Irish Remove Allen Pinkett from Broadcast Team After Controversial Remarks
By Josh Hill
The Notre Dame Irish are kicking off their season against Navy this Saturday in Dublin, Ireland but broadcaster Allen Pinkett won’t be making the trip and he may not be calling any Irish games anytime soon. Pinkett ruffled the wrong feathers earlier this week with controversial and as a result he’s been removed from IMG Notre Dame Radio Network team.
“Allen Pinkett, a commentator on the IMG Notre Dame Radio Network who made unacceptable comments this week about student athletes, will not be part of this weekend’s broadcast in Dublin,” the network said in a statement released Thursday. “Don Criqui and Jeff Jeffers will handle the broadcast duties. Notre Dame taking on Navy at the Emerald Isle Classic in Dublin is an historic game showcasing the very best of American college sports. The event deserves to be free of distraction. Further decisions on this matter will be made in the coming days.”
The controversial comments in question were made when Pinkett went on 670 WSCR-AM The Score in Chicago and said he felt that the recent suspensions of Irish players was not bad but somehow good for the image of the school and basically said it gives the team character.
“I’ve always felt like to have a successful team you’ve got to have a few bad citizens on the team,” Pinkett said on The McNeil and Spiegel Show on Wednesday. “That’s how Ohio State used to win all the time. They would have two or three guys that were criminals, and that just adds to the chemistry of the team. I think Notre Dame is growing because maybe they have some guys that are doing something worthy of a suspension, which creates edge on the football team.”
But wait, Pinkett didn’t shut up after that sound bite. He continued to add:
“You can’t have a football team full of choirboys. You get your butt kicked if you’ve got a team full of choirboys, so you’ve got to have a little bit of edge. But the coach has to be the dictator and the ultimate ruler. Here’s my opinion: You don’t hand out suspensions unless you know you’ve got somebody behind that guy that can make plays.”
Needless to say, the university and Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbick weren’t tickled Pinkett (oh come one I had too). Swarbick went hit the Chicago airwaves to counter Pinkett’s comments and weigh in on what he thought of not just the university’s image but the image of the university that’s extended into the play-by-play booth.
“We want the people who comment on our games, whether it’s on NBC or, in the case of radio, IMG College, to be independent voices, so they are hired by those media partners,” Swarbrick said. “We don’t have any say in their employment, initially who’s employed or if sanctions are meted out at some point, we don’t play a role in that.”
Pinkett issued an apology but it appears it’s too little, too late.
"“In reviewing my remarks from a radio interview Wednesday, it’s clear that I chose my words poorly and that an apology is in order for these inappropriate comments. My words do not reflect the strong pride and passion I have for the Notre Dame football program. I am deeply sorry and did not intend to take away the focus from the upcoming season opener. I especially would like to offer my sincere apology to the current members of Notre Dame’s football team, including Coach (Brian) Kelly, the entire Notre Dame community, the IMG College Audio Network and the Ohio State football program. As a proud Notre Dame graduate, I wish nothing but the best for our football team and the University. I understand that there may be consequences to my actions and accept whatever discipline is imposed.”– Apology issued by Allen Pinkett"
There is no word on how long Pinkett will be relieved of his duties, but it’s likely going to be for a majority of the season if he manages to keep his job at all. With the recent rash of NCAA violations made by big time programs and massive sanctions imposed on them, Notre Dame is understandably concerned by the fact someone is trying to draw that kind of image and pressure to the school.