Harold Reynolds fired from ESPN - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

some-dude · 07-25-2006, 12:58 PM

July 25, 2006 -- ESPN yesterday fired analyst Harold Reynolds from Baseball Tonight, sources told The Post. The reason was not immediately known.

"We are not going to comment," ESPN VP Josh Krulewitz said.

When asked how they are going to explain that Reynolds will never be on the air again, Krulewitz still declined comment.

Reynolds did not return calls.

Reynolds, 45, had been with ESPN 11 years. He had been a fixture on the show, which is a gathering spot for baseball fans, players and team executives.

The program already is dealing with the loss of information man Peter Gammons. Gammons is recovering from a brain aneurysm that occurred at the end of last month. The show's main analysts had been Reynolds, Gammons and John Kruk.

In Gammons' absence, ex-Met GM Steve Phillips has played a bigger role on the show. The program uses several analysts, including Orel Hershiser, Tino Martinez and Jeff Brantley.

Last night, host Karl Ravech was joined by Kruk and Phillips. Reynolds usually is on Monday nights.

Reynolds was known for a smooth style that usually was player friendly. He never found himself in too much controversy for what he said on the air. In fact, ESPN was so high on him he was expected to stay with the network through its just signed eight-year deal with MLB.

Now, after yesterday, Reynolds is no longer welcome in Bristol.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Reynolds was by far my favorite ESPN analyst, and is definately better then John Kruk.....I hope ESPN tells us what he did....it must have been something serious because i would have never thought they'd fire him.

capitalcity · 07-25-2006, 01:03 PM

Hopefully Lou Holtz is available.

Five-ofan · 07-25-2006, 01:14 PM

What the heck? He was EASILY the best espn analyst.

Just211 · 07-25-2006, 01:16 PM

espn has a habit of getting rid of good analysts, they'll probably replace him with Stephen a smith or Stuart Scott, or maybe there's a mystery baseball analyst that is only good at yelling and talking out his ass

some-dude · 07-25-2006, 01:20 PM

My best guess for why he was fired is he refused to get "Big Papi is my hero" tatooed on his ass........

Or maybe he got caught with crack cocaine or some other kind of drug, but then again so did Michael Irvin and he's still with ESPN..

I hope ESPN says something about it, because firing the one real guy who knew anything about baseball and leaving John Kruk, Joe Morgan, etc.. is quite a slap in the face to Harold.

nashtymavsfan13 · 07-25-2006, 02:33 PM

Harold Reynolds was by far the best ESPN analyst, he was definetly my favorite one.

It must have been something pretty bad....

capitalcity · 07-25-2006, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashtymavsfan13

It must have been something pretty bad....

Somebody overheard him say Reggie Bush didn't deserve the heisman.

Adios mofo.

Drbio · 07-25-2006, 02:54 PM

Maybe he demanded in his next contract that dan Patrick blow him. I'm not sure why ESPN would fire him though since everyone knows that Dan Patrick blows.

sike · 07-25-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just211

espn has a habit of getting rid of good analysts, they'll probably replace him with Stephen a smith or Stuart Scott, or maybe there's a mystery baseball analyst that is only good at yelling and talking out his ass

I wonder if Ace Ventura is available?

sike · 07-25-2006, 07:26 PM

sexual harrasment is the much confirmed rumor....

Five-ofan · 07-25-2006, 07:41 PM

i hate to hear that, obviously you never know with any public figure but he seemed like such a great guy.

some-dude · 07-25-2006, 09:09 PM

Harold Reynolds, one of ESPN's most visible analysts and a long-time panelist on "Baseball Tonight," has left the network in the wake of one or more incidents of sexual harassment.

An ESPN spokeswoman yesterday confirmed Reynolds' departure but repeatedly declined to provide a reason for it.

Three people who work at ESPN and were familiar with the case said the cause was a pattern of sexual harassment, apparently culminating in a recent incident involving one of the network's young production assistants.

Reynolds, a major leaguer for 12 seasons before joining ESPN in 1996, did not appear on "Baseball Tonight" Monday after having worked the Sunday show, during which he and fellow analyst Steve Phillips suggested the Yankees trade Alex Rodriguez.

Sexual harassment charges are nothing new at ESPN, which operates out of a sprawling "campus" in relatively isolated Bristol, Conn., and employs many production assistants in their early 20s. The network has an extensive program of education and sensitivity regarding gender issues and an elaborate system for pursuing claims of sexual harassment.

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC, a former ESPN host, told The New York Observer in 2004 he had testified in "three or four major cases at ESPN."

Among the prominent ESPN personalities accused of improper behavior in the past is Mike Tirico, who will debut as the play-by-play man for "Monday Night Football" in the coming season. He was suspended by ESPN in 1992 for what were reported at the time to be allegations of sexual harassment. Another host, Jason Jackson, was fired in 2002, reportedly for harassment.

In addition to "Baseball Tonight" Reynolds, 45, who is married and has an infant daughter, worked as a game analyst for the Little League World Series and College World Series.

Reynolds was very popular personally among ESPN staffers, many of whom were shocked by his dismissal.

Smiles · 07-26-2006, 05:21 PM

edit

jly · 07-26-2006, 05:49 PM

that's just sad to hear. reynolds was one of the few analysts i actually liked to hear from.

spreedom · 07-26-2006, 08:07 PM

That sucks major ass. I don't really like baseball but I ALWAYS tuned in when I saw that Reynolds was on.

Anyone here have a clip of the spoof ESPN did with Harold playing the part of the coach in Bull Durham? "EIGHT!-and-sixteen.. how did we win those eight? (It's a miracle!) It's..... a miracle."

Smiles · 07-27-2006, 09:13 AM

Sorry about my outburst earlier. I guess ESPN has been a lot less tolerant of anything that hints of sexual harassment - especially since the Mike Tirico incident.

Murphy3 · 07-27-2006, 10:43 AM

People need to get over being offended by sexual harrassment.

dalmations202 · 07-27-2006, 10:46 AM

If their isn't "Quid Pro Quo", then I just think people need to lighten up a little.

Sometimes justified, and sometimes not - and I don't know the situation here, but it is going a little bit overboard at times.

MavKikiNYC · 07-27-2006, 10:48 AM

Breaking News: French laboratory finds excessive levels of testosterone at ESPN

mary · 07-27-2006, 11:04 AM

"Don't shit where you eat." - words to live by.

MavKikiNYC · 07-27-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary

"Don't shit where you eat." - words to live by.

And vice versa. Especially, vice versa.

dalmations202 · 07-27-2006, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary

"Don't shit where you eat." - words to live by.

My Management professor, many moons ago, Dr. J Madkins wrote that one of the major rules of life is:

"Never get your hunny, where you get your money" and vice-versa.

Great advice.

Five-ofan · 07-27-2006, 04:54 PM

It depends on what they mean by sexual harrasment. I generall agree with the cliches above but if all he did was hit on the woman, then this is bs. I dont have all the facts which i probably never will so until i get them, i will reserve judgement. That said, just about anything short of date or sleep with me or their will be consequences isnt sexual harrasment.