Wyoming coach apologizes for flipping bird during Utah game
ESPN.com news services
Updated: November 12, 2007, 3:54 PM ET
CASPER, Wyo. -- Wyoming coach Joe Glenn didn't like how Utah tried an onside kick with a 43-point lead, and he let coach Kyle Whittingham know by giving him the finger.
On Monday, Glenn apologized, and the Mountain West Conference issued a public reprimand for the gesture, which violated the conference's sportsmanship policy.
"I met with my team on Sunday and apologized to them for the gesture I made toward the Utah bench during the game," Glenn said Monday in a statement. "I also want to apologize to all fans for that action. Football is an emotional game, and I let my emotions get the best of me. I felt it was appropriate for me to let my team and all fans know that I am truly sorry for that emotional moment."
Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman said he viewed Glenn's gesture as a one-time occurrence.
"Coach Glenn should not have responded in the manner that he did and for that we are sorry. Coach Glenn has been a great ambassador for the University of Wyoming, and I view this action as a one-time incident that is out of character for him."
Glenn said after the 50-0 loss that he didn't remember giving the finger.
"Honest to God, I can't even respond to it," Glenn said. "Maybe, I don't know."
According to the conference handbook, obscene gestures or language are subject to at least a reprimand for a first offense.
Utah (7-3, 4-2 Mountain West) tried the onside kick in the third quarter Saturday. Glenn gave Whittingham the finger when Wyoming (5-5, 2-4) recovered.
On Sunday, Whittingham told the Deseret Morning News of Salt Lake City he regretted calling the onside kick.
"My emotions got the best of me, and after thinking about it, I wouldn't have done it in hindsight," he said, according to the report. "But emotions were running high as you could tell -- both from what we did and the reaction on the other team. That's the nature of sports, I guess. At times your emotions get in the way of sound decision-making. "You've got to guard against that. ... I'm not making excuses. I'm just saying that was what happened."
Glenn said at a weekly student luncheon earlier in the week that he could guarantee a win against Utah. Late in the game, the crowd of 42,000 began chanting "guarantee" and Glenn said afterward that he regretted making the promise.
"I got emotional last week and got my big Irish mouth going and made the guarantee," he said. "I'd probably like to have it back now. I wouldn't do it again.
"Find the crow and I'll eat it."
Wyoming has lost four of its last five, is no longer a competitor for the conference title and is all but eliminated from postseason consideration. The Cowboys would need to upset conference-leading BYU this Saturday to earn a bowl bid.
Find the crow and I'll eat it.
--Wyoming coach Joe Glenn, after he guaranteed a win over Utah -- and the Utes won 50-0.