Don't preach at me, Bro!

[AUFred]

I like listening to sports radio when I am driving. Not because I am a fan of every sport but the radio options are limited in this area. Today I turn on the two local sports radio stations and am greeted with a speech on tolerance. All they want to talk about is an announcement by a basketball player that he is gay and how we all need to show more tolerance. They proclaim he is a hero on the level with Jackie Robinson for kicking the hinges off the closet.

Knowing what a basketball player does with his "Junk" really doesn't matter to me unless he is breaking the law. What and who he likes to play with is a private matter between him and whomever he chooses to play with. I don't see how this is a bigger "SPORTS" story than anything else going on at the moment. I really have no interest in the subject.

 

[buffalo hunter]

I like listening to sports radio when I am driving. Not because I am a fan of every sport but the radio options are limited in this area. Today I turn on the two local sports radio stations and am greeted with a speech on tolerance. All they want to talk about is an announcement by a basketball player that he is gay and how we all need to show more tolerance. They proclaim he is a hero on the level with Jackie Robinson for kicking the hinges off the closet.

Knowing what a basketball player does with his "Junk" really doesn't matter to me unless he is breaking the law. What and who he likes to play with is a private matter between him and whomever he chooses to play with. I don't see how this is a bigger "SPORTS" story than anything else going on at the moment. I really have no interest in the subject.

Well it must be a big fuckin deal, because Obama called him personally to let him know he has his back. Not sure how he meant that though.

 

[porterjack]

Other gay athletes may now be able to open up about who they are. Previously they may have been scared of the reaction.

This is a big sports story, nowhere near as big or as groundbreaking as Jackie Robinson but big nonetheless

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[AUFred]

I think it puts the team in an unusual situation at contract negotiation time. Don't want to appear to let him go because of his lifestyle.

 

[porterjack]

No more than any othrr gay person needs to be protected from discriminstion


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[Joe the meek]

It becomes a big deal because of all the anti gay feelings that use to be in our society IMO.

Use to be peoples lives could be ruined if society found out they were gay.

Don't pinch my butt and I don't really care, although if a lesbian pinched my butt, not sure that it would really matter to me.

 

[Francis]

Ha ha, the title reminds me of this story..

A gay teacher is fighting to get her job back after she says she was fired by a Roman Catholic high school in Ohio when her mother's obituary appeared in a newspaper with the name of her partner.

The longtime teacher's attorney said Monday that they plan to file a complaint this week with the city of Columbus, which prohibits firings based on sexual orientation.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...tion-TopStories+(News+-+Nation+-+Top+Stories)

 

[Natasha]

I disagree w/ you on this one, Fred. I agree it's not on the level of Jackie Robinson...but any sports figure willing to come forward and out themselves in a testosterone filled arena and smash the stereotype of a gay man is pretty groundbreaking. I imagine as time goes on we'll find many more gay men in sports locker rooms. The real progress will be when it's not longer a big news story for a star player to come out.

 

[AUFred]

My bigger issue is being preached at about how important his deision to come out was and we all should be supportive of him.

 

[Natasha]

My bigger issue is being preached at about how important his deision to come out was and we all should be supportive of him.

*shrugs* I agree w/ that. But I don't think we should have to be TOLD to be supportive of someone who is gay anymore than we should have to be told to be supportive of a woman who chooses to breastfeed.

 

[The Man]

Ok so he is gay...are we all supposed to send him a card?
Why announce it unless he is trying to make a "statement"
Personally I dont care if he is gay...I would have more respect for him if he just went about his business naturally...and if that includes showing up at functions with his lover so be it.
Why do people announce they are gay?
"Oh accept me for I am gay?'
How about as long as they accept themselves the rest really doesnt matter.

 

[AUFred]

Ok so he is gay...are we all supposed to send him a card?
Why announce it unless he is trying to make a "statement"
Personally I dont care if he is gay...I would have more respect for him if he just went about his business naturally...and if that includes showing up at functions with his lover so be it.
Why do people announce they are gay?
"Oh accept me for I am gay?'
How about as long as they accept themselves the rest really doesnt matter.

That is my point as well. I just don't see it as worth days of discussion and trying to make him a hero.

 

[porterjack]

Ok so he is gay...are we all supposed to send him a card?
Why announce it unless he is trying to make a "statement"
Personally I dont care if he is gay...I would have more respect for him if he just went about his business naturally...and if that includes showing up at functions with his lover so be it.
Why do people announce they are gay?
"Oh accept me for I am gay?'
How about as long as they accept themselves the rest really doesnt matter.

I dont know that it was an announcement
In the look at me sense
It was mentioned in an interview
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[The Man]

I dont know that it was an announcement
In the look at me sense
It was mentioned in an interview
Sent from my SGH-47M using Tapatalk 2

First post says they were talking about the announcement by the basketball player on the radio.

