ESPN President Quits Due To "Substance Addiction"

Amid plummeting ratings, mass job cuts, and constant #resistance, ESPN President John Skipper has finally called it quits from running the so-called sports channel.

Here is Skipper’s statement:

Today I have resigned from my duties as President of ESPN. I have had a wonderful career at the Walt Disney Company and am grateful for the many opportunities and friendships. I owe a debt to many, but most profoundly Michael Lynton, George Bodenheimer and Bob Iger.

 

I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem.

 

I have disclosed that decision to the company, and we mutually agreed that it was appropriate that I resign. I will always appreciate the human understanding and warmth that Bob displayed here and always.

 

I come to this public disclosure with embarrassment, trepidation and a feeling of having let others I care about down.

 

As I deal with this issue and what it means to me and my family, I ask for appropriate privacy and a little understanding.

 

To my colleagues at ESPN, it has been a privilege. I take great pride in your accomplishments and have complete confidence in your colective ability to continue ESPN"s success.

The 61-year-old Skipper joined ESPN in 1997 as senior vice president and general manager of ESPN The Magazine. He was promoted to his current job on January 1, 2012.

Here is what ESPN president John Skipper said in a recent memo to staffers:

"ESPN is about sports... It is not a political organization."

So will that agenda change now?

ABC "Clarification" Upgraded To "Serious Error" - Reporter Brian Ross Suspended

Having suffered a massive backlash from their attempt to downplay a fraudulent story with a "clarification," ABC News has upgraded their contrition to a "serious error" and suspended the veteran reporter Brian Ross who wrote the story.

As a reminder, citing a single anonymous source, Ross told viewers during an ABC special report on Friday morning that Flynn was prepared to testify that Donald Trump, as a candidate for president, told him to contact Russians.

The left erupted in excitement...

But then, during Friday"s edition of "World News Tonight," Ross corrected his report, telling viewers that the source who had provided the initial information for his story later told him that it was as president-elect, not as a candidate, that Trump asked Flynn to contact Russians.

The rest of the world then erupted over such an egregious error that confirmed every emotions-over-intelligence "fake media" shot that Trump has ever sent.

The initial "clarification" has been upgraded to a "serious error" as ABC attempts to put this fire out.

ABC News statement:

We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday.

 

The reporting conveyed by Brian Ross during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process.

 

As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online.

 

It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience –- these are our core principles.

 

We fell far short of that yesterday.

 

Effective immediately, Brian Ross will be suspended for four weeks without pay.

While it might be nice for Ross to have a month off over the Christmas holidays, many are asking for refunds in their brokerage accounts from the market"s reaction to his "serious error."

FLASHBACK: Matt Lauer Chastises Bill O"Reilly Over Sexual Harassment Charges

Content originally published at iBankCoin.com

 

In light of today"s news that Matt Lauer sexually harassed multiple people at NBC, I think it"s interesting to see how Lauer handled the O"Reilly interview, following his leave from Fox for similar charges. I strongly suggest that Bill now reach out to Matt and switch roles, this time Bill taking the high sanctimonious role, chastising Matt for being a perverted and evil man.

BONUS: Lauer"s NBC Today show hosts get emotional over the charges, expressing their love and deepest sorrow for Mr. Lauer.

NBC Fires Matt Lauer For "Inappropriate Sexual Behavior", Trump Gloats

The latest - and biggest - casualty from the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal was revealed moments ago, when NBC announced it fired its leading morning news anchor Matt Lauer over sexual harassment allegations, the network’s president for news said in a memo to staff on Wednesday.

"Today" star Matt Lauer, the highest paid personality in TV news, was fired following "a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace," NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said in an email to NBC News staff. Lauer, 59, was named a co-anchor of "Today" in January 1997 after three years as the newsreader.

The full email is below:

Dear Colleagues,

 

On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company"s standards. As a result, we"ve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he"s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

 

Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.

 

We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization – and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.

CNN said that reporters for The New York Times had been investigating Lauer for several weeks, according to sources who had been contacted by the Times. The firing removes one of the most recognizable personalities on television, and at aa time when morning news programs are increasingly important to network news divisions.

The NY Post reports that Lauer allegedly sexually assaulted a female NBC staffer during the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014.

An NBC insider said Lauer’s alleged victim complained to HR on Monday: “This happened so quickly. She didn’t go to the media, she made a complaint to NBC’s human resources, and her evidence was so compelling that Matt was fired on Tuesday night. The victim says she has evidence that this has also happened to other women, but so far we don’t have evidence of that.”

Another source told Page Six that the decision to fire Lauer was made late Tuesday night by NBC News chairman Andy Lack.

* * *

The memo announcing the termination of Lauer was read on air during the Today show this morning. Lauer’s co-host, Savannah Guthrie, announced the news on live TV. Appearing on the verge of tears, Guthrie said,

"This is a sad morning at "Today" and NBC News," she said. "As I"m sure you can understand, we are devastated. All we can say is we are heartbroken; I’m heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear colleague."

She described Lauer as “a dear, dear friend,” and said she was “heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story." Calling Lauer’s termination part of a national reckoning, she asked  “How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?”

Hoda Kotb, on the set with Guthrie, said she has known Lauer for years and "loved him as a friend and a colleague." "It"s hard to reconcile the man who walks in every day" with the person who was identified in the complaint, she said.

Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment. pic.twitter.com/1A3UAZpvPb

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 29, 2017

Ironically, it was none other than Matt Lauer grilling Bill O"Reilly over sexual harassment:

This didn"t age well. Matt Lauer grills Bill O"reilly over sexual harassment pic.twitter.com/jWMHt2LORe

— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) November 29, 2017

Moments after the news, a gloating President Trump seized on Lauer"s termination, going on to ask in a tweet when executives at NBC and Comcast, the network’s parent company, would “be fired for putting out so much fake news.”

"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past!"

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

He then followed up with the following: "So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!"

So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Keith Olbermann: "I"m Retiring From Political Commentary"

Keith Olbermann, anti-Trump video blogger, self-proclaimed leader of the "Resistance", and former ESPN, MSNBC, Current TV and Fox Sports host announced on Monday that he is retiring from political commentary. The progressive provocateur made the announcement during the final episode of “The Resistance,” a political show sponsored by GQ that airs on YouTube.

“I am retiring from political commentary in all media venues” Olbermann said. "Thank you for all the kind words and all the support. Have fun storming the castle. My work here is done. Matter of fact, so is Trump"s."

He framed his departure by stating that "I am confident now even more so than I have been throughout the last year that this nightmare presidency of Donald John Trump will end prematurely and end soon, and I am thus also confident that this is the correct moment to end this series of commentaries." He added that Trump will either be removed from office or forced to resign by his own party sometime in the next 13 months. 

Clarifying his departure, the 58-year-old insisted that he wasn"t being fired and was in good health: "No illness. No scandal. No firing. Just I"ve said what I"ve had to say. It was as obvious as I made it seem. I give my work everything I can, so it"s not like I can dial it back."

In a twitted preview of his retirement, Olbermann said that "After “Pocahontas,” Trump’s an ex-president waiting to happen - imminently. So this will be the last episode of #TheResistanceGQ. If you’re a political account and I unfollow you it ain’t personal." Doubling down on the Pocahontas incident, Olbermann then added that "The good news: I’m finishing it because, especially after the “Pocahontas” debacle, I think Trump is unavoidably, inevitably, and in every possible path open to him, FINISHED "

In the wind-up to his announcement, Olbermann reiterated his running line for the past year, claiming that it is all but inevitable that Trump will either be removed from office or resign from the White House. He asserted that the Republican will be impeached over the Russia investigation or forced by Republicans to leave office.

“I’ve made my point…I’d like to go back and enjoy some of my life again,” said Olbermann, who seemed to take credit for what he predicts will be Trump’s downfall. Olbermann went on to complain about his time on the show, saying that he has “not enjoyed one minute of it.”

“As, I’m certain, it has also been for you, for me it has been unadulterated pain and revulsion and horror. The process has become nearly 24/7,” said Olbermann, who says he produced the show without pay. Olbermann also took one last dig at mainstream television news networks and the “dim-witted world of American political TV reporting, which is still trying to get dim-witted Trump supporters to watch their network.”

Nearly seven years earlier, Olbermann surprised his fans with a similar abrupt exit from media: in Jan. 2011, he announced his departure from MSNBC during the final episode of his show, “The Countdown with Keith Olbermann.” A few months later he joined Current TV, the network founded by Al Gore. That gig lasted just over a year. Olbermann was accused by colleagues of failing to show up to work according to The Daily Caller, which added that in a statement announcing Olbermann’s departure, Gore said that “the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers…are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

"You"re So Dumb, You"re Beyond Hope" - ESPN Host Hits Out At Conservative Critics

Authored by Alex Thomas via SHTFplan.com,

Over the last few years the once dominant sports news outlet ESPN has come under fire for their perceived political bias after the network fired multiple employees for conservative viewpoints while propping up those that pushed the companies anti-Trump agenda.

From firing baseball icon Curt Schilling to allowing prime-time SportsCenter news anchor Jemele Hill to smear the president on Twitter, the network has an obvious liberal leaning and many conservatives have rightly called out this transparent bias.

Now, in a fiery interview with Sports Illustrated, one of the networks poster boys, Scott Van Pelt, has responded to his conservative critics by attacking them for even having the gall to question ESPN’s political bias in the first place.

Van Pelt attempted to act like a tough guy, calling out said critics for being cowards who he believes only speak out against ESPN on the internet but would never do so in real life.

“This make believe world where everyone talks shit, this shit talking, poke you in the chest virtual whatever it’s just there’s nothing more chicken shit than that, because it’s the easiest thing in the world to do,” Van Pelt laughably said before targeting those who have boycotted his network in the past.

In what one can only assume was a network approved attack on their critics, Van Pelt then described those that have boycotted ESPN as so dumb that they don’t even deserve to be prayed for.

If you truly wanna boycott the NFL and you wanna boycott ESPN, the notion that some guy sitting out there, or gal, and they decide, ‘you know what, I’m gonna cut my entire cable package because ESPN gave an award on a made-up show in July because there’s no sports, to a woman who used to be a man.

 

So I’m now not gonna have any cable TV at all and I’m gonna sit around at night and read books by candlelight like olden times because of that,’ that’s not happening.

 

And if you did that, than you’re so dumb that I can’t even pray for you because you’re beyond hope.

Yep, that is apparently what the networks most visible personality (and thus presumably the network as a whole) thinks about conservatives.

