Say what you want about ESPN’s morning radio show Mike & Mike, but the show is never one to cause controversy. But things got tense on Friday morning, when call-in guest Charles Oakley didn’t like what he saw on ESPN television at the time of the introduction.
Upon being introduced on the show, Oakley stated that he “felt great, until I saw a picture of myself on the wall looking like a criminal on ESPN.” When Mike Greenberg asked him about the picture, Oakley went on to say that he felt “disrespected” by the use of the picture.
According to later comments, Oakley was possibly looking at SportsCenter, which was showing a screenshot of the MSG incident around the same time. Mike & Mike introduced Oakley using a different picture. The awkward exchange continued for a full minute.
According to ESPN, Oakley purchased seats for Tuesday’s Knicks game against the Clippers and was seated several rows behind Knicks owner James Dolan. Security approached Oakley and asked him to leave, and reportedly punched three MSG security guards in the ensuing scuffle.
Oakley was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal trespass, all third-degree misdemeanors.
On Friday, MSG Security Chief Frank Benedetto was reportedly fired over the incident.