ESPN's "wokeness" reaches it's zenith.

[HTFOff]

Robert Lee lost something in Virginia, and 152 years later, another Robert Lee did too.

The living Robert Lee, an (ASIAN AMERICAN) ESPN sports broadcaster, was pulled from calling the University of Virginia home opener against William and Mary on Sept. 2 due to sharing a name with the Confederate general at the center of unrest in Charlottesville.

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name,” Derek Volner, an ESPN spokesman, told The Washington Post in an emailed statement.

[‘It clearly wasn’t a good idea’: Nazi salute brings an 18-month sentence for an Austrian soccer fan]

“In that moment it felt right to all parties. It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret that who calls play by play for a football game has become an issue,” he said.

Volner declined to say if the network made a preemptive decision or responded to outside pressure to pull Lee from the broadcast. He also did not say if Lee was made available for comment. Lee, a sportscaster for 20 years, began his career calling games at Syracuse University, his alma mater. He is bilingual and speaks Mandarin Chinese, according to his online resume.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...vas-home-opener-his-name-robert-lee/#comments
I added the asian-american part myself to better reflect the absurdity, because democracy dies in darkness.

 

[TheVrolok]

Totally dumb, but "democracy dies on darkness?" really?

 

[Victorian Gray]

"Much ado about nothing": A great deal of fuss over nothing of importance.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Owned by disney, capitalism in the working, not sure why anyone cares, htfoff sure does. Hurts so good.

 

[HTFOff]

"Everything I don't like posted is much ado about nothing"

Thanks for that hot take, Oldgamer.

 

[Victorian Gray]

"Everything I don't like posted is much ado about nothing"

Thanks for that hot take, Oldgamer.

Given the seriousness of the issue, this scurrilous attack against the very soul of America, I've changed my mind. Start the revolution *now* man, before it's too late.

 

[brycejones]

Op still bitter mom wouldn't let him buy his tiki torch?

 

[HTFOff]

Given the seriousness of the issue, this scurrilous attack against the very soul of America, I've changed my mind. Start the revolution *now* man, before it's too late.

I only ask that you, on behalf of Narnia, aid us in this struggle. We can always count on our friends in the north!

 

[VRAMdemon]

Wow! didn't think this was real..Just how stupid does ESPN think some people are that they would be confused by an Asian dude named Robert Lee calling a football game...I wonder if an ESPN announcer says that the defense stood like a "stonewall", will he get fired?

 

[UNCjigga]

This country is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions. Old Testament, real wrath of God type stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...the dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

 

[Homerboy]

This country is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions. Old Testament, real wrath of God type stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...the dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

This man has no dick.

 

[Homerboy]

I have to admit, this is stupid on ESPNs end.

 

[dank69]

My heart is all aflutter.

 

[VRAMdemon]

It may not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it's shit like this that keeps the raving, whiny PC justice warriors relevant.

 

[sandorski]

meh, slow News day.

Was it ESPN being stupid or just a precaution to avoid a Stupid Consequence? Given that it's a one-time thing, does it really matter?

 

[jmagg]

It's a moral issue.

 

[FIVR]

His name offends me. Frankly, there should be nobody named Robert Lee on earth ever again, just as there is nobody named Adolf Hitler. Same rules should apply to all confederates especially JEB Stuart and Nathan Bedford Forrest.


If he legally changes his name to Sherman or Grant I'll be OK with it.

 

[thraashman]

According to statements from ESPN that I've seen Lee was asked if due to the current circumstances if he'd rather switch to calling a different game or if he wanted to stay he could. They gave him the option and all parties agreed it'd be simpler to switch. It wasn't even a change they publicized but someone leaked it to a right wing source that made a big deal about it.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

This man has no dick.

thieving bastard

 

[ch33zw1z]

thieving bastard

Lulz, g1

 

[Pens1566]

Eh, so what's the problem again?

 

[Meghan54]

Eh, so what's the problem again?

Conservatives needed a new, different distraction from their harboring of white supremecists and neo-Nazis.

 

[Atreus21]

Really freaking stupid.

 

[Indus]

Never liked ESPN. They keep raising my cable rates for ESPN fees.

 

[FerrelGeek]

I have to admit, this is stupid on ESPNs end.

Agreed. Frankly, the people that should be insulted by this are those on the left.