Dan Dakich under investigation for comments on Scottsburg basketball coach firing

Dan Dakich went on a 5-minute rant on his radio show Wednesday, lambasting the firing of Scottsburg High's basketball coach, calling a player a "methhead," urging listeners to go "take a dump" in Scottsburg and threatening, "I may just drive down there and beat the hell out of every school board member."

The tirade, including Dakich saying Scottsburg is a town full of "meth and AIDS and needles” set off a string of emails and calls from residents to WFNI The Fan, where his noon to 3 p.m. "The Dan Dakich Show" airs.

On Friday, Dakich's employer told The IndyStar it "is aware of the statements made by Dan Dakich earlier this week and we continue to investigate the issue." 

Emmis Communications, which owns ESPN affiliate WFNI The Fan, went on to say in a statement that, "Dan apologized (Thursday) to his listeners who were offended by his comments and passionate opinions about the situation. Listeners tune in to Dan's weekday show for his strong views and frank manner. When we hear from our listeners who have been offended by Dan's opinions, we take those matters seriously."

Indystar reached out to Dakich who said he would talk about the matter at the opening of Friday's show.

"Tone is important people," he said as he came on the air. "Sometimes you can’t get tone out of newspaper articles and things. Sometimes what's funny when said or trying to be funny doesn't come across."

The podcast of Dakich's show with comments involving Scottsburg was online Thursday night and had been removed Friday. IndyStar had recorded the show and has published clips of it in a video.

The subject of Dakich's controversial dialogue involved the firing of Scottsburg varsity coach Brent Jameson. At a Wednesday meeting, the Scottsburg school board voted not to renew his contract. Jameson was 41-57 in four seasons and had led the Warriors to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2005-07.

Jameson, 35, told IndyStar's High School Insider Kyle Neddenriep that he was blindsided by the decision. 

“In four years, I haven’t had a single negative review,” he said. “It has been nothing but positive support from my athletic director.”

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The rant

"Scottsburg, (are) you complete idiots? Like are you just that fricking stupid, Scottsburg, Indiana? Can we please not fire a coach who has been great for the community," Dakich said on the air. "I mean what is wrong with you people in Scottsburg, Indiana? I mean are you that hillbilly?"

Dakich poked fun at the city in Scott County 30 miles north of Louisville, imitating its residents in twangy accents with improper English and calling it a "hilljack world." Then in the same voice, he criticized the school board for firing a coach with a winning record.

He implied that a school board member was an angry parent of a son who didn't get enough playing time.

"Let me guess, some jack--- of a board member has a kid on the team at Scottsburg that didn't get to play enough," he said. "Shut the living hell up Scottsburg, Indiana. Shut the whole damn town down. Hey jack---, I may just drive down there and beat the hell out of every school board member."  

He went on say that whichever boy on the team didn't get to play, "Your boy's a methhead. He's a pain in the (expletive deleted)."

Dakich also started laughing as he came up with a new motto. 

"Take a dump in Scottsburg should be our new thing. My god, how stupid. Somebody send me a picture of this school board, these idiots in Scottsburg," he said. "Take a dump in Scottsburg should be the new motto."

He explained why he does the show. "That's why I'm on this earth," Dakich said. "I'm on this earth because we must call dumb(expletive deleted) out.

Calling people out has gotten Dakich in trouble before. He was suspended in October by Emmis, which said at the time he was off air for one week due to "a failure (in 2018) on Dan's part to adhere to the journalistic principles valued by Emmis."

Emmis declined to further elaborate on the cause for the disciplinary action taken against Dakich.

Scottsburg reacts

Marc Slaton, superintendent of Scott County School District 2, told the IndyStar he believes Dakich's comments are disparaging and threatening. He was especially concerned by Dakich saying the city is filled with meth, AIDS and needles.

"(His) comments disparaged community residents and a student-athlete, and threatened with physical harm each individual member of the Board of Trustees," Slaton said. "The community-at-large and all the individuals publicly disparaged and threatened by Dan Dakich deserve a sincere, public apology by Dakich."

Scottsburg City Councilman Christian Evans was disappointed, to put it mildly, in Dakich's words about his city.

"I personally find Dan's comments about a hard working community like Scottsburg to be ignorant and in poor taste," said Evans. "I wholeheartedly support my community and I will continue to do so no matter who or what attacks us."

Many Scottsburg residents took to Facebook to complain.

"If anyone else felt offended by having our kids called methheads, telling a radio audience to take a dump in Scottsburg or felt the hate and violence as he threatened physical violence on our school board members...send an email to the station," Chrissie Deaton, who is a mother of a Scottsburg player, posted. "We fight hate speech everyday! He literally spewed hate all over a community he knows nothing about! He made accusations and threats against people he knows nothing about!"

Marcy Prather responded that Dakich "went way too far with this, he is an embarrassment to his station and our state."  

"My whole problem is with the clout that Dan Dakich should have, he could have went at this a much better way," Stewart Smith posted on the Indiana High School Basketball Fans page. I'm asking Dan Dakich to personally come to a home Scottsburg game and apologize to our community for what he said."

This story will be updated.

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.