ESPN Drops Hank Williams Jr. Over Obama Remarks

[Jon S.]

I think it's funny that they are replacing Hank with former Lions running back Barry Sanders. I figured they would go with a black guy as a symbolic gesture....but I was betting on some hip hop artist. Also, I found it interesting that Bill Maher was one of the guys who had the guts to stick up for Hank. I just don't think Hank did a good job defending himself.....I think he could have legitimately said that what he said was taken out of context.....and the story would have gone away. Hank didn't deny that the way some took his words was not what he meant.

Anyway, simply put, when you compare others to Hitler.....you lose any credibility you have.....I don't care who it is.....NOBODY in modern history is even in Hitler's league.

 

[Whit]

Not to be mean but it's the NFL. It's not like some of the coaches or players have not had multiple issues with the law. They took Vick back for Gods sake.

I understand the concept but the reason in this case is stupid.

The NFL didn't fire him, MNF owners did because of the controversy and bad press it caused! But of course the right is so blind in their hatred that they can't see the facts!


Vick was punished and went to prison and lost his job and contract.

 

[Jon S.]

The NFL didn't fire him, MNF owners did because of the controversy and bad press it caused! But of course the right is so blind in their hatred that they can't see the facts!


Vick was punished and went to prison and lost his job and contract.

Actually, the biggest difference is the fact that the NFL can get some use out of Michael Vick, and the other players with rap sheets, and they can make money off of them. Hank Williams, Jr. on the other hand is not someone that ESPN needs.....the game is what people tune in for, and that fact made Hank dispensable. As long as a player can produce, there will be an owner who has little/no shame that will hire that player to "give him a 2nd chance....or 3rd & 4th chances in some cases."

You want to see a good example of the double standard....one only have to look at the case of Pete Rose. Yes, that was baseball, but they knew he had a gambling problem, he had been gambling on sports, and he had been gambling on baseball. But, as long as he was a productive player, and he was closing in on the all-time hits record, they turned a blind eye because he put asses in the seats. As soon as he became a manager....he too became expendable, and they lowered the boom on him. That's just how it is....as long as you are productive, and you help win games, and you put asses in the seats.....you're okay, and someone out there will keep on giving you a shot. Like I said, sadly for Hank, he didn't have any leverage......they simply didn't NEED him.

 

[bodie54]

You want to see a good example of the double standard....one only have to look at the case of Pete Rose. Yes, that was baseball, but they knew he had a gambling problem, he had been gambling on sports, and he had been gambling on baseball. But, as long as he was a productive player, and he was closing in on the all-time hits record, they turned a blind eye because he put asses in the seats. As soon as he became a manager....he too became expendable, and they lowered the boom on him.

No Jon the scandal didn't break as soon as he became a manager.
Bench managed for 5 years before the "scandal" broke.

 

[Jon S.]

No Jon the scandal didn't break as soon as he became a manager.
Bench managed for 5 years before the "scandal" broke.

No, I didn't mean immediately after he became a manager.....I meant that once he DID become a manager, and his playing career was over, that he too became expendable. The fact is that they turned a blind eye to his behavior while he played.....then they started investigating him when he was a manager. Yes, it took some time, but they handled Pete completely differently once his playing days were over. The fact remains that professional sports treats people differently based upon how much money they hope to make off of a particular person. Look at Barry Bonds even, his playing days were wrapping up, but the powers that be in MLB turned a blind eye to what was obvious concerning him and steroids.....simply because he was closing in on Aarons record, and he was putting asses in the seats. No sooner did he have the record, and they threw him under the bus....just as they had McGwire and Sosa before him. They use and tolerate a lot as long as they can make money off of you....that's just the way it is. I'm a Steelers fan and we had a receiver who slapped his estranged gf in a bar.....but he was like the #5 receiver....so they cut him & James Harrison fired a gun in his home in a dispute with his "baby mama" and the Steelers didn't do a thing about that. Why? Because they NEEDED James. Ben Roethlisberger was accused of rape not once, but twice.....and he is a certifiable douchebag.....the Steelers let him get away with his shit....and they releases Santonio Holmes over some marijuana shit. Why? Because Mike Wallace was stepping up to be a great replacement for Santonio.....and they NEEDED Ben. That's just the way professional sports are. The double standard is based upon how much they need someone.....and the Steelers have a reputation (unwarranted and baseless IMHO....and I'm a Steelers fan) for doing "the right thing" compared to most teams in the league.