From Hollywood to the media, and now apparently the sports world, anyone with conservative viewpoints are being openly attacked and labeled racist as a means to silence all dissenting thought against the liberal world establishment.

ESPN's Jamele Hill Urges Fans To Boycott Anti-Kneeling NFL Advertisers

Having been reprimanded by her boss (and President Trump) for her previous divisive remarks, ESPN"s Jamele Hill called on football fans to boycott advertisers who are aligned with teams pushing back against "kneeling".

As a reminder, after her last outburst, here is what ESPN president John Skipper said in a memo to staffers:

"ESPN is about sports... It is not a political organization."

So much for that...

As Fox News reports, the ESPN anchor who called President Trump a “white supremacist” on Twitter last month is now calling for a boycott of advertisers aligned with "America"s Team."

If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers. Don"t place the burden squarely on the players. https://t.co/Gc48kchkuv

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2017

Jemele Hill, host of "SC6," called on fans to take indirect action against the Dallas Cowboys after owner Jerry Jones told players they would be benched if they didn"t stand up during the national anthem.

Hill, an outspoken liberal, tweeted that Jones “has created a problem for his players, specifically the black ones… If they don"t kneel, some will see them as sellouts.”

The ESPN host wrote, “By drawing a line in the sand, Jerry put his players under more scrutiny and threw them under the bus... If the rationale behind JJ"s stance is keeping the fanbase happy, make him see that he is underestimated how all of his fanbase feels.”

She urged “paying customers” to “boycott his advertisers” if they don’t agree with Jones’ comments.

Hill quoted a list of Cowboys’ advertisers in one of her tweets, which included AT&T, Bank of America, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Ford Motors, MillerCoors and Pepsi, and sent a message to her 760,000-plus Twitter followers.

“Change happens when advertisers are impacted,” Hill wrote. “If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers.”

However, as Daily Caller’s David Hookstead wrote...

“The NFL is the biggest crutch keeping ESPN alive. If the NFL cuts ties, which would be reasonable if the network’s employees start calling for a boycott, ESPN would be in massive trouble."

“Not sure how happy ESPN management will be with an employee telling NFL fans to boycott NFL related sponsors, given the fact that ESPN needs the NFL to stay alive.”

Let"s see John Skip[per squirm out of this one.

Las Vegas Sheriff: "You Got To Assume He Had Help" As "Mystery Woman" Emerges

During a lengthy press conference update on the investigation into the Las Vegas massacre, Clark County Sheriff Lombardo expressed his belief that gunman Stephen Paddock had to have help at some point but sarcastically says "maybe he’s a super guy."

Clearly showing the strains of the last 72 hours, the sheriff explained...

 “Look at this. You look at the weapon obtaining the different amounts of tannerite available, do you think this was all accomplished on his own, face value?”

“You got to make the assumption he had to have help at some point, and we want to insure that’s the answer. Maybe he’s a super guy, super hero–not a hero, super–I won’t use the word. Maybe he’s super — that was working out this out on his own, but it will be hard for me to believe that.”

“Here’s the reason why, put one and one–two and two together, another residence in Reno with firearms, okay, electronics and everything else associated with larger amounts of ammo, a place in Mesquite, we know he had a girlfriend. Do you think this is all self-facing individual without talking to somebody, it was sequestered amongst himself. Come on focus folks these type of investigations have been occurring in the last few years and we have to investigate that.”

Sheriff Lombardo began by giving more detailed timeline of the Las Vegas Police effort to breach the hotel door...

Sheriff Lombardo says Las Vegas police took 75 minutes to breach hotel door from the time the first shots were fired https://t.co/aiaPBRqDqO pic.twitter.com/398hcWcAwv

— ABC News (@ABC) October 5, 2017

Additionally, Sheriff Lombardo stated that the piece of paper in the gunman"s hotel room was not a suicide note and that authorities have seen evidence that the shooter planned to survive and possible escape, adding that he could not disclose details...

Sheriff Lombardo says authorities have seen evidence Las Vegas shooter planned to survive and possibly escape https://t.co/q3YSXGGVUt pic.twitter.com/8813G3dJjs

— ABC News (@ABC) October 5, 2017

Police also told a news conference that 317 of the 489 people injured in the Las Vegas shooting have been discharged from hospitals.

Lombardo also said none of the cameras Paddock put up in the hotel room where he unleashed gunfire onto a concert crowd were recording, and noted that the shooter had 1,600 rounds of ammunition and several containers of an explosive commonly used in target shooting that totaled 50 pounds in his car.

Earlier this afternoon, several law enforcement officials told NBC News that investigatorsare trying to identify a mystery woman seen with Stephen Paddock in the days before the Las Vegas massacre. They don"t know if she has any connection to the attack, but they would like to speak with her as they build a timeline of Paddock"s last days, the officials said.

So to summarize - He had help, planned to escape (so was not a suicide mission), there is a female potential accomplice at large, and the FBI further confirmed that "no evidence at this point to say it was an act of [domestic] terrorism."

Florida Stores Running Out Of Water, Gas As Gov Warns "Make Sure Your Disaster Kits Are Ready" For Irma

Hurricane Irma is hurtling toward the eastern US faster than meteorological models anticipated. According to the latest readings from NOAA, the storm will probably make landfall in Southeastern Florida next weekend, or perhaps earlier – that is, unless wind patterns intervene and spare residents of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach from flooding and winds witnessed in Texas and Louisiana, according to NOAA forecasts.

