ESPN Fires Curt Schilling Over Anti-Transgender Meme

Talking Points Memo has the details:

ESPN announced Wednesday night that it was firing former World Series champion Curt Schilling from his role as a baseball analyst after he posted several anti-transgender memes to his public Facebook profile.

“ESPN is an inclusive company,” ESPN said in a statement. “Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated.”

The memes Schilling posted on Monday appeared to support a recent spate of legislation in various states requiring transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond with their birth sex. After facing intensive criticism online, Schilling doubled down in a lengthy public blog post calling his detractors people “just dying to be offended.”

After taking a day to assess the impact of his posts, ESPN dismissed Schilling.

Schilling has got the network in hot water before. After sharing a meme comparing Muslims to Nazis last August, he was suspended from hosting duties for the duration of the rest of the baseball season. Back on air in February, he received no reprimand for suggesting that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton “should be buried under a jail somewhere.”

Here's the meme Schilling shared which was supposed to represent transgender women:

Of course, the wingnuts have all come out in an outrage, but more interesting is the response from Schilling's wife who took to Facebook to proclaim what a transgender ally Schilling is:

Now, does the person Shonda Schilling describes in her post sound like the "educated" and "loving" person who would post the meme above?  I can't imagine anyone who has trans friends would share that image.

Sneak Peek: 2015 ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue

Bryce Harper

Here's a sneak peek at this year's Body Issue by ESPN. Here's just a little bit of what's inside this year's issue.

Available on newsstands today!

Happy Friday!

Kevin Love

Odell Beckham Jr.

Stan Warwinka

Todd Clever

ESPN Magazine - The Body Issue: Colts Offensive Line

Always one of my Favorite Things - the ESPN Magazine Body Issue.

Check out the video from the Indianapolis Colts Offensive Line shooting their page for the issue.

Happy Tuesday!

ESPN apologizes for Michael Sam "showering habits" report

Michael Sam of the St. Louis Rams

ESPN has posted an apology for it's rather odd reporting on the showering habits of out NFL-er Michael Sams.

'ESPN regrets the manner in which we presented our report,' the network said in a statement Wednesday (27 August).

'Clearly yesterday we collectively failed to meet the standards we have set in reporting on LGBT-related topics in sports.'

In the report it is now apologizing for, reporter Josina Anderson said: 'Another Rams defensive player told me that "Sam is respecting our space." And that, from his perspective, he seems to think that Michael Sam is kind of waiting to take a shower, as not to make his teammates feel uncomfortable.'

Rams defensive end Chris Long sent out this tweet after the segment aired: 'Dear ESPN, everyone but you is over it.'

(via Gay Star News)

Tim Tebow signs with ESPN

Former New England Patriots back-up QB Tim Tebow lands a gig with ESPN.

Via press release from ESPN:

Former Florida quarterback and Heisman winner, Tim Tebow, has been hired as a college football analyst for the SEC Network launching in August 2014.

Through a multi-year agreement, Tebow’s primary role will be as an analyst for SEC Nation, the network’s traveling pregame show that will originate from a different SEC campus each week beginning August 28, 2014.

In the months leading up to launch and after, he will contribute to a variety of ESPN platforms including SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, and the network’s Heisman Trophy coverage, offering in-depth perspective as a legendary Southeastern Conference player.

ESPN Magazine Body issue arrives this week

Joffrey Lupul

The ESPN Body issue arrives this week featuring some very attractive, semi-naked athletes.

The Body Issue for ESPN the magazine is one of the best sellers annually.  Who knew folks were so interested in anatomy?

:)

Check out a few shots below then head over to ESPN for more.

Vernon Davis

Sydney Leroux

Giancarlo Stanton

Matt Harvey

ESPN sports hosts suspended for mocking transgendered athlete

Steve Czaban and Andy Pollin

Transgender woman Gabrielle Ludwig, a Desert Storm veteran, got to fulfill her life-long wishes by going back to college and playing for Contra Costa Community College's basketball team at age 50.

But that didn't stop ESPN radio hosts Steve Czaban and Andy Pollin from brutally degrading her experience and mocking her appearance and calling her "he/she" and "it."

According to Outsports, the radio hosts also say transgender people should not play sports, and conveyed disgusted reactions regarding her appearance.

They have now been suspended. Wrote the station in a statement:

We strongly believe two of our employees crossed the line when discussing a transsexual person on their program last Thursday. Such intolerance and insensitivity will never be tolerated by this company. Due to the nature of this conversation, the pair have been temporarily removed from ESPN980's Sports Reporters program.

Writes GLAAD: "GLAAD has extended an offer to sit down with Czaban and Pollin and leaders from the transgender community to talk about the issues that affect transgender Americans, particularly those who are involved in athletics. It is important that the lesson they take away from this isn't simply 'don't make fun of transgender people or you'll get suspended.'  LGBT equality and inclusion in sports will never improve unless we are able to use these moments to educate each other and see each other as human beings."

 

(source)

Behind the scenes - Rob Gronkowski ESPN Magazine shoot

Since I posted about Rob Gronkowski's photo shoot for the cover of ESPN Magazine, Randy Report reader Desi pointed out this "behind the scenes" video for the shoot.

More Gronk!