Hawaii's Greg McMackin Apologizes for Gay Slur Aimed at Notre Dame

Greg McMackin, the head coach at Hawaii, should probably call in sick to next year's WAC media day teleconference. For the second year in a row, he has said something regrettable during that event.

This year McMackin (pictured right) told a story about a banquet the night before last year's Hawaii Bowl, which pitted his team against Notre Dame. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis told the crowd about his school's "clapping tradition," which frankly is even less exciting than you think: "WE ARE!" (clap, clap) "ND!" (clap, clap).

McMackin, it must be said, was not exactly impressed by this.

At today's media preview, McMackin referred to what the Domers did as "this little f****t dance." (Hear it for yourself here; obviously, this is not safe for work.) McMackin then went on to use the same term twice more in pleading with the media not to print what he had just said.

There is precedent for this. Last year McMackin, who was in his first season as head coach, inadvertently mentioned the name of a recruit during his question-and-answer session. He asked those in attendance not to print that he'd mentioned the recruit's name, since it was an NCAA violation for him to do so. The press complied, which was the right thing to do for a rookie head coach who has just committed a minor blunder. This time? No such luck, Coach.

You aren't being "politically correct" if you say that what McMacklin said about Notre Dame was wrong. Taste and tact far precede political correctness. What he said was both tasteless and tactless. His point would have been made just as well if he'd called it "a little wimpy dance." He then wouldn't have had to plead with the reporters not to report what he just said. And he wouldn't have had to tell them that he would deny having said it if they reported it.

To his credit, McMackin apologized for what he said, stating that "I'm really ticked off at myself for saying that" and blaming it all on an attempt to be funny.

Thing is, now he has a bigger problem. The next time there's something unflattering involving Hawaii football, and we read the words "Head coach Greg McMackin denied [whatever]," are any of us going to believe him?