ESPN personality Max Kellerman has been suspended by the network for inappropriate comments regarding the Ray Rice domestic violence situation, according to the New York Daily News.
Kellerman, best known as co-host of ESPN’s SportsNation and the network’s boxing analyst, shared a story on ESPN Radio’s Mason & Ireland about the time he hit his girlfriend — an incident that happened more than 20 years ago:
Kellerman said they both had to much too drink. He said when he tried getting things under control his then-girlfriend slapped him. Kellerman said he slapped her back. He was quick to tell listeners that the woman is now is his wife and they have been happily married for 20 years
Kellerman’s suspension comes on the heels of Stephen A. Smith’s one-week suspension for repeated controversial comments regarding women and domestic violence.
Industry sources said while the content of his story was disturbing, the suspension was all about Kellerman not adhering to ESPN brass’ warning concerning the Rice topic being a highly sensitive one. “My understanding is that it was part of a larger conversation ESPN had with all its on-air people,” a radio industry source said. “Kellerman obviously didn’t pay attention.”
The remarks were briefly included in an ESPN-LA podcast following the show but were quickly removed. In addition to Stephen A. Smith’s punishment, ESPN’s Dan Le Batard was also suspended last week for purchasing anti-LeBron billboards in Akron, giving the network three known suspensions in less than two weeks.
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Photo Courtesy: ESPN
