Is It Game Over for Don Imus?

Six months have passed since radio shock jock Don Imus began work at his new station, WABC-AM in New York, with a promise to heal the wounds caused by his remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team that got him fired at his previous station. He even hired two African-Americans to join his on-air family.

Well, how's that promise working out? Imus is in hot water again over his reaction to the news that Adam Jones of the Dallas Cowboys (the football player formerly known as "Pacman") had another run-in with the law. In conversation with sportscaster Warner Wolf on Monday morning's broadcast, it went something like this, according to Associated Press:

IMUS; What color is he?

WOLF: African-American.

IMUS; There you go. Now we know.

On Tuesday's broadcast, Imus said he was trying to "make a sarcastic point" about African-Americans and how the criminal justice system treats them. He said he had been misunderstood, and called the criticism about his comments "ridiculous".

In this case, what Imus said about Jones initially was more sloppy than racist. Imus didn't do his homework on Jones, who is under suspension by the National Football League for his alleged involvement in a nightclub shooting. Does Imus even follow football?

Imus will not have any action taken against him by WABC, or its parent company Citadel Broadcasting. Jones told a Dallas newspaper that he is upset by the comments, and is praying for Imus.

Even though ABC and its parent company Disney have taken great pains to remind folks that they no longer have anything to do with WABC radio, having sold its stations and the ABC Radio Network to Citadel last year, they should bear some of the responsibility for what Imus says on the air. After all, isn't ABC's name still on the building?

And are we ever going to get to a point where we no longer care what Imus is saying?