THE MASH-UP: SPORTS AND POP CULTURE COLLIDE

They said it, they're mad

Holding steady

• Rick Majerus, Saint Louis University basketball coach: At a rally for Hillary Clinton on Jan. 19, Majerus said he personally supports abortion rights. Archbishop Raymond Burke said this opinion goes against the church and that the university, a Jesuit school, should discipline Majerus, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Wednesday.

Majerus is standing by what he said.

“These beliefs are ingrained in me,” Majerus told the Post-Dispatch. “And my First Amendment right to free speech supersedes anything that the archbishop would order me to do. My dad fought on Okinawa in World War II. My uncle died in World War II. I had classmates die in Vietnam. And it was to preserve our way of life, so people like me could have an opinion.”

If the school disciplines Majerus, at least he will have taken a stand for something he believes strongly. He won’t be in trouble for saying something without thinking. Or for making a dumb remark just to be outrageous.

Falling

•Dana Jacobson, co-host of “First Take” on ESPN2: She was reportedly suspended a week for things she said at a roast of radio show hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic on Jan. 11 in Atlantic City, N.J.

The Press of Atlantic City reported on Jan. 12 “… Jacobson made an absolute fool of herself, swilling vodka from a Belvedere bottle … ”

Jacobson apologized Tuesday in a statement, which read: “I am sorry. My remarks about Notre Dame were foolish and insensitive. I respect all religions and did not mean anything derogatory by my poorly chosen words.”

Of course, it didn’t end there.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights released a statement Tuesday with the headline “ESPN Anchorwoman Trashes Jesus Christ.” The statement said Jacobson used a certain four-letter word in reference to Notre Dame, Touchdown Jesus and Jesus himself.

Neither ESPN nor Jacobson is confirming that she said those things, just something for which she is sorry.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue said in a statement Thursday he spoke with ESPN officials and “as far as the Catholic League is concerned, this matter is over.”

But, not so fast. The Christian Defense Coalition is calling for her to be fired.

There are a few lessons here, not the least of which is this: Don’t get drunk at a company function. Also, stupid comments belong on Internet message boards. Otherwise, keep them to yourself.

| To reach Greg Moore send e-mail to gmoore@kcstar.com