 

[Jagger69]

First of all we both know you're not a Mo-ron.
But why not refer to him as the enemy?
After all, just to use obamar's own speach yesterday as an example.
75% of it was, without using the actual word, calling the republicans the enemy.
He will take no responsibilty. It's all the republicans fault.
He wants to drill that into the minds of the American people in every sentence he speaks.......
Republicans are YOU'RE ENEMY.
He'll say anything to keep himself in that office.

Seriously, he makes me sick, and I do consider him an enemy cause he sure the hell ain't no allie.

And its good that people like Hank speak out, more should because obviously something ain't working and maybe people actually getting pissed and speaking out might help change things.

That's an extreme attitude for sure. You can have serious disagreements philosophically with the president of the United States or with members of congress but that does not make them "the enemy" by any means. And if I'm not a moron for not agreeing with Bocephus, why proclaim that I am to begin with? :dunno:

It's this myopic "the other side are comprised of idiots with no redeeming qualities" attitude that further widens the gap between left and right IMO. Obama makes you sick, you consider him to be "the enemy", etc....how is he any more to blame for the mess we have right now than our conservative brethren in the "just say no and do nothing" republican-controlled House of Representatives? Both sides share responsibility form my perspective but I don't consider either side to be "the enemy" just because I may disagree with their positions on certain issues. Tell me how things would be improved if a republican president was in the White House. What specific answers have the republicans put on the table in the nearly 2 years they have held the majority in the House? Seems to me they are deliberately sabotaging any cooperative efforts to find real answers before the presidential election next year. It is in the best interests of the republican party to keep things as fucked-up as possible to ensure a victory next year rather than to put nation before party to improve things for the American people. If that is true, and I believe it is, it is an inexcusable and self-serving action that is almost beyond comprehension. None of these politicians seem to genuinely care about the average American....on the right or left....just get us re-elected and let's get the white House back no matter the consequences for the average American. These partisan pricks make me sick to my stomach. The established system SUCKS.

You attitude toward Obama seems more like primal rage than well-reasoned opinion. Say whatever you want however. Your one-sided viewpoint seems to be quite popular these days.

 

[Jane Burgess]

The NFL didn't fire him, MNF owners did because of the controversy and bad press it caused! But of course the right is so blind in their hatred that they can't see the facts!


Vick was punished and went to prison and lost his job and contract.

Vick deserves more punishment. He should have been banned from the NFL for life. Those dogs he abused that survived are fucked up for life, they will never be normal. I'm sorry but he is a sick fuck. He also isn't sorry. He said they were just dogs. Like that makes it ok. :2 cents:

 

[Jon S.]

Vick deserves more punishment. He should have been banned from the NFL for life. Those dogs he abused that survived are fucked up for life, they will never be normal. I'm sorry but he is a sick fuck. He also isn't sorry. He said they were just dogs. Like that makes it ok. :2 cents:

I TOTALLY agree that Vick is a sick fuck, and I can't stand him. I didn't like him before the whole abusing dogs issue, but afterwards, I REALLY can't stand him. But, like I said, some douchebag owner sees Vick as someone who can benefit the team, that they can make money off of, and the NFL would be afraid that the NAACP or other like groups would come after them if the league itself banned Vick for life. The Falcons cut his ass loose, but as long as you can play the game at a certain level, you can help a team win, and they can profit off of you.....they will keep on giving you chances. Personally, I never thought Vick was all that great a quarterback anyway, but the Eagles just happened to be the ones to do give him "another chance" this time. That's what hurt Hank.....he doesn't play the game, and ESPN didn't REALLY need him.....thus he had no leverage.

