[RedCell]

Ok... so we have Michael Irvin saying something pretty foolish. As foolish as Jimmy the Greek or Steve Lyons or Rush Limbaugh? Yeah, pretty much (although I still think the call was iffy in Rush' case). So, will Michael Irvin be fired, too? Doubt it.

Huge (or Hugh, if you prefer) discusion on WEEI right now (streaming audio available) about the hipocrisy going on. http://www.weei.com/home.asp

[RedCell]

I forgot to add that there's some question as to why this was left to fester for a week before surfacing and is being buried within ESPN.com. Go figure.

[Rummyfan]

Why ESPN has this drug-addled blowhard on the air is beyond me. Their pregame show with Irvin and Sharpe is unwatchable.

[KarlInOhio]

Irvin told Patrick he was joking.

Did he attend John Kerry's Standup School?

[IslandJeff]

I must be missing something here: Tony Romo isn't African-American, is he?

Far less PC stuff goes on in the locker room among the machismo communities of pro athletes. The more attention we pay to this stuff the worse it gets.

I would be surprised if Romo was even mildly offended.

[38special]

Hey Michael, put down your crack pipe, or your friend's crack pipe, or whatever.

[RedCell]

Mike - you're the owner of the NFL ping list, I believe. Does this warrant going out?

[Sax]

Reminds me of the praise heaped upon Ted Nugent early on that he's remained extremely proud of his whole life.

As a skinny young guitarist just leaving the stage, a famous old black blues musician (I can't remember which) pulls him aside and says, 'Son if you keep playing like that, you're going to be a ****** when you grow up.'

Irvins words, as inappropriate as they might have be perceived, were intended as endearing praise. Even though Irvin often irks me, I'm not holding this one against him.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Just how brainless does one have to be not to recognize this as a joke? And I can't stand Michael Irvin.

[NonValueAdded]

Wow, I'll bet Jimmy The Greek is relieved to hear all is forgiven ... posthumously, of course.

[SGCOS]

This type of thinking was in Sports Illustrated back in the early 80's.

Can't believe this is still an issue.

I think it's true and have no problem with the statement from Irvin. It doesn't offend me at all.

[FFIGHTER]

Yawn. The pundits must have too much time on their hands.

[MikefromOhio]

NFL PING

FReepmail scott says to be added to, or to be taken off the NFL Ping list...

This is a fairly high volume ping list


It's inexcusable that he made this joke. I don't think he intended malice with the comment, but it's not a joke to be made in public either way.

And yes, IMO, this comment is just as stupid and honestly irrelevant as the one that got Rush Limbaugh fired.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Hadn't heard this line before, but I think it's kind of funny. Not a big deal. Incidentallly, I believe that Romo is Mexican. I'm surprised there haven't been any feeble cracks at illegals vis-a-vis him.

[hometoroost]

If Michael had any Caucasian-American in his background he'd already be fired

[Doc Savage]

This a-hole is junkie racist moron. Exactly how does ESPN put on an announcer that can't speak the english language??? This guy has rubber lips and mouthful of marbles. Patrick ought to be ashamed of inviting him on! I can't believe anyone could even understand what he said!

[rabidralph]

Generalizations about heritage are inappropriate even in jest, and what Michael said was wrong," ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys

This is the stupidest thing I've seen in print today. Most everybody, while joking with a friend, will make fun of their heritage. This spokesman, like most sports journalist, was picked last on the playground, so he decided to go into journalism. I have no problem with what crackhead Cowboy said, he was, obviously, joking. And in their own inarticulate ways Jimmy the Greek, John Rocker and others were not incorrect in what they had to say.

[SAR_Bill]

I hope he doesn't get too realistic describing what it's like behind the scenes. Next thing we'll hear is what it's like to be arrested while doing cocaine with skanky prostitutes.

[Spok]

Can someone please tell me what the politically correct explanation is for the disproportionate number of successful black athletes in professional sports? Affirmative action? Or is it that whites are just generally inept, i.e., "White Men Can't Jump"?

[RayStacy]

What's the latest on Crackman Irvin's legal troubles? Somebody must know.

[Redbob]

"Generalizations about heritage are inappropriate even in jest,..."Sometimes a joke is just a joke!