…Bloomberg chief energy correspondent Javier Blas noted that the Hurricane has “shifted a lot further west,” and that, according to the latest forecasts, there’s still a small chance that Irma strikes the Gulf of Mexico, compounding the devastation that Harvey left behind.

#Irma forecast has shifted a lot further to the west -- with some weather models suggesting a small chance (as today) of US GoM hit #OOTT pic.twitter.com/7ekw6gxEVW

— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas2) September 4, 2017

Here"s what we know about Irma (courtesy of the Weather.com & NOAA):

• The center of Irma is located 610 miles east of the Leeward Islands and is moving west-southwestward at about 14 mph.


• Irma is a Category 3 hurricane and satellite imagery shows that it has become better organized in the past day with an eye now clearly evident.


• Low wind shear, increased mid-level moisture and ample oceanic heat content favor that Irma will remain a major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) for the next several days, though some intensity fluctuations are likely.


• One potential inhibitor of Irma maintaining its intensity would be if the hurricane"s core interacts with land as it cruises westward near the Greater Antilles later this week.

And Weather.com’s latest impact projections:

• Leeward Islands: Late Tuesday-Wednesday


• Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands: Wednesday-Thursday


• Dominican Republic/Haiti: Thursday-Friday


• Turks and Caicos: Thursday-Friday


• Bahamas: Friday-next weekend


• Cuba: Friday-next weekend


• United States: Next weekend into early the following week

NOAA satellites captured this stunning video of the sun rising over the hurricane on Monday:

WATCH: @NOAASatellites loop shows sunrise this morning on Hurricane #Irma in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/YGFmvJtQoG

— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) September 4, 2017

Hurricane watches have been issued for the Leeward Islands, including Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Sint Maarten, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy. According to Weather.com’s latest long-term forecast, by next weekend, Irma will be immediately southeast of the US.

At that point, jet stream dynamics will begin to turn it north. What happens after that will be critical in determining where – or whether – Irma lands in the US.   Meanwhile, residents of southeast Florida – having spent the last week reading about the flooding in Houston – are understandably starting to panic.

WPTV in West Palm Beach reports that Shelves of water at several stores were nearly empty Sunday, even as Irma’s path remains uncertain. Hardware stores are also running out of tanks of gas and other supplies.

One distressed shopper told WPTV that one Walmart had run out of bottled water.

“There was nothing at Walmart," said Bianca Rodriguez of Palm Beach Gardens. "Not even like one thing of water.”

According to WPTV, emergency officials recommend people have one gallon of water per person, per day for at least five days in the event of a hurricane. Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned that “disaster preparedness” should be a priority for every family in the potential path of the storm.

One shopper said he bought the last remaining cases of bottled water at the Winn-Dixie in Palm Beach Gardens.

“Rodriguez found cases of bottled water at a Winn-Dixie on Military Trail in Palm Beach Gardens Sunday night.

‘I lucked out. There’s only a couple left, but at least there was enough for me,’ said Rodriguez.”

A Home Depot in Royal Palm Beach on Monday morning posted a sign that said they were short of some hurricane supplies.

As we continue to monitor Hurricane Irma, families should make sure their Disaster Supply Kits are ready today. https://t.co/ymXjrTHewW

— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) September 3, 2017

Let’s hope they have time to restock before next weekend…
 

"What The F*ck!": Rescued Woman Blasts CNN For Exploiting Hurricane Harvey Victims

Earlier today, CNN anchor Rosa Flores apparently chose the wrong mom to exploit in her futile effort to boost CNN ratings.

While it"s unclear exactly what happened off-air in the moments leading up to this interview, it became clear very quickly that this "shivering cold" mother of two exhausted children had no appetite for Flores shoving a "microphone in her face" to get a couple of sound bites for Jim Acosta"s show.

"We walked through four feet of water to get food on the first day.  Yeah, that’s a lot of shit.”

“But y’all sit here, y’all trying to interview people during their worst times — like that’s not the smartest thing to do. Like people are really breaking down and y’all sitting here with cameras and microphones trying to ask us what the fuck is wrong with us."

"And you really trying to understand with the microphone still in my face? With me shivering cold, with my kids wet, and you still putting the microphone in my face."

Not surprisingly, Kellyanne Conway immediately took to twitter to shame CNN for the failed interview.

Watch this clip to end.Shames @CNN to get the mike out of her face, notes her kids are shivering & in need of things other than an interview https://t.co/jGbvfJGecx

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) August 29, 2017

Of course, even though Conway"s tweet will be dismissed as a cheap shot, it does seem somewhat obvious from the jump that this mom is exhausted beyond belief and probably slightly more interested in finding some dry clothes for herself and her children than sharing her feelings with CNN.  That said, maybe we"re just really good at picking up on subtle social cues...

Meanwhile, the whole episode left Jim Acosta noticeably "triggered"...

ESPN Prez Defends Idiotic Decision To Create A National Controversy That Never Existed

ESPN President John Skipper should probably lookup the meaning of "primum non nocere."  Medical school students all across the country are taught this Latin phrase, meaning "first, do no harm," on their first day of classes as a reminder that, given any problem, their first priority should be to simply not make it worse than it already is.

