ESPN Fires Employee for Slur in Lin Headline ESPN announced Sunday that it had suspended one person and fired another for using an ethnic slur last week in reference to Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. It also said that it had discovered a third use of the offensive phrase, on Friday night. The fired employee posted a headline on ESPN.com's mobile Web site that used the phrase in a headline about Lin that appeared from 2:30 to 3:05 a.m. Saturday, after the Knicks" loss to the New Orleans Hornets the night before. The phrase had two meanings, one of them an ethnic slur. The name of the employee was not released. Max Bretos, an ESPN anchor, was suspended for 30 days for using the same phrase during an interview about Lin on ESPNews with Walt Frazier, the Knicks" TV analyst for the MSG Network. Lin is of Chinese descent; his parents are Taiwanese. ESPN apologized Saturday for the two incidents but noted Sunday that it became aware of a commentator at ESPN Radio New York, which carries Knicks games, who used the same phrase Friday after the Knicks-Hornets game. The commentator was Spero Dedes, the Knicks" play-by-play voice, who is an employee of Madison Square Garden. In a statement, a Garden spokesman said, "We are evaluating and will have no additional comment at this time." In its statement, ESPN said: "We again apologize, especially to Mr. Lin. His accomplishments are a source of great pride to the Asian-American community, including the Asian-American employees at ESPN. Through self-examination, improved editorial practices and controls, and response to constructive criticism, we will be better in the future.