In a statement released Monday, ESPN play-by-play voice Ron Franklin apologized for comments he made to sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards prior to last week’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
“I said some things I shouldn’t have and am sorry,” Franklin said Monday, “I deserved to be taken off the Fiesta Bowl.”
The website Sports By Brooks reported Sunday that Franklin called Edwards “sweetcakes” and an expletive during a production meeting prior to Friday’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
Edwards confirmed the exchange took place in an e-mail to USA Today, but clarified that Franklin called her “sweet baby” and not “sweetcakes.”
The exchange took place while Edwards was in the midst of a conversation with ESPN college football analyst Rod Gilmore.
Edwards’ account of the incident, as described by USA Today: “Franklin joined in the conversation and said, ‘Listen to me sweet baby, let me tell you something …’ with a condescending tone. Edwards says she told Franklin not to address her like that. To which Franklin said, according to Edwards: ‘OK, then listen to me *******.'”
ESPN attempted to remove Franklin from the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, but could not replace him in time. Instead, Franklin was removed from Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl broadcast on ESPN Radio.
In a statement, ESPN refused to “get into specifics” about the incident, but reinforced that “adhering to our personal conduct policies and showing respect for colleagues are of the utmost importance to our company and we take them extremely seriously.”
