Pitching coach Chris Bosio said Thursday he was fired by the Detroit Tigers for using the word ”monkey Youth Brian O'Neill Jersey ,” but insists he didn’t say it in a racial or demeaning context.

Bosio told USA Today he used the word while talking about pitcher Daniel Stumpf, who is white. Bosio said Stumpf is nicknamed ”Spider Monkey” because of the faces he makes while lifting weights.

Bosio said an African-American clubhouse attendant overheard the conversation. Bosio told USA Today that ”the kid thought we were talking about him. He got all upset. He assumed we were talking about him. I said, `No, no, no. We’re talking about Stumpf.”’

”I swear on my mom and dad’s graves, there was nothing else to it Alex Goligoski Jersey ,” he told the newspaper.

General manager Al Avila said Wednesday that Bosio was fired for making insensitive comments to another team employee. Avila declined to offer additional details.

”I have to take seriously what the comments were,” Avila said. ”And, the action we took was appropriate.”

Bosio told USA Today that he was ”crushed” about his firing. Bosio said he plans to hire an attorney to help determine whether to sue for wrongful termination.

Bosio was in his first season as Detroit’s pitching coach after serving in the same role for six years with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs didn’t renew Bosio’s contract after last season and hired Jim Hickey to replace him. The 55-year-old Bosio was 94-93 over an 11-season major league career, mostly as a starter, with Milwaukee and Seattle.

The Tigers promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week.

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Information from: USA Today, The Chicago Bears were interviewing Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for their head coaching job.

Nagy has spent 10 seasons working under Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Kansas City. He did not call plays until late this season Christian Dvorak Jersey , but has drawn praise for his work with Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. In Chicago, he would be trying to develop No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky.

The Chiefs won the AFC West, only to blow an 18-point halftime lead in a playoff loss to Tennessee on Saturday. The Bears met with Nagy in Kansas City on Sunday.

Chicago has also interviewed Philadelphia quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, Minnesota and New England offensive coordinators Pat Shurmur and Josh McDaniels, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards and Chicago defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

The Bears fired John Fox after a 14-34 record in three years and a .292 winning percentage that ranks as the second-lowest in franchise history. They were 5-11 this past season.

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