Keith Olbermann Calls on ESPN to Ban 'Redskins'

On his Friday program, Keith Olbermann called on ESPN to “officially” ban the use of “Redskins.”

Citing Greg Gumbel, Tom Jackson, Peter King, Phil Simms, Mike Caray, Tony Dungy and others who have expressed concerns about using the team’s name, Olbermann said that ESPN is the “conduit of sports” in the country while also being “loathe to be the news.”

Olbermann said that list of the words he and his colleagues cannot say on the air is “justifiably long” and “way less offensive than the name of the Washington team.” He said he personally felt that “it is time for us here to officially… stop using the name.” 

ESPN’s ombudsman had previously revealed that the network considered banning the use of “Redskins” but refused to do so because it did not want to make news and stir more controversy.