Jim Brandstatter (Facebook photo)
Lots of folks are unhappy that Lions' broadcaster Jim Brandstatter got the boot, including Detroit Free Press sportswriter and occasional columnist Carlos Monarrez:
Jim Brandstatter’s firing has bothered me. I think it’s bothered a lot of people, mostly for one reason: You don’t treat someone who has done his job well for 31 years this way.
You don’t blindside someone like this. You don’t give them some weird non-answer out of the human-resources playbook like “we’ve decided to go in a different direction,” as WJR-AM did Tuesday.
First, this was a firing. WJR can try to call it a contract termination if it prefers, but it was a firing.
Second, this was a firing without warning or justification. Some people love Brandstatter’s style. Some people don’t. Even if you’re among the latter, you have to admit this was handled poorly. If you dismiss this as part of life in the media fast lane, try to imagine Brandstatter as someone you know who has done his job faithfully for 31 years, then is suddenly singled out and fired.
