't look like one.
posted by Joe88 at 09:37 PM on July 25, 2006
I don't think Reynolds was the greatest announcer ever by any stretch, but he was genuinely positive and good spirited without being over the top- which made him pretty unique at the modern day ESPN, which is full of people who are either complete fakes, complete idiots (Kruk, Morgan), way over the top (Stuart Scott) or completely negative (Steven A., Bayless, Rome, etc.) So yeah, I'll miss Reynolds. One less reason to watch ESPN- and there are damn few of them these days.
posted by tieguy at 10:03 PM on July 25, 2006
"Too bad, I like Harold's wit, humor, and insight. I, for one, will miss his presence, and, I hope Mr. Gammons can make it back to the booth eventually." I hear you mjkredliner. I really like Harold, he was cool with me. I hope Gammons comes back soon. tieguy: "...which made him pretty unique at the modern day ESPN, which is full of people who are either complete fakes, complete idiots (Kruk, Morgan), way over the top (Stuart Scott)... " SS is cool man. He's just spirited about his job. That's cool with me.
posted by STUNNER at 10:14 PM on July 25, 2006
I liked Harold Reynolds and am sorry to see him go but if it was harassment then he had to go. So, who's that leave doing baseball analysis for ESPN while Gammons is recovering? Please don't tell me Stuart Scott is gonna start filling in, that would be more annoying that Berman on loud(er) pills. truwriter, the linked story has multiple rumors in it saying it was sexual haroldment, I mean harassment.
posted by fenriq at 10:15 PM on July 25, 2006
Over the weekwnd, when they talked about A-rod, I got a feeling that Harold wasnt buying the company line--I got the feeling that soemthing was up. This whole A-rod slumping thing is a big over-hyped mess. ESPN is out maming headlines again!
posted by daddisamm at 01:05 AM on July 26, 2006
ESPN once again gets rid of one of their best analysts. Any network that employs Dana Jacobson and Jay Crawford needs to have their heads examined. Harold Reynolds knew what he was talking about, most of the other people do not.
posted by tim at 03:05 AM on July 26, 2006
Jay Crawford may have the personality of a turnip, and his eyes are so close together in his head he's called the Cyclops around the studios, but if the allegations are true, at least he doesn't dry-hump the help.
posted by chicobangs at 03:13 AM on July 26, 2006
Zing. HR moving to Fox? You think they might try to pick him up?
posted by igottheblues at 03:25 AM on July 26, 2006
espn teevee sports news coverage in general has pretty much sucked ass for quite awhile now. Harold was one of the few respectable personalites left on ESPN. Its too bad we can't fire ESPN. They have pretty much sucked ass for quite some time now.
posted by panteeze at 05:19 AM on July 26, 2006
Now, if jerseygirl could just get Berman, Kruk, Stuart Scott and Scott Van Pelt to hit on her, she could get the whole annoying bunch of 'em fired in one fell swoop. Go jersey go!
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:45 AM on July 26, 2006
More or less sexual harrasment on a new white intern. not that color matters but in this case it does Good to know.
posted by yerfatma at 06:14 AM on July 26, 2006
now, if football would just send Madden packing, it would be all good
posted by ptluigi at 06:43 AM on July 26, 2006
Has anyone else noticed how ESPN has become the Red Sox and Patriots home channels. I think they have lost all objectivity concerning their coverage. HR and Peter Gammons were at least objective in their reporting. Like my father always said, "it takes two to tangle", and sexual harrassment only has to be claimed and not proven for both employees to be shown the door. I wish the best for HR and Fox.
posted by Jayhawkbruce at 07:11 AM on July 26, 2006
We're gonna miss you HR, please hurry back Gammons. I don't think I can take Kruk, Philips, and some of the other guys they have thrown out there. Has anyone seen how terrible Orel Hershisher is? I understand he was a great pitcher, but a great analyst he is not!
posted by sublime4390116 at 08:25 AM on July 26, 2006
You don't have to fire employees for sexual harrassment. You just have to do something. Make him go to sensitivity training, take away his personal assistants, do not let him supervise anyone. There are tons of things that you can do to limit your liability in a sexual harrassment suit that does not involve firing a very important employee. However, if it is true that he isn't buying the ARod slamming company line and would like to be credible and objective, then firing him for sexual harrassment works well for ESPN. ESPN has shown repeatedly that they do not value analysts with in-depth knowledge of sports and credibility. They would rather have lots of hype and showiness. This is just another step down that path.
