NBC suspends Jeremy Roenick for “inappropriate comments.”

Well unfortunately this is going to result in even fewer National Hockey League personalities speaking freely on podcast or during interviews of any kind. 

According to a report from Sports Business Journal, NBC Sports has made the move to suspend long time NHL analyst and former NHL player Jeremy Roenick for what the company deemed to be inappropriate comments about his fellow employees at NBC Sports. NBC Sports has released an official statement on this matter, but as you would expect they are not really saying a great deal with this statement.

"Jeremy Roenick has been suspended indefinitely without pay for making inappropriate comments about his co-workers," said the statement emailed to Sports Business Journal on Monday. "We will have no further comment at this time."

The news comes off the heels of Jeremy Roenick's appearance on the Spittin Chiclets podcast, one in which he did in fact make several comments about his co-workers, specifically NBC Sports studio host Kathryn Tappen and fellow NBC hockey analyst Patrick Sharp. The problem here of course is that although the comments could certainly be considered "inappropriate" there also is the question of the context of the conversation in which the comments were made. Roenick was sitting around a table with former hockey players having a good time, and I certainly did not get the impression that he intended to be taken seriously. 

Here is what Roenick said regarding Tappen:

“I play it off like we’re all going to bed together every night, the three of us,” Roenick said. “If it really came to fruition, that would really be good. But it’s never going to happen.” 

That was in regard to a trip Roenick took to portugal with his wife and Tappen, while also adding that Tappen and his wife are actually close friends. He later went on to praise Tappen for her professionalism during the very same podcast.

“Kathryn Tappen is one of the most professional ... sports personalities that I know. She is true blue one of my favorite people in the world.”

No less that you think Roenick's comments were specifically directed at women, he made similar comments about the aforementioned Patrick Sharp. Again these comments did not come off as words meant to be taken literally, but instead comments designed to make the people around him laugh.

“He is so beautiful, I’d have to think about it if he asked me,” Roenick said. “I wouldn’t say no right away.” 

Much like he did with Tappen, Roenick also went on to praise Sharp during the very same podcast.

“I think he’s great. I think he’s been great for NBC. Him and (studio analyst Keith Jones) do well together. It’s good to have, again, a beautiful face that talks well that knows the game because it’s totally the opposite when me and (studio analyst) Anson (Carter) get on there.”

Additionally Roenick also called Sharp a “one of the greatest, greatest guys on the planet” as well as adding that Sharp is “one of my best friends,” but unfortunately it seems that some took offense to what had been said. It seems like this could very well ending up costing Roenick his job.