Now, on the other hand, there is Karma.....and it can be a bitch. Vick is getting injured all the time now days.....broken this, broken that, broken the other......so things do have a way of balancing out to some extent.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Vick deserves more punishment. He should have been banned from the NFL for life. Those dogs he abused that survived are fucked up for life, they will never be normal. I'm sorry but he is a sick fuck. He also isn't sorry. He said they were just dogs. Like that makes it ok. :2 cents:

I agree what Vick did was wrong, but damn we care more about dogs than people. Donte Stallworth was charged with second degree manslaughter. He killed a man while driving drunk and all he got was 30 days in jail plus community service and house arrest, yet no one talks about him and how he's such a monster and how sick he is.

 

[robot_r0ck]

Vick deserves more punishment. He should have been banned from the NFL for life. Those dogs he abused that survived are fucked up for life, they will never be normal. I'm sorry but he is a sick fuck. He also isn't sorry. He said they were just dogs. Like that makes it ok. :2 cents:

100% agree! That little bitch isn't even at least remorseful of what cruel shit he did to those innocent animals. Fuck him!

I agree what Vick did was wrong, but damn we care more about dogs than people. Donte Stallworth was charged with second degree manslaughter. He killed a man while driving drunk and all he got was 30 days in jail plus community service and house arrest, yet no one talks about him and how he's such a monster and how sick he is.

Good point. That fucker should of got prison time. I guess it's because we see dogs and other animals as defenceless... as to humans just being humans.

 

[Jane Burgess]

I agree what Vick did was wrong, but damn we care more about dogs than people. Donte Stallworth was charged with second degree manslaughter. He killed a man while driving drunk and all he got was 30 days in jail plus community service and house arrest, yet no one talks about him and how he's such a monster and how sick he is.

In all honesty, I usually like dogs over people. My two dogs are loving, loyal, protective and would never screw me over. That's more than I can say for a lot of humans.

I never understood why he wasn't in prison. He is another sicko that got off easy. Even Burress went to jail for a couple years and he didn't kill anyone.

 

[meesterperfect]

Williams didn't criticize Obama, he attacked him. It's not criticism when you compare the president to Hitler and call him the enemy. Williams said some stupid shit and ESPN did the right thing by parting ways with him because they in no way want to be associated with Williams' remarks. ESPN has the right to decide who it wants to open its broadcasts and they have the right to associate its product with any entertainer it chooses.

Free speech comes with consequences and it seems as if the last couple of years we've lost sight of what the 1st amendment means. It means Williams will not land in jail or have his life taken for calling Obama the enemy. However it does not guarantee that Williams gets to keep his job after voicing his opinion.

ok so now its attacked not criticized.
And you just can't get past that word Hitler can you?
I won't bother you anymore about this Ice, I can lead you to water but I can't make you drink.
You just won't admit they fired him because he attacked, insulted, said potty words or however else you want to describe it.
That's a no no in 2011. Come to think of it just like it was a no no to criticize Hitler in Germany in 1936.......how ironic.

And this whole Hitler crap 70 years later, WWII history we've been trained to think since birth.
Remember history is written by the winners.
Just ask Richard III, a bad guy in history. That history was written by Henry Tudor his usurper, a man who killed way more than Richard ever dreamed of.......and his son, ahforgetaboutit.
WWII. Japan attacks Russia, Japan attacks China, Poles slaughter Germans, Germany attacks Poland, russia attacks poland, Germany attacks Russia, France and england attack germany, Germany Attacks France and England, Japan attacks USA, USA attacks Japan and Germany, and they would have attacked Russia after if they had the resources, ect ect ect........all that killing.
But Germany lost, So theyre the Bad Guys.
:drama:

 

[Mayhem]

So, OK, I reeeeeeeelly haven't been paying attention. Did they let the hick back onto the football game or what?

 

[Jack Davenport]

It's not a matter of ESPN letting him back on. They suspended him and his song for one game and he retaliated by withdrawing the song from the broadcast for the remainder of the season.. He owns the rights to the song. The one thing I don't understand is how the attorneys representing ESPN allowed the song to be used without some sort of licensing agreement. I can't imagine just using the song on a week by week basis. But that appears to be the case.