(Updated) ESPN Announcer Yanked After Calling Colleague ‘Sweetcakes’ and ‘A-Hole’
- Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:09pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Apparently ESPN announcer has a fascination with calling women “sweet.”
Reports say the veteran ESPN announcer was yanked from the network‘s coverage of the Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl after referring to a member of his team as “sweetcakes”* and following that up with “a-hole” once she objected.
Yardbarker.com reports:
Scheduled to work on the ESPN-TV broadcast of the Chick-fil-A Bowl Friday, Franklin and [Jeanine] Edwards were part of a production meeting before the game that was also attended by ESPN announcers Ed Cunningham and Rod Gilmore. During the meeting, the subject of Gilmore’s wife Marie being elected Alameda (CA) mayor came up.
As Gilmore, Cunningham and Franklin discussed the subject, Edwards tried to join the conversation.
When she did, Franklin said to her, “Why don’t you leave this to the boys, sweetcakes.”
Edwards responded to Franklin by saying, “don’t call me sweetcakes, I don’t like being talked to like that.”
Franklin then said, “okay then, a–hole.”
After the meeting Edwards reported Franklin’s comments to ESPN management.
The website says once ESPN execs confirmed Franklin’s comment they tried to pull him from covering the Chick-Fil-A Bowl but no replacement could be found in time. An ESPN representative would not comment on Franklin’s status with the company when reached by Yardbarker for comment. However a network spokesperson later issued the following statement:
We made a late play by play change to the fiesta bowl radio team. We’re not going to get into specifics other than to say adhering to our personal conduct policies and showing respect for colleagues are of the utmost importance to our company and we take them extremely seriously.
This isn’t the first time Franklin has resorted to calling a female colleague “sweet” something. In 2005, he referred to sideline reporter Holly Rowe as “sweetheart” while scolding her on-air. At the time, ESPN ombudsman called Franklin out for the comment:
On Oct. 1, according to the Chicago Tribune, sideline reporter Holly Rowe lauded Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack for using all three timeouts on defense despite trailing by four touchdowns late in the game. “If the coaches are giving up,” Rowe added, “what does that say to the players?” Play-by-play commentator Ron Franklin responded: “Holly, it’s not giving up. It’s 49-21, sweetheart.” Franklin’s comment, and demeaning tone, in response to Rowe’s legitimate observation was disrespectful to the audience and to a colleague. “It was an inappropriate comment, and we’ve communicated that to Ron,” said Mo Davenport, senior coordinating producer for college football. “There’s never a reason to say something so mean-spirited. Ron apologized. We dealt with it internally.”
This controversy comes after another ESPN employee, anchor Will Selva, was disciplined last month for plagiarizing a local reporter’s sports column.
*UPDATE:
Jeanine Edwards, on the receiving end of Franklin’s comments, spoke to USA Today this afternoon about the incident. According to her, the term used was actually “sweet baby” and she wasn’t the one who reported the incident. SportsGrid reports:
According to Edwards, she was called “sweet baby” by Franklin, not “sweet cakes,” as originally reported. This is largely inconsequential, although it does give us a better idea about Franklin’s preferred method for talking down to women.
One thing that Edwards clarified that matters to the actual story: she says she wasn’t the one to report the incident to ESPN higher-ups. It was a colleague who overheard what Franklin said to her.
Edwards did confirm that Franklin called her an “a**hole.” She then asked him why he would stoop to such a level (something a lot of people are probably wondering right now). That’s when Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher walked in, and the meeting started.





















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Comments (102)
bree
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:03pmWhy didn’t she just look at him and say f*** you d*******?
Report Post »No guts no glory.
iyam
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 8:16pmBingo Bree. Women want to be treated equal but the moment a man talks to a woman like they would talk to another man then all of a sudden the victim card comes out. Had she called him an old coot or as you say “f u d” he probably would have laughed and given her a high five
Report Post »Plankchapel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 8:42pmBREE — Some people have class. She didn’t want to stoop to that. She expressed her displeasure; that was all that was necessary. No testosterone involved.
