Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis said Hawai'I coach Greg McMackin "demonstrated poor judgment" yesterday in making a slur about gays while describing the Fighting Irish football team.

McMackin made the reference to Notre Dame's "dance" at a banquet prior to the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'I Bowl in which the Fighting Irish beat UH, 49-21. McMackin's gay slur was made during the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview meetings in Salt Lake City.

In a prepared release, Weis said:

“Yesterday, Coach McMackin demonstrated poor judgment when, while making comments critical of our football program, he used a derogatory word. Speaking only for our football program, we were offended by the remarks.

“This afternoon I received a phone call from Coach McMackin and he apologized to me and asked I pass that along to my players and coaches. We accept his apology and we will move on.

“As a parent of a daughter with global developmental delays, I am especially sensitive to offensive characterizations like the one at issue here. But in no way do I believe Coach McMackin’s comments were intended to be offensive. In our phone conversation today, I expressed those sentiments.

“It is now time to put this incident behind us and return focus to the 2009 season.”