ESPN Suspends Max Kellerman Not For Admitting He Slapped His Wife 20 Years Ago At A Party, But Rather Because ESPN Personalites Are Banned From Talking About Ray Rice
ESPN - The Daily News has learned ESPN has suspended Max Kellerman for an inappropriate conversation on ESPN-LA Radio surrounding Ray Rice and domestic abuse. Kellerman co-hosts a show on the station and is the co-anchor of ESPN TV’s “SportsNation.” He is also HBO Sports’ lead boxing analyst. On the “Mason & Ireland ” show, which leads into his afternoon-drive program, Kellerman admitted to hitting his girlfriend many years ago. The conversation in question took place Monday afternoon, three days after Stephen A. Smith was suspended for saying women should be careful not to “provoke” any incident of abuse. On ESPN-LA, Kellerman told a story going back years when he and his then-girlfriend Erin, who now is his wife, attended a college party. Kellerman said they both had too much too drink. He said when he tried getting things under control his then-girlfriend slapped him. Kellerman said he slapped her back. He was quick to tell listeners that the woman is now is his wife and they have been happily married for 20 years.
Industry sources said while the content of his story was disturbing, the suspension was all about Kellerman, who once worked for ESPN New York Radio, not adhering to ESPN brass’ warning concerning the Rice topic being a highly sensitive one. “My understanding is that it was part of a larger conversation ESPN had with all its on-air people,” a radio industry source said. “Kellerman obviously didn’t pay attention.”
This story is a complete mindfuck. Like when I first heard it this weekend I was getting ready to argue the merits of suspending a guy for discussing something that happened 20 years ago. To be honest I still don’t know how I feel about that. I think you can argue it both ways. It kind of sends a message that domestic abuse will never be tolerated no matter how minor or when it happened, but it also seems insane to punish a guy for something that happened 20 years ago and wasn’t a crime. Almost like ESPN was trying to make up for the fact that they were so slow to condemn Stephen A Smith for blaming women for domestic abuse.
Featured on Barstool
Well I hadn’t even made up my mind on where I stood yet when I find out that’s not even what Kellerman got suspended for. He got suspended for just discussing the Ray Rice issue at all. This is probably because ESPN was still in hot water over the way they handed Stephen A. Smith’s comments. So rather than deal with the issues they wanted to pretend it didn’t exist. Why am I not surprised by this? Because if we’ve learned anything the last few weeks from ESPN it’s that they are unmitigated cowards. Dan Le Betard getting suspended for trolling Lebron James and now Kellerman getting suspending for talking about Ray Rice. What can you talk about anymore? I guess if you’re not sucking Lebron’s cock you’re not doing your job right. For shame.
PS – Max Kellerman is absolutely one of the biggest hardos on the planet and he’s also absolutely one of the best in the business at covering boxing. I”m a huge Kellerman guy. Have been for years.