If he’s not dismissed, I’ll go. Due to a major miscommunication, a key Colts player has vowed to leave the team if his colleague is not dismissed.
The contentious retirement of Bob Lamey is having a cascading effect.
A racial slur first used by retired racecar driver Derek Daly was mentioned in the off-air story that landed the longtime Colts announcer in hot water earlier this week, according to WISH-TV, his now-formal employer. On Wednesday, the station fired Daly from his role as racing analyst after he reportedly admitted to them that he had used the N-word in the early 1980s.
In a statement released on Thursday, Daly acknowledged using the derogatory language but denied telling WISH-TV that he was speaking with Lamey at the moment. When he stated that “the only ‘n—- in the wood pile’ would be me” if he didn’t perform well on his first American racing team in the early stages of his career, the 65-year-old Irishman claimed that radio reporter Larry Henry was interviewing him.
“It appears that former sports broadcaster Bob Lamey misattributed a racial slur to me in an interview from the early 1980s, which is why WISH-TV cut its connection with me last night,” Daly stated. They said that I verified this on their website. These two reports are false in terms of facts. Bob Lamey never conducted an interview with me on this topic. The defamatory remarks that Bob made and are currently being linked to me are offensive in addition to being untrue.
Lamey’s lawyer stated in a statement that although he was not fired, the “Voice of the Colts” was made to answer for his actions after a radio employee complained about Lamey’s use of the slur last week. Lamey allegedly used derogatory language with the employee while he was off-air, telling a tale he had heard while working as an Indianapolis Motor Speedway broadcaster.
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The story as told by the witness and Daly’s memory of using the N-word about 35 years ago are not the same.
“Yes, I turned everything off,” I replied when he asked if the microphones were off. You’re alright,’” a radio staff member recalled. Bob Lamey is describing this individual and stating that he was asked, “Do you think anyone’s holding back their speed at IMS during quals?” during an interview. Is there anyone you believe is holding back? In response, that individual said, “There aren’t any ‘blank’ in this race.”
A day after human resources received the complaint, Lamey, 79, declared his retirement. He allegedly offered numerous apologies following the incident.
Daly expressed regret for his own actions and provided an explanation for why, at the time, he was unaware of the consequences of using the slur.
“That phrase was common in Ireland, and when I used it in the early 1980s, I had no idea that it had a completely different meaning and connotation in this country. I soon discovered that it was a disparaging term after coming to the United States,” Daly said. “I was appalled at the offense I might have caused people when I first learned of this. That’s why I haven’t used the word again. I learned from my mistake and will never repeat it. ..
“I want everyone to know that what I said more than three decades ago is something I sincerely regret and apologize for.”
