Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Clippers Broadcasters suspended for comments about Hamed Haddadi

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by across110thstreet, Nov 20, 2009.

Tags:

Page 1 of 5

across110thstreet Member

Joined:

Mar 17, 2001

Messages:

12,855

Likes Received:

1,611

I don't think the exchange warrants a suspension, but apparently a single Clippers fan has complained and now received an apology from the local Fox Sports network... they suspended Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith for tonight's game for the comments, listed below:

Veteran play-by-play man Ralph Lawler and analyst Mike Smith (above, left and right) were suspended for tonight's Clippers telecast on Fox Sports Prime Ticket for comments made during Wednesday's telecast, according to sources with knowledge of the decision but not authorized to speak publicly.

Fox issued this statement at 5:03 p.m. today: "We regret the remarks made by Clippers announcers Michael Smith and Ralph Lawler during Wednesday's telecast. While we believe that Michael and Ralph did not intend their exchange to be offensive, the comments were inappropriate. We extend our apologies to Hamed Haddadi of the Memphis Grizzlies and to anyone who was offended. We have addressed the situation with Michael and Ralph and have taken appropriate action."

Wednesday's comments came near the end of a dreary Clippers loss, 106-91, in Memphis as rookie Haddadi, a 7-foot-2 center and the first Iranian player in the NBA, came into the game.

In a 40-second exchange Lawler and Smith began talking about Haddadi. A Clippers fan who watched Wednesday’s telecast complained about the verbal exchange and said he received an apology today from Fox Sports.

Here is the exchange:

Smith: “Look who’s in.”

Lawler: “Hamed Haddadi. Where’s he from?”

Smith: “He’s the first Iranian to play in the NBA.” (Smith pronounced Iranian as “Eye-ranian,” a pronunciation that offended the viewer who complained.)

Lawler: “There aren’t any Iranian players in the NBA,” repeating Smith’s mispronunciation.

Smith: “He’s the only one.”

Lawler: “He’s from Iran?”

Smith: “I guess so.”

Lawler: “That Iran?”

Smith: Yes.

Lawler: “The real Iran?”

Smith: “Yes.”

Lawler: “Wow. Haddadi – that’s H-A-D-D-A-D-I.”

Smith: “You’re sure it’s not Borat’s older brother?”

Smith: “If they ever make a movie about Haddadi, I’m going to get Sacha Baron Cohen to play the part.”

Lawler: “Here’s Haddadi. Nice little back-door pass. I guess those Iranians can pass the ball.”
Smith: “Especially the post players.

Lawler: “I don’t know about their guards.”

Stay tuned to latimes.com/sports for the full story.

-- Diane Pucin
Click to expand...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/11/ralph-lawler-clippers.html

#1 across110thstreet, Nov 20, 2009

GlenRice Member

Joined:

Apr 16, 2009

Messages:

3,990

Likes Received:

239

well there alot of iranians in L.A.

#2 GlenRice, Nov 20, 2009
GlenRice Member

Joined:

Apr 16, 2009

Messages:

3,990

Likes Received:

239

and haddadi is not a rookie as its says in the article.

#3 GlenRice, Nov 20, 2009
RedRedemption Member

Joined:

Jul 21, 2009

Messages:

32,542

Likes Received:

7,752

Really? People are just straight up Vajayjays now-a-days...

#4 RedRedemption, Nov 20, 2009
moestavern19 Member

Joined:

Dec 8, 1999

Messages:

39,003

Likes Received:

3,641

The Clippers had a fan?

#5 moestavern19, Nov 20, 2009
GlenRice Member

Joined:

Apr 16, 2009

Messages:

3,990

Likes Received:

239

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QmEwliDcSHw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QmEwliDcSHw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

#6 GlenRice, Nov 20, 2009
BEAT LA Member

Joined:

Sep 24, 2009

Messages:

7,662

Likes Received:

197

Everyone missed it. The real Iran. You guys are hopeless.

