Calls to sack Sky Sports pundit

Football pundit Tony Cascarino sparked outrage today after he described a player as having a 'holocaust' of a game.

Cascarino made the inflammatory comment on Sky Sports News during Manchester United's match against Arsenal which saw the north London team suffer a crushing 8-2 defeat.

Discussing defender Armand Traore's performance on the pitch, Cascarino said: 'Poor Traore at right back is having a holocaust because he's finding himself against (United winger) Nani, who's literally running him from everywhere and (Arsenal midfielder Andrey) Arshavin's just not tracking his runners.'

Cascarino, 48, continued to talk about the match before it cut back to presenter Natalie Sawyer.

She immediately made an on-air apology for his comments.

She said: I should just say that if anyone was offended by what you just said I have to make an apology.'

Angry fans immediately hit out at his comments on Twitter.

One user wrote: 'Tony Cascarino should be sacked on the spot. He said an Arsenal defender was having a 'holocaust'. Appallingly ignorant."

Another shocked social networker added: 'I CANT BELIEVE HE SAID THAT!'. Another observed: 'Looks like Tony Cascarino could be the next ex-pro on the persona non-gratis list after that on air comment...'

A clip of the incident, broadcast during the Old Trafford clash, quickly appeared on YouTube, and can be see at the bottom of the page.

Another micro-blogger branded the comment 'horrendous', adding: 'I hope Tony Cascarino is dealt with appropriately.'

It said in a statement: 'Tony Cascarino made his comments in the heat of the moment. An immediate apology on behalf of Tony and Sky Sports was made on air as soon as possible for any offence caused.'

video of incident : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FUdbRO4ZCo

Could be worse, at least he didn't say it about Tottenham.

Or Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Makes me wonder. If he himself apologises for the remark, why can he not keep his job?

How long would Prince Phillip last on TV if he was a pundit???

"And here comes the Ugandan Javelin champion..."

Director : "Oh God - someone quickly turn Prince Phillip's mic off!!!"

Brilliant

legendkillar wrote:Makes me wonder. If he himself apologises for the remark, why can he not keep his job?

How long would Prince Phillip last on TV if he was a pundit???

Hello LK

Ever heard the phrase, some people are more equal than others?

Religion is more bad than good when things like this aren't just laughed off by the jewish community, come on guys the context he used this was not about death!

Really bored of this PC society. Was anyone deeply offended by this?

Everyone was mock offended.
Jumping on the band wagon.

Can Garry Neville be sacked please. He is absolutely shocking.

I a offended (not mock) at his use of the word - it made no sense in a grammatical context.

My offence comes at the abuse of the English language.

H ha the big dumb, toothless, drunk.

Should leave him alone cant stand listening to him but he did nothing wrong who actually complained?

I'm sure some society representing the Jewish community will say he should go but it'll just be publicity seeking people who are jumping on a band wagon

They should sack him and replace him with Mel Gibson.

Leaving the religious connotations aside and fully accepting that Cascarino intended no offence, I - like Hobo - regard Sky as insulting its viewers by hiring such a frankly oafish and stupid pundit.

Interesting comment I read on an article about this "the word holocaust was in use long before any of the events of the second world war. Is it ok to use the word 'attack'? or would you offend someone who lived during a war.....what about 'defence'....same again I suppose...'throw in' probable offends descendants of pirates make to walk the plank"

That's not interesting, Jay, it's stupid. Throw in is a technical term in football and attack/defence are words that can have multiple meanings and are used correctly when talking about football.

To me holocaust is mass murder, and is always going to be remembered for the murder of millions of Jews. That word doesn't exactly fit in to a proper sentence, same way that saying someone has 'raped' a defender is inexcusable.

jay-z wrote:Interesting comment I read on an article about this "the word holocaust was in use long before any of the events of the second world war. Is it ok to use the word 'attack'? or would you offend someone who lived during a war.....what about 'defence'....same again I suppose...'throw in' probable offends descendants of pirates make to walk the plank"

The swastika was a symbol of peace before the Nazi party used it as their icon, would you walk around with that on you? The connotations for words and images change, the word holocaust is now linked to the murder of millions of people, in the same way that the swastika is linked with the Nazi's.

Completely unacceptable to use it in relation something as insignificant as a football match. It doesn't offend me personally, but I can see why it is wrong.

Enforcer .... I understand, however now it seems whoever uses this word (even if they're not trying to be offensive) will be slated, should it just be removed from the dictionary now??

jay-z wrote:Enforcer .... I understand, however now it seems whoever uses this word (even if they're not trying to be offensive) will be slated, should it just be removed from the dictionary now??

That will stop people from saying it

No, it should be used to reference the killing of millions of people and to compare similar atrocities.

It shouldn't be used to describe a poor performance in sports.

Hobo wrote:

jay-z wrote:Enforcer .... I understand, however now it seems whoever uses this word (even if they're not trying to be offensive) will be slated, should it just be removed from the dictionary now??

That will stop people from saying it

lol ok I understand it won't make a difference, but I don't know, someone in power should come out and say every English speaking person is banned from using the word unless referencing the tragic event that happened.

PC gone mad if you ask me..

I have to agree with Jay-Z in the sense that it does come across as a little PC overboard...

