Michael Irvin

[RedsBaron]

Given the long running "Kramer" thread, I am somewhat surprised that no one started a thread about former Dallas Cowboy great and current ESPN broadcaster Michael Irvin's recent comments on Dan Patrick's national radio show. What the heck, I'll start one.
Opining on Dallas QB Tony Romo's athleticism, Irvin said: "He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete, but he is. He is, man. Somewhere, there are some brothers in that line. I don't know who saw what, where. His great, great, great, great grandma ran over in the hood, or something went down."
Patrick interjected: "That's the only way to be a great athlete?"
Irvin repiled: "No, that's not the only way. But it's certainly one way. Great, great, great, great grandma pulled one of them studs up outta the barn. 'Come here for a second.' You know, they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day. Something like that."
It should be added that Irvin was laughing through his commentary. He did later issue an apology, stating that it was "clear I was joking around. I need to learn how to better draw the line between bringing people into the locker room and the boundaries I should not go past as a broadcaster."
The ghost of Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder was not available for comment. Almost two decades ago, CBS fired Snyder because of a comment that black athleticism was a byproduct of selective slave breeding.

[LoganBuck]

I heard his apology yesterday, I think it reaks of double standard. He essentially called Tony Romo's great great great grandma a *****.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Michael Irvin ONCE AGAIN proves that he and a box of rocks have the same intelligence. But he is a good friend... will hold your crack pipe for you to help you out.

[max venable]

I've got no problem with what Michael Irvin said. He was joking. And it was pretty funny.

It's too bad we're all so hyper-sensitive to all this stuff.

Kramer, on the other hand, his rant was across the line. I say that mainly because I don't think he was joking. I think he has some real issues. I don't get that same sense from Irvin.

[paintmered]

I would listen to what Michael Irvin says, but I can't understand a word out of his mouth...

[RANDY IN INDY]

Michael Irvin does nothing to enhance himself or anyone else when he opens his mouth.

[Razor Shines]

I really don't care about what he said. It does seem to smack of a double standard, but I don't know why anyone is surprised by it. We know it's there but life goes on. It does seem odd that ESPN keeps putting guys like him on the air, who just aren't very good at thier jobs, but fires Harold Reynolds.

[bucksfan]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

I really don't care about what he said. It does seem to smack of a double standard, but I don't know why anyone is surprised by it. We know it's there but life goes on. It does seem odd that ESPN keeps putting guys like him on the air, who just aren't very good at thier jobs, but fires Harold Reynolds.

I agree. I have little appreciation for anything Irvin has ever "added" to any broadcast I have seen or heard. His thoughts don't surprise me nor do they necessarily offend me. The comparison with Richards' case is slim IMO in that they do both involve an amount prejudice but differed greatly in severity or malicious intent (if you will). I am quite surprised he still has a job with ESPN based on just his general character image and quality of work.

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by bucksfan

I agree. I have little appreciation for anything Irvin has ever "added" to any broadcast I have seen or heard. His thoughts don't surprise me nor do they necessarily offend me. The comparison with Richards' case is slim IMO in that they do both involve an amount prejudice but differed greatly in severity or malicious intent (if you will). I am quite surprised he still has a job with ESPN based on just his general character image and quality of work.

I didn't mean in anyway to compare it to Richards' case. I agree that they are very different. I meant to compare Irvin's comments to situations where people said things similar to what he joked about.

[RedsBaron]

I should add that I did not intend to compare what Irvin said with the comments that Michael Richards made. Given the long running thread here about Richards, I was surprised no one had mentioned Irvin's comments, but Irvin's comments were apparently made as a joke while Richards's comments seem to have been mean spirited, and caaling someone the "N word" is a lot nastier IMO than anything Irvin said.
I do think a comparsion can be made between what Irvin said and the comment made by Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder which lead to his firing by CBS. I realize that Snyder's firing was decades ago, and he was with a different network, but the comments were similar. I was never a fan of Synder's but I thought his firing by CBS was a bit of an over reaction, and I don't advocate that ESPN fire Irvin over his comments, although there are probably plenty of other reasons to fire him.

[RichRed]

Irvin is made of Teflon - nothing sticks to the guy, not hookers, not crack residue, not stupid comments. In what other line of work in this country would he be employable?

[Matt700wlw]

I don't pay attention to Michael Irvin....

He adds no value of any kind every time he opens up his yapper.

[RFS62]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm always interested in what Michael Irvin has to say about nuclear proliferation and global warming. That is, if I can't find any quotes from Deion Sanders and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Those three guys are the voice of reason in an otherwise troubled world.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by RFS62

I don't know about you guys, but I'm always interested in what Michael Irvin has to say about nuclear proliferation and global warming. That is, if I can't find any quotes from Deion Sanders and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Those three guys are the voice of reason in an otherwise troubled world.

You know that political discussions are not allowed here, and yet you bring up three noted political pundits.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by RFS62

I don't know about you guys, but I'm always interested in what Michael Irvin has to say about nuclear proliferation and global warming. That is, if I can't find any quotes from Deion Sanders and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Those three guys are the voice of reason in an otherwise troubled world.

Isn't that kind of like asking Tarzan, Frankenstein, and Tonto how to solve the Third World debt crisis? "Restructure with moderate loan forgiveness if adopt sound monetary policy good. FIRE BAD!"