Just heard the news on SportsCenter, about 40 minutes into the show "Harold Reynolds is no longer with the network" and that was about it.

My favorite show is Baseball Tonight and my 2nd favorite is SportsCenter and when I heard that bit of news I was shocked... one of my 1st thoughts was -- maybe he got a coaching job? That thought was more of some kind of wish for good news because whoever's anchoring SportsCenter this morning made no mention and spoke in a sour, sad tone... I knew it was bad, HR's reason for leaving.

I'm still in shock. I hope he comes back. Without a doubt he was one of the network's most loved personalities.

Whatever. I know I'll get over it. His firing isn't the end of the world... just hope he lands on his feet somewhere happily... but still he'll be missed.

People usually aren't firing for giving women hugs. I think Reynolds is probably leaving something out of the story like he was naked when he hugged her.

David P. - If you're trying to understand why one person's punishment for a severe offense is less severe than another person's punishment for a minor offense, it helps to understand the role that politics plays. As popular as Harold seems to be with fans, there is more to being a ESPN personality than that and I suspect that ESPN/Disney management might not be as enamored with him.

MM,

Actually, I think it has more to do with where the harassment takes place. On company property and/or with company equipment is treated much more harshly than off campus harassment.

Other factors: number of times person has been warned/implicated in similar behavior; degree to which the harasser is the other person's superior at work (cuts both ways -- for a time it helps cover things up, but increases greatly the legal liability for both the harasser and the company); degree to which the person harassed is serious about pursuing the complaint (and willing to be public about it and/or sue); the believability and degree to which the accuser comes across as sympathetic.

Also -- there is often a bit of randomness about a company's reaction to similar events. Much depends on the reaction of the first couple of people who learn of something (companies often find themselves cementing and protecting their first reaction), and it can be that different people in the company were the first to react in different instances.

Lastly, sometimes after a company gets a reputation for treating things lightly, someone -- either new management, or the company's lawyers -- comes to believe that that reputation is a bad thing for either or both of the reasons of a smooth running company and for legal liability.
If a person like this woman wants to sue, nothing could help her case against ESPN, the deepest pocket, more than a serial offender and a company reputation for winking at such transgressions.

Considering it's just the first year of a six year contract, my guess is what Harold did had to be pretty bad. If ESPN really didn't like HR that much, then why give him another contract after 11 years? On second thought, watching them trot all these hosts in BT, never to be seen again, who knows?

Maybe HR's behavior changed after he got the new contract, Michael. It's true that there are a lot of potential factors. My point is that a lot of people are saying that whatever he did must have been pretty bad and that is not necessarily the case.

Damn shame is all I can say.
I'll miss HR on BBTN, and if they don't get someone good in there, I'll not watch it.

Harold is Baseball Tonight. I hope the sexual harrasssment stories are minor. ESPN has slowly ruined Baseball Tonight anyway. The 9 PM/12 AM show is usually a trifecta--the stupidest idea ever. It isn't enough time to give baseball news in 20 min. The 7 PM time is too early on the West Coast. However, I'll miss him and will follow him to his new job.

Couldn't HR have gone to HR? I thought having a large corporation was supposed to stabilize and standardize the penalty process. Perhaps they were just good at keeping it all quiet until the last straw, which is all that we see now.

SNY sure could use a baseball show and baseball show host...

I hope that this is a huge misunderstanding and that if it' at all possible, HR will be back on ESPN.

If Marv Albert can come back from an incident where he was accused of "biting" and wearing "women's panties", then HR should be able to resume his career if, in fact, it was only a hugging incident.

well, lets just say he is about as innocent as O.J.

When charges are raised for sexual harassment a company has no choice but to let go of that employee accused. It does not matter how big or small the accusations are if they keep that employee accused they can be sued as well from the person raising charges.

re: harold reynolds

regardless of the facts, I firmly believe that a white employee similarly situated as Mr. Reynolds would have been reprimanded or suspended, not fired, and that the color of his skin and not the content of his character led to Mr. Reynolds' dismissal.

This late in the day, ESPN continues to have only two significant black employees, one of them was Reynolds, and the other was Joe Morgan. Now they're down to Joe Morgan, and he only does game announcing pretty much. The baseball tonite crew has become lilly white overnight.

Without an african american replacing him, Mr. Reynolds has an extraordinary claim of racial discrimination against ESPN, which appears in my eyes to be racially discriminatory to begin with. Not even the major leagues has so few african americans and so many old-boy network hires as ESPN.

--art kyriazis, philly

I hope Harold sues the pants off of ESPN, and the woman who has permanently ruined his reputation. Big business and women - they are not worth it. Asking a woman if she wants cream in her coffee will land you on the streets these days. Personally, it's all funny.

this is bullshit. I personally know Harold and this is not like him at all. Some dumb chick is just trying to make some money out of a simple hug. and believe me it was a hug. The man hugs everyone!

Having personally conducted sexual harassment investigations for one of my previous employers, I believe that if all he did was hug her, and she complained, and he got fired, then ESPN must have believed that a lawsuit would come if they didn't fire him. Now, if he was warned before, or if this woman was hysterical, or if some other piece of the puzzle is hidden, then a dismissal might make sense. The company has to protect the accusor during the investigation, and if she can't do her job without coming in contact with him, and vice versa, then that's a tricky situation. But, even so, a suspension while the charges are investigated is what usually takes place. Lawsuits might be inevitable here now, and we will all just have to stay tuned.

It sounds like the folks at Disney are a little too sensitive about their image. I mean, they hired Michael Irvin, and treat him like royalty, then treat a solid guy like HR this way?

Oh, a message to Art in Philly - Stuart Scott? Stephen A. Smith? Michael Smith? Michael Irvin? Eric Allen? Darren Woodson? Michael Wilbon? I think their minority hiring isn't nearly as bad as you seem to think.

ahh, poor Art I am singing my song for you "there is a tear in my beer"

Harold Reynold's leaving will be the better choice for him personally. The station obviously gave up on class when they let him go. If they're lucky, they will only have to pay him his new six year salary for not showing up. He must have so many new offers for his expertise and talents, starting the second this came out. He is worth his weight in gold, and so much more than all the other suits at that place. His fans are everywhere. And we won't watch that old show without him. Come to think of it, that cartoon company just lost a lot of appeal too..........

It's just so funny how espn loves to investigate sports harrassment issues and situation but their own just like HR got fired and that's all

I just found out about HR. Every year I look forward to the LLWS and listening to the wonderfully talented HR...he is the Little League World Series! I'll continue to watch but it will never be the same without him. If it was indeed just a hug...you really screwed up ESPN!!!

I am just wondering why nobody is talking about this incident. It is a hush-hush incident and we the public have a right to know what happened to the best baseball analysts.

I know HR personally and this does not even compare to his sensitive nature.

Like the men said earlier you can not do anything to eat a woman in the workplace or else you will be suspended or even get fired.

HR is the shit, Hated bbtn ever since and ESPN has to have evidence that he murdered a co-worker for me to believe that he has done anything wrong. if ESPN were the new york yankees, they just fired babe ruth in his prime. DUMB BASTARDS

I was wondering where Harold went. Lets pray for all the young baseball kids that Harolds returns. We need class and integrity associated with baseball at all levels and Harold Reynolds is it.

My husband and I both have also been wondering where Harold was. I saw in Houston Chronicle where he had been fired. So ridiculous. The goof that replaced him is a joke. I will no longer watch after i read these comments. He made the show. Is there anything we can do I wonder?