Slurring the lines of what's a slur

WTOP in Washington issued an apology yesterday after former defensive end Dexter Manly called former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman a name that's just not acceptable in a public forum or anywhere really. (So we can move on and so you don't click away, the word was queer.)

Now, it's been awhile, but I don't remember Manly as being one of the NFL's most cerebral players to begin with, so I'm not really sure why WTOP producers would want to put a mike in front of the man anyway, except for he probably comes cheap.We're talking about a guy who actually managed to get himself kicked out of the NFL for failing drug tests ("In 1989, Manly failed his third drug test and was banned for life, with the opportunity for reinstatement in one year." Yes, you read it right. He was finally really truly banned for life in '91 after a fourth failed test, and served time for cocaine possession in the mid-'90s.)

So unless Dexter Manly is talking about, oh, "Breaking Bad," or "Orange is the New Black," I don't really care what he has to say.

What caught my attention though, is the WTOP apology that began: "This morning in a live interview former Redskins player Dexter Manley made an offensive and derogatory comment."

Remember kids, there's been an uproar off and on for years over the Washington football club's nickname. It has been especially intense since August when owner Dan Snyder saying outright he'll never change the team name. Some writers are refusing to use it this season, and the Associated Press, New York Times and other media outlets jumped on the SEO wagon at the time, announcing they would not publish it, but refer to the team only as Washington.

Apparently, though, WTOP isn't one of 'em. Just so we're clear: It's OK for WTOP to use what many deem an offensive and derogatory nickname in making an apology for a radio guest who made an offensive and derogatory comment.