Calgary Sports Host Suspended For Plane Crash Comment

Molberg

ROGERS Sports CFAC-A (SPORTSNET 960 THE FAN)/CALGARY morning host DEAN "BOOMER" MOLBERG has been suspended for joking on WEDNESDAY (11/7) that he hoped the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS' plane to CALGARY for SUNDAY's CFL playoff game would crash and four players would die. 

MOLBERG, referring to a documentary about a 1956 plane crash that took the lives of four ROUGHRIDERS players and one WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS player (the grandfather of a current CALGARY STAMPEDERS player), issued an apology on the air and on the station's website, calling his comments "unacceptable" and "an attempt at being funny, which in the end was neither funny nor appropriate. Not even close. It was clearly not thought out, for if it was I’d have never said it. There is no excuse for it, and I’m not in any way looking to defend my actions. This was in no way, shape or form a ratings ploy or an attempt to garner attention to myself or the radio station. I made a mistake."

"On Wednesday, I said something that instead, brought embarrassment to us all," MOLBERG added.  "I made a foolish decision and now the entire family and staff are subject to this awkward situation. To our listeners, I hope you don’t take this isolated set of circumstances and make a conclusion about me or our station.  This may seem like a hollow gesture to some, but I can assure you it is extremely heartfelt. I am deeply rattled by what has happened. This was not premeditated or meant in a serious manner what so ever. It was a throw away comment at the end of a segment, that I very much regret."

PD KELLY KIRCH posted a statement on the station's FACEBOOK page, saying, "SPORTSNET 960 THE FAN does not condone comments made early WEDNESDAY morning by DEAN MOLBERG regarding the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS football organization. He has been suspended through the end of the CFL season and he has apologized, both publicly and to the ROUGHRIDERS football club. SPORTSNET 960 THE FAN deeply regrets the incident and will be making a donation to the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS charity of choice."  KIRCH also posted an apology for the station, writing, "Our station, our company and of course myself as the program director do not condone this comment. It was uncalled for and embarrassing for our entire staff here at the station. I would like to offer my sincere apology to go along with DEAN's on air apology that was aired today."

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