From the Ann Arbor News’ John Heuser :

When discussing the University of Michigan football team’s slow start under coach Rich Rodriguez this season, ESPN’s Lou Holtz compared Rodriguez to Adolf Hitler on Friday, saying “ya know, Hitler was a great leader too.”

The comment, made on a College Football Live segment, prompted Michigan athletic director Bill Martin to call an ESPN executive vice president Saturday morning to complain, minutes after Martin found out about it.

“(Holtz’s) comment was very disappointing, and I’d say that’s an understatement,” Michigan athletic department spokesman Bruce Madej said Saturday. “That’s not what ESPN stands for.”

Indeed, ESPN stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.  And what could be more entertaining than the most recent in a series of ill-advised Holtz’ utterances?   But I’ll agree with Martin ;  the former Notre Dame coach’s remarks were highly inappropriate.  After all, Hitler never lost to Toledo.