Hawaii football coach uses homosexual slur in reference to Notre Dame

[Option D]

Sad world that we live in where he has to apologize for it.

boom...

[Hereford]

A lot of people get 'offended' because it is one of the very few ways they can have an impact and influence over someone else.

The UH coach is much higher in the big scheme of things that some nobody psudo-homosexual or whoever is complaining these days... and that nobody is irrelevent unless he can be 'offended', and make a big scene that unfortunatly has an impact by making the news.

[Dos Equis]

He was on the radio this morning apologizing and crying (literally).  Now, I'm sure the tears could be related to the possible loss of his annual million dollar salary, but I think he was genuine.  He's a good guy.  Has been good for the community. 

Poor choice of words, but definitely nothing he should be fired or even suspended over.  If he is punished, it will be to satisfy certain segments of the public. 


Hawaii football coach apologizes for gay slur
By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor

SALT LAKE CITY — In a comment heard 'round the sports world, University of Hawai'i football coach Greg McMackin yesterday made an admittedly "offensive" slur that not only created widespread stir but rebuke from one local gay and lesbian support group.

Hours later, his eyes reddened from emotion and self-anger, McMackin shook his head and whispered: "I'm so disappointed in myself. So disappointed."

McMackin was about to board a shuttle to the Salt Lake City airport, where he would take a long, six-hour flight to Honolulu.

Up in the air last night was the repercussion from the gay slur he uttered three times to describe a chant by Notre Dame football players at a banquet preceding last year's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

McMackin used the slur during a speech to reporters yesterday at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview, where each of the nine WAC coaches was allotted 30 minutes to talk about his football team.

In recalling a battle of chants between Notre Dame and UH players, McMackin used the derogatory phrase in describing the performance by the Fighting Irish.

"They get up and do this little cheer ... this little f----- dance," McMackin told reporters, who chuckled as he demonstrated the dance.

But the mood turned stone-cold sober as McMackin uttered the slur two more times while clumsily trying to apologize.

Before the next coach's session, McMackin returned to the conference room and offered another apology.

A half-hour later, WAC officials called a news conference, and McMackin issued a more formal apology.

"I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage of words that I used," said McMackin, his voice cracking. "I have nothing against the University of Notre Dame. I don't talk like that. I'm really ticked off at myself for saying that. I don't have any prejudices. It really makes me mad that I said that. I'm disappointed in myself."

He faces disciplinary action from UH and the WAC, of which UH is a member. WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the slur might violate the league's sportsmanship policy with sanctions ranging from a private reprimand to suspension.

UH athletic director Jim Donovan called Notre Dame officials to apologize.

IT'S 'UNACCEPTABLE'

McMackin's comments were reported nationally. ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" used it as a debate topic on yesterday's show. Host Michael Wilbon said McMackin's comments were "just stupid."

The O'ahu chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays issued a statement calling on the university to require more than an apology from McMackin.

"PFLAG O'ahu is appalled that the head coach at UH-M would be so unprofessional, so homophobic and so prejudicial that he would voice a gay slur even in jest. Behind closed doors is bad, but to voice the 'F' at a press conference at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview is unacceptable," the organization said.

McMackin made his comments in response to a question about the aftermath of the Warriors' 49-21 loss to Notre Dame in the 2008 bowl.

He said he might have inadvertently fired up the Fighting Irish by allowing his team to get into the battle of chants at the banquet.

McMackin described the loss to Notre Dame as the worst in his 40-year career.

"It ticks me off that I said (the slur) because Notre Dame played a great ball game," McMackin said. "What I was trying to do was be funny, and I wasn't funny, and it's not funny. Even more, it isn't funny to me. I was trying to make a joke. It was a bad choice of words. I really, really feel that.

"I wanted to apologize," he added. "I'm going to apologize to my team. I'm going to apologize to the people of Hawai'i. ... All I can do is apologize, and I feel bad that I used those words. It was really stupid. I just feel really bad. I apologize."

