ESPN suspends analyst Parker for comments about RGIII
ESPN announced on its website Friday that it has suspended commentator Rob Parker, who questioned the “blackness” of Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III while on the air a day earlier.
“Following yesterday’s comments, Rob Parker has been suspended until further notice,” spokesman Jos Krulewitz said in a statement. “We are conducting a full review.”
The spokesman made no further comment on the matter.
ESPN earlier quickly responded to the racially charged comments, calling them “inappropriate” and hinting the network may take some action against him.
“The comments were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps,” David Scott, ESPN’s director of communications, said on Twitter.
During a segment of ESPN’s “First Take” on Thursday, Parker said:
“Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?
“He’s not really. He’s black, he kind of does his thing, but he’s not really down with the cause. He’s not one of us. He’s kind of black, but he’s not really like the guy you really want to hang out with, because he’s off to something else.
“… I want to find about about him. I don’t know because I keep hearing these things. We all know he has a white fiancée, then there was all this talk about he’s a Republican. … I’m just trying to dig deeper into why he has an issue because we did find out with Tiger Woods — Tiger Woods was like ‘I have black skin but don’t call me black.’”
Parker’s comments came in the wake of remarks Griffin made after practice Wednesday — in response to reporters’ questions about race — and reported in USA Today:
“For me, you don’t ever want to be defined by the color of your skin. You want to be defined by your work ethic, the person that you are, your character, your personality. That’s what I’ve tried to go out and do.
“I am an African-American in America. That will never change. But I don’t have to be defined by that.”
Griffin’s father told USA Today that Parker “needs to define what ‘one of us’ is. That guy needs to define that. I wouldn’t say it’s racism. I would just say some people put things out there about people so they can stir things up,” Robert Griffin II said.
“Robert is in really good shape on who he is, where he needs to get to in order to seek the goals he has in life … so I don’t take offense.”
RGIII didn’t respond directly but he did tweet that “I’m thankful for a lot of things in life and one of those things is your support. Thank you.”
(Commenting closed. Please enjoy the wide range of views on this topic)
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357 comments Add your comment
REJ
December 14th, 2012
6:40 pm
The WORLD needs more RGIII’s…in and out of athletics He is intelligent, articulate, humble, and has a higher calling than most would comprehend, esp the Parker dude. What might surprise a lot of folks is that RGIII completed a rigorous academic prgram at Baylor University, a not-so-easy-to-get-in university (he was also recruited by Stanford and others)…and he did it in under 4 years. As I understand it, he also weighed attending law school before deciding to declare for the draft. Kudos to his parents as well!
DMAN
December 14th, 2012
6:45 pm
How can you not like this man,how bout his deal with the socks
he wears.Parker sure sounds like a brother that dont like a
brother speaking like a white boy!
Jim Terwiliger
December 14th, 2012
7:11 pm
You know Rush Limbaugh is having a field day with this
Lance
December 14th, 2012
7:43 pm
“Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” is pretty much all I hear from most of those “commentators.”
Sometimes they just turn up the volume and start yelling at one another, and it sounds like “BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!” “No, you BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
Crystal
December 14th, 2012
7:48 pm
Tiger Woods is also biracial. His mother is Thai and father is black. From his childhood, he was taught that excellence has no color. RG3 was taught the very same thing by his parents.
Sebastian Valmont
December 14th, 2012
7:49 pm
LOL @ Cornball brother… who is this guy Rob Parker anyway? Never even heard of him before this. Who cares if RGIII has a white fiance’ .. what exactly is being down for the cause? Let that man be who he is and keep your narrow minded opinions to yourself. SMH… the world we live in.
thatswhatisaid
December 14th, 2012
7:58 pm
well this does not approach logic,high level thought ,or any facisimile of reason !! what or who is this parker fella speaking of hanging out with !!
Timon
December 14th, 2012
7:58 pm
All in all we’re just another brick in the wall
truth
December 14th, 2012
7:59 pm
I agree with QuestionerInChief below. This is the white man’s fault that Parker said these racist things. He is the victim here.
Ravens’ Ngata not fined for hits on RGIII – USA TODAY | Top News Daily
December 14th, 2012
8:09 pm
[...] of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. (Photo: Alex Brandon, AP) …ESPN suspends analyst Parker for comments about RGIIIAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)ESPN suspends commentator Rob Parker for comments about Redskins [...]
