(Images culled from The Gurgling Cod)
Last seen in this space immersed in an unsuccessful US Senate campaign and an ill-advised feud with Mike Leach, former ESPN college football analyst Craig James is suing Fox Sports alleging his 2013 firing — just days after being hired — was an instance of religious discrimination. From the New York Times and the AP :
James was a longtime color commentator for ESPN who quit to run for the Senate in 2012. During the campaign, James said he opposed gay marriage and that gay people would one day “have to answer to the Lord for their actions.”
James has alleged that a national Fox Sports spokesman told The Dallas Morning News that James was terminated from Fox Sports Southwest for religious beliefs against same-sex marriage.
Hiram Sasser, deputy chief counsel with the conservative advocacy group, said that when Fox fired James, the network publicly stated that his view on marriage was a reason. Sasser said that James was fired after Sports Illustrated magazine contacted Fox about the hiring in light of James’ comment during a primary debate that he opposed gay marriage.
“It’s pretty rare that a company engages in religious discrimination in the firing of an employee and then issues a statement confirming that’s the reason,” Sasser said.