Don't Know What's Worse. The anti-gay remarks or the "apology"

Homophobia exists in sports and everywhere else.    This is not news.   Do I believe that it's 2013 and we as a society haven't fully found a way to get past the fact that there are homosexuals?   Do I find it ridiculous that we can't?  Yes and yes, but that's not the issue I'm discussing.    

During an interview on Artie Lange's radio show, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver was asked if there are any gay players in the Niners' locker room.    His response, "I don't do the gay guys.   I don't do that.   We ain't got no gay people on the team."  When asked if he would do if he found out a gay player was in his locker room, Culliver replied, "They gotta get up outta here."   When asked further if gay players should come out of the closet while still active, Culliver replied, "They gotta come out 10 years after (they retire)."    Not eloquently said, but his point is pretty clear.     Culliver had to know that his remarks would come back to haunt him quickly, especially during Super Bowl week where media is everywhere.

24 hours later, Culliver released a statement through the Niners:  "The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, they are not how I feel.   It has taken me seeing them in print to realize they are hurtful and ugly."   First off, Culliver wrote that.   Sure he did.    Who would ever doubt that the latter statement came from the same guy who spoke on Lange's program?
And what in the blue hell does, "They were a reflection of thoughts in my head, they are not how I feel," even mean?

Here's my issue.   Culliver's initial response was definitely anti-gay.    He doesn't want homosexuals on his team or anywhere near him.    That's obvious and even though it's not an enlightened opinion, it's his opinion and he is welcome to it.    To me, I don't know what's worse.   The statement or the apology which was formed by the Niners' public relations gurus.    Culliver has also said he was "just kidding" and "fooling around" on Lange's show.    Dude, no you weren't.    I'd respect you more if you just owned up to what you said.    Of course, such a thing isn't likely to happen and now the guy will have to be trotted around in front of the media to give an insincere and half-assed mea culpa.   

If there were no repercussions, Culliver wouldn't apologize for a word of what he said.    But come on, I highly doubt any of his apologies from here on out will be from his heart.     He will manipulated by the 49ers in order to protect their brand and protect their spaceship from being detoured on its way to Planet Ka-ching.   

To me, it's simple.   Knowing that you will be forced to issue an apology you don't really mean, don't say stupid things like that at all, even if it is what you believe.    Even if it was a bold-faced lie, Culliver should've said, "Live and let live, it's all good."  or something equally ambivalent.     Since the apology and all of the crap that follows will be a lie anyway, why not just watch what you say at the outset?    In Culliver's case, he's sorry he got caught, not sorry for his remarks.