Statements by Chancellor Hinshaw and Jim Donovan on the controversy

Statement by UH Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw:
“Coach Greg McMackin’s use of a derogatory term during his remarks at today’s WAC event is highly regrettable, offensive and surprising to those of us who know him.

I know that Coach McMackin deeply regrets his comments because they do not represent his personal beliefs nor those of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, which supports an inclusive campus environment for all students.

Hurtful language like this has no place in our community, and particularly not among leaders of our UH Mānoa campus. Athletic Director Jim Donovan and I will be discussing with Coach McMackin further steps that will be taken to reaffirm his and our commitment to fair and equal treatment of all.

We have a strong relationship with our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community, including Student Services Coordinator Camaron Miyamoto, so we are already working with them as to the best approach to address this issue.” (Idaho Statesman)

Statement by Athletics Director Jim Donovan:
“We’re very disappointed regarding the comments Coach Greg McMackin made at the WAC Media Preview earlier today in Salt Lake City. Obviously we don’t condone his remarks, particularly since we take such great pride in the diversity of our state and university. I’ve conveyed my disappointment to him and he has expressed deep regret for showing such poor judgment. Aside from today’s inexcusable statement, Coach McMackin has been a steadfast ambassador for the University and the state of Hawai`i. He has shared with me his anguish and remorse regarding what he said. Further, I have called Notre Dame Athletics Director Jack Swarbrick and apologized on behalf of our athletic department and university. I plan to meet with Coach McMackin tomorrow.” (Idaho Statesman)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/story/851337.html

The WAC will not discipline Mac for now

HJ = Herald Journal

Mac returned to talk to the media after his press conference was over and said:
“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 don’t want every homosexual ticked off at me. You know what I mean? I don’t have any problems with homosexuals, but I apologize for saying that and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t run that particular word. If you said dance, that’s OK. But don’t use the bad term that I chose, please. Thank you.” (HJ)

About 90 minutes after he made his comments, Mac issued this formal apology:
“I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage and the words that I used. … I have nothing against the University of Notre Dame. … I don’t talk like that and 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 and I’m disappointed in myself.

… What I was trying to do was be funny and it wasn’t funny, and it’s not funny. Even more, it isn’t funny to me. I was trying to make a joke and it was a bad choice of words and I really, really, really feel bad about it and I wanted to apologize.

I’m going to apologize to my team, I’m going to apologize to the people in Hawaii … All I can do is apologize and I feel bad that I used those words and it was really stupid. I just feel really bad about it and I apologize.” (HJ)

About how the WAC will not discipline Mac now and will leave things up to UH, WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said:
“This primarily will be a University of Hawaii issue. There is a sportsmanship piece in our code that may apply and at the appropriate time, we will address it.” (HJ)

http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2009/07/30/breaking_news/breakingnews001-07-30-09.txt

Colt appreciates having a former QB as a coach

About the difference between last year and this year and the benefit of having a head coach who used to be a QB, Colt said:
“It’s a progression I think. Last year he was trying to progress me into the league, going from being a college quarterback to being a pro quarterback. Now he’s starting to coach me up as if, ‘ok what would you do if you were the starter.’ I think it’s just part of being a young quarterback. It helps when your coach played the position you play. When he is telling you something he knows exactly how to do it, he’s been there before.” (warpathconfidential.com)

http://www.warpathconfidential.com/?p=235#more-235

Article about the budget cuts WAC schools are facing

About how they have had to cut their budget, BSU coach Chris Petersen said:
“We’ve had to make some hard decisions.” (HA)

About how he had to turn down a $75 purchase that his equipment manager wanted to make recently, Petersen said:
“We’re not going to get it. We don’t have $75. Those are the conversations we’ve had.” (HA)

HA Note: “The California state schools also have been hit hard. There has been talk of ordering furloughs for employees.”

About the budget cuts that SJSU and other California schools face, Dick Tomey said:
“We’re going to have to see what the state mandates.” (HA)

About cutting their budget, Tomey said:
“we’re trying to go line by line (over the budget) and see where we can help the effort.” (HA)

About how they might have to not have the football team stay in hotels the night before home games, Tomey said:
“The idea of staying in a hotel the night before a game might become passe. I don’t think it’s an essential item.” (HA)

HA Note: “This year, only four WAC schools, including Hawai’i, printed media guides. Nevada cited “continuing efforts of financial responsibility” in its decision to not print “traditional media guides.”"

