• ESPN's Britt McHenry

ESPN's Britt McHenry (Photo : Facebook)

The author of an ESPN book explains the long list of suspensions for ESPN personalities. This is after ESPN reporter Britt McHenry was suspended for a week after an incident in which she verbally abused an attendant at a tow-truck company. 

McHenry made several harsh comments towards the cashier, according to Mediaite. They include ones such as "lose some weight," and resulted in much social media fury when it was leaked onto the Web.

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Britt McHenry is the latest of numerous ESPN employees who have been suspended for unwise words and actions.  That long list includes hosts, reporters, and even producers working for the cable network.

Famous ESPN employees have been suspended for several types of fouls. They include comments involving topics such as women, gays, office affairs, and even Hitler.

Tony Kornheiser, a Washington Post columnist, received a two-week suspension. That was after he referred to the blouse of his co-host Hannah Storm as a "sausage casing."

Last summer, Stephen A. Smith was penalized after a comment he made involving NFL player Ray Rice being charged with aggravated assault. Smith suggested that women sometimes "provoke" domestic violence by men.

Over two dozen ESPN employees have been suspended. The question is: why ESPN?

Andrew Miller, co-author of a 2011 book about ESPN, says that the sports network has an "amplified environment." Part of the commentators' job is to be "provocative" and to launch debates.

Miller explains that it is difficult for ESPN personalities to perform that way on air, and then stop when their show is over. It is a nearly impossible "judo move."

ESPN claims that its rate of employee suspensions is not high. That is because it employs about 1,200 commentators.

While ESPN has fired employees, it is difficult to determine what warrants such an action. Announcer Mike Tirico got hit with a three-month suspension in 2006 for alleged sexual harassment, while announcer Ron Franklin was terminated in 2011 for referring to a female coworker as "sweet baby."