Rivals.com editor suspended for offensive tweet after Laquon Treadwell injury
A Rivals.com editor has been suspended after posting an offensive tweet that made light of racial segregation.
Geoff Ketchum, the owner and publisher of OrangeBloods.com, posted the comments on Twitter after Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell broke his leg and dislocated his ankle on a play that nearly pushed Ole Miss ahead of Auburn Saturday. The Tigers won the game 35-31.
Look what the clown Geoff Ketchum (UT Writer for Rivals) said after the Ole Miss game. He shouldn't have a job Mon pic.twitter.com/4GtUE4LqXh
— Nick (@NOaddiLA) November 2, 2014
Rivals.com suspended Ketchum Sunday, issuing this statement, as reported by the Mobile Press-Register's John Talty.
"Rivals.com maintains strict editorial guidelines, and the tweet by Geoff Ketchum violated not only our standards, but also the standards of our industry," said Rivals.com PR manager Sean Hamel. "He has apologized and the tweet has been removed. In addition, Geoff has been suspended from writing for Rivals.com and OrangeBloods.com and a full editorial review is underway."
The athletic director for Ole Miss, Ross Bjork, didn't take kindly to the tweet in a response to Ketchum.
@gkketch Have you ever been to Oxford & met our people, looked them in the eye, & understand what we are all about? You have no clue.
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) November 2, 2014
Ketchum promptly tried to show his remorse after deleting his initial Twitter post.
One more time... terrible tweet on my part on about 10 levels regarding the Ole Miss loss. Asshole Tweet on my part. Period.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) November 2, 2014