Posted on 02/23/2019 5:31:08 PM PST by Kazan
Longtime radio voice Gary Dolphin has been suspended from broadcasting Iowa basketball games for the rest of the season.
The action comes following comments that Dolphin made during the postgame portion of Iowa’s radio broadcast of Tuesday’s home game against Maryland, in which he referred to the Terrapins’ Bruno Fernando, who is black, as “King Kong.”
The suspension, announced by Learfield Sports Properties (which owns the rights to Hawkeye broadcasts), is for basketball only. Dolphin has been Iowa’s play-by-play voice of Iowa football, as well, for the past 22 years.
The reference to King Kong, a fictional gorilla in a 1933 movie by that name, happened as Dolphin and analyst Bobby Hansen wrapped the Hawkeyes' 66-65 loss, in which Maryland made 12 of its final 20 3-point attempts — and then Fernando (who stands 6-foot-10, 245 pounds) recorded the go-ahead tip-in with 7.8 seconds remaining.
“Twelve 3s on 22 made baskets. That’s some pretty good long-range shooting," Dolphin said. "And then Fernando was King Kong at the end of the game.”
Hansen replied, “Yeah, he was. And they had done a really good job, Gary, for the most part rebounding.”
Dolphin released a statement in the release, apologizing for his language.
“During the broadcast, I used a comparison when trying to describe a talented Maryland basketball player. In no way did I intend to offend or disparage the player," Dolphin said. "I take full responsibility for my inappropriate word choice and offer a sincere apology to him and anyone else who was offended. I wish the Iowa Hawkeye players, coaches and fans all the very best as they head into the final stretch of the season. I will use this as an opportunity to grow as a person and learn more about unconscious bias."
A Maryland spokesman on Friday said there would not be a statement from either Fernando or Terrapins athletics director Damon Evans about Dolphin's comments or suspension.
As most around Iowa know, this marks the second on-air incident this basketball season that put Dolphin in public hot water.
Dolphin was suspended by the University of Iowa and Learfield Sports for two games for negative comments he made about the basketball program and backup guard Maishe Dailey that were inadvertently aired during Iowa’s Nov. 27 game against Pittsburgh.
In that incident, during what was supposed to be a commercial break, Dolphin was telling Hansen that Iowa needed to recruit better guards, then singled out Dailey to make his point.
"We get Maishe Dailey," Dolphin said. "Dribbles into a double-team with his head down. God."
What made that story blow up even more was further comments by Iowa athletics director Gary Barta that there were “ongoing tensions” between Dolphin and head coach Fran McCaffery.
McCaffery also lashed out at Dolphin’s November comments, calling them “inexcusable.”
oh my gosh. Political correctness is going way too far. This is a good example.
How many times did Howard Cosell get away with “Look at that monkey run”?
This is getting scary.
I remember when Dodge (maybe it was Plymouth) won the Daytona 500 in 64 or so. It’s engine the 426 Hemi was called the King Kong engine. Clearly racist.
Innocent mistakes are destroying people’s lives because of hysterical idiots. It’s the new lynch mob mentality and it’s out of control.
Actually, it’s a compliment. He dominated the boards like King Kong. Man, people, get real.
King Kong engine
Does it exhaust Black smoke?
Innocent mistakes
==
Innocent, yes
mistake, no
The problem is, how do you read the heart?
Parsing the words would make any of us GUILTY.
“How many times did Howard Cosell get away with “Look at that monkey run”?...”
That was classic.
Until the Just Us brothers destroyed his career.
So sick and tired libs.
Just did a lyric search for King Kong and they mostly seem to be rappers.
One name I have heard of was Ice Cube.
But then, they also include N in the lyrics.
White folks can use neither per the SJW.
Black, white, red, or yellow, if I was a high performing athlete I would want to be king kong.
Was it “fat shaming” when the Bears called William “Refrigerator” Perry “Biscuit” because he was one biscuit short of 350 pounds?
Adult language warning. Also helps if you’ve seen the movie “Training Day.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6kXBxe7Ys
Just once I'd love to see, "Yeah, I said it! So what? Piss off!" and he still keeps his job.
My advice to all sports announcers.
Limit yourselves to proper names and these three adjectives only: good, bad, average. Say anything more and you’ll put your career at risk.
So - for example - if Quarterback Smith fumbles, just say “Smith bad”. And if Outfielder Jones bats 1 for 4 in a game, just say “Jones average”.
See? It’s simple. And safe.
This is pathetic.
when our Polish player was insulted by the bb announcer’s “wack a pole “ comment, nothing happened....
There was a game played in Houston on MNF back then that ws a boring game. A camera picked out some dude sitting up in the bleachers who looked disgusted with it all. At some point, he realized he was on camera. Then he raised up his hand and extended the bird into the camera. He kept it up for five seconds before someone hit the kill switch. I forget what Don Meredith said but it was a usual wry comment.
just say “Smith bad”. And if Outfielder Jones bats 1 for 4 in a game, just say “Jones average”.
= = = = = = = = =
They can get canned for telling the truth also.
Ask Ray Knight, former pre/postgame analyst for Washington Nationals/MASN.
He was VERY refreshing, but I guess the powers that be figured since he was a FORMER MLB Manager and Player, his questioning them for BONEHEAD moves must have been interpreted as ‘second guessing the guy(s) on the field.
I would interpret the King Kong remark as a compliment and Cosell calling the ‘smurfs’ little monkies was a ‘compliment’ in HOWARD’s mind BUT he never did lack for a cute nickname or calling a Diamond a Diamond
(can’t use that other suit as an example any more...BUT...since people know what I wanted to say, I guess I will get chastised anyway)
Maybe add “Holy Cow” to your list of verbs...
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