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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 30, 2009

Warrior coach McMackin apologizes for gay slur


By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Coach Greg McMackin

Honolulu Advertiser file 3/12/08

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SALT LAKE CITY � University of Hawaii head football coach Greg McMackin has apologized for making a disparaging comment during today�s speech to reporters at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview.

In describing a battle of chants between Notre Dame and UH during last year�s Hawaii Bowl Banquet, McMackin said the Fighting Irish performed a �little f----- dance.�
He repeated the phrase twice more in trying to apologize.
�I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage of words that I used,� McMackin said. �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.�
McMackin described the loss to Notre Dame as the worst in his 40-year career.
�It ticks me off that I said that 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 Hawaii. ... 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.�
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.�
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the issue will now be handled by the university.
Benson said there is a sportsmanship clause in the WAC bylaws, and that McMackin might face sanctions ranging from a reprimand to suspension.
Each WAC coach is allotted 30 minutes to give a preview of his team. The segments are recorded on video, and shown on the WAC�s Web site.
Benson said McMackin�s comments will not be posted.