Looking on the bright side, Hill said:
“At least we’re not laying off anybody yet. There might be layoffs. It’s a difficult time.” (HA)

HA Note: “But Derek Dooley, Louisiana Tech’s athletic director and football coach, said his athletic department “didn’t get caught up in the hysteria. The first thing people tend to do is panic.” Instead, Louisiana Tech made “strategic cuts” while still funding “areas we needed to invest in. We made more investments than cuts.” He said the athletic department purchased a new video scoreboard, formed a partnership with TicketMaster, added new sky suites to the football stadium and formed an events-management staff. Dooley said the “investments” will help recruiting and increase the fan base by making the game-day experience more enjoyable. Dooley said the school needed to “make tough investments” that will pay off in the “back end.” He cautioned against “putting money in a mattress.” “

HA Note: “In his annual state-of-the-league address, WAC commissioner Karl Benson reiterated that the conference will receive an additional $5 million from the larger BCS and ESPN agreements. While ESPN’s seven-year contract extension begins this football season, the extra payments won’t be made until 2010. The money then will be funneled to the member schools.”

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/SPORTS0201/907300359&template=UHsports

Mac apologized for using an “offensive phrase” at the WAC Football Preview

RGJ = Reno Gazette-Journal

HA Note: “UH head coach Greg McMackin apologized for using an “offensive phrase” during his speech to reporters at today’s WAC Football Preview in Salt Lake City. McMackin used the phrase — which is a derogatory term for gays — while telling a story about the chant competition between the Notre Dame and UH football teams at the Hawai‘i Bowl banquet in December. He used the term to describe Notre Dame’s chant.”

Apologizing for the phrase he used, Mac said:
“In trying to make a joke, I regret using an offensive phrase. It wasn’t meant to cause any harm. I apologize.” (HA)

“I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbage of words that I used. 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 mat that I said that. I’m disappointed in myself.” (HA)

“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.” (RGJ)

HA Note: “McMackin used a variation of the phrase two more times in trying to apologize during his speech. Each of the nine WAC coaches is allotted 30 minutes to give a preview of his football team. Later, McMackin issued another apology to the reporters.”

About how the loss to Notre Dame was the worst loss of his 40-year career, Mac said:
“It ticks me off that I said that because Notre Dame played a great ball game. 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. 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.” (HA)

About how it was unusual for Mac to use that phrase, Brashton Satele said:
“He loves everybody. He never says anything bad about anybody.” (HA)

HA Note: “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.”

The Reno Gazette-Journal included these parts of Mac’s statements:
“I know most of the coaches in the country are rooting for us to beat Notre Dame. Charlie gives this talk, ‘We do something special at Notre Dame,’ and (the players) get up and they do this little cheer … this little faggot dance.” (RGJ)

“Don’t write that ‘faggot’ down. I was misquoted. Just please … cover for me,” McMackin said Thursday. “Go ahead, say ‘faggot dance.’ No. Please cover for me on that, too — right Karl? I’ll deny it. Anything else?” (RGJ)

Transcript of part of Mac’s speech:
“I think I screwed up, because the night before the game — getting back to Notre Dame — they’d been in a slump, and I think we were favored in the game for a while. I don’t know why. They had 48 Parade All-Americans, and we have none. But what happened is we had a banquet the night before, so Charlie (Weis) gets up with the, you, we’re up with the presidents and all that, and my team is over here and his team is over here. And I know most of the coaches in the country were rooting for us to beat Notre Dame. Charlie gave this talk, and then he goes — any Notre Dame fans in here? Anybody like Notre Dame? OK, good, good. See, that’s the bad thing. Not many people do unless you’re a true Notre Dame guy. And I knew, the whole country’s watching and they want us to win. It made me sick after that game. It made me sick. But I screwed up, and I’ll never do this again. He had his guys. ‘We do something special at Notre Dame,’ he said, and they get up and they do this little cheer, like this (clap), you know, this little faggot dance. And you remember, Jason and Stephen, so my guys were looking at me. They’re all looking at me trying not to laugh. So I gave them the shaka. Don’t write that ‘faggot’ down. I was misquoted. Anyway, I gave them the shaka. So our guys get up, and it was the best (ha‘a) I’ve ever seen. I mean, they’re on their chair. They have beads on, they’re ripping their beads off. I mean, it was a little scary. I think Notre Dame watched that and said: ‘We better have ourselves ready,’ because they really played a good game. I can’t take away. Their quarterback was on fire. I even challenged the last play of the half because there’s no way that guy could have caught it. We had two guys on him. He caught it out of bounds with his toes in, and it wasa. It was just great execution. So, anyway, just please. Last year, you covered for me as far as (inavertently mentioning a) recruit. Cover for me. Go ahead. Say ‘faggot dance.’ No, please cover for me on that, too. Right, Karl? I’ll deny it. Anything else?” (HA)

http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com/2009/07/30/bump-and-go-coverage

Q&A with John Estes

HA Note: “The University of Hawai’i football team today launches its campaign to promote senior center John Estes as an All-America candidate.”

