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Now that's over with, "sweet baby."

Long-time ESPN play-by-play announcer Ron Franklin, who announced more than a handful of Missouri basketball and football games on the network, was fired at ESPN after a tiff with a colleague. The article mentions derogatory language directed by Franklin at a colleague. Although it doesn't explicitly say sexual harassment, that's the clear implication. Based on the reports, firing could be construed as an overreaction in lieu of some other form of reprimand. However, it's not unreasonable for a company to have a "you can't curse your colleagues" policy. Also we don't know if Franklin has been disciplined in the past, or even all the details of the current incident. In any event, it's too bad. I always found Franklin's understated "just the facts ma'am" style refreshing.

If you're like me, ESPN primetime games meant one thing and one thing only: Ron Franklin. Unfortunately, that all changed back in 2005, when one ill-timed "sweetheart" comment to Holly Rowe left him wandering without a Saturday night home. Luckily for us, that all changes Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Let's hope the Mountaineers give him a proper welcome back to college football.

Ron Franklin, voice of Big 12 Big Monday games and college FB on ESPN, says he's "98.5 %" sure he's retiring after 2009-10 seasons. [Promoted for Front Page Friday!]