what's with the Lawler/Smith suspension?
Does anyone know any details? What comment did they make about the Grizzlies player? Wow, so does this mean Lawler's streak of telecasting Clipper games has been broken or what? Anyway, if anyone knows any more details I want to hear....
argh trying to get to the seventy five word limit again, I don't know much more to say...
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30 comments
Comments
okay I did some digging...
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/11/20/clippers.suspensions/
WTF!?!?!?!? Is this country sooooo freakin’ shackled by political incorrectness? I find nothing wrong with that exchange! Granted I’m not Iranian, but anyone who follows these Clippers know they don’t mean anything mean-spirited about this!!! This country bowing down to political incorrectness is getting ridiculous and if this bleeds into sports, then someone is REALLY gonna get ticked off!!!!
Its not like they said anything that is really denegrading (like what Don Imus said with the women basketball team). One guy complained and this happens….
FREAKIN’ EH!!!!
by clipFanInSD on Nov 21, 2009 12:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I think it was because they we're talking about how he is from IRAN
and lawler said something like, no players are from iran… can’t remember for sure.
by STUCK IN LA on Nov 21, 2009 12:13 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
more info
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/11/ralph_lawler_mike_smith_suspen.html
Seriously…everyone IN AMERICA pronounces Iran and Eye-ran…….foreigners and immigrants and all. This is not worth getting suspended for! Apology yes….but suspension???? Seriously!!!
One guy complains and it ruins everything for everyone else!
by clipFanInSD on Nov 21, 2009 12:20 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
How the hell is it pronounced?
Ah-ran? WTF?
This is fallout from the Fort Hood shootings. PC overload…BS
"I want someone who will, you know, let me put it in or who [will] suck on it." – Donald Sterling
by Dow Jones on Nov 21, 2009 12:24 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
LOL.. I think it's "ear-on"
'Cause how you play, is how you'll be remembered. PLAY LOUD!
by CLiPPz WeRD 12 on Nov 21, 2009 1:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
E-ROHN
but seriously everyone in america says it EYE RAN who really cares ? I mean no offense to Iran or anything but it’s just a pronunciation that is frequently said wrong……….. im sure its better than most people could do for most Asain and Euro cities.
by andrewexd on Nov 21, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Because of PC....
…heck, they don’t even show freakin’ Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes cartoons anymore!!!!
But in all seriousness, an apology is fine…suspension is ridiculous. Its like the network BOWING to political correctness!
Sports is the only A-Political venue out there….and it will definitely pi$$$$ me off if all of a sudden broadcasters are put on a leash in case they slip and say something inappropriate. I understand if a comment is insensitive like Don Imus, but WTF is wrong with what Lawyer/Smith said? Maybe they should have said EEEEEEEEEEEE-RUN!
by clipFanInSD on Nov 21, 2009 12:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
LOL.
I think that’s how it’s really pronounced, EEE-RUN.
by RockyMountain on Nov 22, 2009 8:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
sorry....
maybe I"m going a bit overboard….but I am really mad about this. I have a lot of persian friends, indian friends, mexican friends, asians, blacks, etc. I’m sure even they will agree with me!
by clipFanInSD on Nov 21, 2009 12:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
This was a classic case...
of over-reaction. Its like in politics….one letter to your local senator is like 100 votes. The networks are ultra sensitive about Muslim backlash and made an example out of a completely harmless exchange.
BTW…If this Iranian individual was so upset about this, I wonder what kind of traction I’d get emailing Al Jazeera about their insensitivity towards Americans…probably not too much…
"I want someone who will, you know, let me put it in or who [will] suck on it." – Donald Sterling
by Dow Jones on Nov 21, 2009 12:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
You are right to be upset...
I am too…if anything FOX owes an apology to Lawler and Smith, not to a nation intent on ushering in a 2nd Jewish Holocaust….dear God what is happening in this country????
"I want someone who will, you know, let me put it in or who [will] suck on it." – Donald Sterling
by Dow Jones on Nov 21, 2009 12:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
the same corporation that airs FOX new and Family Guy.
by andrewexd on Nov 21, 2009 2:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
easy easy....
I don’t want this to be an attack on FOX news…in fact, I’ve seen all news, and FOX is the only news that brings up the ridiculousness of political correctness, especially in light of the Fort Hood incident. Other news outlets like CNN or MSNBC does not even want to bring up the word “terrorism” or even the potential act of it when the Ft. Hood incident occurred.
But I digress…this has nothing to do with Fox News or Family Guy. So leave them out of it. In fact, i’ll bet my house that Fox Sports and Fox News are supervised by different management.
I hope this PC crap doesn’t inhibit or put on a leash on the amazing play-by-play commentators that Ralph and MIke has delivered.
by clipFanInSD on Nov 21, 2009 7:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Most people I know still pronounce it EYE-ran
It ryhmes with EYE-raq.
