Tuesday, July 12, 2011
ESPN, suspend Michael Smith
In his feed at http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith for which he has 95,225 followers, on July 11, 2011:
It started with this, concerning a crash in which a cyclist was hit by a speeding car and another thrown into a barbed wire fence:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90532487813537792
"For real, am I wrong for laughing at that Tour de France crash? Can't get over the driver speeding off as if he didn't know he hit someone!"
and he followed up with discussions with several outraged people, and defended his statement with:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90539435388715008
"I'm sorry that crash is hilarious. Every. Time."
then he dismissed numerous objections with a cavalier:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90606872075321344
"It had far been too long since I'd angered an entire community. Today I've managed offend cyclists everywhere. Guess what? It's still funny."
Finally, he issued this pathetic faux apology:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90613389457502209
"i'd like to apologize to cyclists, people who ride bikes, people who know people who ride bikes, and even paperboys. Happy? I miss anybody?"
Totally and completely unacceptable behavior by an ESPN employee and spokesperson.
Make your opinion known at
It started with this, concerning a crash in which a cyclist was hit by a speeding car and another thrown into a barbed wire fence:
"For real, am I wrong for laughing at that Tour de France crash? Can't get over the driver speeding off as if he didn't know he hit someone!"
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90539435388715008
"I'm sorry that crash is hilarious. Every. Time."
then he dismissed numerous objections with a cavalier:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90606872075321344
"It had far been too long since I'd angered an entire community. Today I've managed offend cyclists everywhere. Guess what? It's still funny."
Finally, he issued this pathetic faux apology:
http://twitter.com/#!/MrMichael_Smith/status/90613389457502209
"i'd like to apologize to cyclists, people who ride bikes, people who know people who ride bikes, and even paperboys. Happy? I miss anybody?"
Totally and completely unacceptable behavior by an ESPN employee and spokesperson.
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Followup:
Excellent articles on this issue followed at:
A petition with over 1,500 signatures at my last check (7/27):
and a truly hilarious video take on it at:
Additionally, you can listen to the Around The Horn broadcast of July 11, 2011 in which all the commentators seemed to find great amusement at the car hitting cyclists in the Tour de France (at the beginning and about 13 minutes into the broadcast):
or a shorter clip is here:
Audioboo / ESPN - Around The Horn - TDF Crash: http://bit.ly/nSyXwk
You may wish to provide feedback to the sponsors of the Around The Horn show via feedback on their websites or at:
http://www.facebook.com/PizzaHut (sponsor)
http://www.facebook.com/hanes (sponsor)
A Facebook page entitled, "Fire Michael Smith of ESPN" (over 480 "likes" at last check on 7/27)
or directly to the individuals on the Around The Horn broadcast on their twitter feeds at:
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July 12, Michael Smith added on his Twitter feed a statement:
"I apologize for my insensitive remarks re: the TdF crash. I recognize my comments were inappropriate given the serious nature of the crash."
then shortly thereafter when someone who sent him a message saying "All of these people attempting to ruin ur life and ur the jerk? It was a joke. Just like these people attacking u. A joke" he responded:
"thanks man. believe me i'm good. not gonna succeed."
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Update July 13: @MrMichael_Smith has deleted the offensive statements from his timeline on Twitter, but not his numerous statements defending them to outraged respondents. Deleting them does not make them unsaid, nor does it change the hilarity in the Around The Horn broadcast.
HERE is a screenshot of the original unexpurgated set of Michael Smith's tweets.
Labels: journalists
