[simple simon]

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has apologized for comments he made on Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show about Cincinnati police possibly profiling his players.


"Yesterday, I gave a radio interview and made some comments that did not illustrate the high regard I have for the Cincinnati Police Department," Lewis said in a statement released by the team, which has been plagued by run-ins with the law. "I apologize that what I said did not reflect my true feelings."

Lewis' apology came a day after an interview on ESPN Radio's The Dan Patrick Show in which he noted that wide receiver Chris Henry was pulled over in March after not signaling a turn while driving in Cincinnati. Asked if he thought such a traffic stop indicated there was profiling at work, Lewis said: "I think there's profiling, no question. We're [Cincinnati] a small place, our guys stand out, and they know that and you've got to do things the right way, but when you are arrested for, or you are pulled over for not putting on your turn signal, there's something wrong there. Many people make right turns without putting on their turn signals and that's unfortunate that we've had a guy that's pulled over for not putting on his turn signal."

Thursday, Lewis said he expressed his regret over the remarks and their aftermath in a conciliatory phone call to Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher. During the private phone call, he said he made it clear that he didn't believe Cincinnati police were targeting his players.


"At no point did I say or mean to imply that these issues had anything to do with race," Lewis said. "Broadcast comments to the contrary are simply not true. When I spoke of our players being perhaps more subject to scrutiny than others, I was referring to their standing as public figures."
ESPN.com: Bengals coach apologizes for police comments

[simple simon]

i never knew Lewis was such an idiot

he may think the cops profile his players .... he may even believe it ....... but ya dont say it

as for the retraction, i dont believe a word of it ...... i think usually what you say 1st is what you mean most .............. i think the retraction was mostly Lewis playing CYA