Last month, Rob Parker inappropriately brought up Detroit Lions' Coach Rod Marinelli's daughter during a postgame interview. Today, he's out of the job. Parker, who claimed the comments were in jest, has left the Detroit News, and his former editor doesn't even want to discuss him anymore....

Detroit News sports columnist Rob Parker has resigned from the newspaper, the paper's managing editor told Journal-isms on Tuesday. Parker had been demoted to general assignment sports reporter, the Newspaper Guild disclosed, in the fallout from a news conference question to the coach of the Detroit Lions NFL team that drew criticism from management, readers and other sports journalists.

"He doesn't work here any more," Managing Editor Donald Nauss said. He said Parker resigned on Friday. Asked whether this followed a suspension of his column, Nauss said, "I can't talk about personnel matters."

Parker, who had been at the paper for eight years, could not be reached for comment and has not responded to previous requests.

Again, there's a level of decorum that every person needs to have in a business setting, and at times we all cross the line, but occasionally some people leap across said line. It's good that something was done about it for once.

Columnist Rob Parker Out at Detroit News (Journal-isms)

This story will be everywhere by Noon today, and rightfully so. Rob Parker of the Detroit News decided to grill Detroit Lions' Coach, Rod Marinelli on his son-in-law, who is also the team's defensive coordinator. Parker tries to get a ton of questions in, and bait Marinelli into saying something controversial, before dropping this bombshell. Stay tuned for the NFL on FOX's response....

"Do you wish your daughter married a better defensive coordinator."- Rob Parker

That's just uncalled for. I mean the guy already answered your previous question, and is dealing with a possible 0-16 season. Good lord....give the man a break. Hopefully Parker is reprimanded, but even if he's fired, he'll still have a regular spot on First Take.

You stay classy, Rob Parker.

Update: Here's Parker's apology from this morning....

I attempted to lighten the moment in a tense situation and asked Marinelli if he wished his daughter had married a better defensive coordinator...What might have seemed like a personal attack wasn't...I have asked Marinelli on numerous occasions if he's going to fire his son-in-law.

Every week, Marinelli says the same thing.

"No."

It's almost a running joke. A news conference isn't complete unless I ask it.
Sunday, with my attempt at humor, I was trying to get Marinelli to lighten up, have some fun after a rough day...Apparently, those watching replays of the news conference on TV didn't see it as humor. There's no way they could have known the relationship Marinelli and I have built, especially this trying season.

I don't know about that. The way the question was asked, it seemed very combative to me.

Fire Rob Parker (Pride of Detroit)
There's more to Marinelli (Detroit News)