Lou Holtz compares Michigan's Rich Rodriguez to Adolf Hitler.
For the second time in less than a week, ESPN analyst Lou Holtz has apologized for comments he made on the air. This time, the comments were more egregious and the fallout will be more severe.
During halftime of yesterday's Georgia Tech-Clemson game, Holtz gave an awkward apology, never saying what he was apologizing for other than that he had made comments about Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez.
On Friday night, Holtz said, "Ya know, Hitler was a great leader too." When Rece Davis tried to bail Holtz out by telling him that he meant to say Hitler was a bad leader, Holtz agreed.
But the bottom line is, Holtz made a reference to Hitler, while working for ESPN. And ESPN previously suspended Jemele Hill for a Hitler reference.
ESPN has issued a statement saying Holtz will not be disciplined. What do you guys think? Should Holtz be suspended? I'm sure he didn't mean it in the way it came out but in my opinion, any public figure dumb enough to ever compare someone to Adolf Hitler deserves to be reprimanded. It's just plain stupid.
Honestly, this guy shouldn't have been on the air in the first place. As he's grown older, listening to him has become unbearable. Once this story gets bigger, and it will, ESPN will be pressured into letting Holtz go.
Plus last week he swore on the air when he was arguing with Mark May about who is the Heisman front-runner. Every time I turn on the TV this bumbling old fool is apologizing for something.
Ah what the hell---Holtz is a comedian, and becoming senile, but for the most part still entertaining. We have become so sensitive over what someone says, the politically correct police need to get a life--or a job. The old sticks and stones adage applys here. If your mama calls you a bastard, that matters. Lou holtz means nothing to me so he can say what he wants I couldn't care less. We all know there was no derogatory intent here.
Footballer, Being overly PC and comparing someone to the worst human being to ever live are two totally different things my friend.
Exactly right Tommy. I'm not a PC guy as many of you have seen by my dick and fart joke types postings, and there are very few things that I find offensive; homophobes, racists, and sexists among them. Lou Holtz may have meant no harm in his comment, but a lot of Jewish people are going to be offended by his remark, and rightfully so.
I'll step off the soapbox now
Agreed Chad. Plus, I always say, "Don't ever mention the name Adolf Hitler." Why do it? It's dumb and you know that name is going to offend people. I agree Holtz didn't mean it the way it sounded but why ever utter the name Adolf Hitler in the first place if you are a sports analyst? If anything, he should be suspended for being a moron.
I am not old enough to have lived during WWII, nor am I Jewish. However, for anyone to state that Hitler was a Great Leader, is either mentally unstable or a self-absorbed, self centered poor excuse for a human being. ESPN, Shame On You!!!!!!!!!
George W Bush is a great leader.
Adolph Hitler WAS a great LEADER. He was NOT a great PERSON. Holtz' reference to his leadership ability was not a reference to his intentions. What is the definition of a leader? If he were a bad leader, could he have convinced millions of people to support and follow him?
Dr. Lou shouldn't have to apologize for anything. He was not saying that Hitler was great, and why should we be censored to make it seem as if Hitler never existed? Why must we pretend that bad things never happened? I mean.. if it were like that, we'd have to forget that the USA invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein was a global threat, and had "Weapons of Mass Destruction". We wouldn't want to do that, would we?
Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. If we're forced to pretend that the past didn't happen, we're vulnerable to similar occurrences in the future.
Talking about a bad person does not mean you think that person was good, and anyone who is offended by it has too much time on their hands.
The guy left the country in ruins. lol Getting people to follow him because they feared for their lives is being a great leader? I want you to follow me or I'm going to kill your kids. I guess I'm a great leader. He shouldn't have mentioned Hitler. There are plenty of other people he could have picked. Period.
And no one is saying we have to pretend bad things never happened. We are saying don't compare the head coach of Michigan to a man who had millions of people murdered. I don't think that's asking too much.
LOL at xau. Good stuff. strategery..heh heh
If Hitler didn't hate, murder people and did not invade other countries he would of been seen by current Western history as a great leader. Germany was in a hyper inflationary depression before Hitler was elected leader and he turned that shit around. Hitler was "Times Person Of The Year" for what he accomplished. But in the long run it turned out Hitler was a hateful sociopath asshole who murdered millions.
REMEMBER THE "PRODUCERS"? A MOVIE ABOUT A SCAMMING THEATRE PRODUCER---THE NAME OF THE PLAY? "SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER". WRITTEN BY AND ACTED BY JEWISH PEOPLE. SO THAT WAS OK. WE HAD BETTER BE MORE CONCERNED WITH MUSLIM OBAMA ------HE MAY MAKE HITLER LOOK LIKE A BOY SCOUT.
I was at a talk Lou gave in Indianapolis on Oct 13. After hearing his talk, I think his problem is he just isn't as dumb as he tries to be. Hitler did perform highly motivational leadership and was effective - just that he was the most evil person known to humanity. Lou's point was too subtle - I watched the comment as it happened, got it, and wasn't offended....May and Davis aren't bright enough to get it probably or maybe they are and just knew that Lou was throwing himself under the bus.
Interestingly, his talk on Monday included an introduction by the Notre Dame AD (we all remember that Catholic anti-semitism was among the reasons the US failed to act and save many Jewish lives, right?). Probably doesn't mean anything - but wonder about the real conversations and real convictions of those involved in the discussion.
Raphael Lemkin is rolling in his grave....