Thom Brennaman suspended for on-air comments

[BCubb2003]

CFL is out, Arena league is closed... XFL maybe some day?

He’ll have to start over, without the benefit of the name. Abject public humiliation makes people uncomfortable, even when it happens to someone they don’t like. But worse people than he is have been given radio shows.

[westofyou]

He’ll have to start over, without the benefit of the name. Abject public humiliation makes people uncomfortable, even when it happens to someone they don’t like. But worse people than he is have been given radio shows.

It's often a path to public office too.

[CesarGeronimo]

You guys remember Thom's open letterr in the Enquirer after he was suspended? In the letter he said, "I used a word that is both offensive and insulting. In the past 24 hours, I have read about its history; I had no idea it was so rooted in hate and violence and am particularly ashamed that I, someone who makes his living by the use of words, could be so careless and insensitive."

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opi...ng/3401957001/

However in Nightengale's article he spoke with a former high school classmate of Thom's who said he stood up for him when other kids were taunting him with the same slur. "Brennaman was sitting in the stands at his high school football game his senior year at Anderson High School when a group of kids started bullying a gay classmate, Scott Seomin. They were calling him the same word. Brennaman turned around, and told them to cut it out. The taunting immediately stopped."

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/3561235...mpression=true

So Thom knew even when he was in high school that it was a word that was used to hurt people but in his letter he said he didn't realize that. Did he forget? I don't know why he keeps doubling down on this lie. Perhaps he is trying to stick to his story because he believes (and perhaps he's correct) that someone will give him another chance. If someone is going to give him another chance, I'm sure they are willing to overlook what he said. But I think if someone is considering hiring him, they don't care if he's lying or not.

I also think the context in which he used the word, "one of the *** capitals of the world," by itself shows that he is lying about not understanding the word's hate-filled meaning. There is nothing innocent or ambiguous about that usage.

[mth123]

To be honest, I could not have cared less what his personal feelings were toward any issue except baseball, and only then when he was announcing a game. Who cares what he thinks about anything?

I agree with this. I mean, it's right that his bosses care and how he comes across matters in his job. He deserved to be fired and basically become persona non grata as a broadcaster. But he (and other celebrities) aren't really experts at anything outside of what they do for a living. If some actor comes out in favor or against some political issue, why does it matter? Those people have no expertise in the area. I don't even understand why people pay any attention to it. If we're discussing the economy, I want to know what the head of the economics department at Harvard thinks, not some reality star who got where they are because of their looks or outrageous behavior.

Thom's gone. He deserved it. Now that he's gone, he has the right to move on with his life and I don't really care what he thinks about any issues, even the subject matter that got him fired. I'm actually shocked that people still want to discuss it. To each their own, I guess. .

[CesarGeronimo]

I agree with this. I mean, it's right that his bosses care and how he comes across matters in his job. He deserved to be fired and basically become persona non grata as a broadcaster. But he (and other celebrities) aren't really experts at anything outside of what they do for a living. If some actor comes out in favor or against some political issue, why does it matter? Those people have no expertise in the area. I don't even understand why people pay any attention to it. If we're discussing the economy, I want to know what the head of the economics department at Harvard thinks, not some reality star who got where they are because of their looks or outrageous behavior.

Thom's gone. He deserved it. Now that he's gone, he has the right to move on with his life and I don't really care what he thinks about any issues, even the subject matter that got him fired. I'm actually shocked that people still want to discuss it. To each their own, I guess. .

So if he had used hate-filled slurs against black and Hispanic people and it was caught on air, that shouldn't matter to us, either? You just wouldn't pay any attention to it because race isn't his area of expertise?

[Boston Red]

So if he had used hate-filled slurs against black and Hispanic people and it was caught on air, that shouldn't matter to us, either?

Not if he's fired.

[Larry Schuler]

So if he had used hate-filled slurs against black and Hispanic people and it was caught on air, that shouldn't matter to us, either? You just wouldn't pay any attention to it because race isn't his area of expertise?

I'm not a professional bigot, so I can't speak with any authority on this.

[westofyou]

I agree with this. I mean, it's right that his bosses care and how he comes across matters in his job. He deserved to be fired and basically become persona non grata as a broadcaster. But he (and other celebrities) aren't really experts at anything outside of what they do for a living. If some actor comes out in favor or against some political issue, why does it matter? Those people have no expertise in the area. I don't even understand why people pay any attention to it. If we're discussing the economy, I want to know what the head of the economics department at Harvard thinks, not some reality star who got where they are because of their looks or outrageous behavior.

