Lou Holtz and Hitler on Friday night pregame

[SF_Express]

I think this is a tweener on the journalism board because of what happened to Jemele Hill.

In discussing a college football program, Lou Holtz just said, "Remember, Hitler was a good leader, too. There are good leaders and bad leaders."

Will that cause an uproar? Friday night college pregame show at 7:40 ET?

SHOULD it cause an uproar?

Edit: I was less positive on which program he was discussing, so I'm removing that part. No doubt he said the Hitler sentence.

 

[slappy4428]

Nothing will happen; they'll chalk it up to his being a wonderful quipster and that's that. Remember, BEano Cook once called Michigan the Germany of College Football...

 

[Beaker]

Just because, I'm going to bring out the obvious "Hitler was good at first" joke. There, it's done.

 

[expendable]

Didn't say he wasn't evil. History is full of nice people who were ****ty leaders.

 

[mustangj17]

Did that just happen? I was wondering because I'm not sure if I heard him correctly.

 

[lantaur]

Shouldn't rule 1 in print or broadcasting (or at least close to 1) be don't bring up Hitler's name. I know Holtz isn't technically a journalist, but those things on TV are rarely off the cuff. They talk about what they are going to say. Now I hate that guy even more.

 

[times38]

I thought you were referring to Mark May as Hitler.

 

[Some Guy]

Did that just happen? I was wondering because I'm not sure if I heard him correctly.

I'm pretty sure I DID hear him say "sufferin' succotash."

 

[Moderator1]

He mumbled some apology today - apparently gave one last night, too.

 

[times38]

^BC-FBC--Holtz-Apology,0171
^ESPN's Holtz apologizes for Hitler reference
^By The Associated Press
=
ESPN analyst Lou Holtz apologized on air Saturday for mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show the previous night.
The former Notre Dame coach referenced Hitler while making a point about good and bad leadership during a discussion of the struggles of first-year Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.
``Last night while trying to make a point about leadership, I made an unfortunate reference,'' Holtz said. ``It was a mistake and I sincerely apologize.''
An ESPN spokesman said Holtz will not be further disciplined.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Good god.
Time for Lou to go to the dogtrack.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Good god.
Time for Lou to go to the dogtrack.

Isn't it long past that time?

 

[linotype]

^BC-FBC--Holtz-Apology,0171
^ESPN's Holtz apologizes for Hitler reference
^By The Associated Press
=
ESPN analyst Lou Holtz apologized on air Saturday for mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show the previous night.
The former Notre Dame coach referenced Hitler while making a point about good and bad leadership during a discussion of the struggles of first-year Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.
``Last night while trying to make a point about leadership, I made an unfortunate reference,'' Holtz said. ``It was a mistake and I sincerely apologize.''
An ESPN spokesman said Holtz will not be further disciplined.

I wonder if Hitler's descendants are pissed about their relative being compared to Rodriguez.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

Not amused:

 

[imjustagirl]

KITLER!!!!

 

[Comma Chameleon]

^BC-FBC--Holtz-Apology,0171
^ESPN's Holtz apologizes for Hitler reference
^By The Associated Press
=
ESPN analyst Lou Holtz apologized on air Saturday for mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show the previous night.

So, if I'm a reader just learning about this by reading the AP lede, the gist is mentioning Adolf Hitler merits an apology? Or mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show? I mean, Hitler is mentioned in "The Producers." I saw it on HBO. It's a comedy.

 

[GB-Hack]

^BC-FBC--Holtz-Apology,0171
^ESPN's Holtz apologizes for Hitler reference
^By The Associated Press
=
ESPN analyst Lou Holtz apologized on air Saturday for mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show the previous night.

So, if I'm a reader just learning about this by reading the AP lede, the gist is mentioning Adolf Hitler merits an apology? Or mentioning Adolf Hitler during a college football studio show? I mean, Hitler is mentioned in "The Producers." I saw it on HBO. It's a comedy.

I think the lede could have been better if you incorporated the second graf into it. Maybe something like this.

ESPN analyst Lou Holtz apologized on air Saturday for referencing Adolf Hitler while making a point about good and bad leadership during a college football studio show the previous night.
The former Notre Dame coach referenced Hitler during a discussion of the struggles of first-year Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.

 

[BYH]

Didn't Lou say something horribly offensive on the air for CBS a few years ago, too?

And apologized after the commercial break, if I recall correctly.

 

[DemoChristian]

Maybe it's because I didn't see it, but I don't get the big deal. Did it come across as him actually comparing Hitler to Rodriguez?

 

[The Big Ragu]

If he said, "Hitler was a good leader," the apology should be about that. It doesn't sound like it wa. Mentioning Hitler isn't a problem. Saying that the most evil man of the 20th century, who practiced genocide on millions, was a "good leader" is the problem. It's offensive to a large group of people.

I'd also give him a little more of a pass compared to past incidents mentioned on here. Someone had the good sense to have him back on the air apologizing very quickly and he did it. He didn't wait until days later when someone high up at ESPN was lowering the boom. Those apologies always come off more like, "I meant it, but they are forcing me to apologize." Also, a writer, unlike a guy filling studio time on TV, has plenty of changes to edit him or herself. And presumably there is someone reading his or her stuff. So a writer should be held to a different standard. They stick Holtz on the air and tell him to help fill up time babbling. He doesn't get a chance to edit himself. He said something stupid in a bad moment. It was live and he put his foot in his mouth. They put him back on the air and he apologized. They handled it fairly well, all considered.