"No homo"

In a sign of the times, "Hibbert's Remarks Result in a Fine", NYT 6/2/2013:

The N.B.A. fined Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert $75,000 Sunday, hours after Hibbert apologized for using an antigay slur and an obscenity in a news conference after his team’s victory against the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. […]

In his postgame comments Saturday in Indianapolis, Hibbert used the term “no homo” when answering a question about defending the Heat star LeBron James on a play in the second half that resulted in James’s being called for an offensive foul. He later directed an obscenity toward reporters after being questioned on another topic.

The "no homo" aside:

I- I don't block a lot of shots all the time but you know I try to alter as much as possible not to give up any uh easy plays because you know the momentum could have shifted right there if he got an easy dunk and you know uh you know there was what, game- what was it- game three here? I really felt that I let Paul [George] down in terms of having his back whether LeBron was scoring in the post or getting to the paint because he was stretching me out so much no homo and uh- and uh- {laughs} but you know I want to be there for him you know he's the future I mean I think he has the chance to be mvp of this league next year you know uh every- every guard needs to have a big guy to have his back so you know I- I'm that guy

For some background, see "An Old Person's Guide to 'No Homo'", 8/18/2009, with an explanation by Jay Smooth that's worth featuring again:

Here's the later obscenity "directed towards reporters", which came in response to a question about why he finished only tenth in Player of the Year voting:

y'all- y'all motherfuckers don't watch us play throughout the year, to tell you the truth all right? so that's fine, you know? I'm gonna be real with you, and I don't care if I get fined, because you know what, we play, we're not on tv all the time, reporters are the ones that uh that are uh voting and you know it is what it is and if I don't make it, that's fine, I'm still gonna do what I have to do

The interesting thing about all of this, in my opinion, is that media coverage has stressed the "no homo" remark more than the "y'all motherfuckers" remark: "Hibbert apologizes for gay slur", ESPN; "Roy Hibbert reaches out to Jason Collins after using gay slur", USA Today; "Pacers center Roy Hibbert apologizes for gay slur", NY Daily News; etc. This might be because of the way that Roy Hibbert framed his apologies; or maybe the public is more sympathetic these days to gays than to reporters.