Last we heard from Craig James, he was groveling for cash to pay off the debt racked up during his ill-conceived U.S. Senate campaign and denying that he killed five hookers.
That was more than a year ago. Then, on Friday, Fox Sports Southwest reminded the world of James' existence by announcing that the former SMU running back would be serving as a college football analyst. The network was stoked.
"We're excited to add Craig to the FOX Sports Southwest team," FSSW senior executive producer Mike Anastassiou said in a press release that has since been scrubbed from Fox Sports websites. "He's a talented broadcaster who I've admired throughout his career. His knowledge of college football and the experience he brings as an analyst will be a tremendous asset to our coverage."
Anastassiou's sentiments were not shared by his bosses at Fox Sports. Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch reported over the weekend that they pulled the plug on James after his first appearance.
The issue, according to Deitsch, wasn't James' mediocrity as a broadcaster, or the undying hatred of Texas Tech fans. Rather, they found his views on homosexuality, which his Senate campaign gave him ample opportunity to express, distasteful. (For example, James thinks gays will have to "answer to the Lord for their actions." So did his former bosses at ESPN, who refused to rehire James at the conclusion of the Senate bid.
See also: Craig James (Sort Of) Addresses That "Google Bomb" About Those "Five Dead Hookers"
The other possibility, which Deitsch does not address, is that the networks have some inside information on the dead hookers.
