Not surprisingly, Republican-slanting Fox News picked up the story Tuesday on UFC lightweight Jacob Volkmann being put on administrative leave from his assistant high school wrestling coaching job following some negative comments he made toward Barack Obama at UFC 141.
After his win over Efrain Escudero, Volkmann told Joe Rogan that Obama should schedule a “glassectomy” with Volkmann, a joke medical procedure where “you cut your belly button out and put a piece of glass in there so when you have your head up your butt you can see where you’re going.”
Volkmann told Fox News that one parent had complained to Minnesota’s White Bear Lake High School and that on the Friday following his victory, he was told he couldn’t be around the wrestlers anymore. He added he will contact an attorney if he’s not reinstated within two weeks.
Fox interviewed Gene Policinski of the First Amendment Center about the issue:
“It’s offensive, but we really don’t want the government to use mere offensiveness to govern speech,” Policinski told FoxNews.com. “But the terms of his employment agreement might give [district officials] greater latitude.”
Policinski said Volkmann’s comments may provide a “negative impression” in the eyes of district officials, but noted that he appeared in the capacity of a mixed martial arts fighter — and not an assistant wrestling coach. Remarks that pertain to the president, however, can be taken “more seriously” than those relating to other individuals, he said.
The UFC has taken no action against Volkmann and isn’t expected to. This is the second time Volkmann has been put on administrative leave from the school following his infamous UFC 125 comments about Obama.