posted by bperk at 08:56 AM on July 26, 2006
"Three people who work at ESPN and were familiar with the case said the cause was a pattern of sexual harassment, apparently culminating in a recent incident involving one of the network's young production assistants." There's probably not much you can do to limit your liability when the guy's been told before. Seems like the real loser in this is Mike Tirico: every single article I've read mentions him as a "serial offender". If it weren't for Hal'd Reynolds getting gropey, I'd never have known that bridge troll Tirico had the self-confidence to approach a woman, much less offend her through speech.
posted by yerfatma at 09:19 AM on July 26, 2006
"Like my father always said, "it takes two to tangle" It's tango, isn't it?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 09:20 AM on July 26, 2006
the ny post has a quote from reynolds. he said it was just a hug that was misinterpreted.
posted by goddam at 09:32 AM on July 26, 2006
This is such a shocking firing. It reminds me of when all of the sudden .... Keith Olberman is no longer employed at ESPN. That broke what was arguably the best tandem sportscasters any network had with Olberman & Dan Patrick. So this does not surprise me. As far as the reasoning, just like with Olberman, we may never know. I personally think there may be some truth to the sexual harassman claims, but after the last entry as to Harold being sick & tired of the A-Rod bashing, this is more likely the real reason he was let go. Harold was also right in defense of A-Rod. So the guy is going thru a minor slump. Most other players in the league who would be in a similar slump, would not even be considered in a slump. The media and the fans of New York are way to spoiled and hard on their players. So, I say HOO-RAY! for Harold for standing up for his beliefs ... if this voice of oppinion is really what was the final straw for Reynolds.
posted by GoHorns at 09:43 AM on July 26, 2006
the ny post has a quote from reynolds. he said it was just a hug that was misinterpreted. OOPS! I stand corrected. Thanks gd
posted by GoHorns at 09:47 AM on July 26, 2006
Most sexual harrassment policies have a step one solution that the alleged offender just stop the behavior that is making the other person uncomfortable. It becomes a big problem when the person doing the harrassing doesn't stop after this initial step. The company, in this case ESPN, is obligated to do something in the interests of the person claiming to be harrassed, not the person allegedly doing the harrassing. Obviously this whole harrassment issue brings up the possiblility of an individual "claiming" sexual harrassment in order to get someone in trouble. But any decent company should have a sexual harrassment committee that looks into these claims seriously. Places of employment are only under pressure to make sure sexual harrassment is not allowed to continue, and often will err on the side of caution. But in a place the size of ESPN, it would have to be something that has gone on fairly frequently for them to fire someone as high-profile as Reynolds. If they didn't have substantial proof, they'd be opening themselves up for major, major defamation of character lawsuit otherwise.
posted by dyams at 09:55 AM on July 26, 2006
Harold Reynolds got 44 comments? Some oone should tell him - it's more press then he got during his career. Never watched him on ESPN, only heard him recently at the All-Star game. However, from what I'm told ESPN is a bit of a frat house boys club. Like you'd imagine any Sports network to be.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:07 AM on July 26, 2006
rumor has it rush limbaugh will be taking over reynolds spot. Regis and dennis miller are contending
posted by swami at 10:11 AM on July 26, 2006
He said that he just hugged someone. I think he is a great analyst and did anyone know that Peter Gammons doesn't wear socks?
posted by Clevelander32 at 10:32 AM on July 26, 2006
Just "hugged" someone? Did he think he was back in first grade? I will donate a liver to any ESPN PA who get's Joe Morgan to hug her. Both livers if the PA is a guy.
posted by ?! at 11:09 AM on July 26, 2006
I will donate a liver to any ESPN PA who get's Joe Morgan to hug her. Both livers if the PA is a guy. The first part is a sign of dedication (and suicidal). The second part is impossible. Me thinks you meant kidneys. And one person's "hug" is another person's "press your breasts against my chest and let me run my hands around your back and ass".
posted by grum@work at 11:20 AM on July 26, 2006
Oh, the things I would do if I had an extra liver. Well, it's nothing I'm not doing now, but still.
