Rob Parker officially out at ESPN
theGRIO REPORT - Sports columnist and host Rob Parker is officially out at ESPN, according to vice president for U.S. network communications Mike Solyts...
Sports columnist and commentator Rob Parker is officially out at ESPN, according to the network’s public relations department. Mike Soltys, who serves as ESPN’s vice-president, U.S. network communications, said via Twitter the network decided not to renew Parker’s contract.
ESPN suspended Parker last month after he referred to Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III as a “cornball brother.”
Sunday, Rob Parker insisted his comments about RGIII were taken out of context.
He told Detroit’s WDIV-TV he wasn’t trying to question RGIII’s ‘blackness.’ Instead, Parker said he was referring to conversations that are “had” in the black community when a black athlete distances himself from ‘blackness.’
Tuesday, Parker’s run with ESPN came to an official end:
Rob Parker’s contract expired at year end. Evaluating our needs and his work, including his recent RGIII comments, we decided not to renew.
— Mike Soltys (@MichaelJSoltys) January 8, 2013
The network also posted the tweet in a statement on its website.
Follow theGrio’s Todd Johnson on Twitter @rantoddj
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