There’s some tension brewing between ESPN host Dan Le Batard and network president Jimmy Pitaro.
Last week, Le Batard defied his bosses orders to steer clear of politics on the air when he bashed President Trump over racist language in one of his speeches last week directed at several congresswomen.
Stop what you're doing and watch this.@LeBatardShow responds to the racist "Send her back" and "Go back to your country" attacks against Ilhan Omar and other congresswomen.
"If you're not calling it abhorrent, obviously racist, dangerous rhetoric, you're complicit." pic.twitter.com/ntOC2Seg3b
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) July 18, 2019
We here at ESPN haven’t had the stomach for that fight, because Jemele [Hill] did some things on Twitter and you saw what happened after that, and then here all of a sudden nobody talks politics on anything unless we can use one of these sports figures as a meat-shield in the most cowardly possible way to discuss these subjects.”
[…]
“The only way we can discuss it around here—because this isn’t about politics, it’s about race; what you’re seeing happening around here is about race and it’s been turned into politics—we only talk about it around here when Steve Kerr or [Gregg] Popovich says something. We don’t talk about what is happening unless there’s some sort of weak, cowardly sports angle that we can run it through, when sports has always been a place where this stuff changes.”
[…]
“We won’t talk about it unless Russell Wilson is saying something about it on his Instagram page. Then we have the power to run with it. Weak-ass shield. It is antithetical to what we should be, and if you’re not calling it abhorrent, obviously racist, dangerous rhetoric, you’re complicit.”
On Friday ESPN sent out a memo to all of their employees reminding them to stay away from politics after the Le Batard video went viral.
Via AP
The reminder went out Friday to all employees, including Le Batard, according to an ESPN employee who spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about personnel matters.
ESPN has not spoken publicly about Le Batard’s comments, including whether he faces any disciplinary action.
Reached on Saturday, Le Batard also declined comment.
This morning Le Batard no-showed his radio show and because he was reportedly sparring with his boss.
Le Batard and ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro were in contact much of the weekend. Sources said Pitaro would not waver from his policy of no pure-play politics. Le Batard told Pitaro that he was not in the right frame of mind to do his radio show Monday.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) July 22, 2019
Apparently, Le Batard was not suspended but decided to sit out on his own.
Source says it is Dan Le Batard's choice not to be on radio today, that he is not suspended. Le Batard and ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro have been talking all weekend and Dan did not feel prepared to do his radio show today. He expects to be back on radio tomorrow. https://t.co/SI133hFbdY
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) July 22, 2019