Coming Out As An Athlete

Today was a milestone for Gay Athletes.  Jason Collins, an active NBA player has come out. It’s also a milestone for the Major Sports Leagues.  We get to see, if only briefly, how they’ll react to a Gay teammate.

There has been much reaction to this news, but it generally falls into the following categories:

The Positive Overreaction –

“GAY PLAYER! ALL WALLS ARE TUMBLING DOWN! IT’S A NEW DAY!  GAY PRIDE!”

The Negative Overreaction -

“GAY PLAYER NO, JESUS YES, NO GAY PLAYERS BAD. THANK YOU.”

The Correct Reaction-

“Jason Collins still plays?”

Which is of course the issue.  Jason Collins sucks.  So, while he may be in the market for a new contract, he may not get one.  Not because he’s gay, but because he’s been worth 8 minutes and 1 point a game for the last few years.  So very quickly we may no longer have an “active” player who is out.  At least in the NBA.

 

The NFL’s Brendan Ayanbadejo, outspoken supporter of Gay Marriage and Equality, has been in the news lately regarding the potential of several current NFL players to come out of the closet.  At first it seemed as if he had a group of four players ready to make the announcement together but he clarified his position:

“No, actually, what it is is, is there are organizations I’m in contact with, and there are individuals I’m in contact with and collectively we know of some gay players. And these players, some of them are anonymous, some of them we know who they are, but their identity is super secret and nobody wants to reveal who they are, and some of them don’t want to reveal who they are, rightfully so because it’s entirely up to them what they are going to do,” Ayanbadejo said, via Outsports.

“What we want to facilitate is getting them all together so they can lean on each other, so they can have a support group. And potentially it’s possible, it’s fathomable, that they could possibly do something together, break a story together.”

 

Much of this stems from comments Chris Culluver, San Francisco 49ers CB, made to Artie Lange about gay teammates.  (EDITORS NOTE – Because what did we expect them to discuss, North Korean Diplomacy?)

 

We shouldn’t even be having this conversation.  First of all, every NFL player has absolutely and without a doubt had many gay teammates.  They have had gay teammates on Offense at one point in their life.  They have had gay teammates on Defense at one point in their life.  THEY ALL HAVE A GAY TEAMMATE NOW.  And Chris Culliver plays in San Francisco - one of the Gay-Friendliest cities on the planet.

 

Second of all, sexuality is the only thing you are supposed to hide.  Victor Cruz is not a closeted Hispanic.  He is hispanic.  Roddy White is not open about his being black.  He is black.  And no one gives a shit.

Whomever a player wants to have sex with is irrelevant.  Players being open about their sexuality doesn’t affect their performance.

 

Third of all there seems to be this heterosexual arrogance.  That if a Gay Player was on a team then that means that player would run around trying to screw every player possible because the straight players are just too attractive..  That if a Gay Player was in film study he wouldn’t be able to concentrate because their’s so much dude around.  That a Gay Player would just lose his mind if he changed with the straight players because it’s just opportunity aplenty.

This is completely ridiculous.  Straight men aren’t attracted to every woman any more than Gay Men are to every man.  Somehow, any gay player will manage to be a professional.  Do you know how I know this?  BECAUSE THEY ALREADY ARE PROFESSIONALS!  ESPN hasn’t has a frontpage story about how some Safety in training camp went completely apeshit and tried to screw the entire Special Teams Unit.  Ever.  And they never will.  Because gay players, who already are in the league, can manage to be professionals.

 

Most of all, the average dummy that actually has an issue with gay players,  just doesn’t understand football.  Or Gay People.

This is what a typical NFL play will look like, with Gay Players.

(NOT FEATURED: Debauchery, Depravity or a Pass Rush)

 

And this is what knuckleheads think Gay Players will do to the NFL and sports:

(NOT FEATURED: Football)

 

For the four players that are willing to come out to have real impact, not just in our popular culture, but in the sports culture,  there are a few major conditions that have to be met.

They need superstar support.

As Manning, Brees, Rodgers and Brady go, so shall go the league.  It doesn’t matter what team the players are on, those four will be asked their opinion.  And their words must be measured and positive.  They will set the tone for the rest of the league.  Sure there is going to be someone saying something dumb, but those four, along with others must strongly rebuke it.

The star support must go away.

After a few weeks they must make it clear that it is no longer an issue and refuse to talk about it.  If it isn’t an issue then we will be forced to move on to a new topic.  And the Gay Players can just play.

They have to be good.

It is unfair but these players must all be full timers who are not in danger of being cut.  It is unfair because about 25% of all players can be cut any given moment.  There are plenty of below average players in the NFL.  But these 4 can’t be in that category.  If the four players are all fringe players who are brought up and cut with any form of regularity then it will only seem like a PR stunt.  If they are all vetereans near retirment then it will seem like a marketing ploy or audition for an analyst job.  At least one of them has to be a full time starter and their should be at least one Pro-Bowl.  That will give them legitimacy as players.  It will be very hard to minimalize the players if they have a history of success.

They have to continue being good. 

The media circus will be huge.  They must be able to continue playing well despite all the attention.  If they can’t mantain a high level of play they will be called selfish and rightfully so.   If they come out and all of a sudden can’t cover anybody, it only fuels the Cullivers.  They know the ramifications of this action and must be strong enough to rise above the media din.  The greatest way for them to make any sort of stand is to not be “great gay football players.”  but simply “good football players.”

They must understand that there will be nothing inherently fair about this, but still must have dignity.

Chad Ochocinco couldn’t create seperation.  Terrell Owens couldn’t catch.  Chaz Schilens is Chaz Schilens.  That’s why two of them are unemployed and one can’t crack the starting lineup on the Jets.  Marvin McNutt was a standout at Iowa who can barely get off the practice squad in Philly.  There are plenty, PLENTY of guys in the NFL who make mistakes and PLENTY of guys in the NFL who just plain stink.  And that’s part of life.

Except it isn’t a part of life for a gay player.  See they don’t get to make mistakes.  When Chris Cooley drops a gimme in the End Zone, he has bad hands.  When Santonio Holmes drops a sure TD, took his eye off the ball.  If Steve Johnson drops a great pass, he just misplayed it.  But when a gay player makes that same mistake, it’s not because he had a momentary loss of focus, or because he overran the route, or even couldn’t believe he was that open.

When a gay player makes that same mistake, it will be because he’s a fag.  I hate that word, but it’s going to get tossed around at them.  A lot.  And angrily.  And they can’t say anything about it.  They can’t answer back at any of the hateful things that will be hurled at them.  They have to be above it.

One positive to come of this is that the entire team will rally around to protect one of their own.  That’s the most important thing.  He will be one of their own.  He won’t have to react to someone saying something vile because he’ll have 50 other guys who’ll react for him.  Just like they would for any other teammate.  Because that’s all any of these players want.  To be treated like any other teammate.

 

Most Importantly, when I call Tom Brady a cocksucker, I want to make sure I’m insulting him and not offending him.

(editors note:  The majority of this article was written a prior to Jason Collins’ coming out.  Though it will begin with Jason Collins and move onto the NFL, I sincerely believe that the ultimate points made about the gay players stand for ALL sports and athletes.)

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To contact Carlo, or any AFRSports Columnist, please E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

 

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