It Happened--Sports Guy Comes Out...-NBA's Jason Collins

[+ Gar1eth]

Although I heard that he is a free agent and not actively playing right now. I also looked at his Wikipedia entry. Someone has edited it to say "faggot" in the 1st sentence. I wonder how long that will be allowed to stay.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2013/04/29/jason-collins-comes-out-nba-player-says-im-gay/

 

Gman

[instudiocity]

Good For Him! I hope he signs with a team soon.

 

A New NBA Team that is... he's a free agent in want of a contract.

[+ Gar1eth]

Good For Him! I hope he signs with a team soon.

 

A New NBA Team that is... he's a free agent in want of a contract.

 

I'm glad he did--but I'd say G-d help him and give him strength. As someone who didn't tell his immediate family until 10 months ago, I cannot even imagine what courage it must have taken to put his career and personal safety on the line in one of the remaining bastions of unadulterated 'manliness'. On top of that he is Black where the stigma is worse than for Whites. I hope this turns out ok for him. I really really do.

 

Gman

[instudiocity]

I'm glad he did--but I'd say G-d help him and give him strength. As someone who didn't tell his immediate family until 10 months ago, I cannot even imagine what courage it must have taken to put his career and personal safety on the line in one of the remaining bastions of unadulterated 'manliness'. On top of that he is Black where the stigma is worse than for Whites. I hope this turns out ok for him. I really really do.

 

Gman

Not to be foreshadowing his future NBA activities, but he's a player without a team right now and at 35, he just maybe is retiring, voluntarily or involuntarily. He just earned $1.35 million with the Washington Wizards, so we can hope he's salted away some of his several $1 Million+ years of income for the future.

[EZEtoGRU]

Hmmmm? I'm not sure this qualifies as the big "coming out" of an active professional athelete that we've been waiting for. He's currently a free agent likely near the end of his career. He may not work again so this may be the start of a path into a post NBA life. I'm still waiting for a male professional athlete to come out in the prime of his career. Now that would be something.

 

Anyway, kudos to Jason for his decision to come out.

[bigvalboy]

Well I think that it is amazing that he did it at all. When all is said and done, it does take courage knowing that there will be some backlash from a multitude of people. Anytime that an athlete of any caliber comes out in such a public way, it cast a positive light on the gay community as a whole, especially since he is black, where as Gman says being gay in the 'black community' carries with it an additional stigma. It is a positive thing for young black men, gay and straight, to see that some of their athletic heroes are gay, and the world will go on.

[Phil_musc]

It is a big deal, but I agree with both EZEtoGRU & BVB. I would have been more impressed if somebody say like Joe Montana came out right before the Super Bowl or something like that. The stuff of dreams, I guess. Still, I do discount the import of what Jason has done. I doubt if I would have had the courage in his place.

[+ deej]

He's receiving kudos far and wide (Bill Clinton? Seriously?) But it isn't unanimous.

 

An ESPN columnist says Collins is living in sin.

 

BROUSSARD: Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly, like premarital sex between heterosexuals. If you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits. It says that, you know, that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, whatever it maybe, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. So I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I don’t think the bible would characterize them as a Christian.

[JackTwist]

President Obama placed a phone call to NBA player Jason Collins to offer support and congratulations. Michelle Obama tweeted to Collins: "We've got your back." I think it is pretty damn cool that the President and First Lady vigorously support LGBT equality...I hope the trend continues with all future presidents regardless of political party.

 

Full story here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/white-house-commends-nba-veteran-jason-collins-on-coming-out-as-gay-offers-support/2013/04/29/d0a0d706-b0ee-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

[Guest boiworship08]

I can't imagine Romney doing that. Even less--Paul Ryan.

[JoeyBryant]

It is a positive thing for young black men, gay and straight, to see that some of their athletic heroes are gay, and the world will go on.

 

Wonderfully said. It starts on the courts. We need more gay, masculine, athletic, good looking Black men coming out. Not to be a hater or douche out the validity of it, but Magic Johnson's extremely femmy son would be fodder for laughter amongst the Black community more than inspiraton.

 

Hmmmm? I'm not sure this qualifies as the big "coming out" of an active professional athelete that we've been waiting for. He's currently a free agent likely near the end of his career. He may not work again so this may be the start of a path into a post NBA life. I'm still waiting for a male professional athlete to come out in the prime of his career. Now that would be something.

 

Anyway, kudos to Jason for his decision to come out.

 

Yeah but how many politicians are voluntarily revealing their infidelity and love of prostitutes in their prime? It doesn't matter when, what matters is that people know that it 'can' happen and that it does happen.

 

One of those comments in the article said something about if it's okay for athletes to be gay, then what about different-sex people sharing showers/locker rooms too. And that since men/women don't share those facilites, gay men shouldn't with straight mn. See, you still have people that are ignorant and live in dilusion. I think there's more to it as to why women and men share separate facilities other than what makes a guy aroused. If anything it's to protect the woman, not the man.

 

Yes, we all wish TeeBow and Terrell Owens would bring their ass (and more) out the closet (and pants) right now, but it ain't happening okay.

[Strafe13]

 

Yeah but how many politicians are voluntarily revealing their infidelity and love of prostitutes in their prime? It doesn't matter when, what matters is that people know that it 'can' happen and that it does happen.

