Atlanta Falcons lineman Patrick Kerney, who many of you lust over, has apologized for insensitive remarks he made on the radio Monday about World AIDS Day. The story will be further reported by the Southern Voice this Friday.

I was told by a Voice reporter that Kerney, appearing on a radio show, said he was bummed by the Falcons loss and his day was made worse by realizing it was AIDS day. He made sarcastic remarks that made fun on having a day for people with AIDS, with the inference that they deserve their fate unlike people with cancer. The hosts told him to be careful and to remember what happened to Jeremy Shockey. Kearney then shut up about it.

Today he issued the following: "During a recent radio program, I made some comments which may have offended some of the listeners. It was never my intent to do so. I did not mean to make light of any life threatening illnesses.I apologize if anyone was upset."

Again, someone apologzies only after complaints are made and only to the people upset, not to the fact that what he said was wrong in the first place. Wonder what Kerney would think about being an Outsports Picture This fave?

I was so hoping there was a brain, high couth factor, and some semblance of tolerance and acceptance of an alternative lifestyle inside that beautiful, beautiful body but obviously not. So unfortunate. frown

I've got pictures of Kerney and Shockey in bed together. But they're not having sex. They're crying over the fact that their teams suck more than a vacuum cleaner. Losers.

I'm totally sick and tired of these appologies from these athletes who have their teams PR guy write a few lines and forget about the incident. There is never any indication that they feel a wrongness in what they've said or done. They are defended by the press and their teams with; "Hey, He apologized; what more do ya want?"

I want some sense that more professional athletes can succeed in a sport and still be intelegent citizens. Not just wife beaters, drug users, whipping guns out at every traffic altercation. I want some sense that fans want better than Sunday afternoon Neanderthals living in their community.

Everyday there's another article about some bonehead athlete doing some bonehead stuff and the press loves it but never seems to go so far as to want to hold any athlete responsible for their actions and condem the actions because they may lose access to the athletes they make their living off of. It's all to incestuous.

An athelet who harbors a prejudice agains any group most likely harbors other prejudices. Hey, team mates, how well do you really know these loudmouths?

I guess this proves Kerney is another graduate of the John Rocker School of Stupidity.

If I remember correctly, Rocker told a reporter he didn't want to take the subway in NYC because he was afraid of sitting next to either an immigrant or an AIDS patient.

And where is Rocker these days? Playing for the minor leagues of Mongolia.

Yet another lame-assed apology using words like if and may . What do you mean "if I offended anybody"? You did, you ass****. What a douche bag.

Side note to Tagliabue: remember this incident when you want to try and convince us that ESPN's Playmakers in no way, shape or form resembles the NFL.

The complete Southern Voice story is online.

Another set of morning show jackasses. They're as much to blame as Kerney...

Seems to me their discussion of the movie probably distorts the story about the Reagan administration's AIDS failures as much as the movie may have.

Yawn. What a revelation--NOT: an athlete is a blockhead.

It's almost like there's a script to how these things play out. It's as stale and predictable and boring as the last season of M.A.S.H..

Rumor has it that Paul Tagliabue's son is gay, so I'll be interested to see what mild rebuke the NFL office issues, if any.

[ December 04, 2003, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]

Washington Blade story. It's the same story that appeared in the Southern Voice.

NFL player apologizes for AIDS remark



[ December 07, 2003, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: twin58 ]

Perhaps Poor Patrick's simply antsy at the thought of our sneaking peeks at his famous inviolate buttocks. wink

[ December 15, 2003, 05:49 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

"Wonder what Kerney would think about being an Outsports Picture This fave? "

Spooky realization - doesn't Kerney kinda, sorta resemble Rocker in that first pic link from Jim?

BTW, I know a dude in ATL that is in total love with Kerney, so I'd be interested to hear how his fan club is taking this.

[ December 14, 2003, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: AU Tiger in LA ]

I'm the dude in ATL. Glad my Kerney pictures are still making the rounds and being enjoyed? I think this is another case of society putting way too much importance on what a pro athlete says and thinks. But that seems to be the way things are.

I will be seeking a personal show of faith from Patrick that he was wrong and that his apology was sincere (Patrick, are you reading this?) and will report back here if I get what I want.

By the way, a column in this week's Southern Voice gives a different viewpoint of Mr. Kerney.

I second the column's sentiment. Kerney is one of the good guys and was genuinely upset that his comments were viewed as homophobic. There are a lot of gay hating people in the world but trust me, he ain't one of 'em.

