Susannah Collins, the now-infamous sideline reporter whose recent on-air slip suggesting one NHL team's promiscuity turned her into a viral sensation, was fired by Comcast SportsNet Chicago on Thursday.
The termination came two days after Collins inadvertently said on camera that the Chicago Blackhawks had a "tremendous amount of sex during the regular season," instead of "tremendous amount of success."
Collins, hired as a full-time reporter for CSN in September 2012, remained poised after her miscue and quickly corrected herself. Despite a tidal wave of media attention from news web sites and digs on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," Collins handled the frenzy with integrity and self-deprecating humor, posting a series of tweets:
The flub supposedly played no part in CSN's decision to fire Collins, whose only comment on the dismissal was released in this statement:
"Due to circumstances unrelated to her on-air remarks Tuesday night, Susannah Collins and Comcast SportsNet Chicago have parted ways," Phil Bedella, vice president and general manager of CSN Chicago said. "We appreciate everything Susannah has contributed to our network over the past year and wish her the best in her future endeavors."
Speculation by the "Chicago Tribune" has led many to believe Collin's firing was a result of the reporter's newfound popularity putting attention on former, more controversial, sports show appearances. "Sports Nutz" a 2009 and 2010 16-video YouTube series, co-hosted by Collins, was laced with more sexually explicit reports and raunchier interviews. Comcast has yet to confirm or deny whether these videos contributed to Collins' dismissal.
Support for Collins has been swift and unwavering, with many sports fans not buying CSN's suggestion that Collins' slip of the tongue was irrelevant in her termination. Many have taken to Twitter to showcase their admiration for Collins' professionalism and to criticize Comcast for what appears to be an overly harsh reaction.
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