Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says forward Josh Howard realizes his comments about the national anthem were wrong and the player has apologized.
In his online blog, Cuban also responded to e-mails he has received commenting on the player’s remarks by saying Howard “will work with us” and “beyond that, it’s a private issue.”
Cuban posted a number of the inflammatory replies on his blog Thursday night, with the apparent e-mail addresses of the senders.
But by Friday night, Cuban’s remarks slugged “Thanks for the advice on Josh” had been removed from the blog and replaced with a posting saying “I made my point.”
Howard’s comments, in a video posted on the Web site YouTube, show him on a football field at a charity flag football game. As the national anthem plays in the background, Howard approaches a camera and says: “‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is going on right now. I don’t even celebrate that (expletive). I’m black.”
Some e-mails that Cuban posted made blatant racist remarks about Howard. Others suggested Howard should move to another country, be fined or fired.
Cuban’s updated response said his original posting was “the right thing to do,” but he says it left him with an upset stomach all day Friday.
“I thought it was important to point out the hatred and ignorance of so many who quickly judge people they have never met, based purely on soundbites and headlines,” Cuban wrote late Friday. “I wanted to point out the irony of them experiencing the onslaught of attention from suddenly and unexpectedly being placed in the media spotlight from a throwaway comment.”
Cuban said he knew those e-mailers would be receiving “the same level of hate, ignorance and judgment as Josh had and that’s what bothered me all day.”
Cuban ended by saying: “Hopefully something good came from it being posted.”
Cuban did not immediately respond Friday night to an e-mail from The Associated Press.
source: DIANA HEIDGERD, Associated Press Writer
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