http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#ixzz2Rrh8O559

Shocking.


Any word on Richard Jefferson yet?

No surprise here. You would have to think the truth with RJ and Luke Walton will surface at some point.

ditto Reggie Miller

And Chris Bosh for getting dunked on by Hostile_Aggie

Huge fans of both, but I always suspected Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley.

Dwight and Bosh

dirk

Glad he came out. Hopefully it'll go a long ways to reducing any hostility towards gay professional athletes to the extent that one day today's seminal event is a non-story.

hostility towards gay professional athletes?

Someday, we'll look back and laugh at how aghast we were at the Spurs/San Antonio Zoo animal "controversy".

What professional gay athletes have faced hostility?

OK Tebow - it is now time for you to come out as well

SuperDave - I'm referring to comments like those Tim Hardaway made in the past and the NFL player (forgot his name) who said they wouldn't want a gay teammate

Tim Hardaway, NBA, retired: “First of all, I wouldn’t want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don’t think that is right. I don’t think he should be in the locker room while we are in the locker room. …

You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people … I’m homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States. …

If you have 12 other ballplayers in your locker room that’s upset and can’t concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it’s going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate.”


Ray Allen, NBA, Seattle Supersonics: “You don’t want to know that there is somebody in your locker room and you are not aware of it. And maybe you had to be careful being where you put yourself in a situation where you might get hit on by a teammate.”

Shavlik Randolph, NBA, Philadelphia 76ers: “As long as you don’t bring your gayness on me I’m fine … As far as business-wise, I’m sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker-room.”

LeBron James, NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers: “With teammates you have to be trustworthy and if you’re gay and you’re not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy … You’ve heard of the in-room, locker-room code. What happens in the locker-room stays in there. It’s a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor.”

If I'm a fan of a team, all I care about is if the guy can play. This guy is a testament to the lack of big men (no pun intended) in the league. It is amazing that he could hang around for 11 years with his stats.

As far as the decision to come out...Not much risk at this point in his career.

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I'm referring to comments like those Tim Hardaway made in the past and the NFL player (forgot his name) who said they wouldn't want a gay teammate

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****ing hostile, man

So what? The guy is "gay". That is his problem, not mine. I dont care.

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As long as you don’t bring your gayness on me I’m fine...

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I LOL'ed.

Maybe I am being too skeptical, but I think all of these athlets who are all of a sudden coming out are one of two things...
(1) they are being paid to come out by some pro-gay organization, similar to the magic johnson HIV conspiracy theory, or (2) more likely, crappy players who are at the end of their career are coming out so that they can sue the NBA for discrimination when they do not get signed by a team (when in reality don't get signed bc they are crappy, old players but they will declare it is because teams are discriminating).

I'm not saying Collins is or isn't gay, but I think it is definitely possible he is coming out now (he is a free agent and I'd be surprised if anyone wanted him) so he can declare discrimination when he doesn't get a job.

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So what? The guy is "gay". That is his problem, not mine. I dont care.

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What if he brings his gayness on you?

he can totally prove that he's gay

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(1) they are being paid to come out by some pro-gay organization, similar to the magic johnson HIV conspiracy theory, or (2) more likely, crappy players who are at the end of their career are coming out so that they can sue the NBA for discrimination when they do not get signed by a team (when in reality don't get signed bc they are crappy, old players but they will declare it is because teams are discriminating).

I'm not saying Collins is or isn't gay, but I think it is definitely possible he is coming out now (he is a free agent and I'd be surprised if anyone wanted him) so he can declare discrimination when he doesn't get a job.

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The man averaged 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game on teams that needed big man help. I don't think he would have much of a case. Boston didn't have a single player average 8RPG this year. Washington had Okefor and Nene, but neither averaged 30mpg and neither had incredible seasons.

Hahaha

already getting good

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LeBron James, NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers: “With teammates you have to be trustworthy and if you’re gay and you’re not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy … You’ve heard of the in-room, locker-room code. What happens in the locker-room stays in there. It’s a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor.”

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Good point.

and

I would not want to be dressing/undressing in front of a 7' tall gay man. It would generally be considered unwise. Call me homophobic if you want.

Yea, I don't understand how that would make someone homophobic if they didn't want a gay player in the locker room. To me, that is the same as a WNBA player saying they would not want to share a locker room with a straight male. Noone would call them a sexist for not wanting to do this. I don't think it is unreasonable for a male athlete to not want to share a locker room and get undressed with a gay man. I know I wouldn't.

This is totally different than saying I would never play with a gay athlete, talk to him, etc. But I understand people not wanting to be in the locker room with him, at least the part of the locker room where players dress, take showers, etc.

lebron needs to check his privilege

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LeBron James, NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers: “With teammates you have to be trustworthy and if you’re gay and you’re not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy … You’ve heard of the in-room, locker-room code. What happens in the locker-room stays in there. It’s a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor.”

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It bums me out that Lebron said that. I really like him.

Hvaing played sports all my life and being a gay man, the locker room actually stressed me out a lot. I went out of my way to not look at anyone out of fear of violating someone. It was my own guilt, I would be devastated if anyone ever felt uncomfortable by me.

I am sure Jason Collins treated it the same way, but can't speak for all gay athletes.

Didn't John Ameachi already come out in the NBA before? I guess the difference is that Collins is stealing a paycheck from the Wizards.

It's a miracle that he's played in the league this long. Has NOTHING to do with his sexuality, he just sucks. He might be the worst player in the history of the NBA finals.

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It bums me out that Lebron said that. I really like him.

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Because he doesn't like being lied to?

Please explain.

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Hvaing played sports all my life and being a gay man, the locker room actually stressed me out a lot. I went out of my way to not look at anyone out of fear of violating someone. It was my own guilt, I would be devastated if anyone ever felt uncomfortable by me.

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Not anyone's fault but yours. They have the right to not be ogled.

None of it is anyone's fault. I am just saying that I doubt most gay athletes would ever wnat to infringe on their teammates. If personally gives me the creeps.

I guess in a perfect world everyone should clearly state their sexuality without retribution. We dont' live in that world.