Thom's gone. He deserved it. Now that he's gone, he has the right to move on with his life and I don't really care what he thinks about any issues, even the subject matter that got him fired. I'm actually shocked that people still want to discuss it. To each their own, I guess. .

Well count on the interest level being accelerated on Redszone being due to how long he's been associated with the Reds and his fathers association as well. I grew up on the eastside, had friends who knew Dawn Brennaman indirectly, we all knew Thom went to AHS, we all knew him when he showed up in the Cubs booth over 20 years ago. That's why people are still talking about it.

It's like that line George delivers to Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, "Look, mister, there's... two kinds of dumb, uh... guy that gets naked and runs out in the snow and barks at the moon, and, uh, guy who does the same thing in my living room. First one don't matter, the second one you're kinda forced to deal with."

People are dealing with it. Because it happened on a Reds game, by a long time announcer whose father is an icon.

And that's not even getting into the specifics of what was said, why it was said and how he thought he could say it at work, in front of a tool that broadcasts your voice all over the world.

[mth123]

So if he had used hate-filled slurs against black and Hispanic people and it was caught on air, that shouldn't matter to us, either? You just wouldn't pay any attention to it because race isn't his area of expertise?

Well, he was fired and rightfully so. After that, what else are we supposed to do and why do we care He wasn't caught committing a crime or an act of violence associated with his beliefs. What he said was dealt with appropriately and that's my entire concern with the matter. I don't care what he thinks privately. I don't know him personally and we'll likely never see or hear from him again, so why should I care what he thinks? A lot of people think things I disagree with.

[mth123]

Well count on the interest level being accelerated on Redszone being due to how long he's been associated with the Reds and his fathers association as well. I grew up on the eastside, had friends who knew Dawn Brennaman indirectly, we all knew Thom went to AHS, we all knew him when he showed up in the Cubs booth over 20 years ago. That's why people are still talking about it.

It's like that line George delivers to Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, "Look, mister, there's... two kinds of dumb, uh... guy that gets naked and runs out in the snow and barks at the moon, and, uh, guy who does the same thing in my living room. First one don't matter, the second one you're kinda forced to deal with."

People are dealing with it. Because it happened on a Reds game, by a long time announcer whose father is an icon.

And that's not even getting into the specifics of what was said, why it was said and how he thought he could say it at work, in front of a tool that broadcasts your voice all over the world.

i don't disagree with what you are saying. I'm just saying that he's been fired from all his jobs and it has been dealt with. What else is there other than gossip and speculation? His behavior was bad and he's been punished but we don't know how seriously he holds the beliefs that got him canned and what does it matter how seriously he does until he does something else publicly that makes it matter? All the speculation of whether he was joking in poor taste, is a closet bigot or whatever else, seems a bunch of nothing. He's gone, it's over and whatever he thinks doesn't effect anyone else's life at this point. So why do I care? I'd rather wring my hands over the end of the bench of the last guy in the bullpen. At least those issues might matter to tomorrow's game which is something I do care about. At this point, anything Thom thinks or believes is irrelevant to anyone who doesn't know him personally. I don't know him, never met him and unless some blind act of fate intervenes never wiil, so why do I care what he really thinks behind those statements or anything else?

[JFLegal]

I'm not a professional bigot, so I can't speak with any authority on this.

you're just amateur?

[TRF]

Thom cancelled himself, and while I thought that first opinion piece he wrote was waaaaay to soon, he stepped away, let time pass and has apparently chosen a slower path to redemption. Good for him. It is good that others affected by his words have come to his defense. It's good that people question his motives.

Maybe he's a great guy. Maybe he really did not understand until after, well after how his words affected people. Not in the moment, but later. weeks later.

I hope he emerges from this a better person. And as woy suggested, I won't be surprised to see him run for public office. If his humbling changed him for the better, there can be a benefit for everyone.

[Boston Red]

I won't be surprised to see him run for public office.

I think he'd be an excellent dogcatcher. Has my vote.

[Larry Schuler]

Thom can also donate to and endorse LGBTQ+ political candidates and politicians who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Unless he feels he has more to offer by using this as an opportunity to legislate against them from an official position of power in government.

[Hubba]

If he gives them all his money And comes out Will everything be good then? Can he then go back to work? Money cures everything.