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Topic: Gay Athletes

Sven
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 9972

posted 15 February 2007 09:55 PM

I guess Tim Hardaway seems to think that an athlete can't be a "real" athlete if the person is gay.

It's so sad that Amaechi felt like he couldn't come out while he was still a player. It's got to be gawd awful to be a pro athlete and gay, particuarly with arseholes like Hardaway around.

(sigh)

From: Eleutherophobics of the World...Unite!!!!! | Registered: Jul 2005 | IP: Logged

Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050

posted 15 February 2007 10:17 PM

Well, he is ever so eloquent. Uh, you know. Them there gayz being in the locker room...

Although it was genuinely good that the commissioner actually stepped in.

From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

Dr. Whom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13844

posted 16 February 2007 06:43 AM

But with guys like that (and I'm sure Hardaway is far from the only guy with those opinions in the NBA), it's no wonder that this guy didn't want to come out while he was still playing. I remember seeing a show with a former NFL footballer player who kept his sexuality hidden for his entire career too.

I obviously never got anywhere close to that level of athleticism, but I played a lot of sports in high school and there is definitely a culture there that would make gay people very uncomfortable. A lot of taunting between opposing players on the field with gay epithets being the choice insults. I also remember once when we weren't doing so well, getting a pep talk from the coach (who doubled as the math teacher), encouraging us to "quit acting like a bunch of fags out there."

From: Toronto | Registered: Feb 2007 | IP: Logged

Catchfire
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4019

posted 16 February 2007 07:11 AM

quote:
Later that night, Hardaway apologized during a telephone interview with WSVN-TV in Miami.
"Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that," he said. "That was my mistake."

What a monster. This reminds me of my mother telling me to apologize when I was nine:

"You called your sister stupid. Apologize."
"I'm sorry you're stupid."

His mistake was "saying" that he was a homophobic asshole. Not that he was.

[ 16 February 2007: Message edited by: Catchfire ]

From: On the heather | Registered: Apr 2003 | IP: Logged

dgrollins
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5268

posted 16 February 2007 07:36 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Sven:
I guess Tim Hardaway seems to think that an athlete can't be a "real" athlete if the person is gay.
It's so sad that Amaechi felt like he couldn't come out while he was still a player. It's got to be gawd awful to be a pro athlete and gay, particuarly with arseholes like Hardaway around.
(sigh)

In men's team sports there have been five athletes come out after they retired. Having covered team sport from the trenches, I suspect that it would be very difficult to come out when playing--in some sports it would actually be dangerous.

I don't think it would be much different in female sport either. Stand on the sidelines of a competitive female sport and you will find that the most common insult thrown about is 'dyke.' You would also be shocked at how common that it is thrown around.

I heard the Hardaway interview on the Fan 590 (Toronto) yesterday. The morning show replayed it. One thing that pleasantly surprised me was that the sports jock immediately challenged him and didn't pull punches. "You do know that what you just said was homophobic, right?" is what he said, to which Hardaway replied "Well, I'm a Homophobic person."

Following the interview, the morning show host on The fan said that he would immediately "get angry" if someone said that in an interview he was conducting. The attitude Hardaway displayed is being challenged and consistently challenged.

And, although they may just be saying the "right thing" to stay out of trouble most of the NBA response has been like this from the Phoenix Suns James Jones:

quote:

I can't tell you how I would react,” Jones said. “I know it would be uncomfortable, it'd be difficult. But man, that's life. Life is about adapting and being tolerant.

I know that the above isn't a perfect answer, and one that may not satisfy some on here, but it is an honest answer that isn't hate-filled. It's an answer you probably would have got to the question 'What would you do if you found out that someone you work with is gay' in 1988. I think that's about how far pro sports is behind the rest of society in this regard.

From: Toronto | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

gadar
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13436

posted 16 February 2007 03:35 PM

And then there are people like Doc Rivers (Boston Celtics) coach who called Amaechi to express his support. And Andrei Kirilenko (Utah Jazz player, and former teammate) who ,acccording to Amaechi, invited him and his patner to a party when they were playing together. Amaechi had not declared then but Kirilenko somehow understood it.

And there are people like Tim Haardaway, who are glad that they have their rights but have a problem respecting other peoples rights.

From: BC | Registered: Nov 2006 | IP: Logged

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