Two former NFL stars are calling on Geno Auriemma to apologize again.
The 12-time national title-winning head coach apologized for his behavior following UConn's loss to South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday night. Auriemma and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley got into a screaming match on the sideline. The Huskies' head coach was apparently bothered by a lack of respect from Staley during a pregame handshake moment.
"There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina," Auriemma said in a statement issued through the school. "It's unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that. I've had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them."
But to two former NFL stars, Auriemma's apology wasn't enough.
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Two former NFL stars - Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson - called on Auriemma to apologize again during an episode of their podcast.
"Listen, as a coach, especially a winning coach like Geno, you have to win with grace and lose with Grace," Johnson said.
Sharpe accused Auriemma of using Chat GPT to write his apology.
"That apology should have been directed to Dawn Staley and nobody else," Johnson added.
Stephen A. Smith agrees with the two former NFL stars
Smith appeared on Monday morning's "First Take" episode and called out Auriemma for his "weak" apology.
“Apology was weak,” Smith said. “He doesn’t owe us an apology… He owes Dawn Staley an apology. What the hell is up with a statement… and you don’t mention her name once?”
Does Auriemma need to say more?