Z

Now this guy is a homophobe
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1686670

No, he's just an ass, who's comand of the english language is lacking. The best he could come up with Faggot? That doesn't really have any sting to it these days. I prefer the word ***, if you're going to call someone a "bad" word, that's much better. LOL Imagine the Feminists reaction to that word. eek!

"genuinely upset that his comments were viewed as homophobic."

Z, not sure how else they can be interpreted. Or if not specifically homophobic, he thinks it's a riot to make fun of people with AIDS, which is devastating communities across the globe. And his lame "I apologize if I offended anyone" doesn't cut it. Of course, he (or the team) issues an apology ONLY after someone complains. Typical.

Has the mainstream media in Atlanta ignored this story? (I could find nothing in the AJC or elsewhere; let me know what I missed). A major athlete issues an apology and it gets unreported save for the Southern Voice and us?

[ December 15, 2003, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Jim at Outsports ]

Hey Jim,
Patrick is a sarcastic, funny guy but he's also a really kind and generous man. He' s very active in the community and not just with team functions. He goes out of his way to do good work, camera or no camera. His joke was in poor taste but it was meant to be sarcastic. The radio show in question is a biting, South Park-ish kinda show. He was trying to play along and offended some folks but trust me dude, Kerney's apology was real. He's a good guy.

As far as our coverage, there hasn't been any. ESPN picked up the Johnny Morton thing but I guess they missed the Kerney incident.

Z

Z:
I respect you, but I do wonder the reaction in Atlanta had Kerney mocked Martin Luther King Day on a rado show and wondering why we needed a day for black people. I doubt people would be so charitable towards him. Had he issued a heartfelt public apology, that's one thing, but his was lame and in the form of a press release. This is not the worst slur I've heard, but I am surprised that some people are excusing it so readily.

As a journalist, it is suprising to me that the AJC ignored this. It needn't have been a huge story (even a notebook item might have sufficed), but to not mention it all is really strange. He is a famous Atlanta athlete who acknowledged the incident and it gets blown off. Why? Seems like a story to me.

The notion that he was just playing along with the "South Park-ish" radio deejays is the same excuse many tried to use for Jeremy Shockey when he made his comments on Howard Stern. I don't know what Kerney is really like, but if the Kirby Puckett and Kobe Bryant incidents have taught us anything is that we don't really know these guys at all. If one more of these idiots offers up an apology saying "IF I offended anybody", I'm going to scream!

Yes, Jim, the mainstream news media in Atlanta ignored this story. I don't always read Southern Voice, just happened to pick up this week's copy and browse through it. The column I posted the link to above was the first I had even heard about the whole situation. I had to go back and read to figure out what had happened. (But then, I'm pretty out of touch with a lot of pop culture happening around me!) I never heard it mentioned on local TV news or sports radio talk (which I listen to daily) or the newspaper.

Zman..what are people saying about the Johnnie Morton-Matt Millen incident ? is Millen really that stupid? I cannot understand why Millen keeps his job? Does anyone have any pictures of Johnnie Morton to post? I heard that he is a handsome man

Jim,
I agree with you, had Patrick said he didn't know why black people needed a day, chances are the city would be in an uproar. But I don't think that's comparable with what happened on the radio. Look, the only reason why I'm going to bat for Kerney is because I know him a little bit and I don't believe he is a mean-spirited person. I know mean-spirited and homophobic players, and he's not one of them. His comment was in poor taste but not indicative of what's truly in his heart.

Z

OH BY THE WAY, Mr. Kerney...

There IS a World Cancer Day, ass****. It's February 4.

Man, the whole "they deserved it more" argument is so irrelavent. Many deaths can be related to the choices people make, directly or indirectly. Good people make bad choices and bad people make good choices. I mourn a death by suicide as tragic, like a death from AIDS, like a death from homocide. And people living with AIDS, or who are paraplegic due to a climbing accident, or who have colon cancer (but chose not to go in for regular doctor checkups), who wish they had done things differently. But Mr. Kerney, I've gotta say - and I would think you could grasp this concept - THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD ... OR WHATEVER ... GO YOU.

ass****.

Swimsuit photo of Morton.

Also, Z, still curious as to why the Kerney story got zero play? It IS a story; maybe not huge by your or the AJC's standards, but a story nonetheless. Why was it ignored? Smacks of covering for the guy.