To me, it looks like the offensive parts to the complainer where:
1. Having a stereotype that Persians can’t ball (Can commentators say white men can’t jump?)
2. Comparing him to Borat, who’s supposedly from Kazakstan (which would be the equivalent of calling any Asian person you see Chinese)
by Polish Rifle on Nov 21, 2009 7:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Is that really worthy of a suspension?
Some people go to great lengths to take offense. It’s a full time job.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
by mikey p on Nov 21, 2009 9:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
no I think he was comparing Haddidi with Sacha Baron Cohen who is i think part persian. And country of origin isn’t that relevant when it comes to someone “looking like” someone else.
by andrewexd on Nov 21, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
How absurd?
Seriously. Better they just don’t all.
I heard once that Lawler pronounced Missouri, rather than Mizz-ur-ah. I think he should be suspended.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
by mikey p on Nov 21, 2009 9:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
wow that is fu$kin insanely gay
everybody knows Ralph and Mike are two of the nicest people on the planet. that rat deserves to be stoned to death. fuc$in gay shit.
Angels 2009 WS Champs
by dan73962 on Nov 21, 2009 11:54 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I don't agree with the suspensions, but what's up with your comment? Not quite
acceptable either.
by eastie Rich on Nov 21, 2009 12:05 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
A bit angered that Ralph and Mike was suspended
I think its a bit excessive, but dan had to express his anger somehow. Person who called in probably wasnt a Clippersfan…
by JackduhSun on Nov 21, 2009 6:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Express it somehow - that's the way? I've read the guy is a season ticket holder and
some VP for some company. It seems he has a little pull. I don’t agree with the suspension decision – but the comment above is completely off base.
by eastie Rich on Nov 21, 2009 8:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I dont know.
possibly an in-company drama that made him blow up on a website. We know how it is when two of your favorite commentors get suspended sarcasm. Anyway, I didn’t pay too much attention to his comment, although it would be nice to make this website readable for all..
by JackduhSun on Nov 21, 2009 9:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
A Couple of Factors
Yeah, the suspension looks silly and unnecessary, but it makes a nice statement. It shows that Milph are a classy pair, who can admit mistakes and don’t intend to be ignorant or prejudiced. It makes the apology a little more meaningful and sincere. Why not take the high road?
The exchange, when I heard it, was odd. It wasn’t offensive at first, and seemed like just another routine mispronunciation, and as others above have said, it’s a fairly common and relatively inoffensive and inconsequential mistake. But part two, with Ralph suggesting ironically that “Persians can’t ball” (credit to Polish Rifle) and MS playing the Borat card, was an unfortunate misstep and worthy of the mild censure that occurred. It just wasn’t appropriate humor for a broadcast. Best to apologize, take the hit, and move on. Why fight for the privilege of making minor mistakes, and ones that are made out of ignorance? Milph are the kind of guys who seem to learn from their foibles and they wouldn’t do the same thing again after getting the information. They wouldn’t react to the appearance on the floor of a player, especially one who is a pioneering international player in the league, with the same time of humor. They’re respectful in the right situations.
Another issue is the Persian population in LA and DTSterling’s home base of Beverly Hills. This is where it gets strange, of course, because DTS is so horrifying. But he gets millions of dollars from Persian tenants, some of whom might have been watching the game not because they’re Clipper fans, but because they’re basketball fans and excited about Hadadi’s career (is that his name? I haven’t looked it up again—interesting how it hasn’t been mentioned so far in this thread). Persians, I assume, are valued customers of DTS, and his blatant and gruesome racism probably doesn’t apply to them. At any rate, it seems best for Milph to stay away from any association with DTS racism.
And what about the difference between Fox Sports and Faux News? That seems fairly amusing, I must say.
This is all an unfortunate circumstance. SP is probably going to have to move in and lay out the boundaries for the discussion somehow, and we’ll all move on soon enough.
by citizen zhiv on Nov 21, 2009 12:37 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
not imo
I don’t think it matters when the suspension is by fox, not the Clippers. Should people get suspended when they say Stan Van Gundy looks like Ron Jeremy, were talking about PORN on national TV. omg! Haddidi isn’t a great player, so what, it’s not racist to say that. It just seems to me some dude couldn’t take a joke. and apparently Arya Towfighi who complained was (is) a season ticket holder. Im pretty sure a season ticket holder has heard Ralph and Mike speak before.
by andrewexd on Nov 21, 2009 2:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
To some people
racial jokes are a bit serious. I understand if the guy wanted an apology, but I always thought the situation was a bit excessive. It’s almost like saying all asians can’t drive etc. etc.
by JackduhSun on Nov 21, 2009 6:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

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