Coach uses the word “faggot” in interview

// August 7th, 2009 // Uncategorized

Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin, who used the word “faggots” in reference to Notre Dame players several times during a WAC press conference and then pleaded with the press not to cover it, has been given a 30 day suspension without pay and additional penalties:

“Officials say the coach’s comments violated university policy, and as a result coach Mcmackin is being suspended without pay for 30 days. The coach has volunteered to work for free during the suspension. In addition to the 30 days of no pay, the coach will voluntarily take a 7 percent pay cut. He will also appear in a public service announcement. Based on the coach’s million-dollar-a-year salary, 30-days of no-pay and a 7 percent cut takes more than 150,000 dollars from the coach…Part of the money saved from his suspension will pay for a student intern for the University’s gay student services office. Mcmackin will also have to make presentations about the topic during student orientations, and work on awareness training for the athletics program.”

McMackin broke down sobbing during a second apology, following his suspension.

“Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin said Thursday at the WAC media football preview that Notre Dame did ‘this little faggot dance’ at a banquet the night before last year’s Hawaii Bowl. McMackin used the term ‘faggot’ three times while explaining why Notre Dame was so fired up to play Hawaii in the game, which the Fighting Irish won 49-21. McMackin responded to the Notre Dame clapping tradition by having his players do the ha’a, an intense Polynesian dance and chant the Warriors do before games. McMackin said Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis got up at the banquet and told the crowd, ‘We do something special at Notre Dame.’ ‘And they get up and they do this little cheer, like this,’ McMackin said Thursday, doing a rhythmic clap. ‘You know, this little faggot dance.’ Once McMackin saw Notre Dame’s team demonstration, he gave his players the signal — the shaka — to do their ha’a.”

McMackin apparently pleaded with the press not to report on the slur: “I want to officially, officially apologize…Please don’t write that statement I said as far as Notre Dame. The reason is, I don’t care about Notre Dame. But I’m not a — I don’t want to come out and have every homosexual ticked off at me. You know what I mean. Because I don’t have any problem with homosexuals. But I apologize for saying that and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t run that word. If you said dance, that’s OK. But don’t use the bad term that I chose, please. Thank you.”