Basket Coach Richardson Fired After Using Gay Slur

Former NBA player, and coach of the Albany Patroons, Micheal Ray Richardson, was fired Wednesday after he made anti-Semitic comments in an interview and called a fan a "faggot" during a basketball game.

Richardson told the Albany Times Union that he had some "big time Jewish lawyers" working for him: "They got a lot of power in this world, you know what I mean? Which I think is great. I don't think there's nothing wrong with it. If you look in most professional sports, they're run by Jewish people. If you look at a lot of most successful corporations and stuff, more businesses, they're run by Jewish. It's not a knock, but they are some crafty people."

The newspaper also reported that Richardson yelled a gay slur during a Patroons' game. Richardson reportedly told a heckler, "Shut the f--- up, you faggot."

Following the incidents, Richardson was suspended, and Patroons owner Ben Fernandez denounced Richardson's comments, saying "We will not tolerate - and the league will not tolerate - bigots."

Wednesday Patroons' General Manager Jim Coyne told the media that the team would not renew Richardson's contract. The decision to let Richardson go was ultimately based the anti-gay comments Richardson had made to the fan, not the comments that were seen as anti-Semitic.

Richardson's attorney John Aretakis had this to say about his clients' use of the gay slur, "Micheal Ray used that term and immediately apologized. He was in the heat of a game. The heat of competition."

Richardson and his attorney said they planned to sue the Times Union and the writer of the article for $5 million, claiming that the writer has a vendetta against Richardson and the team after having his car towed at a Patroons game.