Terry Bradshaw Apologizes For "Chicken" Comment During Reggie Bush Highlight

Fox' Terry Bradshaw yesterday apologized for a comment he made during highlights of Sunday's Dolphins-Colts game, according to Michael Hiestand of USA TODAY. During a clip of a touchdown by Dolphins RB Reggie Bush, Bradshaw said it was "like he was chasing that bucket of chicken the wind was blowing.” Bradshaw said that he “meant to say ‘you’ as a reference” to fellow Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson. Bradshaw said, “[I’m] so sorry if I hurt anybody, and I’m shocked I’m in this position.” Bradshaw said that the comment was “just part of a running joke." He said Johnson's "big thing is chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken. He won't share it with anybody" (USA TODAY, 11/6). Fox studio host Curt Menefee yesterday defended Bradshaw, saying that the "'controversy' is much ado about nothing." SI.com's Jimmy Traina wrote, "When you listen to the full quote, it's not hard to believe the Fox guys. But maybe the lesson here is to leave the inside jokes off the air" (SI.com, 11/5).

HERE WE GO AGAIN: In DC, Clinton Yates wrote Menefee's reaction to Bradshaw Sunday "was extremely telling." Yates: "He didn’t laugh to cover up the joke. He didn’t stay silent as if to try ignore it. He let out an audible groan that seemed to say, 'If I could say something about this, I would.'" Yates added, "That was the saddest part. Menefee appeared to feel muted. ... Is America really too stupid to deal with the reality of racial insensitivity amongst our countrymen if we’re forced to understand the valiance of war while we watch football? The answer is no" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/5).