LYON-IZED--Steve Lyons fired for what he was hired to do

Phil Mushnick thinks the Steve Lyons firing is bogus.

"Do we just toss Steve Lyons on the scrap heap of sportscasters fired for social insensitivity? That would be simple, easy and unfair.

While we were never fond of Lyons' act on Fox - forgive us, but we've never tuned to a baseball telecast for laughs as opposed to baseball - to conclude that Lyons purposely made a malicious crack about Hispanics (or the blind, the week before, or Jews, two years ago) is unreasonable.

A close examination of the crack that got him fired Friday after Game 3 of the ALCS - "Lou [Piniella] is habla-ing some Espanol, and I'm still looking for my wallet. I don't understand him and I don't want to sit close to him, now" - finds that it was the culmination of a series of exchanges that began with Piniella making a crack about hunting for a wallet.

And then came some unrelated words spoken by Piniella in Spanish.

And then Lyons, so often desperate to fulfill his nickname, "Psycho" - not to mention the terms of his engagement - put it all together and in a colossal collision of circumstances spoke what was easily interpreted as an ugly stereotype of Hispanics.

• And, for all it's worth, Lyons claims that the crack was not intended to be ethnic. And, for what it's worth, Lou Piniella, Hispanic-American, laughed. That's what Lyons was hired for - laughs. And that's why he was fired.

Just last year, Sid Rosenberg was sacked by Don Imus/WFAN for acting like a lowbrow creep - for doing what he was hired to do.

• In 1996, when Lyons was hired by Fox, he seemed the perfect fit. As a major leaguer, he was best known for having dropped his pants while standing at first. In 1996 network and sports execs suddenly become eager to attract (and desensitize) young male audiences by blending "sports with entertainment."

That game plan, despite diminishing returns - few, if any, tuned to a game because they found Lyons entertaining - is still at work.

In fact, for those who actually enjoy sports more when attached to offensive remarks, images and overall antisocial behavior, we suggest Fox Sports Net, which would have been the perfect fit for Lyons, all along.

• Meanwhile, with Lyons sacked for what Fox called "inappropriate" comments, baseball/entertainment fans will have to settle for the vulgar, crotch-talk sitcom promos that Fox very purposely airs between half-innings."

Column by Phil Mushnick, NY Post, 10/16/06

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