 

[Francis]

Ok so he is gay...are we all supposed to send him a card?
Why announce it unless he is trying to make a "statement"
Personally I dont care if he is gay...I would have more respect for him if he just went about his business naturally...and if that includes showing up at functions with his lover so be it.
Why do people announce they are gay?
"Oh accept me for I am gay?'
How about as long as they accept themselves the rest really doesnt matter.

In my view I guess he wanted to let people know so he didn't have to hide it any more..

As many players share so much in today's world, he would not want anyone to feel like they could come out and say "shit I shared a room with that Homo" in private of course or "I got aids from drinking water with him" which would be utter bullshit but anything that can make someone feel better all the best.

Why do people announce they are gay.. Simple, because they are tired of hiding something that is part of them and the stress is killing them slowly. It's the same reason why people finally admit they have affairs or have cheated on their partners.. They can't stand not letting others know any longer and they don't want someone else to let the cat out of the bag.. They rather do it at their convenience and so someone doesn't try to blackmail them with this "private information".

 

[The Man]

In my view I guess he wanted to let people know so he didn't have to hide it any more..

As many players share so much in today's world, he would not want anyone to feel like they could come out and say "shit I shared a room with that Homo" in private of course or "I got aids from drinking water with him" which would be utter bullshit but anything that can make someone feel better all the best.

Why do people announce they are gay.. Simple, because they are tired of hiding something that is part of them and the stress is killing them slowly. It's the same reason why people finally admit they have affairs or have cheated on their partners.. They can't stand not letting others know any longer and they don't want someone else to let the cat out of the bag.. They rather do it at their convenience and so someone doesn't try to blackmail them with this "private information".

Why hide it in the first place?
So we go from hiding...to announcing?
If one didnt want to hide it anymore they sure don't have to announce it.
It is going from one extreme to the other.
Hiding {shame} to announcing it...pretty big leap.
He should just go about his business then its non issue.
By announcing he is gay he just created the topic himself which makes him open game in the event someone does ridicule him.
If he hadnt announced it ....and people talked or speculated on his personal life it makes them look like asses...while not being politically correct at the same time.
Lets take Michael Jackson for instance...Gay...and for little boys I might add....I look like an ass by stating such as he never announced it.

 

[The Man]

I think it puts the team in an unusual situation at contract negotiation time. Don't want to appear to let him go because of his lifestyle.

I think you nailed it Fred.

 

[Francis]

Why hide it in the first place? Very religious family and shame..
So we go from hiding...to announcing? True, but you don't have to listen to the radio, read the internet news and so on.. Why do you do it ?
If one didnt want to hide it anymore they sure don't have to announce it. I guess they would if they want ensure no one uses it against them
It is going from one extreme to the other. For some it is..
Hiding {shame} to announcing it...pretty big leap. Some are oushed past how much they can handle.. Stress can do that to you and force you to take big leaps.
He should just go about his business then its non issue. He will. Now that it's out in the open I would imagine he will. If not he is like any other star and just wants attention
By announcing he is gay he just created the topic himself which makes him open game in the event someone does ridicule him. Perhaps or he feels he wants to protect himself from any possible future problems..
If he hadnt announced it ....and people talked or speculated on his personal life it makes them look like asses...while not being politically correct at the same time. Actually you are wrong.. Gossip that is proven right is what keeps it alive and going strong.. The old I told you so.. The media thrives on it.. Look at how much they dragged Martina Navratilova until she finally came out and said she was gay.. Had she said so before she became a US citizen she would never had been admitted..
Lets take Michael Jackson for instance...Gay...and for little boys I might add....I look like an ass by stating such as he never announced it. Actually you said it.. No one has ever proven Michael Jackson did anything wrong and circumstances have been odd to say the least. Yes he did pay off one but when in the limelight you try to get right out of bad publicity as quick as possible. While I never really cared for him personally and the fact he was around so many kids, you must admit that it is odd only had was it two sexual assault charges laid against him, one that was due to a film shot and not a complaint as such.. That said I always thought he was an odd character..

Read above..

 

[Francis]

I think it puts the team in an unusual situation at contract negotiation time. Don't want to appear to let him go because of his lifestyle.

So if two or three guys come out he will no longer be the exception to the rule..

How will his lifestyle give him an edge..

How can someone ask for more money due to their lifestyle. Many gays work in jobs and have never used it as an excuse to get more money so precedent would already exist. The only thing he would be covering himself for are benefits for a partner, which more regular couples are entitled to..

 

[AUFred]

So if two or three guys come out he will no longer be the exception to the rule..

How will his lifestyle give him an edge..

How can someone ask for more money due to their lifestyle. Many gays work in jobs and have never used it as an excuse to get more money so precedent would already exist. The only thing he would be covering himself for are benefits for a partner, which more regular couples are entitled to..

His contract is coming up for renegotiation this year. That is why I mentioned it. Puts the team in a somewhat defensive position if they don't re-sign him.