Jun 16, 2008 7:29 am US/Eastern
Harsh Words For Celtics Fans Pulled From ESPN
Article Referenced Hitler And Cold War
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Parts of an article that contained some harsh words for Celtics fans were pulled from ESPN's web site Saturday night. The column made reference to Hitler and the Cold War.
The writer behind the poor choice of words was Jemele Hill.
She wrote on ESPN.com, "Rooting for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim. It's like hoping Gorbachev would get to the blinking red button before Reagan."
Some Celtics fans told WBZ its one of the most insensitive comparisons they have ever heard.
"We're not talking about war; we're talking about basketball," one fan outside the Garden said. "How can you compare Hitler to a basketball game?"
"I don't think you can say Hitler is a victim no matter what the circumstance is. That's over the top," another fan said.
Late Saturday night, the online article was changed. ESPN spokesperson Paul Melvin told WBZ, "the column as originally posted made some absolutely unacceptable comparisons. It was edited to correct those and we will continue to look into the issue."
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