talk about "unprofessional"

[kingjames23]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/11/20/clip ... index.html


Clippers broadcasters suspended for comments about Haddadi

By Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Nov 21 2009 12:00AM

LOS ANGELES -- The longtime announcer of the Los Angeles Clippers and his partner were suspended for a game following their comments about Grizzlies backup center Hamed Haddadi during Wednesday's telecast from Memphis.

Ralph Lawler, in his 31st season as the voice of the Clippers, and analyst Mike Smith were suspended by Fox Sports Prime Ticket for Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center.

Toward the end of the 106-91 loss to the Grizzlies, Haddadi entered the game. A 7-foot-2 center, Haddadi is the first Iranian to play in the NBA. When he entered, Smith began a 40-second exchange by saying, 'Look who's in?" Lawler then answered, "Hamed Haddadi. Where's he from?" The exchange continued as follows:

Smith: "He's the first Iranian to play in the NBA."

Lawler: "There aren't any Iranian players in the NBA."

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."

A viewer apparently complained about the exchange and later received an apology from Fox Sports.

[Dee.]

LOL.

[Lamrock]

Haha, I would have loved to be watching that live.

[Andrew]

That's pretty embarrassing.

[bowdown]

lol was it the same guy who goes OOOOOOOOOOOH ME OH MY?

[J@3]

[dare]

Man just like Cole and Lawler in the WWE

[NovU]

Actual audio or video would have been nicer, but it's still funny.

[TomCat]

Haha terrific.

That Iran?

Loved that lol

[shadowgrin]

Man just like J.R. and Lawler in the WWE

Fixed. Cole sucks.

[Patr1ck]

I was watching that game. When you hear it live it doesn't sound as bad.

Apparently a season ticket holder who is Iranian and a lawyer complained about it and got them suspended.

phpBB [video]

[shadowgrin]

I bet that lawyer doesn't even know who Borat is and just googled it and found the not so pleasing Borat pics after hearing that broadcast.

"That Iran?"
"The real Iran?"

[Al Ka Pwn]

What was offensive about it? Or did the iranian complaining threaten to throw nukes or something?

[Laxation]

IMO it was worse when he started talking about that gay coming out.

[Lightning Strike]

Sounded a lot funnier in my head, then when I watched the clip I realized that it was just some over-sensitive person complaining about tiny things again. Nothing in that.

[bowdown]

Sounded a lot funnier in my head, then when I watched the clip I realized that it was just some over-sensitive person complaining about tiny things again. Nothing in that.

yea but u never know unless u are that person. if u are in china and u hear chinese people yap about americans u might be offended. but since u already know usa is a really good country u will just not bother. not the same for someone from iran.

[Lightning Strike]

I hear and read a lot of stereotypes about Australians on the internet and through personal experiences, but as far as I've reacted to them, I just laugh with them and enjoy the joke. I just don't see the big deal in an incident like this (in terms of racism), they didn't say anything directly offending the basketball player at all and they were suspended for it.

[TomCat]

I hear and read a lot of stereotypes about Australians on the internet and through personal experiences, but as far as I've reacted to them, I just laugh with them and enjoy the joke. I just don't see the big deal in an incident like this (in terms of racism), they didn't say anything directly offending the basketball player at all and they were suspended for it.

Exactly! .. Like on the Simpsons episode where they rip into our country so much but I think it's hilarious lol, they're just having a bit of fun, let it go...

[Andrew]

It was more flat-out unintelligent than offensive, particularly the first part of the exchange.

Smith: "He's the first Iranian to play in the NBA."

Lawler: "There aren't any Iranian players in the NBA."

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."

Although the last part also reminds me of a Simpsons episode.

"Are you really the head of the Qwik-E-Mart?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You?"
"Yes."

[TomCat]

I hope this has been enlightening for you. Thankyou, come again.

[Lightning Strike]

It was more flat-out unintelligent than offensive, particularly the first part of the exchange.

Of course, there's no doubting that.

[Laxation]

I realized that it was just some over-sensitive person complaining about tiny things again. Nothing in that.

End thread.

[Patr1ck]

LOS ANGELES -- Clippers play-by-play man Ralph Lawler and color analyst Michael Smith met with Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi before Sunday's game at Staples Center, where they expressed regret for an incident that earned the TV broadcasters a one-game suspension.
...

"It went really well," Lawler told the Associated Press, about an hour before tipoff. "It was really good to get a chance to shake his hand and look him in the eye. We reached out to him, he reached back, and I feel real good about it."
...

"He doesn't speak a whole lot of English, so we had his manager translate for us," Lawler added. "He basically indicated that he's seen a number of our shows and thought that some people kind of took what we said out of context. He understood there were no ill intentions and understood our humor."

By sheer coincidence, Sunday was Iranian Heritage day.
...

"He's totally aware," Lawler said of Haddadi. "He had read the transcript, he had seen the video and was perfectly fine with it."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4698460

[Lightning Strike]

Not really surprised that Haddadi didn't find it offensive, good on him for understanding though.