Centerplate yesterday issued a statement regarding CEO DES HAGUE being caught on camera repeatedly kicking a dog, saying it is "in the process of conducting an internal review," according to Allen Brettman of the Portland OREGONIAN. The company said, "We are aware of the incident involving Centerplate CEO Des Hague and the attention surrounding it. The company has now gathered all of the current facts from local authorities. ... Mr. Hague has agreed to attend counseling to address his anger management issues and has publicly expressed he is deeply ashamed and remorseful for his behavior." Centerplate has stadium concession contracts at "several stadiums in the U.S. and Canada," including the Timbers' Providence Park. Some Timbers fans have "posted Twitter statements saying they would boycott Centerplate at Providence Park" (OREGONLIVE.com, 8/26). ESPN's Keith Olbermann last night named Hague as one of his "world's worst" persons in sports, noting Hague admitted it was him on the video, but it was a friend's dog. Olbermann noted there is "reason to question Mr. Hague's insistence that he is taking 'full responsibility' for his actions and that he has 'personally apologized to the dog's owner.'" The Vancouver Sun reported that legal documents "filed by the local SPCA ... identifying the dog's owner as Desmond Hague." Olbermann: "Is this about a man abusing a dog or is it about one of the leading sports venue food vendors continuing to employ a CEO who abused the dog? Well that depends on whether or not they fire him. Your move" ("Olbermann," ESPN2, 8/26).