Unfortunately, Skipper doesn"t seem to subscribe to this theory because if he did he would realize that sometimes the best way to address a controversy that never should have happened is simply to keep your mouth shut and "do no further harm."  Alas, Skipper"s clearly not a doctor and thus we"re all stuck having to read another statement from ESPN attempted to explain why they made a truly moronic decision.

Here"s the new statement in which ESPN now makes it seem as if it wasn"t actually their decision to pull Robert Lee off the air in Virginia, but rather Lee"s decision intended to avoid "social media hectoring and trolling"....

"Given the amount of media attention being generated by on of the countless, routine decisions our local production teams make every day, I wanted to make sure you have the facts.  There was never any concern - by anyone, at any level - that Robert Lee"s name would offend anyone watching the Charlottesville game.

Among our Charlotte production staff there was a question as to whether - in these divisive times -- Robert"s assignment might create a distraction, or even worse, expose him to social media hectoring and trolling.  Since Robert was their primary concern, they consulted with him directly.  He expressed some personal trepidation about the assignment and, when offered the chance to do the Youngstown State / Pitt game instead, opted for that game -- in part because he lives in Albany and would be able to get home to his family on Saturday evening. 

I"m disappointed that the good intentions of our Charlotte colleagues have been intentionally hijacked by someone with a personal agenda, and sincerely appreciate Robert"s personal input and professionalism throughout this episode."

New: internal memo from ESPN prez John Skipper about the Robert Lee decision pic.twitter.com/3yFk4hbDRb

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 24, 2017

...because this path worked out really well for avoiding "social media hectoring and trolling."

Rare photo of #RobertLee announcing Confederates vs Union game pic.twitter.com/lJLRalDTt1

— John Davis (@TheFoundingSon) August 23, 2017

Of course, Skipper"s new statement, which makes it seems as if the decision was all Lee"s idea, somewhat contradicts ESPN"s original statement that said it just "felt right to all parties."

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the
tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the
coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties.
It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret
that who calls play by play for a football game has become an issue.”

Skipper, do us all a favor and read the first sentence of this post again...

* * *

For those who managed to ignore this story line so far, below is our post from yesterday.

We"ve been saying this a lot lately, but just when you thought the political climate in this country couldn"t get any more wacky ESPN has to go and pull an Asian-American announcer, who just happens to be named Robert Lee, off the William and Mary vs. University of Virginia college football game because of concerns they might create a mass-triggering of America"s snowflakes. 

Is this even real life anymore?  So the fragile millennial culture now demands that you should be thrown in jail if you call them by the wrong pronoun but it"s totally fine if their insecurities literally derail a person"s career because they refuse to be "assaulted" by the name his parents happened to give him?

Outkick the Coverage broke the story last night with this summary:

In a story that seems made for The Onion, but is actually true, according to multiple Outkick fans inside ESPN MSESPN decided to pull an Asian college football announcer named Robert Lee off the William and Mary at University of Virginia college football game because they were concerned that having an ASIAN FOOTBALL ANNOUNCER NAMED ROBERT LEE would be offensive to some viewers.

Did I mention that Robert Lee is Asian?

Is this even real life anymore? This might even be worse than MSESPN apologizing for the fantasy football slave draft a couple of weeks ago.

To avoid offending left wing idiots Robert Lee, the Asian college football announcer, not the Confederate General who died in 1870 and shares a name with him, was switched to the Youngstown State at Pittsburgh game and Dave Weekley will now call the William and Mary at University of Virginia game.

Meanwhile, ESPN issued the following statement:

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties. It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret that who calls play by play for a football game has become an issue.”

Not surprisingly, ESPN has been mercilessly mocked on social media for their truly moronic decision as #RobertLee quickly shot to the top of Twitter"s trending board.

Irony
/??r?n?/
noun

1. Punishing an Asian-American for his last name out of fear of racism.#RobertLee

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 23, 2017

Just to clarify, the Asian sports announcer named Robert Lee is NOT the General of the Confederate Army. Get it together #espn #Robertlee

— Joni (@jonifabulous) August 23, 2017

Of course, ESPN may be a little sensitive to race issues after being blasted all last week for hosting a fantasy football auction that many people likened to a slave auction...

ESPN Pulls Asian Announcer Named Robert Lee To Avoid A Mass Triggering Event

We"ve been saying this a lot lately, but just when you thought the political climate in this country couldn"t get any more wacky ESPN has to go and pull an Asian-American announcer, who just happens to be named Robert Lee, off the William and Mary vs. University of Virginia college football game because of concerns they might create a mass-triggering of America"s snowflakes. 

Is this even real life anymore?  So the fragile millennial culture now demands that you should be thrown in jail if you call them by the wrong pronoun but it"s totally fine if their insecurities literally derail a person"s career because they refuse to be "assaulted" by the name his parents happened to give him?

Outkick the Coverage broke the story last night with this summary:

In a story that seems made for The Onion, but is actually true, according to multiple Outkick fans inside ESPN MSESPN decided to pull an Asian college football announcer named Robert Lee off the William and Mary at University of Virginia college football game because they were concerned that having an ASIAN FOOTBALL ANNOUNCER NAMED ROBERT LEE would be offensive to some viewers.

Did I mention that Robert Lee is Asian?

Is this even real life anymore? This might even be worse than MSESPN apologizing for the fantasy football slave draft a couple of weeks ago.