DONOVAN WEIGHS IN

Middle linebacker Brashton Satele, who also attended the meet-the-media event, said it was out of character for McMackin to use the phrase.

"He loves everybody," Satele said. "He never says anything bad about anybody."

Donovan said: "I am disappointed in what he said. I know he's disappointed in himself, and he made a sincere apology. Greg is a good man. He's never said anything disparaging about anybody in all of the time I've known him."

McMackin and Donovan met last night. Donovan declined to comment on any possible sanction.

"I cannot comment on personnel matters," Donovan said. "We'll go through the normal university procedures."

The coaches' segments are recorded on video, and then posted on the WAC's Web site. Because the speech was made to print reporters, there is no other available video of the segment.

Benson said the WAC will not post McMackin's segment.

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090731/SPORTS0201/907310359&template=UHSports/Hawaii+football+coach+apologizes+for+gay+slur

[Dos Equis]

I haven't seen the Notre Dame dance, but here is the UH pregame "ha`a" dance the team does before every game.

Has anyone seen the Notre Dame dance? 

[24KT]

#10 might be kinda hot... if it weren't for that receding hairline. He looks almost like a Klingon. 

[BayGBM]

As I said in the thread about firing the Boston police officer (who btw should not be fired) for what he said in an email message, “people are free to hold any attitudes or beliefs they want (even bigoted ones) as long as they do not act them out in ways that impact the lives and livelihoods of others.”  McMackin acted out with what he said in that interview and should be fired.  Perhaps he and Isaiah Washington (fired from Grey’s Anatomy) can have a beer and drown their sorrows together.

The world has changed people: bigotry in your heart or in private is perfectly fine, but in the public sphere it will not be tolerated—especially from overpaid, high profile people who can easily be replaced.  I suspect this is the beginning of the end for this guy...

[drkaje]

WTF is the world coming to when people can't call gay shit gay?

As I said in the thread about firing the Boston police officer (who btw should not be fired) for what he said in an email message, “people are free to hold any attitudes or beliefs they want (even bigoted ones) as long as they do not act them out in ways that impact the lives and livelihoods of others.”  McMackin acted out with what he said in that interview and should be fired.  Perhaps he and Isaiah Washington (fired from Grey’s Anatomy) can have a beer and drown their sorrows together.

The world has changed people: bigotry in your heart or in private is perfectly fine, but in the public sphere it will not be tolerated—especially from overpaid, high profile people who can easily be replaced.  I suspect this is the beginning of the end for this guy...

You're a bigger bigot than him and stupid. Thinking (and I use that term loosely) being gay means people own a word and all its contexts is asinine.

Lame-assed examples of idiots overreacting to flippant comments like this is one of the reasons moderates can't get behind (pun intended) the gay cause. A lot of you idiots, both gay and straight, can't appreciate the difference between and a sword.

Sadly, two very important fears we've been led to believe irrational are being proven true again, and again: 1. Gays want extra, not equal rights. 2. Those rights will come at the expense of others. Pretending otherwise is like saying healthcare will be free.

Your main spokespeople fail at every opportunity to show tolerance and just can't be trusted. It's sad the culture, as a whole, can't appreciate how scenes over silly shit like this alienate the majority.

[Dos Equis]

As I said in the thread about firing the Boston police officer (who btw should not be fired) for what he said in an email message, “people are free to hold any attitudes or beliefs they want (even bigoted ones) as long as they do not act them out in ways that impact the lives and livelihoods of others.”  McMackin acted out with what he said in that interview and should be fired.  Perhaps he and Isaiah Washington (fired from Grey’s Anatomy) can have a beer and drown their sorrows together.

The world has changed people: bigotry in your heart or in private is perfectly fine, but in the public sphere it will not be tolerated—especially from overpaid, high profile people who can easily be replaced.  I suspect this is the beginning of the end for this guy...

