ESPN Fires Harold Reynolds

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gimpypimp

gimpypimp

Sicc OG
#1
May 2, 2002
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#1
Wierd...after 11 years...to just get dumped overnight.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/espn_fires_reynolds_sports_andrew_marchand.htm

July 25, 2006 -- ESPN yesterday fired analyst Harold Reynolds from Baseball Tonight, sources told The Post. The reason was not immediately known.
"We are not going to comment," ESPN VP Josh Krulewitz said.

When asked how they are going to explain that Reynolds will never be on the air again, Krulewitz still declined comment.

Reynolds did not return calls.

Reynolds, 45, had been with ESPN 11 years. He had been a fixture on the show, which is a gathering spot for baseball fans, players and team executives.

The program already is dealing with the loss of information man Peter Gammons. Gammons is recovering from a brain aneurysm that occurred at the end of last month. The show's main analysts had been Reynolds, Gammons and John Kruk.

In Gammons' absence, ex-Met GM Steve Phillips has played a bigger role on the show. The program uses several analysts, including Orel Hershiser, Tino Martinez and Jeff Brantley.

Last night, host Karl Ravech was joined by Kruk and Phillips. Reynolds usually is on Monday nights.

Reynolds was known for a smooth style that usually was player friendly. He never found himself in too much controversy for what he said on the air. In fact, ESPN was so high on him he was expected to stay with the network through its just signed eight-year deal with MLB.

Now, after yesterday, Reynolds is no longer welcome in Bristol.
 
Stealth

Stealth

Join date: May '98
#3
May 8, 2002
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#3
I always liked him as an analyst, even though I dont like baseball or analysts that much. Seemed like a nice dude. Plus they had him in the celebrity game during the All-Stars. That's kinda strange, but if they're not giving a reason for firing him, maybe they're being nice. Like he got drunk and killed a hooker and they said "we'll just release you if you promise not to say a word".
 
AC Transit

AC Transit

Sicc OG
#4
May 15, 2002
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#4
damn I wondered what he did - i liked reynolds on the broadcast


from deadspin

Was This Why Harold Got The Axe?
We can't say for sure why Harold Reynolds was fired from ESPN yesterday, because ESPN hasn't put out a statement or anything (and they don't have to), but we can tell you what the chatter in Bristol is: Everyone is hearing sexual harassment. Every single email we've received from the inside about this today has used those very two words.

Again, nothing concrete on this. But that is definitely what they're whispering in Bristol. Some highlights:

• Thirdhand info, but I'm told it's sexual harassment. There were allegations of inappropriate actions between him and female PAs on a couple different occasions, so I'm not entirely shocked.

• It's apparently sexual harassment, but no one knows who the victim was. It went down over the course of the weekend.

• I have on good authority that HR was fired for all things, hitting on girls. Allegedly, this has been going on for a while. The last straw was when a new PA was having none of what Harold had to offer and turned him in.

• Harold Reynolds was fired more or less for copious amounts of sexual harassment. Apparently, he brazenly hits on female employees constantly, despite the fact that his wife just had a kid six months ago. He was warned by the big-wigs on numerous occasions to cool it with the ladies, but someone finally lodged a complaint, and he was canned immediately.

• It's very difficult to get fired from ESPN. It takes multiple offenses ... they're usually so worried about getting sued for unlawful termination that people are suspended multiple times for the same repeated behavior before it finally comes to getting fired. Within the walls of the campus, there are only a few on-air talent guys that had an honest reputation as being overly friendly with the ladies, and HR was one of them.

So anyway, that's what they're saying on the Bristol campus. But since ESPN doesn't have to say anything -- in-house or otherwise -- and neither does Reynolds, we might never know for sure. (No announcement, we're told, has been made to the staff.) That's what they're saying, though; we didn't receive a single email suggesting anything but that.

But that's not what we're saying, because we don't know. To be clear.
 
V

V

Sicc OG
#5
Apr 25, 2002
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#5
  • V

    V

damn, thas a shame...reynolds was a good analyst, always liked him...very knowledgeable and never tried to do too much, hope they turn it into a suspension or sumthin so he can come back...
 
Stealth

Stealth

Join date: May '98
#6
May 8, 2002
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#6
I just called my buddy, he's a huge baseball fan (a Pirates fan actually, poor guy haha). He was COMPLETELY shocked/blown away when I told him.
 
gimpypimp

gimpypimp

Sicc OG
#7
May 2, 2002
3,895
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#7
^^^

I think most people are...everyone seemed to really like the guy. But if he was hittin' on chicks all the time, I can see why they let him go.

Most places have really strict sexual harrasment guidelines cause they don't want to get sued.
 
I AM

I AM

Some Random Asshole
#12
Apr 25, 2002
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#12
Stealth said:
That's kinda strange, but if they're not giving a reason for firing him, maybe they're being nice. Like he got drunk and killed a hooker and they said "we'll just release you if you promise not to say a word".
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking. If they don't want to comment and he's not returning calls, he probably did something like harrassing someone at work or some shit that they couldn't let go. They don't just fire people for no reason after 11 years.
 
gimpypimp

gimpypimp

Sicc OG
#16
May 2, 2002
3,895
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#16
Looks like it was sexual harrasment...it must have been some hug.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=111651

NEW YORK -- Harold Reynolds was fired by ESPN from his job as a baseball analyst after he was accused of sexual harassment, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

The former Gold Glove-winning second baseman, a member of the "Baseball Tonight" team for 11 years, said he didn't do anything to warrant his dismissal and wants his job back.

"It was a total misunderstanding," Reynolds told the Post. "My goal is to sit down and get back. To be honest with you, I gave a woman a hug and I felt like it was misinterpreted."

The newspaper, quoting sources, reported that the woman is an ESPN employee.

On Tuesday, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said Reynolds, 45, made his last on-air appearance for the network Sunday night. ESPN refused to comment on previous reports that Reynolds was dismissed, or to provide any details regarding his departure.

"All I can say is he is no longer working here," Krulewitz said.

Reynolds, who played 12 major league seasons, joined ESPN in 1996. In addition to his work on "Baseball Tonight," he also covered the College World Series and the Little League World Series.

ESPN already was dealing with the loss of another baseball analyst, Peter Gammons, who has been off the air since he was stricken with a brain aneurysm on June 27.
 
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