ESPN Radio’s Derek Ruscin Blasts Arkansas Catcher Michael Turner a ‘Stupid Ass’

Mike Windle_Getty Images
Mike Windle/Getty Images
Warner Todd Huston

ESPN Arkansas radio host Derek Ruscin has been forced to step away from the mic after going on a rant against Arkansas catcher Michael Turner that ESPN says “went too far.”

Unhappy with the catcher’s performance, Ruscin blasted Turner as a “disgrace,” and a “stupid ass,” and continued to upbraid the catcher for several minutes in response to Turner’s disparagement of the fans.

Over the weekend, Turner told the media that the team has been trying to screen out the “outside noise” from the media and the fans over this season’s trials, The New York Post reported.

“There’s a lot of people that are fans, some are good fans, some are not good fans,” Turner grumbled. “And if you read Twitter after the game, it can get in your mind a little bit. So we’re just trying to keep the circle tight and keep moving forward.”

Ruscin was not happy at all that Turner took a shot at the fans.

The ESPN broadcaster blasted Turner as a “rental player.”

“Secondly, as a rental player, you do not get to come in here and criticize this fan base, you stupid ass. Not a chance. The question was about what’s wrong with the team, and you used the entire answer to take a swing at this fan base,” Ruscin exploded. “You’re a disgrace, Michael Turner. You’re a disgrace! You should not get to wear that uniform again. What a loser. You know why they’re losing? Because you’re a loser, and you’re the catcher. You’re in charge of this whole thing on the infield. You’re a loser and a disgrace. And you can’t get out of this program soon enough.”

ESPN said it was handling the rant as an internal disciplinary incident.

“Derek Ruscin will be taking time away from his afternoon role on ESPN Arkansas stations,” ESPN Arkansas’ marketing manager Tommy Craft said in a statement. “His comments during Friday’s show concerning Michael Turner went too far and did not meet out companies’ standard for quality content.”

Neither Ruscin nor Turner have directly commented about the incident.

Arkansas ended the season with a 38-18 record and lost both games in the SEC tournament.

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