HA Note: “UH is set to unveil a Web site that will report Estes’ progress this season. What’s more, Estes has agreed to post updates on his Tweeter account.”

About posting updates via Twitter, John Estes said:
“We’ll see how it goes. (School officials) asked me if I’d do it, and I said, ‘I’ll try.’ It’s going to be football-related. I have a Facebook (account), but I don’t do — what do they call it? — status updates.” (HA)

Asked about the pressure of being the face of UH football, Estes said:
“If we play well, it will be fine. But we have to win. If we don’t win, it’s not going to mean anything. The main thing is to win. But I don’t feel any pressure. Once I go on the field, the only thing I think about is winning. Everything else goes away. It’s not going to affect my performance.” (HA)

Asked about his summer training, Estes said:
“I’ve been working out every day. I lift every day. (UH conditioning coaches) Tommy Heffernan and Mel deLaura have helped me out. I work out twice a day. I’m doing drills. I’m eating well. I’ve gained weight. I’m around 300 pounds now. My freshman year I was 275. I was 293 last year, now I’m 300. It’s a good weight. I think I can get bigger in my upper body. I’m working on my upper-body strength this summer.” (HA)

About all of the OL coaches he’s had at UH, Estes said:
“If you count (Mike) Cavanaugh (who resigned shortly after signing day), it’s five. It’s six if you count (former center) Samson (Satele). I still take what I was taught when I got here. It’s set and punch. I take little things from each coach. Coach Gordy (Shaw) has helped me on run-blocking a lot this year, getting up to the next level, and hitting your landmarks. Zone-blocking and inside zone are helping me out a lot. We’ll see how it goes.” (HA)

About the NCAA cracking down on personal fouls, Estes said:
“My personal fouls are never retaliation. If somebody is going to hit me, I’m not going to hit them back. (The foul) usually means you’re hitting someone in the face during the play or hitting somebody right before the whistle. That’s how I get personal fouls. It’s never for retaliating or punching someone with a closed fist. It’s always for an open hand. You’re in the trenches. Every once in a while your hands are going hit someone. (The defensive linemen) do it to us. I had two late hits (last year). One wasn’t even a late hit. The guy just fell. The one against San Jose, the guy was standing near the pile, so I just hit him. The running back was still on his feet. Those were personal fouls. I’ve been hit a couple of times, after the whistle. I’m not going to hit back and get kicked out by an idiot. I can control myself.” (HA)

About his UH career, Estes said:
“When I came (in August 2005), I didn’t have too many expectations. Coming to Hawai’i, I knew there was a good offensive line — Samson (Satele), Derek (Fa’avi), Dane (Uperesa), Tala (Esera). I knew I wasn’t going to play right away. I wanted to learn the first year. When that spot opened up, I did good on one-on-ones. Coach June (Jones) saw that, and he put me in, even though I didn’t know the whole system. Every year I kept getting better. Hopefully this year I take the next step.” (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/SPORTS0201/907300354&template=UHsports

New Mexico State’s new coach wants to continue to recruit in Hawaii

About wanting to use Hawaii as a recruiting base, NMSU’s new head coach DeWayne Walker said:
“I do have a lot of friends in Hawai’i. I want to keep recruiting Polynesian players.” (HA)

About continuing NMSU’s pre-game haka, Walker said:
“That’s something we need to talk about as a staff. I’m not opposed to it at all.” (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/SPORTS0201/907300359&template=UHsports

More quotes from the WAC Football Preview

Understanding why UH was picked 5th in the WAC, Mac said:
“Right now we’re an unknown team. We have some unknown players and inexperienced guys. I can understand what they’re thinking, but no one knows this team like our coaches know this team. Every team has a personality and this team has a good work ethic. That’s why you play the games, to see how it plays out.” (HSB)

About their defense replacing nine starters, Brashton Satele said:
“There aren’t any household names. No one knows us so we have to go out every week and show people who we are.” (HSB)

With DE Carl Ihenacho leading the way, Dick Tomey said that SJSU is:
“on a trajectory that’s unmistakably positive.” (HSB)

About UH this season, John Estes said:
“We know what we’ve got and what kind of team we can be if we’ll stick together and work hard as a team.” (HSB)

About how BSU ignores how everyone picks them to win the WAC, BSU senior CB Kyle Wilson said:
“You definitely have to keep your blinders on and never fall into the hype. I really don’t think we get too much respect nationally and outside of the conference. That’s why we’re going to continue to play with this chip on our shoulder, continue to play hungry.” (HSB)