posted by chicobangs at 11:40 AM on July 26, 2006
did anyone know that Peter Gammons doesn't wear socks? It's a New England thing. There are whole strata of Newport Society where such a thing is de rigeur.
posted by yerfatma at 11:51 AM on July 26, 2006
If it weren't for Hal'd Reynolds getting gropey, I'd never have known that bridge troll Tirico had the self-confidence to approach a woman, much less offend her through speech. I'm with fatty, this is rather shocking/hilarious news about Tirico. Possibly the second to last person(next to gammons) I would have suspected of harassment. HR on the other hand seems like a more likely canidate. Quick poll; when is the last time you have hugged a coworker at work?
posted by tron7 at 12:00 PM on July 26, 2006
Is 'co-wroker at work' redundant? Should have pproofread.
posted by tron7 at 12:11 PM on July 26, 2006
Yeah I mean, outside of work, they're probably just some random brainless asshole, not a coworker. I don't hug random brainless assholes.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:17 PM on July 26, 2006
If we're all out for drinks after work or something, that's a slightly different story, but hugging someone in the actual work environment? A real hug? It's been years. It just doesn't happen. When I was tending bar, it happened every once in a while. But that's, again, a different situation, and you still had to be absolutely clear what the difference was between appropriate and inappropriate workplace contact. Most people are okay with that stuff, but those who don't, don't mess around. As far as the Tirico thing, well, you can see that for all his verbosity, he's not good with the people skills, especially in a workplace where if you're not an actual former professional athlete (and sometimes even if you were), then the fratty assholes who did formerly play the game constantly question your habits, manliness and sexuality, often on air. Which, Quite Frankly, bugs the shit out of me.
posted by chicobangs at 12:17 PM on July 26, 2006
My workplaces have been pretty relaxed about stuff like that. My current job has people who have been here 20 and 30 years and they hug each other all the time -- sometimes just when they are leaving for the freakin' weekend. My last job hired a lot of fresh-out-of-college kids who have more lax rules about such things, so there was plenty of office romances and just random hugging and casualness.
posted by bperk at 01:12 PM on July 26, 2006
I hug my co-workers usually in a Happy Hour/Company Picnic setting. I also have a bad habit of dating co-workers so my opinion is shit when it comes to this topic.
posted by HATER 187 at 02:31 PM on July 26, 2006
If we're all out for drinks after work or something, that's a slightly different story there's a rumor that the hug may have taken place at an outback steakhouse.
posted by goddam at 02:38 PM on July 26, 2006
About Harold Reynolds: Too bad. He wasn't the worst I've ever heard. Being too "touchy-feely" at work is a real bad idea. Even something consensual can be harrassment if one person is in a position of power over the other. Has anyone else noticed how ESPN has become the Red Sox and Patriots home channels We New Englanders were thinking that it was more like the White Sox & Steelers love-in channel. Morgan and Jon Miller should get the door Morgan's OK, but I get real tired of John Miller having an orgasm over a routine fly ball to center in the late innings of a blowout. While on the subject of broadcasters who grate upon our sensibilities, of course McCarver leads the field. Has he ever read a rule book? Joe Buck is not even a shadow of his father, but J Bucks restaurant in Clayton, MO, is pretty good. Now it's time to expose myself for the heretic I am. Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy are beginning to drive me up a wall. Could we please describe the baseball game, and forget about all the other crap they get into. Last, but not least, my pet peeve. An uncaught foul is NOT a foul tip. In order to be a foul tip, the ball must come directly from the bat to the catcher without hitting anything else, and then be caught by the catcher. A foul tip is still in play (runners may advance and so on), but an uncaught foul is a dead ball. Please, announcers, get it right.
posted by Howard_T at 03:02 PM on July 26, 2006
In this crazy world we live in nothing suprises me anymore. I have been a long time fan of baseball since the 1960 Yankees lost to the Pirates. I grew up in an era when baseball was truly a game. Baseball Tonight without HR should now be known as Baseball Good Night. The game has changed soooooooo much, whatever happen to the knock down pitch, taking a guy out at second, knocking out the catcher at home and above all a true strike zone. HR might not have been the greatest player ever, but he was excellent on BT. I guess it's like I heard earlier this week, The Negro League Players will be inducted on a one time basis (crazy statement). I have forgotten more great games and seen more great players (live) than all of the hosts @ Baseball Tonight combined, but who cares about that it's only about the ratings and I guess just like me HR does not fit the profile. If fans would have grew and seen Mantle, Maris, Gibson, Aaron, Kofax, Drysdale, McCovey, Rose(yea I said Rose), Clete Boyer, Mudcat Grant and above all #21 The Great One, the best pure hitter hands down to ever put on a uniform. Then there is the greatest all around player to ever play the game, Mr. Mays need I go on, only a true trooper of the game knows what I am saying and these fans would really learn to love baseball. Thanks HR for your insight, wisdom and trust me you are respected greatly Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. Always remember there is no greater fan than a fan from Brooklyn. PS please put Pete in the Hall of Fame.
