A hail-mary apology couldn’t save former ESPN and, now, former Denver Post columnist Terry Frei after the seven-time state sportswriter of the year tweeted his disapproval of Japanese driver Takuma Sato winning yesterday’s Indy 500.

Frei’s apology, which originally featured a plug for one of his books before he revised that, again, was a clear attempt at damage control aimed at satisfying his employer; clearly, it didn’t work, as KUSA says the Post fired him today:

We apologize for the disrespectful and unacceptable tweet that was sent our by one of our reporters. Terry Frei is no longer an employee of The Denver Post. It’s our policy not to comment further on personnel issues.

The tweet doesn’t represent what we believe nor what we stand for. We hope you will accept our profound apologies.

Frei said in the apology the source of his anti-Japan angst was rooted in his father having fought in World War II. He then thanked someone who defended his original tweet. 

Deadspin covered Frei nine years ago when his ESPN column attacked sports fans who had the gall to move to another city and still cheer for the team from their hometown.

[KUSA]