To avoid offending left wing idiots Robert Lee, the Asian college football announcer, not the Confederate General who died in 1870 and shares a name with him, was switched to the Youngstown State at Pittsburgh game and Dave Weekley will now call the William and Mary at University of Virginia game.

Meanwhile, ESPN issued the following statement:

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties. It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret that who calls play by play for a football game has become an issue.”

Not surprisingly, ESPN has been mercilessly mocked on social media for their truly moronic decision as #RobertLee quickly shot to the top of Twitter"s trending board.

Irony
/??r?n?/
noun

1. Punishing an Asian-American for his last name out of fear of racism.#RobertLee

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 23, 2017

Just to clarify, the Asian sports announcer named Robert Lee is NOT the General of the Confederate Army. Get it together #espn #Robertlee

— Joni (@jonifabulous) August 23, 2017

Rare photo of #RobertLee announcing Confederates vs Union game pic.twitter.com/lJLRalDTt1

— John Davis (@TheFoundingSon) August 23, 2017

Of course, ESPN may be a little sensitive to race issues after being blasted all last week for hosting a fantasy football auction that many people likened to a slave auction...

Blue Apron Tumbles To Record Lows After Slashing Workforce By 24% (Just 36 Days After IPO)

As one veteran market participant exclaimed: "Seriously, how is that not illegal?"

Just 36 days after the company IPO"d to much CNBC-based applause and "the IPO market is back", Blue Apron shares are languishing at record low $6.01 (down 45% from its highs of $11) drastically below the IPO price of $10.

It is tumbling to fresh lows today after announcing - ahead of its earnings next week - that the company is cutting 1,270 jobs from its New Jersey facility according to a public notice Friday. It had 5,202 workers as of March 31.

Last month the company said Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Matt Wadiak is stepping down.

CNN's Ratings Collapse As Primetime Shows Draw Less Viewers Than Re-Runs Of "Yogi Bear"

A series of fake news articles (see here, here and here), black mail of anonymous Reddit users who had the audacity to poke fun at them and a couple of undercover videos from Project Veritas revealing CNN producers admitting their own news is "mostly bullshit," seems to be taking a toll on CNN"s ratings.

As The Federalist notes in the table below, for the week of June 26th - July 2nd, CNN"s primetime shows (Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon) managed to draw about 6% fewer viewers than multi-decade old re-runs of "Yogi Bear," "Full House," and "Friends" which air in the same time slots on Nick-At-Nite.

Sometimes it"s difficult to know for sure, but we think this is a bad trend...

(Source: AdWeek.com)

"Please Just Stop": Republicans Slam Trump's Attack On Mika

With his latest two tweets, in which he attacked "Morning" Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, Trump may have finally crossed the line. At least that"s the view of a group of Republicans who slammed Trump"s over his tweets attacking MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski, saying the personal jabs about a woman’s looks were unworthy of the presidency.

“Please just stop. This isn’t normal and it’s beneath the dignity of your office,” Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska said on Twitter Thursday.

Please just stop. This isn"t normal and it"s beneath the dignity of your office.

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 29, 2017

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also slammed Trump tweeting. “Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America,”

Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 29, 2017

As noted earlier, Trump prompted the latest bout of outrage this morning after calling Brzezinski “crazy” and said she had been “bleeding badly from a face-lift” when he refused to see her in December. Brzezinski hosts the MSNBC show “Morning Joe” with Joe Scarborough.

“I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore),” Trump said. “Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!”

“This is not okay,” Republican Representative Lynn Jenkins of Kansas said on Twitter. “As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women.”

This is not okay. As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women. https://t.co/sV6WDE0EUD

— Lynn Jenkins (@RepLynnJenkins) June 29, 2017

A senior vice president at NBC News, Mark Kornblau, also responded to the president’s attack: “Never imagined a day when I would think to myself, ‘it is beneath my dignity to respond to the President of the United States.’"

Never imagined a day when I would think to myself, "it is beneath my dignity to respond to the President of the United States."

— Mark Kornblau (@MarkKornblau) June 29, 2017

According to Bloomberg, the White House defended Trump’s remarks.

“I don’t think that the president’s ever been someone who gets attacked and doesn’t push back,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday on Fox. “This is a president who fights fire with fire and certainly will not be allowed to be bullied by the liberal media and the liberal elites within the media or Hollywood or anywhere else.”

Fox puts out a transcript of Sarah Huckabee Sanders interview from this AM pic.twitter.com/aVjZNQ2CIq

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) June 29, 2017

As expected, the Democratic National Committee ripped into President Trump saying his "bullying tweets are an attack on women everywhere."

“Trump’s bullying tweets are an attack on women everywhere," the DNC said. "From his Twitter slurs to his policies, we have a president who continues to show us he has no regard for women and whose comments demean the office he holds."

But Mika"s response was perhaps the most appropriate so far:

pic.twitter.com/8YhzcCUwM1

— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) June 29, 2017

VIX Crashes Back To 24 Year Lows

Worst economic data surprises in 16 months, no sweat.

British election fiasco, no problem mate.

Collapse in Q2 GDP expectations, whatever.  

The opening of the US equity market this morning is all the catalyst traders need to sell the shit out of any hedges they may have had...

At 9.37, this is the lowest VIX print since 1993...

Even CNBC is questioning this level of complacency. Kinda.