posted by diehardyankeefan101 at 03:19 PM on July 26, 2006
Are there any REAL baseball fans out there I can chat with? Not the bandwagon fans who wear all the gear and can't even tell you the starting line-up for a yankee team from 1960-1964, those were great yankee teams, even though and I hate to say it " The Pirates" beat us in 1960,and the Dodgers in 63' as a yankee fan my heart still sinks every time I even think of those years. Can anyone out there tell me what were the outcomes of The World Series' from 1961-1964.
posted by diehardyankeefan101 at 03:36 PM on July 26, 2006
GD's rumor link makes the firing seem even more bogus. Suddenly, ESPN noticed that they had a ton of complaints against the guy. They took absolutely no action first and then firing was the first remedial step they took. Seems even more likely that this was their excuse to fire someone that they wanted to fire anyway.
posted by bperk at 03:38 PM on July 26, 2006
Apparently the incident occured not at work but at an Outback Steakhouse and not actually at ESPN.
posted by tron7 at 03:43 PM on July 26, 2006
Yeah, well, then, all bets are off. That 9800-calorie fried onion contraption is enough to give even the most pious sports analyst the vapors. He was clearly under the influence, and can't be held responsible for his actions. And you know what they say: What happens at the Outback, stays at the Outback.
posted by chicobangs at 03:55 PM on July 26, 2006
OK, OK, You got me. The offer was written like a car commercial. You'll notice that at no point did I say "my" liver. My wife is visiting her mother and left two livers in the fridge. I figure I have three days to get rid of them. The last time I hugged a co-worker? When an employee in the same building went on a killing spree.
posted by ?! at 04:33 PM on July 26, 2006
We were given two months notice that the company was bankrupt and we all to find new jobs. So for those two months there was plenty of hugging (and handshaking) as one by one people started leaving for thier new job. There are rumors of more intimate things, but who would really care, we were all being "fired" eventually anyway.
posted by MrFrisby at 05:25 PM on July 26, 2006
whatever happen to the knock down pitch, taking a guy out at second, knocking out the catcher at home Guys started making more than $10/hour playing and decided, by tacit agreement, they wouldn't try to end each other's careers.
posted by yerfatma at 06:07 PM on July 26, 2006
diehardyankeefan101 I grew up when baseball was truly a game. Not to be confused with the um, er, GAME it is now! One of us owes somebody an explanation. By the way, ?!, if them are any kin to Mantle's livers, you may have a hard time gettin rid of 'em.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:16 PM on July 26, 2006
That 9800-calorie fried onion contraption is enough to give even the most pious sports analyst the vapors. He was clearly under the influence, and can't be held responsible for his actions. That's funny as freakin' hell. I love the use of "contraption."
posted by dyams at 07:44 AM on July 27, 2006
That 9800-calorie fried onion contraption But is it really an onion? There may be a connection here between ?!'s livers and this onion thing. What is ?!'s wife doing collecting livers, anyway. I'm beginning to get very, very worried about the denizens of SpoFi. Just think of this. Harold Reynolds getting dismissed has turned into one of the funnier threads I've seen here. Hmmm...
posted by Howard_T at 08:40 AM on July 27, 2006
You know what probably happened? They're all hanging out at Outback Steakhouse, choking down grease-laden, Australian-themed crapola, it's somebody's going away party, so they're drinking warm Foster's by the pitcher, laughing, crying, and hugging up on each other, and Harold made the socially crippling mistake of hugging a co-worker while he had an erection. It happens. We very often have no control over these things. I blame jerseygirl.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:48 AM on July 28, 2006
Good. Now if Fox will just fire McCarver... my diabolical plan will be complete.