Feder: WGN's Dan Roan apologizes for calling player 'thug'

One reason Dan Roan has lasted 37 years as the main sports anchor at Nexstar Media Group WGN-Channel 9 is that he's always managed to avoid controversy. But now he's been forced to walk back a comment that blew up on social media Thursday, Robert Feder writes.

In a post since deleted, Roan tweeted: "Bad news from Champaign on Ayo Donsunmu, nose broken by Spartan thug on Tuesday . . . no word on how long he'll be out."

It apparently referred to Michigan State center Mady Sissoko, who was charged with a flagrant two foul and ejected from the game against Illinois.

Roan immediately came under blistering attack for use of the word "thug," prompting this followup: "Just made aware of some issues with an earlier tweet - I used too strong a word and I apologize to the MSU player in question and to any who may have been offended by this. Not aware in any way that the word had any racial connotation to it - that's not me, never has been."

Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.