Anthony Federico, the ESPN editor fired yesterday for his unfortunate use of the phrase "Chink in the Armor" in a headline about Jeremy Lin, has explained himself to the the New York Daily News. Federico said he meant no disrespect and was "devastated" once it dawned on him what he had done. The headline had appeared on ESPN's mobile site at 2:30 a.m. (EST) Saturday and wasn't removed until more than 30 minutes later.

ESPN has acted swiftly and definitively to the outrage of its own creation. The headline writer?…

"This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny," Anthony Federico told the Daily News.

"I'm so sorry that I offended people. I'm so sorry if I offended Jeremy."

[...]

Federico, 28, said he understands why he was axed. "ESPN did what they had to do," he said.

He said he has used the phrase "at least 100 times" in headlines over the years and thought nothing of it when he slapped it on the Lin story.

Federico called Lin one of his heroes - not just because he's a big Knicks fan, but because he feels a kinship with a fellow "outspoken Christian."

"My faith is my life," he said. "I'd love to tell Jeremy what happened and explain that this was an honest mistake."