Kelly Tilghman's On-Air Remarks Worse Than Dana Jacobson's Roast Speech

Well, we're barely a month into 2008, and already two sports journalists have been dealt suspensions from their employers for making inappropriate comments. Didn't anyone learn anything from the royal screw-up of Don Imus last year?

This time, it's Dana Jacobson, co-host of "First Take" on ESPN2. Jacobson spoke at a Jan. 11 roast of ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. Golic, a former Notre Dame football player and co-host of "Mike & Mike in the Morning", frequently traded jabs with Jacobson, a University of Michigan graduate.

Jacobson scattered vulgar references to the Fighting Irish and Touchdown Jesus throughout her speech, saying "F--- Notre Dame" and "F--- Touchdown Jesus". She is currently serving a one-week suspension for her remarks. Read more about Jacobson's remarks here.

This absurd indiscretion came on the heels of Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman's two-week suspension from the Golf Channel for saying that up-and-coming golfers would have to "lynch" Tiger Woods in a back alley if they wanted to win. Read more about Tilghman's remarks here.

So are these statements really that big a deal? In this day and age, it's possible to be offended by almost anything anyone says.

Personally, I feel people need to grow much thicker skin. But it's still a two-way street. Some of these "celebrities" need to use far more discretion when making comments in public. It may be impossible to avoid offending some people; but shouldn't these ladies be concerned with their personal reputation? There are just some lines you don't cross.

I believe Tilghman's offense was far worse, as she was on-air, commentating for the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Jacobson was speaking at a roast, a type of event notorious for being humorous, inflammatory and often offensive. Anyone seen the roast of Pamela Anderson on Comedy Central?

Regardless of the context, however, is it so much to ask that these public figures use a little of their own discretion when speaking? I'd like to think that being hired as a sports journalist means that an individual is capable of expressing his or her thoughts in a publicly acceptable manner. Clearly that is not the case anymore.

Lastly, I find it highly suspicious that Imus was fired for his perceivably racially charged statements about the Rutgers women's basketball team, yet Jacobson and Tilghman served one- and two- week suspensions, respectively. Perhaps it's merely a testament to these women's irrelevance in the world of sports journalism that their punishments were a slap on the wrist. It is quite likely few would ever have known their names if not for these ludicrous errors in judgment.

Sources:
CBSNews.com, CBS Fires Don Imus Over Racial Slur
ChicagoTribune.com, ESPN Benches Jacobson
Yahoo! Sports.com, Anchor suspended 2 weeks for "lynch" comment