45ACP
December 14th, 2012
8:17 pm
If you are an intelligent, well spoken and successful black person in America these days you are not down with the cause? What the hell does that even mean?
melvinowens
December 14th, 2012
8:24 pm
i think rg3 is a good quarterback, and i do not care if he votes republican or has a white fiancee. this espn analyst needs to get a life
Dawg Talk
December 14th, 2012
8:28 pm
He just kinda does his thing…………last time I checked, that was called FREEDOM in this country. People of all races are afforded the same opportunity in America, some take advantage of it, some just sit on their ass & do nothing. The one thing all self-made millionaires have in common….motivation! Martin Luther King Jr was Republican, but most blacks don’t want to discuss that at all. The democrats want to keep all blacks in their party, like it is a plantation & they can’t leave it & become successful individuals. I think it’s great when anyone who works hard is rewarded for their hard work & dedication. RGIII has worked hard for everything he has, no one gave him ANYTHING, he earned it. If the remarks made by this guy are not racist, the sky is not blue! If RGIII is Republican, that’s his choice, deal with it! You can still choose in America, kinda like looking at a menu in a restaurant……you choose what you WANT to eat!
Anotherarmybrat
December 14th, 2012
9:37 pm
RGIII is the same as some other entertainers and sports figures. He is the lucky child of a career soldier. In RGIII’s case both parents were or are US Army. I say he is lucky because as an Army brat he got to move around the country and the world. He got more of a chance to develop into a person with few or any racial hang ups. The person attacking or trying to make RGIII be what he thinks a black man should be and is off the air, hopefully for good. Yea, I am a Army Brat.
atlien052
December 14th, 2012
9:51 pm
@Dawg Talk –
You are right. Unfortunately, FREEDOM is only a one-way street for many of the so-called “activists” in the African American community. President Obama faced the same criticism when he first came out as a viable candidate for the presidency. To those “activists,” a black man must look, act, and behave a certain way in order to have any credibility. There is a whole cottage industry of “activists” and race-baiters–Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, and others–whose entire career is based on finding and creating racial tension in this country and mock African Americans who might not fit what their definition of what a black man/woman should be.
I’m an ESPN fanatic and have never heard of Rob Parker, so I guess he’s trying to both gain credibility with those race-baiters and add a little notoriety to his own name. I wouldn’t worry if I were Mr. Parker though. I’m sure he could always move from ESPN to MSNBC (or even NBC) and be applauded by his colleagues for spreading his vitriol, but I digress…
tom
December 14th, 2012
10:18 pm
Termination is the only acceptable action. Don’t give him the opportunity to apologize or say it is not what he meant.
stephen
December 14th, 2012
10:36 pm
Glad he didn’t call him a cornhole brother.
Columbus
December 14th, 2012
11:05 pm
Parker is the racist and IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY. PARKER WOULD RATHER HAVE WAR AND A FIGHT THAN PEACE AND HARMONY. HE WANTS A DIVIDED NATION. HE IS SAYING ITS WRONG FOR A BLACK MAN TO BE REPUBLICAN?! Parker needs to GO. OUT OF THIS COUNTRY….He is trying to get people to NOT like Griffin for political reasons?! Many people are NOT Democrats for reason as simple as they are Christians and WANT this nation to remain dedicated to God and to do His will or dont agree with abortion for birth control or marriage is to be between a man and a woman or they dont believe in HUGE govt….Parker is saying NOTHING ELSE matters and a black person MUST be Democrat or they are looked down upon?! Parker is the one who should be looked down upon for his NARROW RACIST MIND!
Bye bye Parker….glad you exposed your RACIST self and your agenda. A hater. A divider. POISON to America. Racist. Shameful american who should not be in sports but hanging out with the Black Panthers or someting. Another divisive and violent racist group….
dan-bar
December 14th, 2012
11:06 pm
Parker is an idiot. Here RGIII says something that sounds remarkably like something Dr. King would say (or did say) and this bozo says he is not black enough! Maybe Parker and anyone who agrees with him should reevaluate the meaning of the word ‘racist’. Hats off to RGIII for being a kick-ass athlete and a respectable person.
