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ESPNer Calls Female Sideline Reporter “Sweetcakes,” “A—hole,” Is Pulled From Broadcast

by Dan Fogarty | 4:46 pm, January 2nd, 2011

ESPN announcer Ron Franklin was pulled from Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl radio broadcast after making crude comments to sideline reporter Jeanine Edwards during a production meeting.

Edwards and Franklin were part of a team that included broadcasters Ed Cunningham and Rod Gilmore. According to SportsByBrooks, Franklin, Cunningham and Gilmore were in the midst of a conversation about Gilmore’s wife recently being elected the mayor of Alameda, California.

As the three men talked, Edwards attempted to join in. That’s when Franklin said, “Why don’t you leave this to the boys, sweetcakes.”

Edwards responded, “Don’t call me sweetcakes, I don’t like being talked to like that.”

To which Franklin said, “Okay then, asshole.”

Edwards reported Franklin to ESPN management and they attempted to pull him from that day’s Chick-Fil-A-Bowl. But when they couldn’t find a replacement on such short notice, they had to stick with Franklin. As SbB notes, the telecast went off without a hitch.

Even so, there would still be consequences. Franklin and Edwards were scheduled to work together the next night on the Fiesta Bowl radio broadcast, but Franklin was pulled. Dave Lamont filled in for him.

Franklin has been working in broadcasting since 1965, and joined ESPN in 1987. He recently signed a contract extension with the network.

Edwards, meanwhile, has been with ESPN since 1995, and is perhaps best known for her appearances on “First Take” and “Sportscenter.”

mikey970

u cant teach an old dog new tricks…franklin should be ashamed…but he probably aint…..
LadyChurchillUSA

If you can’t play with the big boys, honey, get out of the locker room. You want to enter their world you had better toughen up a bit. I am 67 yrs old and have handled a lot worse comments than “sweetcakes”. If you can’t come back with a suitable retort to that you are a true nitwit. If you want civilized conversation then join the bridge club, no wait, that conversation is probably even tougher. Grow up.
JBaustian

There are a great many vulgarities that she could have and should have tossed right back at him, He deserved the worst she could dish up. Or she could have just kicked him in the balls first.

Instead she just showed that she’s not ready for prime time.
Darr247

You guys are id10ts if you think she should have just shot back her own insults. She played it exactly right, and none of you would make it in today’s corporate world. Management’s tired of paying off lawsuits for not providing safe, respectful work environments… you’d be gone as soon as they reviewed the security tapes (which is why your buddies wouldn’t lie for you, or they’d be fired too).
Bronco46

Yawn! Who Cares. It’s interesting that the first two obvious male entries stick up for the little girl trying her had at sports.
If she can’t take this, then she isn’t ready for sports broadcasting. Women forcing themselves into various all male enviroments and then complaining about the company is getting really tedious, and a little too precious.