In all honesty, I don't know why we didn't run something. I agree it is somewhat of a story but unless there are new developments, i.e. protests, huge public outcry, etc., I doubt if we do something with it now. Not because we are covering for the guy but because it's old news. You know how print works Jim.

That still doesn't answer the underlying question of why the AJC didn't do something about it before it became old news.

I'd like to find that bit of information out. Your response strikes me as being fairly inadequate.

I agree with Jim. I mean, it's not like I'm thinking "The AJC should have put this on page 1 above the fold, run an editorial denouncing Patrick Kerney and then had a pull-out section of 9 pages covering it". The paper of record in Atlanta couldn't even mention it?

I'm sorry, I don't care if Patrick Kerney cooks meals for the homeless three times a week, donates time at a animal shelter helping young puppies and reads to senior citizens during the off-season, that doesn't mitigate the fact that he made an insensitive remark and then gave out a PR-massaged lame apology when he got called on it.

I often mock athletes for being cliche-spouting dullards, but sometimes I think that's the right path. Stay away from controversy, that's the ticket. "Yes, Jim, I had a good day. Yes, Jim, the tackle I was playing against is a fine player. Yes, Jim, I'm just trying to be the best player I can be".

[ December 15, 2003, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]

I've written a column about apologies.

Thanks for the article, Jim ... really good, and you're exactly right. I hadn't thought of it that way. Thanks again.

I wonder if Patrick saw the show last night with Diane Sawyer interviewing Oprah in Africa? I wonder if he thinks his comments would only "offend" gays? Maybe a show like this would educate Mr. Kerney and would show him that it's called "World Aids Day" for a reason!

Actually he should be offended himself, that he has life so good and millions of people suffer from the disease and the affects(ie. orphans due to their parents dying, families of these victims), but makes such an off the shoulder comment. Show us how sorry you really are and send a big check to an AIDS organization and then I will believe you are sorry.

Tried to put this in the old Jeremy Shockey thread, but that had been closed by the moderators, so I'll put it here. Very funny bit in yesterday's Washington Post - in the "Starting Lineup" column, about Shockey:

I think it's great that a mainstream sportswriter has decided to use Shockey's now well-known homophobia against him. Not sure if everyone will agree, but this seems like progress.

what a freaking yutz

I think this ongoing problem just shows how little the entire industry considers this to be an issue. I also think the team owners and management should take much of the blame.

Obviously many people in this industry can't be sensitive to the fact that they truly are offending many people. For whatever reason they aren't able to figure it out for themselves. Many other companys and organizations have certain standards, policies, procedures and expectations with regards to how they expect their employees to behave and conduct themselves. Company's that I have worked for will send employees to sensitivity classes and/or go over what the company considers acceptable and unacceptable behavior during orientation. This goes for everyone from line employees right up to upper management. Why can't this industry do the same? I truly think the reason is team owners and management don't consider this a serious issue. Their actions are always responsive, rather than preventitive. They seem to always find themselves apologizing after the fact. Who knows, they may indeed have these standards, policies and procedures in place. But if an offender is not called on the carpet or punished for the offense, how can we expect the bad behavior to stop?

Like any other employee of a company, an individual is allowed to have their own opinions and views on various issues. But as long as you are at work or representing your company, the expectation should be that the employee conduct him/herslef according to the expectation of the company. If the employee does not do so, there should be consequences.

I don't think we have a right to tell any individual how they should think or what views they can have. However, when you are representing a company, it should be the company's resposibility to make sure employees are adhering to policies and procedures when it comes to conduct. Employees should know that they can have their own opinions but while working they should keeps their mouths shut and behave accordingly. Of course this is just my opinion andI'll get off the soap box now. wink

I get so beyond "tired" of hearing remarks about people in and out of our community.
When is this problem gonna be handled???
Someone needs to be made an example of.
Our money as pro sports fans supports this hatred.
Sponsors need to pull away and out of teams and organizations who take shots at gays, blacks, jewish people or anyone else.
Hit them back where it hurts. Right in their wallet.
I want to see suspensions and terminations or probabtion periods for these big mouths.
They have a wide audience of young people and the like who are influenced by this bigotry.
Get them off my tv screen.
I want to see real icons made who are not only recognized for their excellence in sports but be gentlemen as well.
They say conside the source and they make a public apology.
Oh Please...get rid of these guys and one by one you will see everyone take responsibilty for their actions.
And don't quote the first ammendment to me...we all know the constitution wasn't meant for us to hate each other.
Anyone care to start the bidding???