Fired ESPN analyst Curt Schilling says racism and bigotry are alive and well at the “Worldwide leader of Sports.”
In an interview on SiriusXM radio’s “Breitbart News Patriot Forum,” Schilling said ESPN hires “some of the biggest racists in sports commentating.”
“Some of the most racist things that I’ve ever heard come out of people that are on the air at ESPN,” Schilling said. “You take it for what it is. You know who they are. You know what they are. I like that they are, openly, because then you know who they are. You know that they exist.”
Schilling specifically pointed to controversial comments made by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Tony Kornheiser that did not result in any backlash from the parent company.
“You listen to Stephen A. Smith, and Stephen A. Smith was the guy who said that Robert Griffin didn’t play quarterback for the Redskins because he’s black,” Schilling told Newsday. “No, Robert Griffin didn’t play quarterback for the Redskins because he (stunk).
“Tony Kornheiser compared the Tea Party to ISIS. I don’t know any planet where those are sports topics. But I don’t care. It’s OK. I think those conversations need to happen. But as soon as you go to the flip side, the right side, there are repercussions for not talking about sports.”
The former major league pitcher who compiled a 216-146 record and finished second in Cy Young voting three times, blamed his right-leaning political viewpoints as the reason why he was fired. He said fellow ESPN employees secretly admitted to him that they too were Republicans.
Schilling was fired last week after posting an anti-transgender post on Facebook. He is no stranger to controversy. He once was suspended by ESPN for posting a meme comparing the number of extremist Muslims today to the number of Nazis during World War II.
Hoffman, Winfield named spokesmen for All-Star Game
Two of the greatest players in San Diego Padres’ history have been named spokesmen for the 2016 All-Star Game.
Reliever Trevor Hoffman and outfielder Dave Winfield were selected Thursday to “help to generate public awareness” for the game, which will be played on July 12 at San Diego’s Petco Park.
Tony Gwynn is considered the franchise’s top all-time player but the eight-time batting champion died nearly two years ago.
Hoffman played 16 seasons with the Padres and posted 552 of his 601 career saves with the franchise. He represented San Diego in six All-Star games.
Winfield played the first eight seasons of a 22-year career in San Diego. He hit 154 homers with the Padres and played in four All-Star games — including the 1978 Midsummer Classic played in San Diego.
“When I was here, we hadn’t really won a lot,” Winfield told reporters after Thursday’s announcement. “To earn my stripes as one of the better players in the game and for fans to notice it, too, you could feel the growing momentum. First of all, that was an honor. OK, ‘How do you continue to bring this new visibility and respect to the organization, to the city?’
“I was all part of that. I know clearly the way I felt when all that stuff happened. I made that first All-Star Game (in 1977) and that second All-Star Game (in 1978). I was like, ‘I’m going to continue to do what is necessary to play well enough to always go to this if I could.’ “
San Diego also hosted the All-Star Game in 1992.
Cubs’ Bryant leaves with ankle injury
CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant suffered a mild right ankle sprain and departed Thursday’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers for a precautionary examination.
“He went for an MRI on his ankle,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after the game. “You saw him jog off the field when I pulled him. … I don’t even want to create conjecture. Let’s just see what happens, let’s look at the tests.”
Bryant, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year, apparently rolled the ankle while running the bases in the third inning. Bryant was replaced by Javier Baez in the fifth.
“I was watching him coming from second to third,” Maddon said. “I watched him hit the inside of the bag, but I did not see any hitch in his giddy-up. I saw a really good turn and I focused somewhere else at that point.”
Bryant was batting .289 with four homers, 15 RBIs and 17 runs scored after the series finale with the Brewers.