MR.CONSERVATIVENEGRO — I agree with you. Men are entitled to their privacy, too, even in locker rooms. There are other sports that they could be a commentator for. I mean, men are the ones who play football, not women. Therefore, men naturally gain the confidence of their listeners moreso than a woman would. (Besides, I‘d hate for PMS to set in when her team wasn’t winning!)
Report Post »bree
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 9:44amPlankchapel
Report Post »People who make a living reporting on football have class?
Class is taking care of your own problems,not running around crying like a baby for attention.
April
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 10:32amI completely agree with you Bree. I mean if she simply came back with something even more demeaning like “Why Mr. Franklin, you must have to say those demeaning comments to compensate for your small penis”. If you can dish it out, you should be able to take it. And I can almost guarantee you, Franklin would not call her sweetcakes again. Men being Men or as MrConservativeNegro so logically explains it, should be able to handle it.
All in all, his attitude has nothing to do with football, he is just being an a$$.
Report Post »MR.CONSERVATIVENEGRO
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:32pmI dont believe in men being jerks to women. Having said that, I am sick and tired of everytime a man says something obnoctious to a babe, she is looked at as a victim. She put herself in that climate and she should have to deal with it. Go and cover womens golf or female basketball, maybe volleyball…but Jesus, stop meddling in a mans space ALL OF THE TIME, AND CROWDING HIS LOCKEROOM all of the time and expect that MEN< WILL NOT BE MEN. Know your roles ladies…and obide by those standards, perhaps you all won't be so INSULTED everytime the boys act like boys.
Report Post »Dawgnabox
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:25pmStMichelob you da man!
Get Um!
Report Post »milo
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:11pmAnother Sanchez moment.
Report Post »Popcorn!
wedontneedfemalecommentators
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:57pmWomen don’t belong on the sidelines, in the booth, or in the locker room. PERIOD
Report Post »Plankchapel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:23pmOMG! Who died and left you in charge of women?
Report Post »bskiver
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:54pmSo its okay for a male to make comments toward a woman because she has no place there ? I guess they all should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen right ? Was it a mans job when there was not enough men to carry out the so called mans jobs when WW2 was going on ? how about when these fine women protect and die for your freedom, is that a mans job too ?
Report Post »I am glad that this type of thought is being removed from our Society. It must really burn you up inside knowing that Women are successfully and in alot of cases out performing thier Male counterparts in this so called MANS WORLD ! Isnt this the same type of talk they used to inslave a person because of his race.
ewestbrook
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:44pmI think Sweetcakes proved she’s not ready to run with the big boys. She could have ignored him or told him off but running and tattling on him like a little girl is just embarrassing.
Report Post »joelack55
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:23pmCan’t people say anything without getting fired.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:00pmoooh, you’re fired.
Report Post »ntvtxn
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:16pmCall me whatever…but I would NEVER call Holly Rowe ‘sweetcakes’! LOL
Report Post »TheRealElvis
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:15pmNever mind about all the charities that he volunteers for and never mind about how long he has been a sportscaster, kick him off the team for calling somebody “sweetcakes”. BS, BS, BS. When is the last time a normal person who is not a minority, won an argument or came out of a controversy without all the garbage that goes with it?
Report Post »And why is a woman sportscaster who makes a zillion dollars a year with a dream job complaining about an affectionate name calling when on the other side of the world there are soldiers in war making about $22k a year and some go weeks and months wiithout a bath of any kind.
Pathetic where the news business has gone. If Fox keeps reporting crap like this, they will go the way of CNN. I am happy she won the right to go into a locker room full of naked men. Wonder if any of them call her “sweetcakes”?
ntvtxn
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:09pmAnd Obama has the gall to say the 24 hour news outlets hurt him?! THEY arew the ones that keep us the right track! Oops, sorry…I guess Obama doesn’t like them because they call HIM to the carpet. I’m wondering…are the people that elected him proud of their vote? My mom isn’t- and though she had the chacter to admit her mistake- Obama (& the whiners) think he is doing just fine.
