Cincinnati Reds need to fire Thom Brennaman immediately

The Thom Brennaman Era with the Cincinnati Reds should be over effective immediately.

The Cincinnati Reds have been a family tradition in the Brennaman family. Marty Brennaman was the longtime announcer for the team, broadcasting games from 1974 through 2019. Once he retired, his son, Thom Brennaman, took over the microphone, continuing the family legacy into this season.

And that is where the legacy should come to an end, especially after a comment made by the younger Brennaman before the second game of the Reds doubleheader against the Royals.

*warning* Homophobic language in the video

And here, we see the true side of Thom Brennaman. He had no idea that his microphone was hot, and was just spewing forth whatever he felt at the time. And what he felt certainly has no place in the game at all.

Brennaman has been a broadcaster since 1986, a part of various team broadcasts, the national Fox Sports games, and even called NFL postseason contests. He has a high profile in the industry, especially following in the footsteps of his father.

But it is time for that journey to end. He needs to be removed from the Reds’ broadcasts immediately, his time with the team over. And once that happens, one has to wonder if he will work in another high profile capacity again.

This is not a situation where an apology written by some beleaguered Public Relations representative will be enough. It is also not a situation where promises of sensitivity training and a suspension will be enough. The Reds need to act, and they need to act in a definitive manner. Immediately.

We can only hope that the microphone is left on when the Cincinnati Reds drag Thom Brennaman out of the booth. For once, he would get to say something worth listening to.