NBC Seeking To Hike Advertising Rates For New Megyn Kelly Show

NBC is seeking to massively raise the rates advertisers pay for the network’s 9 a.m. slot that will soon be occupied by former “Kelly File” host Megyn Kelly, Variety reports.

Kelly, who positioned herself as a leader of the anti-Trump during the campaign, is expected to garner even more viewers at her NBC post as the network doubles down on its Trump-bashing coverage.

Variety reports that the push appears to be a part of a years-long effort by NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino to convince advertisers to pay prime-time rates for programs airing in other, less desirable, time slots.

"NBCU appears to be continuing a years-long effort to get advertisers to assign higher value to TV time that has typically been seen as deserving lower cost. Last year, NBCU sought to get primetime ad prices for its late-night mainstay “Saturday Night Live” after announcing it would trim the show’s ad load by approximately 30%. In 2013, NBCU made a bid for significant CPM increases for its airing of “Modern Family” repeats on USA."

As Variety notes, the maneuver isn’t without risk for the network.

"What if advertisers don’t see the value that NBC does in the non-prime inventory? NBCU met with resistance, for example, when it tried to convince ad buyers that “Modern Family” reruns merited broader-than-normal rates. And there is a danger that NBC could get higher deals, only to find viewership for a show is not what it guaranteed its clients. Rivals could also woo potential sponsors by offering narrower rate changes. Last year’s effort behind “SNL” would seem to have paid off: The show had its best ratings in more than two decades."

The network, which is owned by Comcast Corp., is betting big on Kelly, pitting her against Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, who host ABC’s “Live…”.

Update: Gold Ready to Rocket? Yen and Cable Say Yes

The Trend Retains the Name

Intro by Vince Lanci  and Bon Scott for Soren K. Group

The pattern continues in Gold, with last week"s move reaffirming the wave count Enda is using below. Friday"s rally puts the market right above the high on the 30 minute chart established in the previous "5". The next  "1" would be completed if gold pierced the $1271.21 level. After that, any retracement that holds $1259.78 further confirms a wave  seeking final extensions to the $1550 area. A drop below $1247 at this point puts into  question the pattern, but does not negate it. 

The 4 hour chart shows a nice traditional channel with an upward bias that also respects the counts described. Note the steepness in the rally in that chart. Impulsiveness is in play now. To clarify, we identify "impulsiveness as a negative describing momentum chasing funds. But the term is not being used the same way here. The  author is describing a market that is following the path of least resistance; which right now is higher. This does warn of equally violent pullbacks, but until the wave count is put into question below $1247 the short term and long term bias are aligned.

The daily chart shows the macro goal of this pattern: a "corrective" high in the $1550 area. Nothing new here. But that is what bulls want right now. And they are getting it.

 GBPUSD, JPY, and Gold Walking Hand in Hand?

Other currencies are lining up to corroborate the  count here as well. As her title implies, a GBPUSD high is potentially indicative of an acceleration  in Gold. We are fans of JPY behavior when it comes to Gold correlation. Note the similarities at the 30 minute and daily charts of the Gold and the JPY below in the analysis. Here is a quick overview. 

?

Why is this? There are several potential reasons for the eerie parallel between JPY and Gold. One simple one is this. In Asia, the JPY is viewed as the most stable regional currency. The Yen is viewed as the USD of the far east. So when Chinese and other Asian players seek safety, the buy Gold and Yen as well as USD if the crisis is EU based. We feel as the Asian Cartel picks up more strength and the USD Petrodollar becomes less powerful, this JPY/ Gold positive correlation will strengthen more.

Enda"s GBP/USD noted pairing is just icing on a Golden cake to us. But we are happy to now see it. -  SKG

GBPUSD top in place, GOLD ready to rocket?

by Enda Glynn of BULLWAVES.ORG

GOLD - 30 min

4 Hours

Daily

My Bias: Long towards 1550
Wave Structure: ZigZag correction to the upside.
Long term wave count: Topping in wave (B) at 1550
Important risk events: USD: N/A. 

Today"s rally in GOLD has triggered the alternate wave count for wave "ii" brown which I had spoken about.
That means wave "ii" brown traced out a running flat which bottomed at 1247.
The rise off that low now has a nice impulsive look to it,
and one more push up would break the resistance level and create a clear five wave form off the low.
That type of action would complete wave "1" pink.
Wave "2" pink should find support at 1259.
Any break of 1247 form this point will signal that wave "ii" brown was extending into a more complex form.

For early next week, watch for a break of 1271 to prove the bullish case.

Thats it for this week, I wish you all a happy and peaceful weekend.

GBPUSD

30 min

4 Hours

Daily

My Bias: short below parity.
Wave Structure:  continuing impulsive structure to the downside in wave (5)
Long term wave count: decline in wave (5) blue, below parity
Important risk events: GBP: N/A. USD: N/A. 

Well!
The market finally gave us the action which the main wave count had called for.
That is an impulsive decline in a possible wave "3" grey and a break of that important support line at 1.2865.

The focus has now fully shifted to the downside, and the beginning of a renewed downtrend in wave (5) blue.
The indesision in the wave pattern over the last few days was resolved with a very impulsive third wave down.

Wave "2" grey traced out a running flat correction, a wave which is always throws the cat amongst the pigeons!
At the moment I can count five waves complete "within wave "3".
For next week we should get a three wave correction in wave "4" grey and wave "5" grey will likely decline into the trend line once more.
Support at 1.2865 now becomes a significant resistance level and should hold the price down for now.
Look for wave "4" grey to complete below 1.2865 on Monday.

