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The dismissal Thursday of Susannah Collins by Comcast SportsNet Chicago shows the fine line (OK, maybe not so fine) that exists when teams own cable television outlets. CSN said her departure had nothing to do with a remark Tuesday that the Blackhawks had a “tremendous amount of sex during the regular season.” She quickly corrected herself (she meant to say “success” rather than “sex”).
Susannah Collins
“Due to circumstances unrelated to her on-air remarks Tuesday night, Susannah Collins and Comcast SportsNet Chicago have parted ways,” CSN Chicago vice president and general manager Phil Bedella said in a statement. “We appreciate everything Susannah has contributed to our network over the past year and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Based on reporting by the Chicago Tribune, it would appear the Hawks chairman Rocky Wirtz is the man to thank — or curse — for Collins’ departure. The Trib quoted a letter Wirtz sent to Bedella about his concerns over Sports Nutz videos she had done before CSN hired her.
“In my opinion and those of others, [the videos]are incredibly offensive to a number of audiences, going well beyond professional athletes,” Wirtz said. “Had we known of this earlier, we would have raised the issue immediately.”
Wirtz also asked CSN to “remove her from our broadcast immediately.”
With the Blackhawks organization so offended by Collins’ behavior and somehow being associated with it, then that mentality probably will manifest itself by having the team’s Ice Crew and the shoot-the-puck babes wear burkas.
And if you want to characterize Collins’ Sports Nutz raunchiness as boorish behavior not to be tolerated, then that mentality probably will manifest itself by having a team of players who are choir boys.
Double standards? Hypocrisy?
Merely a business decision.
Uh, sure. Whatever you say.
* It’s unclear which is more painful — that White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd might need Tommy John surgery in the final year of his contract or the 0-4 record he posted this season with a 5.18 earned-run average in five starts (all Sox losses).
* With an RBI Friday, Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano picked up his third of the season. Meaning in 108 at-bats, he has one more than St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright does in 15 at-bats. Well, Soriano does have three walks this season. Yeah, didn’t think that would impress you either.
* San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, who had been 0-for-6 with five strikeouts against Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario, hit the first walkoff homer of his career Friday night for a 2-1 victory. White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson would label it TWTW (The Will To Win) in his battle against those who use statistical analysis in assessing players. Sabremeticians would label it “small sample size.”
* Speaking of Los Angeles, the Rolling Stones played the Staple Center on Friday night as part of their “50 and Counting” tour with Mick Jagger telling the audience: “”You’ve been a fantastic audience, let me tell ya. The only reason we’re here is to make the Lakers look younger!” And to provide a Staple Center audience something it had little of during the NBA season: satisfaction.
* Still speaking of L.A., Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro — who once coached the Bulls — may be out of a job now that the Memphis Grizzlies eliminated the Clippers from the postseason Friday. Even so, he could wind up coaching next year. Which probably speaks more to job openings in the NBA and the league’s commitment to recycling.
* Speaking of the NBA, the postseason ends Saturday for either the Nets or the Bulls in Game 7 of their series in Brooklyn. Any good conspiracy theorist — and even some bad ones — will tell you there is no way the NBA lets the Bulls advance.
Loop Rock Girl Shannon Ihrke is here to remind you the Kentucky Derby is Saturday.
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