Bob Griese Suspended For Racist Remark On Air (VIDEO)

(AP) ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz says Griese will not be working a game this week.

Krulewitz says ESPN has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."

During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game Saturday, a graphic was shown listing the top five drivers in NASCAR's points race. Fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, who is Colombian.

Griese replied he was "out having a taco."

He has twice apologized on air for the remark.

Montoya is declining to comment on Griese's suspension. He brushed off the remark Sunday, and said he'd never heard of Griese.

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Comments

[dancucich]

"A white male can no more understand or describe racism than a male can feel pregnancy. Just the bottomline."

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Of course that's not a racist stereotype...
esp coming from those who think being mistaken
for Mexican" is humilating.

[Syncoptic1]

Fanned.

[ApolloniusofTyana]

Griese can think about it when he's at home for a week watching TV and eating Wonder Bread toast.

[GravitonX]

I've found that the anti-PC movement is pretty much a bunch of white guys itching to say the n-word, among other insults to various minorities.

[GravitonX]

Good call. Suspend the loser. This time one week. The next time much longer if not forever.

[Philclock]

Everybody's Irish, Mohamed Ali, Obama, everybody!

Problem solved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADUQWKoVek

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4437539

[Poorsarah]

Maybe not illegal; but what about immoral or unethical? Treat others as we would want to be treated.

[MossyOak]

This reminds me of the time Howard Cosell, acerbic sports announcer, said on air, "The city of Denver is like a bowl of granola. Once you get rid of the fruits and nuts, all you have left is the flakes." That was pretty much the end of his career.

[Niris]

I don't feel Mr. Griese's was racist at all. Just a silly comment.

[Syncoptic1]

All of this, over a joke made in bad taste? Wake me up when that's illegal.

[fredisfred]

Who said it was illegal?

There's a difference between breaking the law and violating the terms of your contract. Sheesh.

[Syncoptic1]

Then by all means, please explain to us the language of his contract that pertains to this situation (since you seem to know it so well), and why this is not an overreaction to a completely subjective matter.

[voteblue4evr]

That was not offensive at all. It's on the same level as saying "Where's (name of a driver from the south)?" "Probably eating grits"....

Honestly, you people who think it was racist need to get a grip.

[GravitonX]

A white male can no more understand or describe racism than a male can feel pregnancy. Just the bottomline.

[Syncoptic1]

Don't be ridiculous. There are plenty of people who hate white people just as much as we could hate anyone else. I've been harassed based on the color of my skin before. It's no fun. Everything is a two way street, friend...

[dartagnan]

Ridiculous. People of Hispanic background eat tacos. So do white people, black people, Asian people and Native Americans.

If the driver had an Italian name and Griese had said he went out for a pizza, would we have seen all this outrage over "racism"?

[miller36]

I agree with you that's not racist.

[sloppybear16]

maybe he's a ladies man and he was referring to eating a woman's "taco".

[MilesLawrence]

Maybe Griese was a little insensitive. Would it have been all right if He had said hotdog instead of taco?

[KIVPossum]

Have the PC police taken over the country?

[Niris]

My point exactly. We are becoming a police state! It's getting out of control.

[whomod]

Yeah, it's insensitive. Racist? Perhaps. If you feel comfortable enough being racially insensitive on the air, it wouldn't be a stretch to find out you're a racist. the jury's still out.

Maybe next time we might catch him calling a Hispanic, "amigo" or something. that in itself also wouldn't qualify him as "racist" but it'd sure be another big clue.

[therealabsurdist]

Oh please. You ARE kidding, right?

I refer to EVERYONE as amigo. does that somehow make me racist in your eyes? If so, I suggest you grow a skin.

[opprobrious]

Out having a taco? That's it? Racism? No. Lame. Yes. A pathetic attempt at humor, actually. Don't be telling anymore jokes, Bob. BTW, what the heckfire is an ex-football player doing NASCAR anyway? They couldn't get any retired race car drivers?

[HadBetterDays]

You didn't read the article, Bob was covering the Minn-Ohio State football game and yes what he said was racist. Hispanics have been slurred with remarks like beaner and taco head amnong others for a long time. Griese just forgot that he wasn't talking with some of his all white buddies at the golf club that's all. I also suspect that he's resentful that his era has come to an end. He played during a time when only whites were thought to be intelligent enough to play quarterback or head coaches.