About how he’s worked all summer on improving his accuracy throwing the ball, Colin Kaepernick said:
“The more I’ve been throwing the more consistent I’ve gotten with throwing all the different routes, throwing touch passes, deep balls. I want to be able to put the ball wherever I want it.” (HSB)

About how their 5-1 finish to the season and bowl win has raised expectations for their season, La Tech QB Ross Jenkins (6-2 as a starter last season) said:
“The expectations are high as they’ve ever been and we embrace that.” (HSB)

About how his team got into bowling this summer, Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick said:
“This summer, we got into bowling. We bowled here and there.” (HA)

HA Note: “Kaepernick said his usual score was between 170 and 180.”

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090730_wac_voters_go_with_boise.html

Other quotes from the WAC Football Preview

HSB Note: “Benson touted the WAC’s recent stability during his remarks yesterday, citing five years of steady membership and he foresees at least five more with the current nine-team alignment.”

About how they will not expand, WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said that the WAC Board of Directors and Athletic Directors met in June and:
“put to rest the notion the WAC is interested in going to 10 teams.” (HSB)

About BSU wanting to go to the MWC, Benson said that he is in contact with MWC commissioner Craig Thompson and he doesn’t:
“sense there’s the momentum by the Mountain West. It appears they’re satisfied with their existing membership.” (HSB)

About how it was “unfortunate” that the MWC campaigned against the BCS on its own terms this offseason, Benson said:
“It was disappointing. … It did create some angst, yet we all recognize what they were attempting to do was needed. We just wish there had been more inclusion in how they did it.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “One means of generating funds is playing road games against big-name opponents for big paydays. It’s a strategy San Jose State is following and one Louisiana Tech is shifting away from. SJSU opens at USC this season and has road games against Alabama, Wisconsin and Utah next year.”

About playing at USC to open this season, Dick Tomey said:
“(Playing USC) is a good challenge. I see it as a real opportunity also. If you’re a golfer you’d love a chance to play at Augusta. Now it might tear you a new one, but you can’t wait to tee it up.” (HSB)

About how he doesn’t want to schedule one-time road games (for pay days) and wants to move to home-and-home deals, La Tech head coach and AD Derek Dooley said:
“Although it’s appealing when the check comes in, it’s not my belief that’s the best way to build a program.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Fresno State has a typically challenging nonconference schedule with games at Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Illinois.”

About Fresno State’s tough schedule, Fresno State WR Marlon Moore said:
“What would Fresno State be without a tough schedule?” (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090730_earlier_starts_in_hawaii_requested_by_fresno_state_and_sjsu.html

Fresno State and San Jose State requested earlier kickoff times at Aloha Stadium

About how an earlier kickoff time would allow his team to catch a red-eye flight out of Hawaii and avoid paying for an extra night’s stay, Fresno State’s Pat Hill said:
“I just don’t want to spend an extra night when you’re trying to save money. That’s a way to save. After a game, what are you going to do? Go to sleep so you can catch a 7 o’clock flight? You’re not going to get much sleep.” (HA, HSB)

HA Note: “He estimated that it cost between $12,000 and $15,000 each day for food, hotel rooms and transportation.”

Agreeing with Pat Hill, SJSU’s Dick Tomey said:
“For all of us on the mainland who go to Hawaii to play it would be helpful if the kickoff was back (earlier) 1 hour. At the same time, if Hawaii needs an adjustment in the kickoff time at San Jose Sate or at Fresno, I think that school could accommodate them. I think that’s a conversation that needs to be had. Now, whether anything can be done, I have no idea.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Hawaii athletic director Jim Donovan said Fresno State officials contacted him in the spring about possibly playing this season’s game in Honolulu at 2 or 3 p.m. But the possible hardship on the fans with the mid-afternoon start and the presence of the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet led UH to keep the game at 6.”

JD said that with the swap meet canceled on game days an earlier kickoff might be:
“something we would consider if Aloha Stadium was OK with it and if it was only an hour or a half-hour (change).” (HSB)

HSB Note: “The California schools have been hit hard by the economic downturn. Employees in the state university system have taken a 10 percent pay cut and will take 24 furlough days during the fiscal year.”

About their budget cuts, Tomey said:
“The cuts are a real thing and we just have to see what the state mandates. I don’t think we’re going to be greatly affected when it comes down to what we have to do to play the game.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “As all of the schools deal with the shrinking budgets, Benson said help will come next year when the league’s revenues are boosted by a new ESPN contract and the new BCS rights fee which offers higher payouts to the conferences.”

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090730_earlier_starts_in_hawaii_requested_by_fresno_state_and_sjsu.html