The Fox Sports Prime Ticket cable network had little choice but to suspend Los Angeles Clippers longtime play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler and color analyst Michael Smith for one game following Wednesday's contest against the Grizzlies after their on-air comments about Memphis center Hamed Haddidi offended a viewer who e-mailed Fox to complain. The duo did not work Friday's night telecast against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center as Michael Eaves and Don MacLean, who regularly serve as halftime and postgame analysts on Clippers telecasts, filled in courtside. According to the team website, Lawler, 71, has covered over 2,400 LAC games in his 31 seasons and Smith is now in his 12th. In a statement, Fox said "While we believe that Michael and Ralph did not intend their exchange to be offensive, the comments were inappropriate. We extend our apologies to Hamed Haddadi (the first Iranian to play in the NBA) and to anyone who was offended." The late-game exchange referenced Haddidi's home country by mispronounciation, included a resemblance reference to movie character "Borat" actor Sasha Baron Cohen, and a comment on his ball-handling skills. Ad-libs have always added an entertainment value to a broadcast, but given the delicate sensitivities of today's geo-political climate, the league may wish to consider adding international diplomacy to its on-air team's skill set.
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