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:51pmPoor thing looks like she has a bunch of spiders having a town meeting on her head. -shivers-
Report Post »http://gilmoreforalameda.com/
iyam
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:40pmRon Franklin is one of the best announcers in football and he knows it. He is probably tired of all these amateurs and decided to tell it like it is. Sorry so many people can’t take reality
Report Post »geminisailor
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:46pmI agree — he’s damned good at it.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 3:39amI saw that game, and she did a good job too. And she had to stand around freezing while he sits in a nice warm booth playing with a search engine that makes him sound like the unabridged encyclopedia of football.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:36pmTime for a Congressional investigation He should be called up to Explain His actions Just Like Members Of OUR Congress….OOps I Forgot They answer To Nobody…
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:50pmUnder Further Review I agree with Ed Grendall Gov. Of Pa Were Turning into a Bunch Of Wussies Call a spade a Spade and Your Bound To Offend Someone…Even If Its True
Report Post »Sgt.Crust
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:36pmyawn, next…
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:33pmKeithy Olderbulb is available for ESPN…
Report Post »Plankchapel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:30pmChris Tingle is the one to be fired!
Report Post »BlazerBlazer
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:26pmHe was out of order….
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:59pm@Blazer
Yes he was out of order. There are some women who are as interested in sports as any guy. They should also be able to go where the money is. That doesn’t mean they need to put up with such garbage.
Report Post »BlazerBlazer
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:25pmCan’t stand seeing females at the sideline of a football game…. they cannot possibly understand the viciousness of that game…and I‘m female so don’t start yelling.
Report Post »Clive
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:33pmwhatever you say sweetcakes, why don’t you go back to the kitchen and let the big boys do the commenting.
get it?
Report Post »inferno
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:34pmIt doesn’t matter which gender is on the sidelines, either one distracts from the game, often talking over officials. I wouls suggest cutting payroll by eliminating all side chatter altogether !
Report Post »Ken
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:37pmAll it does it put their pretty faces on TV! I’m sure if they had their druthers, they’d rather be announcers for some “girlie” shows. I know being a guy, I’d flip burgers before I worked on one of those!
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:03pmBLAZER, I have known some pretty viscious women in my time. The biggest difference between men and women in this matter is that women are sneaky about it and men are more out in the open and honest about it.
That said, I don’t think football is viscious at all. It is a contact sport with rules dictating the players behavior. I don‘t like female sports reporters because they just don’t seem as credible as the men, especially if the male reporters are ex-football players.
CLIVE please get your butt up and get me a beer.
Report Post »alcarfl
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:22pmAnd now, back to pertinent news items……….PLEASE!
Report Post »IVillageIdiot
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:21pmI most certainly LOVE… living in this world sometimes…….
it’s the little things ya know… ;}
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:21pmZombieland rule # 32: Enjoy the little things.
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:19pmOk this guy is an idiot!
Report Post »Have-Gun-Will-Travel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:18pmMust be a big story if The Blaze has it, and the sheeple will chime in, let the post begin
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:25pmYou read it.
Report Post »Reagan/DeMint.deciple
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:27pmSure I’ll chime in… Turn gun on self…
Report Post »Anonimouse
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:56pm@Kate:
LOL!!!
Report Post »Plankchapel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:19pmIf you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
And, if you don’t like it, then move-on-dot-org!
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:18pmMaybe he should have called her Ma’am instead.
Report Post »Ken
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:32pmAnd she would have complained about that too!
Report Post »Plankchapel
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:16pmOh, what a smack to a certain California Senator!!! Good one!
And, the announcer will probably be back in three days, like Olberrmann was.
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:17pmThe Blaze: Drudge 2.0
Report Post »@Poli_Mis
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:56pmDrudge 2.0? Yep. Revenue gold mine? Yep again.
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:02pmthe blaze is drudge’s retarded echo…
Report Post »Max jones
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:15pmcompletely totally not a story,,,,
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:28pmIt may not be a story to you but I would have slapped him into tomorrow. We would have both been repromanded.
Report Post »geminisailor
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:08pmMaryLou7, slapping him would only put you in legal trouble and would also serve to lower yourself to his level. Your statement also (kinda) helps to further illustrate this double standard…he (as a man) is not allowed to do or say something sexist toward a woman (understandably so), however a woman should be able to legally assault a man, and the assault should remain unanswered?
I’m confused.
Report Post »lylee
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:08pmOh no, another victim. I smell a lawsuit coming.