The problem with this analysis is Coach Mac is not a bigot.  The man doesn't have a spiteful bone in his body.  He loves everybody.  He's actually too nice sometimes.  This was nothing more than a very poor attempt to be funny.

He can't be easily replaced.  Nonsense.  Practice starts next week and the season starts in a month.  Firing him now would cripple the program, which is the lifeblood of the athletic department and probably the school's single largest revenue generator. 

UH is in the middle of a lawsuit with the former women's basketball coach that they recently fired for cause.  There is no way they are going to fire Coach Mac for cause, with about four years left on his mil per year contract, and face another lawsuit.  Will never happen. 

The man is heavily involved in the community and is well liked by pretty much everyone.  I think the worst thing that will happen is he gets suspended for a game (even that would be too harsh). 

This thing is way overblown.   

[tu_holmes]

WTF is the world coming to when people can't call gay shit gay?

Lame-assed examples of idiots overreacting to flippant comments like this is one of the reasons moderates can't get behind (pun intended) the gay cause. A lot of you idiots, both gay and straight, can't appreciate the difference between and a sword.

Sadly, two very important fears we've been led to believe irrational are being proven true again, and again: 1. Gays want extra, not equal rights. 2. Those rights will come at the expense of others. Pretending otherwise is like saying healthcare will be free.

Your main spokespeople fail at every opportunity to show tolerance and just can't be trusted. It's sad the culture, as a whole, can't appreciate how scenes over silly shit like this alienate the majority.

I can kind of agree with this... I mean, I have gay friends... I like gay people, but if something is gay... It's gay.

Why think it's bad?

[drkaje]

I can kind of agree with this... I mean, I have gay friends... I like gay people, but if something is gay... It's gay.

Why think it's bad?

I don't have a single gay, white, black or any other labeled friend. People are people.

This is basically the boy who cried bigot.

[Dos Equis]

I pretty much agree.  I don't have a problem being PC, but people shouldn't have to walk on egg shells.  This shouldn't be the lead story in the news, on ESPN, and front page of both our daily papers.   

[24KT]

I don't have a single gay, white, black or any other labeled friend. People are people.

This is basically the boy who cried bigot.

         C'mon Jakey, ...you know better than to refer to a black man as boy!
You just love pushing those buttons don't ya? You're such a brat sometimes! 

Personally, I have a bigger problem with a cop charged with dealing with the public on a day to day basis, having such sentiments, letting alone feeling that disseminating them was in any way acceptable, than I do with a football coach who deals with football players day to day using such unfortunate verbiage.

Did he say homo or faggot? If he did say homo, could it have merely been an abbrev of homosexual?
I think we really need to see the dance in question. If it looked like a bunch of men doing some type of a courtship ritual, then calling it a homo dance would be appropriate. Then too, what was his tone? Did he spit out the word with contempt, ...or was he clearly trying to be descriptive?

[24KT]

I pretty much agree.  I don't have a problem being PC, but people shouldn't have to walk on egg shells.  This shouldn't be the lead story in the news, on ESPN, and front page of both our daily papers.   

Since the release of the 911 tapes, the Cambridge PD audio dispatch, and the witness statements that the only words she spoke to Crowley was "I'm the woman who called", ...how else are we going to divert people's attention away from that story? Besides, ...according to some people in the community ...Gay is the new Black. 

[drkaje]

        C'mon Jakey, ...you know better than to refer to a black man as boy!
You just love pushing those buttons don't ya? You're such a brat sometimes! 

Personally, I have a bigger problem with a cop charged with dealing with the public on a day to day basis, having such sentiments, letting alone feeling that disseminating them was in any way acceptable, than I do with a football coach who deals with football players day to day using such unfortunate verbiage.

