When I first saw this I thought it had to be a hoax.  It simply is so ridiculous, one would think it came come from the comedy website The Onion.  A local announcer, employed by ESPN was told he won't be working a college football game in Charlottesville, Virginia because he shares a name with a Civil War general.

While it does seem absurd, it's not a hoax and has been confirmed by multiple outlets including the Times Union and Washington Post.   Robert Lee, an Asian-American announcer who has been the radio voice for our very own Siena Saints mens basketball team for many years, lives in Albany.  Lee, nicknamed The General, currently does football games for ESPN as well as Siena basketball and high school sports on Spectrum News.   And yes, he has been taken off of an upcoming Labor Day weekend assignment in Charlottesville, VA because of his name.  The game features the University of Virginia versus William and Mary.

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties,” reads the ESPN statement posted at the popular Fox Sports college-football blog Outkick the Coverage.

I wonder if viewers would have been able to know the difference:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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