A local radio personality criticized the personal dealings of Reid, whose son died of an overdose in '12GETTY IMAGES
K.C.-based WHB-AM host Kevin Kietzman has been "suspended indefinitely from appearing" on his afternoon talk show after recent comments about Chiefs coach Andy Reid and his family," according to Pete Grathoff of the K.C. STAR. Kietzman on Monday was talking about the Tyreek Hill situation and said, "Reid does not have a great record of fixing players. He doesn’t. Discipline is not his thing. It did not work out particularly well in his family life and that needs to be added to this as we’re talking about the Chiefs." Reid’s son, Garrett, died in '12 at age 29 of an "accidental heroin overdose." Kietzman, an original investor in the station, was "criticized by fans in Kansas City and by national media outlets" for the comments. He apologized to Reid and his family in a recorded message that was slated to air before his show yesterday (KANSASCITY.com, 6/25). In Philadelphia, Rob Tornoe wrote it is "almost unheard of for sports media pundits or radio hosts to bring up a player or coach’s personal life in order to criticize their performance on a team" (INQUIRER.com, 6/25). ESPN's Dan Le Batard said the idea that "common human decency wouldn't make you know, ‘Man, don't link that guy losing a son to suicide, don't link that to anything as trivial as football related.’ ... I don't know how it is that we forget they're human” (“The Dan Le Batard Show,” ESPN Radio, 6/25).
