DETROIT (AP) - Fox baseball broadcaster Steve Lyons has been fired for making a racially insensitive comment directed at colleague Lou Piniella's Hispanic heritage on the air during Game 3 of the American League championship series.
The network confirmed Saturday that Lyons was dismissed after Friday's comments. He has been replaced for the remainder of the series by Los Angeles Angels announcer Jose Mota. "Steve Lyons has been relieved of his Fox Sports duties for making comments on air that the company found inappropriate," network spokesman Dan Bell said.
Lyons had been working in the booth for the ALCS alongside Thom Brennaman and Piniella.
Piniella, approached before Saturday's Game 4, declined to comment on the situation except to say: "No, he's not here today."
In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that sluggers Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.
Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" — hot in Spanish — because he was currently "frio" — or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.
Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" — butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" — and added, "I still can't find my wallet."
"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.
Fox executives told Lyons after the game he had been fired.
I'm not sure how thats racially insensitive. Is he saying that Pinella stole his wallet cause he's hispanic?
In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that sluggers Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.
Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" — hot in Spanish — because he was currently "frio" — or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.
Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" — butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" — and added, "I still can't find my wallet."
"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.
Fox executives told Lyons after the game he had been fired.
I'm not sure how thats racially insensitive. Is he saying that Pinella stole his wallet cause he's hispanic?
Sounds dumb to me.
Sounds like that to me. Lyons really said that on air??
DETROIT (AP) - Fox baseball broadcaster Steve Lyons has been fired for making a racially insensitive comment directed at colleague Lou Piniella's Hispanic heritage on the air during Game 3 of the American League championship series.
The network confirmed Saturday that Lyons was dismissed after Friday's comments. He has been replaced for the remainder of the series by Los Angeles Angels announcer Jose Mota. "Steve Lyons has been relieved of his Fox Sports duties for making comments on air that the company found inappropriate," network spokesman Dan Bell said.
Lyons had been working in the booth for the ALCS alongside Thom Brennaman and Piniella.
Piniella, approached before Saturday's Game 4, declined to comment on the situation except to say: "No, he's not here today."
In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that sluggers Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.
Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" — hot in Spanish — because he was currently "frio" — or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.
Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" — butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" — and added, "I still can't find my wallet."
"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.
Fox executives told Lyons after the game he had been fired.
I'm not sure how thats racially insensitive. Is he saying that Pinella stole his wallet cause he's hispanic?
Sounds dumb to me.
I think it's the "not wanting to sit too close to him" part. It's too bad for Psycho, since he was probably just trying to be funny, but in this day and age, you have to be very careful what you say.
Havok1517 wrote:I think Lyons was the comedy relief that made the broadcast entertaining. Bad move FOX.
I think it's a mistake too. Baseball broadcasts on FOX just got even more boring. Has anyone ever seen the post game shows with the blond woman and the former manager? I can't stand watching. It's incredibly sloppy from start to finish.
Maybee Lyons just ment Pinella stole his wallet. Not cause he's spanish but just messin with Pinella.
The stupid thing about this is a few months ago Orestas Estrada on MLB XM Radio said something about spanish people stealing things. And he kind went overboard. If he was white he woulda been fired on the spot.
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by Doughhead » Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:32 pm 