 

Yes, we all wish TeeBow and Terrell Owens would bring their ass (and more) out the closet (and pants) right now, but it ain't happening okay.

 

I hope you didn't really mean to place coming out on the same level as revealing infidelity. As to why Collins chose now, it's probably because American pop culture is in a far different place re: gay rights and acceptance than it was even just five or ten years ago. He's been in the league over a decade, which is actually impressive, since the average professional basketball career is only a few years. He's never been star, but has been a key contributor on some very good teams that have contended for championships. He was a really good collegiate player at Stanford too, which, as I understand, is how Pres. Clinton calls him a friend (Collins went there at the same time as Chelsea). At this stage of his career, players are typically playing for their next short term contract, year after year, with the brevity of the contracts due to age and the expected decline in skills and ability. Again, Collins was/is not a star, but he was/is not a scrub, either. It'll probably take a player of lesser stature than his to come out first, before any star does. I wish the best for him.

 

I hadn't heard the rumors about TO or Tebow, although the latter always set off my gaydar. Wouldn't mind taking either for a test drive to confirm. :-p

[JoeyBryant]

I hope you didn't really mean to place coming out on the same level as revealing infidelity. I hadn't heard the rumors about TO or Tebow, although the latter always set off my gaydar. Wouldn't mind taking either for a test drive to confirm. :-p

 

I was going to put (not comparing the 2 morally) when I compared it to infidelity. The comparison was made as to something about someone's sex life/preferences/etc. that is not related to their performance on the job but could have possible consequences anyway. Maybe a more equivilent example would be school teachers who starred or currently star in porn. They don't usually volunteer that information. The reason why I'm comparing it to those, is because gay professional sports players are still a taboo subject, along with those examples.

 

I also haven't heard any rumors about the aforementioned. I was just using an example of hot guys in their prime who similarily haven't come out (assuming they are gay, which I'm not, but again, just examples).

[instudiocity]

I would have been more impressed if somebody say like Joe Montana came out right before the Super Bowl or something like that. The stuff of dreams, I guess. Still, I do discount the import of what Jason has done. I doubt if I would have had the courage in his place.

I had to chuckle when you pulled Joe Montana's name outta your hat, he's been retired for 18 years.

 

Kurt Warner, Brett Farve, Tom Brady, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning would be more contemporary NFL stars. All of whom are Married with Children.

[bigvalboy]

Wonderfully said. It starts on the courts. We need more gay, masculine, athletic, good looking Black men coming out. Not to be a hater or douche out the validity of it, but Magic Johnson's extremely femmy son would be fodder for laughter amongst the Black community more than inspiraton.

 

I don't disagree here Joey. Many in the black community laugh quietly and among themselves about Magic Johnson's son, and they shouldn't. Being feminine carries with it it's own stigma, in the gay community as well. Why we laugh at that is beyond me. I think it would be helpful if he became accomplished at something. His dad has taken millions of dollars and over the past couple of decades poured that money back into some of the most depressed black communities in LA and beyond. Not always successfully, but he went where many had feared to go. Perhaps if his son would carry that legacy going forward and still carry himself with dignity, then attitudes would slowly change. Being out in the publics eye, showing people what your made of, showing others that being gay or being black feminine and gay if you will, does not define who you are as man, is in many respects a coming out of sorts. Now he is young yet and cetainly there is time for all of this.

 

 

Yes, we all wish TeeBow and Terrell Owens would bring their ass (and more) out the closet (and pants) right now, but it ain't happening okay.

 

Now...lol...I'm with Strafe on this one, I had not heard that about TO or Tebow either. I would love to take that man out for a night, and console him, especially since he was so unceremoniously kicked to the curb. Poor baby!!

[Phil_musc]

I had to chuckle when you pulled Joe Montana's name outta your hat, he's been retired for 18 years.

 

Kurt Warner, Brett Farve, Tom Brady, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning would be more contemporary NFL stars. All of whom are Married with Children.

 

I have a good memory, what can I say. But I'm with you on Brett Favre too.

[+ deej]

I was going to put (not comparing the 2 morally) when I compared it to infidelity. The comparison was made as to something about someone's sex life/preferences/etc. that is not related to their performance on the job but could have possible consequences anyway.

 

The only parallel here is that they're both in the public eye. There's a STARK difference in that a public official who is hiding something is susceptible to blackmail, possibly compromising something important. I doubt many people would blackmail a sportsball player. It's not impossible, but it's not very far up the scale of Something Bad Could Happen.

[fedssocr1]

He's receiving kudos far and wide (Bill Clinton? Seriously?) But it isn't unanimous.

 

An ESPN columnist says Collins is living in sin.

 

I thought I read he was a classmate of Chelsea's at Stanford and that somehow Bill knew him that way.

[bigvalboy]

He's receiving kudos far and wide (Bill Clinton? Seriously?) But it isn't unanimous.

 

An ESPN columnist says Collins is living in sin.

And it is reported that Dr. Ruth of all people thought that it was sad, since he should have kept his sex life private. As AC says, this coming from a woman who has talked about penises and vaginas her whole life. Amazing how many people just want gay people to stay in the closet.