The outspoken Keith Olbermann has been thrust back into the spotlight following his show on Tuesday night. This time he criticized U.S. soccer, coach Jillian Ellis and called for Hope Solo’s suspension.

Keith Olbermann Calls For Hope Solo’s Suspension

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2wPrHFllZU

The event he talked about was Hope Solo’s arrest in June 2014. She was charged with two counts of assault in the fourth degree, which is a gross misdemeanor according to Washington State law. She allegedly fought her half-sister and nephew in a drunken rage – an account that she has denied since her arrest.

However, soon the charges were dropped due to procedural reasons — the victims would not cooperate — and it looked like the incident was going to be swept under the rug. She was not suspended by the U.S. soccer federation for the incident. In fact, her only suspension came months later when her husband got a DUI while driving a USWNT van.

Since then, she spoke to Good Morning America and claimed that she was the victim. “I was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of my 17-year-old nephew, who is 6’9,” 280 pounds,” she said. “I was struck over the head and concussed pretty severely. It was a very scare night.”

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Now, Teresa Obert, her half-sister, has come out and called Solo’s accusations a downright lie. In an interview with Outside the Lines, the half-sister claimed that Hope, at one point, was slamming her son’s head onto concrete and when they got her off of him, she went after Teresa. And as a result of a few punches, Obert “spit out a tooth” and called the cops.

Olbermann would go on to point out that even the police report contradicted Solo’s tale: as it said she was awfully intoxicated and even attempted to instigate a fight with the officers. “You’re such a b—h. You’re scared of me because you know that if the handcuffs were off, I’d kick your ass,” Solo stated according to a police report obtained by ESPN. The police has since appealed the judge’s decision to throw out the case.

So Olbermann concluded that Hope Solo needs to be suspended, coach Ellis needs to be fired for “willful ignorance” and president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulati, needs to be dismissed because they are representing the country on a global stage.

“And unlike the NFL cases, these are not merely professional athletes in professional sports that we are talking about. Hope Solo, Jill Ellis, and president Sunil Gulati are representing this country — you and me — and clearly none of them is qualified to do so…

Solo deserves immediate suspension with all rights of appeal. Ms. Ellis and Mr. Gulati, however, who have shown this condescending attitude of a sports first, reality second — protect the bubble at all times — and have been the worst possible role models for and the worst possible representatives of this country should be immediately dismissed.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-cGY6Y5gE

A few weeks ago, Keith Olbermann was suspended for his Twitter war with Penn State supporters, alum and students. The problem stemmed from the longtime anchor responding to a Penn State tweet he did not read: he assumed the message was negative and proceeded to bash the school over it. Instead, it turned out the message contained a link that showed the charity work of the university – particularly, how they raised money for pediatric cancer.

Obviously, Olbermann was horrified by what he did and it is great that during the Late Show he took the blame for his very stupid actions. There are not many days when this boisterous anchor admits he is at fault, but at least he is being an adult by apologizing.

The real problem is how he calls Twitter “the first true sign that society is disintegrating.” It makes his apology seem pointless as he blames social media for his actions. Twitter is not the problem, the idea of anonymity — which completely does not exist — is the real problem. Behind a keyboard, people suddenly gain the mystical power of confidence and say things they normally would not.

And as an individual who is awfully vocal and fairly public, Olbermann should have learned this a long time ago.