ESPN commentator Bill Simmons was suspended for speaking his mind about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and it’s creating a controversy over free speech. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
An ESPN commentator is in trouble today for what he said about embattled NFL commissioner Roger Goodell
ESPN’s Bill Simmons said, “I'm just saying it. He is lying. I think that dude is lying. If you put him up on a lie detector test that guy would fail.”
Simmons is a popular ESPN personality and hosts his own podcast. He claims Goodell was not being truthful when he said he never saw the infamous Ray Rice elevator video before it was leaked 17 days ago.
“Goodell, if he didn't know what was on that tape, he's a liar,” said Simmons.
He continued ripping into Goodell in a profanity-laced tirade, “For all these people to pretend they didn't know is such (___ ___). It really is, it's such (___ ___). And for him to go in that press conference and pretend otherwise, I was so insulted.”
Simmons then hurled this challenge at his ESPN bosses; “Please call me and say I'm in trouble, I dare you.”
Well, ESPN wasted no time suspending Simmons for three weeks. In a statement the network said: "Every employee must be accountable to ESPN, and those engaged in our editorial operations must also operate within ESPN's journalistic standards. Bill Simmons did not meet those obligations."
INSIDE EDITION’s Megan Alexander traveled to Washington, D.C. for CBS’ Thursday Night Football game, one which pits the hometown team against the New York Giants.
"The NFL was hoping things would be back to business after the scandals rocking it, but ESPN's suspension of one of its most popular on-air personalities is heating things up again," reported Alexander.
The hashtag #freesimmons is now trending number one on Twitter, with comments like: “@espn: shame on u for suspending someone for being honest.”
One tweet included a photo of a woman with a black eye and tape over her mouth was captioned: “What if this was your daughter? #wakeup #freesimmons.”
Even The View's Rosie O'Donnell is speaking out, “I support him, even though he did say ‘(___ ____).'”
