WGN's Dan Roan apologizes for name-calling

One reason Dan Roan has lasted 37 years as a sports anchor at Nexstar Media Group WGN-Channel 9 is that he's studiously avoided controversy.

But now he's been forced to walk back a comment that blew up on social media Thursday.

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 the Fighting Illini.

Roan immediately came under blistering attack for use of the word "thug," prompting this follow-up tweet:

"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."

- Robert Feder