Minnesota’s 45TV pulled Doug McLeod off the broadcast of a Minnesota Boys’ State Hockey Tournament game. It didn’t happen before the puck dropped. It happened in the middle of the game!
Charlie Beattie, who had been serving as the sideline reporter, was called into the broadcast booth to call play-by-play after McLeod got the boot.
Blaine took a 3-0 lead over White Bear early in the second period. That prompted McLeod to say that White Bear fans were looking for “lynching ropes.” That is the offense that led to the change.
There was no reaction to the comment in the moment, but 45TV studio host, Tom Hauser, did acknowledge the comment was offensive and inappropriate between periods.
Doug McLeod’s full-time job is serving as the play-by-play man for Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey on Fox Sports North. He is scheduled to call a best of three series between Minnesota and Michigan on the RSN as part of the Big Ten Tournament. There is no word on if McLeod’s benching by 45TV will effect his other job in any way.