Columbus
December 14th, 2012
11:26 pm
The black leadership in this country used to want equality and a fair opportunity and they were right for fighting for that because things were not fair. Things changed for the good and in this century and decade there have been so many black people that have achieved success. It is out there for the taking IF its taken. There is no excuse. We cannot help those that will not help themselves. Plain and simple. Individulas are responsible for their lives. They need to decide to get out of their circimstance by education and hard work like the rest of us. They can be a Democrat, Republican, whatever they want. To say they betrayed their “people” because they are Republican or have a white fiance is so wrong on so many levels…does Parker have a problem with inter-racial marriage also? Well he needs to get the heck out of sports because at least half the black men do have white girlfriends and wives! What is this guys deal? He is TOO POLITICAL. TOO RACISTS. HE IS THE PROBLEM WITH NATION. HIM AND PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MENTALITY….WHATS HIS FIGHT? DOWN WIT HTHE WHITE MAN? ENOUGH IS NEVER ENOUGH? WHATS HIS CAUSE? WHAT ABOUT LOVE FOR ALL AMERICANS? EQUALITY? LETS ALL GET ALONG….HE JUST WANTS A FIGHT AND LIVES IN A BOX…..COME INTO THE 21ST CENTURY PARKER, THE 1970′S ARE LONG GONE…..WE ALL AHVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AND MOST COME FROM LOW INCOME OR MODEST UPBRINGING WHAT PATH WE TAKE DECIDES OUR FUTURE….STAY IN SCHOOL OR DROP OUT? WORK OR HANG OUT IN THE HOOD? GET A SKILL OR DEAL DRUGS OR STEAL? ITS THE DECISION ALL PEOPLE MUST MAKE….YOU NEED ROLE MODELS IN THE HOOD, NOT POLITICAL FIGHTS! WORK, LEARN, EARN, DETERMINATION…..PARKER IS STILL WANTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING FOR THOSE WHO OTHERWISE WONT DO THE THINGS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN THIS NATION….HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND SO SHOULD THOSE THAT THINK LIKE HIM! WE SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF HIM AND SO SHOULD THOSE WHO RAISED HIM….HE NEEDS TO GET OUT THE DARK AGES….AND STOP DIVIDING THIS NATION….IS HE AFRAID THAT HANDOUTS MIGHT BE CUT BACK TO THOSE WHO DONT WANNA WORK HARD OR DO WHATS NEEDED? DO YOU KNOW THERE IS SO MANY HANDOUTS NOW THAT IF YOU MAKE 29,000 AND HAVE A COUPLE KIDS AND WANT TO DO THINGS SO YOU CAN MAKE ANYMORE THAT ITS NOT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO TAKE A JOB THAT MAKES 59,000 ! BECAUSE YOU WILL LOSE SO MUCH IN HANDOUTS YOU ARE BETTER OFF EARNING 29,000 AND LET THE REST OF THE TAXPAYERS PAY HALF OF YOUR EXISTENCE! NOT AN INCENTIVE TO GET HIGHER PAY IS IT?! THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKE PARKER HAS DONE TO THIS NATION…TAKE FROM THOSE WHO DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO INSTEAD OF SELF-RELIANCE AND IMPROVEMENT! NOW YOU ARE PENALIZED IF YOU GO FROM 29,000 TO 55,000 IF YOU HAVE A COUPLE KIDS…SO WHO IS GONNA LOSE THEIR FREE BENEFITS WHEN TAXPAYERS WILL DOUBLE WHAT YOU NOW MAKE FOR FREE?!!!! AND PARKER JUST WANTS MORE…..I KNOW PLENTY OF MINORITIES THAT ARE REPUBLICANS PARKER….THEY HAVE MORE VALUES THAN THEIR SKIN COLOR ONLY. LIKE YOU. YOU RACIST.
Columbus
December 14th, 2012
11:26 pm
I KNOW PLENTY OF MINORITIES THAT ARE REPUBLICANS PARKER….THEY HAVE MORE VALUES THAN THEIR SKIN COLOR ONLY. LIKE YOU. YOU RACIST.
you can't fix stupid or Democrats
December 14th, 2012
11:32 pm
You realy can’t fix stupid no matter what color it comes in.
HAN
December 15th, 2012
12:27 am
Hey mister over-much righteous Chicagotoatlanta: I lived in the Chicago area for several years in the 80s, and I can match the racist attitudes I saw up there with anything you have seen in the south. Racism exists in the heart, not just a geographic area.
So don’t hand me this idea that people from the south are more racist. They are no different up there.
Scooby
December 15th, 2012
12:32 am
@ 45ACP
“If you are an intelligent, well spoken and successful black person in America these days you are not down with the cause? What the hell does that even mean?”