Did he say homo or faggot? If he did say homo, could it have merely been an abbrev of homosexual?
I think we really need to see the dance in question. If it looked like a bunch of men doing some type of a courtship ritual, then calling it a homo dance would be appropriate. Then too, what was his tone? Did he spit out the word with contempt, ...or was he clearly trying to be descriptive?

Now men can't refer to their sons as 'boy' for fear of offending some random black dude?

What's the world coming to?

[Dos Equis]

Since the release of the 911 tapes, the Cambridge PD audio dispatch, and the witness statements that the only words she spoke to Crowley was "I'm the woman who called", ...how else are we going to divert people's attention away from that story? Besides, ...according to some people in the community ...Gay is the new Black. 

The Gates/Crowley story has run its course.  I doubt there is much talk about it next week. 

This one will blow over by next week too, except Coach Mac will be apologizing for the next four years.   

[Dos Equis]

ND's head coach comments: 

In a prepared release, Weis said: "Yesterday, Coach McMackin demonstrated poor judgment when, while making comments critical of our football program, he used a derogatory word.

"Speaking only for our football program, we were offended by the remarks.

"This afternoon I received a phone call from Coach McMackin and he apologized to me and asked I pass that along to my players and coaches. We accept his apology and we will move on."

In his statement, Weis also noted that as a parent of a daughter with global developmental delays "I am especially sensitive to offensive characterizations like the one at issue here."

Still, Weis says, "in no way do I believe Coach McMackin's comments were intended to be offensive.

"In our phone conversation today, I expressed those sentiments. It is now time to put this incident behind us and return focus to the 2009 season."

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090731/BREAKING01/90731054/UH+to+hold+3+30+p.m.+press+conference+over+coach+McMackin+s+use+of+gay+slur

They're having news conference at 1530 today.  Geeze Louise.  You'd think the man slapped someone's momma. 

[24KT]

Now men can't refer to their sons as 'boy' for fear of offending some random black dude?

What's the world coming to?

tsk tsk  We all know you weren't refering to your son, ...you were refering to BayBGM,
not some random black dude, but a man who for all intents & purposes appears to be your senior.

[24KT]

They're having news conference at 1530 today.  Geeze Louise.  You'd think the man slapped someone's momma. 

Maybe he didn't slap her, ...just suggested he'd talk with her on the porch? 

[drkaje]

tsk tsk  We all know you weren't refering to your son, ...you were refering to BayBGM,
not some random black dude, but a man who for all intents & purposes appears to be your senior.

Being senior would only mean he's been stupid a long time, LOL!

It's stupidity I'm against. If you perceived him being called a boy I don't have the right to determine how posts are interpreted. Boy, like most other terms, has many contexts so feel free to use whatever one feels good at the moment.

It's shit like this that really makes me feel bad for their cause. The actual grievance has merit but shoving the issue down everyone's throat isn't going to work. Stupid incidents like this make people hypersensitive around gays and since no one wants to walk on eggshells every day socially they'll end up being less included.

I use gay all the time. My kids use it, LOL! I even had a friend hang up the phone last week yelling "Fuck you fag!!" last week after being called gay.  I could care less about someone's sexuality but if it means walking on eggshells all day long I'd probably never knowingly hire gays again. Last thing I want is someone's panties getting all knotted up over a simple comment.

[24KT]

Being senior would only mean he's been stupid a long time, LOL!

It's stupidity I'm against. If you perceived him being called a boy I don't have the right to determine how posts are interpreted. Boy, like most other terms, has many contexts so feel free to use whatever one feels good at the moment.

It's shit like this that really makes me feel bad for their cause. The actual grievance has merit but shoving the issue down everyone's throat isn't going to work.

I'm so tempted to make a comment, ...but I think I'll leave it be. 

Stupid incidents like this make people hypersensitive around gays and since no one wants to walk on eggshells every day socially they'll end up being less included.