However it is a word associated with the specific event during the 2nd world War. The problem lies that,as has already been mentioned, people quickly jump on the bandwagon calling for a pundits head as soon as something is put out of context or the use of the english language deemed inapproriate to a portion of society.

Im sure Cascarino meant no offence by it. Having watched it I wasnt offended and took it for how he meant it...which is by the words origin of definition which implies 'a totality of destruction'. In this sense it wasnt even used out of context due to the fact he was right in that Nani was totally destroying Traore with his performance.

As I said I can see why some would be offended due to the association of the word, however calls to sack him are way over board. He used a word which has multiple meanings and quite frankly showed his intelligence (though lack of common sense) in using it.

The on-air apology and a whisper in the ear for the future is enough in my book!

He was being dramatic. If he described Man U as having a holocaust game while showing 2 big thumbs that would be a reason to get binned.

But he was describing the game Arsenal had a dispicable act no-one involved with the club would want to witness again.

If anything it was kind of apt.

hol·o·caust   [hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire.
2.
a sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burnt offering.
3.
( usually initial capital letter ) the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II (usually preceded by the ).
4.
any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.

Please explain in what way the word made sense in the context of the sentence, Like Hobo i think he should be sacked for complete idiocy.

New post by Nay Bother Today at 7:14 pm
hol·o·caust   [hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire.


In the exact way your post has just proven Nay Brother.....

Nani's performance against Traore was both devastating and destructive (obviously not by fire) ....

Like I said I can understand people's disbelief in the use of the word and thats fine..but to call for a sacking because of it is just plain daft

If people were sacked for Idiocy there wouldn't be much left in the world now would there?

[quote="legendkillar"]If people were sacked for Idiocy there wouldn't be much left in the world now would there?

[/quote

That's probably true but it still doesn't excuse Sky inflicting such an oafish, slovenly and insensitive pundit on its viewers. Can you imagine the likes of Dixon and Hansen making such a comment on Match of the Day?

"Don't mention the war..."

I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it.........

Andy Gray as his replacement?

what he really meant was the cost is hollow...

hollow cost.

Bring back Big Ron. He knew the score.

As someone with relatives who were murdered by the Gestapo and gassed in the First World War, I find the whole row totally bogus.

Football commentators are always making inappropriate comparisons or using words incorrectly, especially former players, most of whom do not have very high verbal reasoning skills. Fire him for incompetence if you wish, but don't make out he's a Nazi or an apologist for racism.

At least Mr Cascarino was suggesting that the policy of deliberate extermination of Jews and other "undesirables" by the Nazi regime was a terrible thing. If he had described Goal of the Month as a "Holocaust of a goal" I think we would have better grounds to be worried...

Can't help but think people are over reacting to this. Yes it was a stupid thing to say as it never fitted the sentence. As for the whole raping a defender thing what's the problem? The PC brigade are awful people moan about everything.

I wish Frankie Boyle was in charge of TV regulations for a day that would be fun.

Two many middle class old Tory voters with nothing better to do with their time but moan.

Did you guys not see how bad Traore was? If anything the word isn't strong enough...

It's bad but he shouldn't be sacked for it. Sky pundits are bland enough as it is.

A massive overreaction

From listening to the clip, I have to wonder if he actually knows what the word means. If you look at his face when she mentions making an apology, he doesn't look like he knows what it's for. "Having a holocaust" just makes no sense. Maybe he thought it was a posh way of saying 'nightmare'?

I agree he should be disciplined by SS but to be sacked cause of a word that may have offended some history merchants? Terrible idea!

Mark2011 wrote:A massive overreaction

simple as really

Josiah Maiestas wrote:I agree he should be disciplined by SS but to be sacked cause of a word that may have offended some history merchants? Terrible idea!

It's a bit harsh to bring the SS in to discipline him, don't you think?

ReallyReal wrote:

Josiah Maiestas wrote:I agree he should be disciplined by SS but to be sacked cause of a word that may have offended some history merchants? Terrible idea!

It's a bit harsh to bring the SS in to discipline him, don't you think?

Oh dear. It does make me laugh how jumpy TV execs and controllers are these days. Scared at the very slightest hint of a possibility of a chance that anything they broadcast might somehow be offensive to someone.

Its not as if Jewish people have a monopoly on the "H" word. During the Cold War, lots of people were afraid we would die in a nuclear holocaust.




That said, Casc has only helped reinforce the stereotypical image that footballers (and ex pros) aren't the sharpest tools in the box. I would have thought that anyone having a "holocaust of a game" was systematically exterminating the opposition.

Rupert Murdoch needs a sense of humour should he be considering firing the guy...

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Rupert Murdoch needs a sense of humour should he be considering firing the guy...

Josiah - as regards Rupert Murdoch, I resent paying him a shedload of dosh for Sky Sports and then getting an oaf of a football pundit as part of my package ....

I think he should be sacked, but purely because I think he's a kumquat.

I like big Rambo, always have, shocking pundit but he is hilarious when he's trying to explain a move

Not offensive in the slightest, I don't even think 'Arsenal got 'raped' is offensive, you could change raped for murdered/crucified/slaughtered. Who cares? It's just an expression, people are far too sensitive.