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A sports columnist from The Gainesville Sun was forced to backtrack Monday after a Twitter post mocking Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer sparked outrage from some followers, Virginia’s Daily Press reported Monday.
Pat Dooley came under fire shortly after commenting on the condition of the field at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium during the Chiefs' playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, where one area of the turf appeared to be lighter than the others.
“why does Kansas city’s field look like Frank Beamer’s face?” Dooley wrote.
Beamer, who has coached the Hokies since 1987, has several skin grafts that are visible on his right cheek and neck area, which stem from a fire-related incident that occurred when he was seven years old.
Dooley immediately began taking the heat as followers fired back in protest of the columnist’s words.
“Wow, Twitter explodes with my attempt at bad humor about Seattle's field.” Dooley wrote. “I apologize to Mr. Beamer. Really thought it was harmless.”
Dooley had been tweeting about the Kansas City game but apparently wrote Seattle in the apology tweet by mistake.
The apologies carried over into Monday as the Daily Press questioned Dooley about his remark.
"Shouldn't have made it," Dooley wrote in an email to the Press. "I apologize to coach Beamer and his family. Sometimes, we think [Twitter] is our own little world of friends in the press box. Good lesson for all journalists out there."
Dooley went on to inform the Press that he has met Beamer several times during his career and considers him “a great man.”
"To be honest, I wasn't trying to take a shot at him,” Dooley’s email read. “Just making a bad analogy.
"As a cancer survivor with lasting disabilities, I know how it can sting when someone has fun at your expense. But, again, I didn't mean it as hateful or harmful to Frank. Just being stupid and silly.
"I will further restrict Tweet to breaking down zone defenses," he added.