Report Post »ATexasFan
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:23pmWell said Maxx (I am a woman)
I am always interested when women play like they are man’s profession, (ok, I will explain sideline Sportcaster for a Men’s FOOTBALL….and can’t take the heat.
Do men really want women in that profession?
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:13pmAdd your comments
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:20pmSorry, I hate when I have premature posting,
Report Post »What I meant to write is that while I personally don’t care for female sports anouncers in male sports, I would have slapped the crap out of someone for treating me in such an unprofessional manner.
geminisailor
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:32pmI remember Franklin covering the Houston Oilers and also working on Houston TV news stations back in the 70‘s and 80’s. I also remember his exchange with Holly Rowe, which I thought was a fair retort to her out-of-line assessment of Brock Spack‘s usage of timeouts during the game while 4 TD’s behind. If she is going to report the events inaccurately (especially when opining), then she should be prepared to defend her statement or be corrected, as was in that case.
This time around his comments are way out of line. There’s simply no excuse or defense for his blantant sexist comments. He’s an old timer, in his late 60′s, and probably won‘t change his views about football being a man’s sport…which is that women shouldn’t play a role in commenting or reporting the sport, or being in reporting from player’s locker rooms, for that matter.
Personally, I could care less if it were a woman…I remember my years of playing the sport, all the way through semi-pro, and I can‘t imagine why ANYONE would want to cover a story from a stinkin’ locker room! (I realize this is off subject.)
It’ll get swept under the rug, just like the NFL did for Favre after his bone-head sexting incident.
It’s time for him to go.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:07pmWhere’s this guy from?
I know this isn’t popular in other parts of the nation, but in the South, we call each other “sweetheart” all the time men-to-women, women-to-men, even women-to-women.
As to “sweetcakes,” I can’t defend that. I’ve only heard that used used in condescension.
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:10pm@UNTAMABLEKATE… Look, sweetie-pie, this is a story about football, darlin’, which you probably know nothing about, so get back to your embroidery and leave this conversation to the big boys, ok, babydoll?
BTW, I have NEVER suffered from “premature posting”…wanna go out sometime?
Report Post »lylee
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:11pmGood for you Kate. I hope it would be a professional slap.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:39pmI used to work for Hearts who owns ESPN…I can tell you that he is gone. Hearst sucks, but ESPN is a great station, for now…
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:44pmStMichelob, I don‘t mind being called sweetheart or darlin’ or peaches or any other form of endearment by you men, I’m not in a professional setting trying to be a credible sports reporter. You‘re not that fella who claims to be 6’ 9″ and calls the boys baby doll from time to time are you?
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:54pmLOL…c’mon, Kate…we both been posting on here since the beginning now…thought you would get my sarcasm!
Report Post »And no, I‘m not 6’9″, and never called a guy “babydoll” in my life! I’m the former Marine who usually signs “Semper Fi and…”
Now what about that date, sugar-butt?
StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 4:56pmOr rather: “Momma-Grizzly”!
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:11pmStMichelob
Report Post »Are we having our first fight? Yes sweet cheeks I know sarcasm when I see it, do you?? I love military men, meet me in Arizona and you’re on!
ATexasFan
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:15pmI have played golf with Ron, and I can tell you he is a perfect Gentleman. He has always been first class to me. At the University of Texas he was the same. Why, suddenly, has this happened? I wonder why women (I am a woman) are workin around men’s football fields, and locker rooms. It is weird. Would the women let the men into their locker room?
There is more to this story than was written. I would put my money on Ron Franklin, and let the female find something else to do with her tv talents. Just mho
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:17pm@Untamable Kate
For anyone to make a comment like that to a lady who is not their own wife (and as long as she likes to be called such) just slapping him would not be enough. Put the knees into where it would cause him to double over, and THEN apply the slap across the back of his head to the direction of the floor.
Conduct like this from anyone is unbecoming period.
Also a nice pack of rabid jackalopes might be nice as well.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:19pmLOL @ StMichelob,
@untameable-kate, look, men are tired of being treated like there’s no difference between men and women, and that’s where the “Sweetcakes” comment comes from. And then when the lady objected to being treated like a lady on air, the man knew that was going to be picked up by the “feminized” Management, and that the lady likely intended for the audio to be used to get him reprimanded for simply asserting his gender identity.
