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Atlanta Sports Talker Mike Bell Suspended For Tweet Criticizing ESPN's Jessica Mendoza
October 7, 2015 at 1:26 PM (PT)
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CBS RADIO Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME)/ATLANTA "DUKES AND BELL" afternoon show co-host MIKE BELL has been suspended after tweeting his displeasure that a woman was announcing the AMERICAN LEAGUE Wild Card playoff game on ESPN last night, including a tweet using a derogatory name.
BELL registered his disapproval of Olympic softball star and ESPN commentator JESSICA MENDOZA's being assigned to analyst duties (in the role formerly held by CURT SCHILLING before the former pitcher's suspension over controversial tweets of his own) in a tweet that said, "yes tell us Tits McGhee when you're up there hitting the softball you see a lot of 95 mile an hour cutters?" (The reference is to the name Ron Burgundy inserted into a news intro in a failed attempt to rattle rival anchor Veronica Corningstone in the movie "ANCHORMAN.")
BELL's tweet was immediately criticized by several others on Twitter, including ESPN's RACHEL NICHOLS, and after attempts to defend his comment (calling critics "PC candy ass") and then characterize it as a joke, and after the ATLANTA FALCONS posted a tweet saying "Embarrassed by MIKE BELL’s comments, given he’s on our flagship station. Inappropriate and disappointing," BELL ultimately deleted the tweet and then posted an apology, which he followed up with a recorded apology on the air TODAY (10/7). He has deleted most of the tweets involving MENDOZA.
The ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION reported that BELL was suspended for two weeks but PD TERRY FOXX responded that the length of the suspension reported by the AJC was incorrect.