USDJPY

30 min

4 Hours

Daily

My Bias: LONG
Wave Structure: rally in wave [C]
Long term wave count: wave [C] is underway, upside to above 136.00
Important risk events: JPY: N/A. USD: N/A. 

Despite further declines today in USDJPY,
The price did not take out the support at 110.85 which leaves the bullish short term wave count intact.
Today"s decline completes a three wave form off the recent high labeled wave "1" pink.

The current wave count still calls for a major rally in wave "3" pink, and the support is at that wave "2" low of 110.85.
If the price breaks 111.95, then wave "3" will likely be underway.
A break of 111.47 strengthen the bullish case in the short term.
In the early trade next week, watch for the key support at 110.85 to hold, and a break of 111.47.

DOW JONES INDUSTRIALS

30 min

4 Hours

Daily

My Bias: market topping process ongoing
Wave Structure: Impulsive 5 wave structure, possibly topping in an all time high.
Long term wave count: Topping in wave (5)
Important risk events: USD: N/A. 

The DOW is now moving in a corrective pattern, possibly in wave "ii" pink.
I have labelled the short term chart as a complete wave "a" and "b" in blue.
That leaves wave "c" blue to the downside to finish off wave "ii" pink.

I have marked 20925 as the initial target for wave "c" blue.
This is the low of the previous fourth wave.
20875 marks the Fibonacci 38.2% retracement level.

For Monday, a break of 21037, the wave "a" low will signal wave "c" has started.
The low at wave "ii" pink offers the next best opportunity to enter long.

It is Memorial Day on Monday, and U.S market is closed, the London market is closed also for the summer bank holiday.
So, I will see you all again after the close on Tuesday the 30th.

More analysis HERE

Good Luck

Legendary Investor Asher Edelman Says "I Have No Doubt" PPT Behind Market Rally

Legendary vulture investor Asher Edelman, the 1980s model for Gordon Gekko, strayed into what must’ve been uncomfortable territory for CNBC during an appearance on "Smart Money" when he discussed his view that the government’s "plunge protection team" is the only thing propping up the current market rally, and said he suspects that it has again been recently een intervening in the market to keep stocks at record highs.

Is the plunge protection at work? Legendary investor @AsherEdelman lays out the conspiracy pic.twitter.com/A3h7QyV1EC

— CNBC"s Fast Money (@CNBCFastMoney) May 23, 2017

Edelman simply notes that he doesn’t want to be in the markets right now because “I don’t know when the plug is going to be pulled."

Few can explain the market"s recent resilience, holding near record highs despite weak economic data and intensifying geopolitical tensions. The main benchmarks have risen for the fourth straight day following last week’s “Trump Dump" despite a terror attack in the U.K., the worst soft economic data since February 2016, and surprisingly low trading volume.

"@AsherEdelman: "I don"t want to be in the market because I don"t know when the plug is going to get pulled"

— CNBC"s Fast Money (@CNBCFastMoney) May 23, 2017

The “plunge protection team” was created by President Ronald Reagan one year after the stock market crash in 1987, when the president called for the creation of the “Working Group on Financial Markets.”

It’s believed – as the name would suggest and as has been profiled on countless occasions on this website previously – that the group’s mandate is to maintain stability in the market and head off any severe crashes like what was seen in 1987. It"s believed the group reports only to the president, though the head of the Treasury, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Reserve Chairman are also involved. The team, according to Asher, steps in to execute trades on all exchanges when the market isn"t behaving as it would like, working only with big banks like Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley. 

"We have seen the most extraordinary lack of volatility in the VIX since Trump has been in office and it"s interesting the night he was elected you may recall the futures came down about 400 or 600 points.

You may also recall that the next morning they were even again. Watching plunge protection for years, I had no doubt that"s what happened."

That may have been the case in the 1980s, however in recent years the PPT is the collaboration of the NY Fed and Citadel, which are most aggressive during times of substantial market stress and selling, when intervention is needed to stop the downward momentum in prices.

Edelman says he believes one sign of TPP intervention is when a smaller, less-liquid stock suddenly rises late in the trading day.

We’ve noted in the past that there appears to be a rule against mentioning the team on CNBC – with guests routinely getting “Schiff’d” for doing so.

And once again, this time, the "theory" was treated with derision by his fellow hosts.

"I think we all have so many questions here I don"t think I know where to begin," Fast Money host Melissa Lee said.

Some audience members were more enthusiastic.

I can"t believe @AsherEdelman just talked about the PPT on @CNBCFastMoney. Didn"t think anyone was allowed to talk about it. That was crazy.

— Hun (@sincerewoo) May 23, 2017

Dow Slides: Gasparino Says "No Deal" After Freedom Caucus Leaves White House

Having rallied on news that The Freedom Caucus gave President a "standing ovation" upon his entry, Fox Business" Charlie Gasparino reports that The Freedom Caucus has just left without agreement...

interesting: @freedomcaucus walks out of @WhiteHouse WITHOUT agreement and no comment to reporters https://t.co/B26zpqK1WJ

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) March 23, 2017

Stocks are not happy.

And some conetxt for the drop...

The bottom line is for now, the market thinks the vote will be a "no" or won"t happen.