I use gay all the time. My kids use it, LOL! I even had a friend hang up the phone last week yelling "Fuck you fag!!" last week after being called gay.  I could care less about someone's sexuality but if it means walking on eggshells all day long I'd probably never knowingly hire gays again. Last thing I want is someone's panties getting all knotted up over a simple comment.

Maybe you shouldn't knowingly hire gays?
Maybe you should only knowingly hire easygoing individuals with whom you are compatible (who may or may not be gay)?

So someone is overly sensitive? Is an increased awareness of something that has previously not impacted you negatively such a bad thing? Would you not learn something which you previously did not? Is that such a bad thing?

[Dos Equis]

Press conference is over.  Punishment is as follows:

- Thirty-day-suspension without pay, but will be allowed to coach the team.

- His salary reduction will be used to fund a student intern for the student GLBT group.  

- Voluntary salary reduction, which he was probably going to do anyway (I think 10 percent).  All UH admin officials are doing this.

- He must do a public service announcement for the GLBT folks.

- He must work with the student GLBT group with whatever they want him to do.

He apologized again at the press conference and cried (again).

The student(?) in charge of the UH GLBT group spoke about homophobia.  

I'm just flabbergasted at what pansies we have become in this country.  If you didn't know the facts, you would think this man sexually assaulted a student.  Just outrageous what they are doing to this man.

[Option D]

Press conference is over.  Punishment is as follows:

- Thirty-day-suspension without pay, but will be allowed to coach the team.

- His salary reduction will be used to fund a student intern for the student GLBT group.  

- Voluntary salary reduction, which he was probably going to do anyway (I think 10 percent).  All UH admin officials are doing this.

- He must do a public service announcement for the GLBT folks.

- He must work with the student GLBT group with whatever they want him to do.

He apologized again at the press conference and cried (again).

The student(?) in charge of the UH GLBT group spoke about homophobia.  

I'm just flabbergasted at what pansies we have become in this country.  If you didn't know the facts, you would think this man sexually assaulted a student.  Just outrageous what they are doing to this man.

what the hell...all fucked up......this aint america no more...

[OzmO]

Press conference is over.  Punishment is as follows:

- Thirty-day-suspension without pay, but will be allowed to coach the team.

- His salary reduction will be used to fund a student intern for the student GLBT group.  

- Voluntary salary reduction, which he was probably going to do anyway (I think 10 percent).  All UH admin officials are doing this.

- He must do a public service announcement for the GLBT folks.

- He must work with the student GLBT group with whatever they want him to do.

He apologized again at the press conference and cried (again).

The student(?) in charge of the UH GLBT group spoke about homophobia.  

I'm just flabbergasted at what pansies we have become in this country.  If you didn't know the facts, you would think this man sexually assaulted a student.  Just outrageous what they are doing to this man.

I so agree with you.  That is insane.  I wonder if they would have done this much to June Jones.

[drkaje]

I'm so tempted to make a comment, ...but I think I'll leave it be. 

Maybe you shouldn't knowingly hire gays?
Maybe you should only knowingly hire easygoing individuals with whom you are compatible (who may or may not be gay)?

So someone is overly sensitive? Is an increased awareness of something that has previously not impacted you negatively such a bad thing? Would you not learn something which you previously did not? Is that such a bad thing?

The pun was a freebie.

Fuck overly sensitive people! Their sensitivities don't equate extra rights or the ability to decide for others.

There's nothing to be learned from dumbasses.

[doison]

Other press outlets quote him as saying "... this little f a g g o t dance."  As I said in the other thread,
In this case, a coach at a public university using language like that needs to go.  He can easily be replaced by someone who will understand why using language like that is unacceptable.

Are you serious?  I'm sure they WERE doing a little homo dance.  One of my best friends from high school is gay and one of my best friends and training partner now is a transexual.  I'm sure I've used a phrase like that tons of times in front of them. 

If he said they were dancing around like morons would every person with IQ between 50-70 call for his retirement? 
If he said they were dancing around like dorks would everyone with a penis call for his retirement?