MLK, Malcolm, Barack, ………..the list goes on. Are down with the cause and they meet the criteria you listed. The cause is being proud to be black, nothing more, nothing less. I think RGIII is black, nothng more, nothing less. However, if you’re a black man living in America, you may not agree with Mr. Parker, but you sure understand what he means. There is nothing racist about his comments, perhaps you should seek to understand the meaning of that word.
moon cricket
December 15th, 2012
5:44 am
..and the world still struggles to grasp the fact that blacks and minorities can be just as racist as everyone else. fire that guy, label him a racist because that’s the version of equality everyone seems to want when it’s in their favor.
dcstan
December 15th, 2012
6:27 am
Steven said to Rob, I am uncomfortable with this conversation and big mouth with no brain kept spouting off. Hey Rob what Steven realize what you didn’t realize was that you were not in a barbershop you were on National TV. What’s said in a barbershop stays in a barbershop. What you said about RG3 could be said about you look at the way you dress you are a Cornball brotha to me and i’ve never heard that term before and I have been a Black man all of my life. what nonsense. Furthermore what you said was inapporpriate for the audience you were in front of. You should be fired for being so stupid. That is a conversation you keep within in the family.
dcstan
December 15th, 2012
6:39 am
One more thing for those of you calling Rob Racist. shut up please. this is an inner family dispute that have nothing to do with you all so keep quiet and stay out of our business.
Forest Gump
December 15th, 2012
7:11 am
Stupid is what stupid does
Honey boy
December 15th, 2012
7:52 am
Perfect rant Columbus…nailed it!
Exactly.the problem in race relations….let me ask any one of you…if you owned a business, would you hire someone in front of you dressed up in the ” hood costume” ..hat on sideways, pants hanging down to the bottom of you ass, bling, gold grills, dreads…etc. c’mon…just look at this idiot and he would be out the door! Or would he…. Oops, based on these comments, it’s all racist if you don’t hire this clown! C’mon, guys…you are what you want people to perceive you to be….
I’ll hire any candidate, I’ve just hired 28 new recruits since April…if they open their mouth and I can’t understand them or if they can’t articulate themselves, it doesn’t matter if they’re black white pink or purple, and you look like that….just ain’t happening….
Steve
December 15th, 2012
8:05 am
I am an even bigger fan now of RGIII. Well spoken Robert!!!!
romeo
December 15th, 2012
8:37 am
This is what he meant by cornball Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Kordell Steward sand RGlll . There are a lot of BROTHERS and SISTERS that just want to be free of being looked at as a BLACK athelet they just want to play and be reconized for their play. Rob all most went there at least he did not bring up the issue that RGlll is gay inlack barber shops. the .
GFJacket
December 15th, 2012
9:03 am
Ok….let’s get past all the generalities and challenge Parker to produce specifics.
To Parker:
Name five things that RG3 should be doing that he is not that would make him more acceptable to you.
Name five things is doing that he should stop doing that would make him more acceptable to you.
Those lists from Parker would really liven the conversation.
Gene
December 15th, 2012
9:29 am
Parker is an obnoxious jerk. I guess that “being one of us” means being a racist jerk. Parker should be fired. Anything short of that is an ESPN double standard.
Buford '78
December 15th, 2012
9:38 am
RGIII said he wanted to be judged based on the principles that Dr King preached. Guess that’s not the ideal anymore. Shame
romeo
December 15th, 2012
9:43 am
Rob should not have been suspended for what he said if you read what he said . The problem is none of us know how to handel others and our selves when we are talking about a black person that does not talk, and act BLACK what ever that is. Tiger Woods,LeBron James,Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson ,Condalisa Rice Collen Powell and many others don’t act BLACK and what does being a republican have to do with race ? As you can see this race thing is really crazy. I am from the HOOD but I am not HOOD so what does that mean do you see what I am saying. If a black person is not angery and showing it does this not make them black enough.
Tom O
December 15th, 2012
9:45 am
Comments are sad and ignorant. ESPN should fire him. If he was white and made the exact same comments there would be no question. Nothing short of dismissal is acceptable
Sam in GA
December 15th, 2012
9:49 am
This guy needs to be fired for these comments. ESPN must send a message loud and clear, racist comments will not be allowed from it’s on air staff.
phillip
December 15th, 2012
9:55 am
the biggest thing that shocked me was Stephen A. Smith being rendered nearly speechless.
romeo
December 15th, 2012
10:20 am
Rob should not have been suspended for what he said if you read what he said . The problem is none of us know how to handel others and our selves when we are talking about a black person that does not talk, and act BLACK what ever that is. Tiger Woods,LeBron James,Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson ,Condalisa Rice Collen Powell and many others don’t act BLACK and what does being a republican have to do with race ? As you can see this race thing is really crazy. I am from the HOOD but I am not HOOD. So what does that mean do you see what I am saying? If a black person is not angery and showing it does this not make them black enough? There willb e far more questions than right answers to these types of questions. Let’s take in another step feather .What about mixed people where do they fit in what are they are they black or are they white and who is making the rules? Eduication,eduication,eduication is really the key. I know that there are a lot of eduicated fools out here. But the more people who go to school and finish will be able to look pass this color issue. I am a older black man I have seen real racism in all forms and there are many . Black people need to defind what,and who we are or should I say re defind who,and what we are. There was a time when we knew this. But here is where the problem started eduication believe it or not. We were taught in school by whites who we were and that is where the problem is today.
