A University of Arizona linebacker was caught on video launching into a racist tirade calling his former Black Texas A&M teammates “monkeys.”
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That nasty comment got the football player Santino Marchiol dismissed from the team and launched a bigger investigation by the NCAA after Marchiol alleged he was involved in back door cash deals to recruit players for his former school.
On Monday, University of Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin announced that he viewed a video where Marchiol made the offensive remark, on Marchiol’s Hudl account, a Web site where film and other analytics are stored, USA Today reports.
Texas A&M fans circulated the video widely on social media.
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In the video Marchiol and a woman are watching film of him. The woman asks, “Who’s 26, carrying the ball?” A male voice, assumed to be Marchiol, responds “Yeah, one of those monkeys.”
In another clip, the woman asks about a safety, Marchiol replies “Yeah, they call him the monkey safety.” He then laughs.
Marchiol’s attorney Thomas Mars, responded:
“As someone who helped lead the effort to advance diversity in the legal profession, served on the National Urban League board, and worked closely with people like Dennis Archer, Rev. Al Sharpton, and other prominent African-American leaders, I understand and respect the University’s decision. On the other hand, as someone who’s grown close to Santino and who knows the quality of his character, the depth of his faith, and the sincerity of his convictions, I’m heartbroken. What can be heard on the highlights video doesn’t reflect the values or beliefs of the young man that I’ve come to know.”
According to Tucson.com, Santino Marchiol could be joining the team at Glendale Community College, just one day after Arizona Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin announced the linebacker’s dismissal from the program.