Last week Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Hampton made a pair of offensive comments on the Pro Football Weekly TV show. This week Hampton opened the show with an apology.
“I made a couple of comments about Katrina and the gay community that not only embarrassed myself but the fine people here at Pro Football Weekly,” Hampton said. “I’m an idiot, and I truly am sorry if those comments bothered or offended any of our great and wonderful viewers, and again, I’m truly sorry about that.”
In previewing the Vikings-Saints game on last week’s show, Hampton said the Vikings should hit New Orleans “like Katrina.” Hampton also said that the Dallas Cowboys are “more of the Brokeback variety if you know what I’m talking about,” attempting to suggest the Cowboys aren’t a tough team and are like the gay cowboys in Brokeback Mountain.
Hampton issued an apology last week and has now apologized on the show, and that’s probably going to be the end of this story. Personally, I think it’s rather stunning that Hampton ever thought those comments were appropriate for television, and it’s also stunning that Pro Football Weekly aired the comments on the show, which isn’t broadcast live.
I also think the apology, which follows the familiar “I’m sorry if you were offended” apology format, comes across as something less than heartfelt.
But I’ll let you watch the apology for yourself and tell me what you think. I know you will.