Sports

Douglas out at ESPN after yelling racial slurs, threatening co-host Michael Smith during drunken tirade

Hugh Douglas with the Jets in 1997.

Hugh Douglas with the Jets in 1997. (New York Post)

Hugh Douglas’ drunken tirade cost him his job at ESPN.
A week after reports surfaced of Douglas acting belligerently and screaming racial slurs at colleague Michael Smith, the former Jets and Eagles linebacker tweeted that he was “leaving ESPN.”
An ESPN spokesman confirmed that Douglas is no longer employed by the network.
The incident occurred Aug. 2 at the House of Blues in Orlando during the National Association of Black Journalists convention when an allegedly inebriated Douglas tried to make a move toward the microphone. Smith, who had hosted ESPN’s “Numbers Never Lie” alongside Douglas, tried to stop Douglas to prevent embarrassment.

Douglas then called Smith an “Uncle Tom’’ and a “house n—-r and threatened to fight him several times, according to the Web site The Big Lead. The tension reportedly had been building on the show when they hired fellow journalist Jemele Hill as the third host.
Douglas felt threatened and phased out by Smith and Hill, who are close friends. The two journalists were talking to a crowd of 200 at the Orlando restaurant when Douglas tried to join in. Hill managed to thwart his efforts, which left him fuming, they said.
ESPN issued a statement last week saying, “We are aware there was a disagreement between Hugh Douglas and Michael Smith on Friday. We are looking into the situation.”
After a week, ESPN decided the course of action was to move on from Douglas.