WAC Reprimands McMakin

From the WAC its ownself...

"The Western Athletic Conference has reprimanded University of Hawai‘i head football coach Greg McMackin for comments he made last week during the WAC's annual football media preview in Salt Lake City. His comments included a gay slur that he used while discussing the University of Notre Dame football team.

In addition to the reprimand, McMackin has been warned that any further violations of the WAC Sportsmanship Code will result in an automatic one-game suspension, at the minimum.

"I greatly appreciate the quick and decisive actions by UH Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw and Athletics Director Jim Donovan as it has made my job in processing this very unfortunate situation much easier," WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. "Coach McMackin's comments were clearly offensive, violated the WAC Code, and are not condoned by either Hawai‘i or the WAC."

McMakin Suspended 30 Days, Takes Voluntary Paycut

((HT: Honolulu Advertiser/Asato))

University of Hawai'i head football coach Greg McMackin ((pictured, thanks Norman Shapiro/Honolulu Advertiser)) was suspended without pay for 30 days and will take a voluntary 7 percent pay cut from his $1.1 million salary after he used a gay slur during a Western Athletic Conference press conference yesterday in Salt Lake City, school officials announced today.

McMackin, who will lose approximately $169,000, will be allowed to coach the team "as a volunteer" during the suspension, and the money from his suspension will be used to fund an intern for a gay/lesbian group as well for other awareness efforts, UH athletic director Jim Donovan said.

McMackin's pay cut ($77,000) matches the voluntary cut Donovan said he would take earlier this week in response to the state's budget crisis.

An emotional McMackin broke down during today's press conference, while making another apology.

"I just made a big mistake," McMackin said. "I apologize to everyone and anyone I offended. I'm committed to do whatever I can as a life lesson to learn from my mistake."
McMackin left the press conference without taking any questions.

"We all recognize that yesterday Coach McMackin made a serious mistake that has hurt many people and brought negative attention to our state and university," UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw said at a press conference today. "He is clearly remorseful — as well he should be. This has been a painful experience for all involved, but we must now consider actions that will help everyone learn from this very negative event."
Members of some of the campus gay/lesbian groups were at today's athletic department press conference at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"I am entirely devoted to providing every opportunity for Coach McMackin and the department of athletics to serve as advocates for change in support of LGBT people in Hawai'i," said Camaron Miyamoto, UH coordinator of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services. "Today will strengthen a positive and on-going working relationship between LGBT Student Services, the UH commission on the status of LGBTI Equality and the department of athletics."

Dozens of football team members also attended to support McMackin.

"It was very emotional for him, and for us. (Came) to show support for coach," senior offensive lineman Aaron Kia said. "To let him know we're here for him in times of trouble."
Said Raphael Ieru, senior offensive lineman: "It was hard to watch him break down.

"I think the punishment was fair. "We've got to support our coach."

Here's your standard local reaction piece from our friends at KHNL/NBC8 and Zahid Arab. Plenty of stereotypic sound bites...


More player reaction can be found here in black...thanks again to the Advertiser...

Donovan said McMackin has agreed to coach the team for those 30 days "because he doesn't want the team or the university to be harmed from his mistake."

McMackin met with Hinshaw and Donovan earlier today.

McMackin left Hawaii Hall about 1:30 p.m. without speaking to the media.

Earlier today, Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis said that McMackin "demonstrated poor judgment" yesterday in making a slur about gays while describing the Fighting Irish.

McMackin made the reference in describing Notre Dame's team dance at a banquet prior to the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl in which the Fighting Irish beat the Warriors, 49-21.

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."

McMackin ignited a firestorm of national outrage when he repeatedly used the slur in his press conference with football writers at the Western Athletic Conference Football Media Review in Salt Lake City before apologizing.

He returned to Hawaii last night and has spent much of this morning apologizing further on radio shows.

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.


Here's his apology, thanks to CSTV/XXL/ESPN...

Weis Reacts To McMakin Slur

((HT: WNDU-TV/South Bend))

Not wanting the story to linger until next week's media day, Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis issued a statement on Friday reacting to the comments made by Hawaii coach Greg McMackin ((pictured, thanks South Bend Tribune file)) this week.

Notre Dame, of course, romped Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve. Two days before the game, the two programs participated in a Bowl Banquet together.

At the dinner, a friendly dance off ensued.

This week at the WAC conference media day, McMackin referred to Notre Dame's routine as a "Little faggot dance."

Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis in regards to Hawaii coach Greg McMackin¹s comments yesterday:

"Coach McMackin demonstrated poor judgment when, while making comments critical of our football program, he used a derogatory word," Weis said in the statement. "Speaking only for our football program, we were offended by the remarks."

"[Friday] 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."

"As a parent of a daughter with global developmental delays, I am especially sensitive to offensive characterizations like the one at issue here. But 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."

The Irish hold their annual Media Day next Friday with the first day of practice next Saturday.

If you want to see the towel waving the Irish players did in the banquet room, you can view it here... thanks, again to WNDU-TV...

Here's the reaction from the Notre Dame football program...

Note: The anchor actually uses the quoted phrase in his story...

Hawai'i Coach Doesn't Like Irish Dancing Skills

((HT: KGMB-TV))

University of Hawaii Warrior head football coach Greg McMackin ((pictured, thanks KHNL-TV)) used a gay slur three times during his news conference Thursday at the Western Athletic Conference football preview while recalling a story from last year's Hawaii Bowl against Notre Dame.

McMackin used the term first when discussing a team "dance" performed by the Irish during night-before-game festivities involving both teams.

In the game, Hawaii lost 49-21 to the Fighting Irish.

According to multiple media reports, McMackin asked reporters in attendance to "cover for me" after uttering the slur.

To hear the audio of his speech, click here.

He returned to the interview room after the session to apologize for using the phrase and again later for a formal statement.

"I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage and 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 and it really makes me mad that I even said that. I'm disappointed in myself.

"What I was trying to do was be funny and it wasn't funny."