rastus brown
December 15th, 2012
10:23 am
Why he be fired. He only tell truth. Hes looks like a brother with dat hair.Rob Parker good guy. He like Rush Limbough do with PhiLADELPJIA quarterbac.
hittman jamillion
December 15th, 2012
10:43 am
Yeah Rob Parker did mmake a igorant statement,I myself have people in my famaily who are white and I have no problem with it at all. But if I’m gone date a white chick best believe she’s gotta be HOT,on point,super fine, intelligent,and cool as a fan in the artic.
@ vote for obama cause he’s black. What blacks do you know with an inferiority complex? I know where I come from,I know that Cleopatra was black,Madonna was black,Abraham,Adam,Eve,Moses,& the so-called son of God Jesus Christ was black therefore making God himself black,I know I am the dominate ,the first,the original,all other beings come from me,& if merged all other beings become me for my genes are the most superior.
Unlike the caucasoid whom has the mostly inferior genetical makeup of all human beings,which is why the aforementioned comments about the earlier blacks were relevant in the first place.Throughout history all people of relevant importancve ,thru imagery of cinematic structures are all portrayed as white figures,the visual of this still which keeps racism & reverse racism going,you said it yourself out of correct ignorance,even though I know the truth it’s alot of people that have fallen for the staged tricks,which all are employed for the preservation of the white race.
walt jordan
December 15th, 2012
11:05 am
its a shame how we are still stuck on racism….what difference does it make if you are black, white, brown, or tan…if we all treat people the way we want to be treated…. than AMERICA will be back to where it use to be…what a shame to waste time and effort on things based on color…what happend to our values as AMERICANS? i am an afrian-american and i was raised not to see color…respect is not given it is earned regardless of your color…lets get back to our core value and realize that america is the greatest melting pot of races in the world…what a shame that we have not progressed as a nation over RACIAL BARRIERS
Joe
December 15th, 2012
11:25 am
Rob Parker is a idiot anyway, he doesnt need to be on television. I often change the channel when he adds his two cents to debates. The show would be much better, if they put the 2 Live Stews on it…could you image the 2LS and Stephen A battling Skip B…..
Joe
December 15th, 2012
11:26 am
Rob Parker represents the black race and his specialty is baseball…..really????????
Is he a Scotsman or is he of Norman derivation?
December 15th, 2012
11:39 am
I am descended from this gene pool. If I asked a question like that of ANYONE, they would think that I was nuts. THAT is exactly what I think of this FORMER ESPN clown.
This question reveals how socially crippled that sports commentator really is.
Ampdogggg004
December 15th, 2012
11:58 am
I watched this segment the other day on ESPN.It really upset me when this cornball(Parker)made this idiotic statement. I am an african-american male it just baffles me that he would open up his mouth and say these type of remarks. The more and more he spoke on this topic i kept shaking my head his disbelief. Eventhough things are not like they use to be blacks as a whole still have to worry about others trying to talk about them and bring them down….but to have someone of your same ethnic background to do it is a disgrace. I most say that i commend Stephen A. Smith for the outstanding remarks he made concerning this topic. To Mr.Parker…like they use to say….check yourself before u wreck yourself!
Corey
December 15th, 2012
12:16 pm
A must read, “Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color. by Nina G. Jablonski. This a remakable eye opener. Without spoiling the books contents for you; there is a heart wrenching segment in the book about Japanese women applying posinous concoctions to their skin to appear more white and the affects this process had on their overall health. Also, in South Afirca during apartheid darker skin black women applied skin bleachers to their skin so they could be classified as colored thereby placing them higher on the rigid social strata, thus qualifying for better jobs.
unsung heroes
December 15th, 2012
12:39 pm
paul roberson, jack johnson, and jimi hendrix do they fit into the so-called blackness mode of how a stereotypical black man should behave! rob parker had a major brain fart on a public forum…wow
Jack P
December 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
I would go along with a 30 day suspension w/o pay and mandatory sensitivity training and a stern warning to clean up his act or face termination of employment for a repeat offense. Side note: I like Rob and enjoy his straight up assessments of situations and athletes.
hit a single
December 15th, 2012
1:19 pm
If he were white he would have been fired. Where is Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton?