Should CBS fire Mike Freeman for his disparaging comments about West Virginia and Missouri?

Question

The article is here:

http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/10495965

First off, I don't care what you say about WV. West Virginians have heard it all the time and like most stereotypes they aren't even close to being true. I have seen just as many rednecks in places like California, Pennsylvania, hell even Connecticut.

This guy however is supposed to be a professional, and for a so called professional to write this disgusting bigoted BS is way way out of line. Fact is this guy looks to be pretty damn racist to me.

Even beyond that on a professional level, this guys is saying a USC v. OSU championship game would be between the best 2 teams? (I will leave out the obvious joke about picking up bad crack in the ghetto.) I mean come on USC?? Are you serious? OSU are you FREAKING SERIOUS?

This guy needs to be fired IMO.

LOL, yeah I was at the 2005 Sugar Bowl in Atlanta.

I watched grown men who were Georgia fans cry when WVU started laying the smack down on them.

And and have fun watching Kentucky play in the Gaylord Hotels Music City bowl. (and no thats not a joke thats the actual bowl name.)

Did you people even read the article? If a white sports writer said a game was between the thugs and the ganstas, how quick would he get fired?

Remember Imus?

Answer 1

What an idiot!!! This guy is nothing more than a racist bigot. He's upset because his team is not in the hunt for the NC.

I live in WV and what the asker says is true. The stereotype WV gets is unfair. Most, if not all other states have the same types of "hillbillery" as WV. For instance, I live in northern WV and the closest concentration of "hillbillies" is not even in WV..........It's in SE Ohio!!!!

And when "Kentucky Wildcat07-08" says get out of the mountains and watch a real football team such as Georgia, I have to laugh. I've got a question for you Wildcat: Where was the movie "Deliverance" filmed? Wait for it..........in the mountains of..........Georgia!!! Before you make a stupid comment, make sure you know what your talking about.

Answer 2

I have two points here, lets put the USC v. OSU stuff aside and look at the other issue here,
1st-You need to look at this article in one light, It's an op ed, so it's his opinion, right or wrong. Don't take him seriously.
2nd-He's Black, and it is bigoted. Just stating "It's just a joke" does not legitimize or condone the comments. If a white columnist made comments like these, lets say about Southern or Grambling how do you think the public would view and react to the column? Al Sharpton would be demanding a termination and forming rallies. It's just another example on how the PC bigot patrol police hypocritically only come out when a white person makes a statement like this.
How is Characterizing schools as "the thugs and the ganstas" any more acceptable than "nappy headed hoes"? Answer is It's not, it's just as judgmental and misguided and should be handled similarly. EQUAL STANDARDS AND PUNISHMENTS FOR ALL!!

Answer 3

This is a guy total idiot. Oh and I'm from the Pittsburgh are and a Pitt fan, and trust me West Virgina people are called FAR WORSE by us. Now really he wants to claim that OSU is better then West Virgina? I mean I'm assuming that WVU will win the Backyard Brawl, because otherwise this whole argument of WVU in the N.C. game is irrelevant, and he wants to say that OSU is better? Based on WHAT? Clearly not the team that they lost to. Oh wait another one who likes to claim the Big Ten is better then the Big East is my guess. Well drop the bias and look at the Conferences in a fair light. OSU isn't a better story. Also I DO see this as an elitist thing. Sure OSU will sell the papers. Well maybe if WVU wasn't HELD BACK from N.C. TRIES, and likely wins, then they would sell papers as well. How can you become a big name program if you aren't allowed to put your name up there.

Answer 4

The guy seems to have a track record of riling people up to the point of calling him racist...I don't agree with him at all, I think Mizzou-WVA would be a great game...as far as getting fired I'm not sure I remember a precedent of anyone being fired for stating their opinion and I don't know what kind of can of worms it would open if we started doing that...I think just letting the clown know he's out of line and keep on alerting people to the fact he is acting in a racist way could put pressure on his superiors to either reel him in or get rid of him on some other charge, but to libel someone probably will only strengthen his self recognized power base...

Answer 5

His article is pretty stupid and wrong. I don't understand how he could say that Ohio St. is better than Missouri when Missouri lost to Oklahoma and Ohio St. got beat by Illinois at home! Not to mention Michigan had one of their most disappointing years so Ohio St. had a cakewalk of a schedule. I am an Oklahoma fan but I like seeing West Virginia in the National Championship and I think they are definitely a better team than USC. USC lost to freakin' Stanford and they were favored by 40!!!!! Give me a break Freeman!

P.S. If anybody is overrated it's Georgia! I would put OU, LSU, and Florida in the title game before the Bulldogs

Answer 6

If you listen to guys like this, then we really don't even need to play the season, do we? Just let assclowns like Freeman pick the teams they want to play in the title game, the one that will get the biggest ratings (since that is what he seems to worry about the most in his article).

I'd love to know how a potential Missouri-West Virginia matchup would be a snoozefest when the potential for at least 70 points being scored between the two of them is easily there.

I'd also love to someone to explain to me how "Hicks vs. Hee-Haws" is any less derogatory than "Nappy-Headed Ho's." Oh, wait, according to Freeman it's a joke. I guess all is forgiven then, huh?

Answer 7

Fired? no. I believe we should not be firing or punishing people for comments people don't like. Sure he was wrong, However we need less censorship not more.
I also might point out that OSU in a championship game would be the biggest junk ever in the BCS. You shouldn't be eligible if you play noone all year and still lose a game anyways

Answer 8

Ill start be addressing one of your first comments... MOST, if not all, stereotypes are all rooted in truth... thats why stereotypes are so damned funny... thats ALSO why that was a joke in his article... i did read his piece and although i dont agree with the actual football talk...

I think this sounds like a classic case of a bitter fan who is mad about what someone wrote about his team. But to turn it into Racism is totally rediculous...

its the people that are like you who perpetuate this cycle of racism because you can just let jokes be jokes. Which by the way, nice slam of the Black lower class comunity in souther californina that you OBVIOUSLY DID NOT LEAVE OUT.

so calm yourself down my man... there is no need to hate on a guy for cracking a joke

Answer 9

Agreed...I for one am tired of this double standard....Imus' comments were generalized and made into a racial comment even though there was a couple of white girls on the team...Freeman's statement was in black and white (no pun intended).

Answer 10

Yep, lets fire everyone who doesn't treat everyone with kid gloves, and sugar coat everyone and everything with political correctness.

Boy, its a good thing Howard Cosell isn't still alive, people would want him burned at the stake.

Hell, lets change the 1st Amendment to include the words "unless said speech or expression happens to offend someone, in which case, said speaker or group shall be summarily executed."