After two-decades as the anthem for Monday Night Football, ESPN has decided to permanently pull Hank Williams Jr.’s “All My Rowdy Friends” from Monday nights. The network made the decision after Williams compared President Obama to Hitler while appearing on Fox News earlier in the week.
In a statement released prior to Monday’s game ESPN said, “While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight’s telecast.”
ESPN released another statement Thursday stating that the decision to pull the song was a permanent one.
“We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams, Jr,” ESPN said in a statement. “We appreciate his contributions over the past years. The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue.”
“We appreciate his contributions over the past years. The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue.”
Afterwards Williams made the following statement on his website:
“After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision,” he wrote. “By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.”
The made his controversial “Hitler” comparison earlier in the week while appearing on Fox News. He also referred to Obama and Joe Biden as “the enemy.”
Williams issued a statement on Tuesday, which sort of apologized for his comments.
“The thought of the leaders of both parties jukin and high fiven on a golf course, while so many families are struggling to get by simply made me boil over and make a dumb statement,” Williams wrote on Facebook and his website. “I am very sorry if it offended anyone.”
Do you think ESPN was right to pull the anthem? Let us know in the comment section
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