Iowa Broadcaster Gary Dolphin To Return After “King Kong” Comment Suspension

The Hawkeyes’ radio voice got caught, again, but will return, again.

Last week, Iowa Hawkeyes radio broadcaster Gary Dolphin was suspended for the remainder of the Iowa men’s basketball season. The suspension came after Dolphin was heard on a hot mic comparing a black Maryland player, Bruno Fernando, to King Kong.

Chris Hassel on Twitter

Here’s the audio that got the Voice of the Hawkeyes, Gary Dolphin, suspended for the rest of the basketball season. “Fernando was King Kong at the end of the game.” https://t.co/C5Adruj3St

This was the second suspension for Dolphin over the past few months. He was suspended last fall after a hot mic caught him criticizing Iowa’s play and their recruiting.

The suspension was first announced as being indefinite. Now we’ve learned that it will only last a few weeks as Dolphin will be back for Iowa’s spring football practice. He will also be fully reinstated for next year’s football and men’s basketball seasons.

Awful Announcing on Twitter

Iowa broadcaster Gary Dolphin was suspended for the rest of the basketball season after comparing a Maryland basketball player to King Kong. But he’ll be back for the Hawkeyes’ spring football practice, and for both football and basketball next year: https://t.co/NKTBozzwIT

Hawkeye Sports Properties announced the news via a press release.

“Hawkeye Sports Properties, the multimedia rights manager for the University of Iowa Athletics, today announced it will reinstate play-by-play announcer Gary Dolphin beginning with coverage of football spring practice. Dolphin will also return for the 2019-2020 football and men’s basketball seasons.

The reinstatement decision, like the suspension, was made by Learfield’s Hawkeye Sports Properties, following collaborative engagement with the Iowa Athletics Department. Dolphin has served as “Voice of the Hawkeyes” since 1996.

Dolphin was suspended on Friday through the remainder of the men’s basketball season for an inappropriate comment during the Feb. 19 broadcast of the Iowa men’s basketball game against Maryland.

Dolphin and Iowa Director of Athletics Gary Barta will participate in a 3 pm CT press conference.”

Dolphin won’t be calling the remainder of the men’s basketball season, yet what difference does that make if you ultimately get to keep your job.

Oh, how quickly do they forget.

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