So apparently the little tale I linked to yesterday is causing quite the stir, so much so that Coach Saban has had to issue an apology:
"It was brought to my attention this afternoon that some comments attributed to me are being disseminated on the Internet and in the news media, comments that included wordking that can be taken as derogatory by some people. Those comments need to be placed in the proper context, so as to understand the meaning of what was said. The words were used in paraphrasing a story told to me by a friend. I was simply using the same wording used by the person who told me the story. The term in question is not language that I use or condone, and I can understand how some would take offense. However, I think it must be noted that those comments were made `off the record' and the words merely reflected an anecdote that was told to me using that language."
I don't know about you guys, but I'd never heard the term "coonass" before yesterday, so I had no idea it was such a hot button issue. The Mobile Press-Register has this to say on the subject:
Many Cajuns, including former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, use the word coonass in reference to themselves as a badge of honor. According to the online reference site Wikipedia, working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word as a term of ethnic pride, while middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard it as insulting or degrading. Some view it as an ethnic slur, especially when used by non-Cajuns.
Being a blue collar guy myself I'm inclined to go with the working-class cajuns on this, but since we don't want to offend people around here, let me apologize for repeating the story to any LSU fans that might have stumbled by and found it offensive.