And yes, to call a lady “Sweetcakes” in the context of football is actually treating her special and like a lady; The reason is because we expect the word “lady” to mean something that is uniquely consistent with the female identity, and it is the men who typically want to challenge their own toughness against other men, and not typically the women; And so it is the men who are more likely to understand football. His comment had nothing to do with her intellectual prowess.
As to the prior “offense”, it was late in the game, and apparently the other team was really good at offense. My guess (not having researched it beyond what was quoted in the OP), is that the coach used up all his timeouts on defense to break the stride of the other team’s offense – and it was late in the game, so he may as well go for broke.
Report Post »knotaclu
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:20pmalright you two, get a room…….
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:22pmReckon we are having our first fight. You down for our first make-up sex? lol
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:25pmSnow, what happened to your javalinas? Now we are on to jackalopes, don’t discriminate against the grizzly-squirrels.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:46pmA Doctors Labor Is Not My Right,
Report Post »Come on, we are all grownups here and calling anyone, male or female, sweetcakes in a professional setting is condescending. I said earlier, I don’t like female reporters in male sports at all, it just seems to egg on this kind of misunderstanding. I agree that there are miles of differences between men and women, I don’t agree, however that calling someone sweetcheeks in this scenerio was meant to be complimentary.
tower7femacamp
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:47pmHow about some real news ?
Report Post »http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops
wake up to the mind numbing nothing news we are fed daily.
Balloon boys and Bimbo’s
StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:08pmTOWER7, If all we did was watch doom and gloom, we may as well all open our wrists and wait for the comet to come pick us up. You HAVE to be able to pull back and laugh at times, otherwise, what’s the point?
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:16pm@Untamable Kate
Good one, I wonder how many people understand the joke of the jackalopes. I need to remember the part of Grizzly-squirrels.
Thanks.
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:28pmDammit…the Jack-a-lope was a SNL skit back in Dana Carvey’s day, right?
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:36pmStMichelob I can Laugh just click on my name.
Report Post »your point is well taken, but when I want laughs I do not
come to the Blaze.
there are things that are not being covered by the main stream, yet many of
these stories are all over the news and youtube.
so here goes one funny
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=63981&cat=2
and one not so funny
http://www.infowars.com/more-tsa-lies-in-attempt-to-cover-up-security-failures/
StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:46pmLMAO @ TOWER7!!! I just clicked your name (never knew you could link your name) THAT was TOO DAMN FUNNY!!!! Thanks for that post, now I gotta go change my huggy-drawers!
Report Post »“Just to be turned into a cartoon character, like effing Lex Luther!”
Epic classic!
StMichelob
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 6:56pmAnd WOW that SNL skit you posted was not only DONE by SNL but BANNED by NBC? (Disclaimer, first question was very serious, second question was in dirisive sarcasm) EVERYONE should watch it!
Report Post »LittleLordFauntleroy
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 9:27pmNice post sweet cakes.
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 7:59amBack in the 60‘s and 70’s a male reporter could get away with treating a female reporter that way, but it‘s the 2011’s and there is really no place for that conduct. It is degrading and just plain rude to treat a reporter that way, no matter what sex they happen to be. I do agree with you when you say that women should not be allowed in a men’s locker room after a game; to be fair, I believe that NO reporters should be in the locker room after a game. Same with men covering a women’s game, a post-game news conference should be sufficient.
Report Post »ManRules
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 8:58amFootball is a man’s game. Most of us are fed up with all the “sweetcakes” taken over the side line comments and any other aspects of the game. Right now the NFL wears pink ribbons to show support for woman. cancer problems. What about prostate cancer? Do you see women wearning a brown or blue ribbon to show support for gonad cancer? Women like the rest of the animals were put on this earth to serve men. If Sweetcakes do not like being called names, she should stay away from football
Report Post »indy1
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 9:14amGood grief, calling a colleague “sweetcakes” is a fireable ofense now?
Report Post »Mustangdave
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 2:32pmand this is NEWS? to bad it wasn’t on camera like the other ESPN gaff…high fives for a coach getting fired…then back pedaling…like they didn’t mean it…MORONS
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