#7 BEAT LA, Nov 20, 2009

K mf G Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

4,376

Likes Received:

1,753

dumb?

#8 K mf G, Nov 20, 2009
BEAT LA Member

Joined:

Sep 24, 2009

Messages:

7,662

Likes Received:

197

Winner of the wars rewrites history. Just remember that.

#9 BEAT LA, Nov 20, 2009
Tom Bombadillo Member

Joined:

Jan 6, 2006

Messages:

29,091

Likes Received:

23,991

moestavern19 said:

The Clippers had a fan?
Click to expand...

#10 Tom Bombadillo, Nov 20, 2009
K mf G Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

4,376

Likes Received:

1,753

BEAT LA said:

Winner of the wars rewrites history. Just remember that.
Click to expand...

i know what you are saying
i'm a minority amongst minorities
take this website for example
everyone here busts balls
"that iran" that's what you're pissed about?
these dudes probably only know how to speak english
forgive them for not knowing how to pronounce iran
muchless know that he prefers to be called persian

#11 K mf G, Nov 20, 2009
T-mac(#1) Member

Joined:

Apr 19, 2009

Messages:

8

Likes Received:

0

There was absolutely nothing about their conversation that was worthy to bring up.. It was obviously intentional and ignorant of them

And for the record, I'm the type that doesn't mind making/getting made fun of.. of it could be the fact that I'm also Persian and I found this offensive

#12 T-mac(#1), Nov 20, 2009
rhino17 Member

Joined:

Jul 13, 2006

Messages:

18,025

Likes Received:

4,436

what is offensive about the way he pronounced Iranian?

#13 rhino17, Nov 20, 2009

BEAT LA Member

Joined:

Sep 24, 2009

Messages:

7,662

Likes Received:

197

K mf G said:

i know what you are saying
i'm a minority amongst minorities
take this website for example
everyone here busts balls
"that iran" that's what you're pissed about?
these dudes probably only know how to speak english
forgive them for not knowing how to pronounce iran
muchless know that he prefers to be called persian
Click to expand...

I meant what I said. I could care less about the pronunciation. This isn't crap I can cite internet source for.

#14 BEAT LA, Nov 21, 2009
K mf G Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

4,376

Likes Received:

1,753

i meant what i said too
let me give you one
that no one will agree with me
you ever heard the expression
the pot calling the kettle black?
that ish offends me

#15 K mf G, Nov 21, 2009
across110thstreet Member

Joined:

Mar 17, 2001

Messages:

12,855

Likes Received:

1,611

wow. the clippers are beating the nuggets without Gordon and Griffin. and it's on ESPN...

#16 across110thstreet, Nov 21, 2009
K mf G Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

4,376

Likes Received:

1,753

just saw the score on that
the most uninteresting thing about that
it's the clippers

#17 K mf G, Nov 21, 2009
david_rocket Member

Joined:

Sep 19, 2003

Messages:

9,488

Likes Received:

834

well, the clippers games could be without commentators, because who watches the clippers games??

#18 david_rocket, Nov 21, 2009

T-mac(#1) Member

Joined:

Apr 19, 2009

Messages:

8

Likes Received:

0

rhino17 said:

what is offensive about the way he pronounced Iranian?
Click to expand...

Eye-ranian...Uranium

The way the word is used is derogatory to the people of Iran
Similar to the 'N' word, or calling someone a 'Jew' instead of 'Jewish'

#19 T-mac(#1), Nov 21, 2009
K mf G Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

4,376

Likes Received:

1,753

T-mac(#1) said:

Eye-ranian...Uranium

The way the word is used is derogatory to the people of Iran
Similar to the 'N' word, or calling someone a 'Jew' instead of 'Jewish'
Click to expand...

i'm sorry but i disagree
and would hate for this thread to get sent to the d&d
but i just have to add this
mispronouncing iran or iranian
is nothing like the n word

#20 K mf G, Nov 21, 2009

(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Page 1 of 5

Share This Page