Jason Collins becomes the first openly gay player in major American pro sports

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Your tone seems to suggest you think he's making this up? You do realize that he admitted to having a fiancee in the SI article.




Stop dancing around what you want to say and just come out and say it already.

Check out the last big thread relating to homosexuality on CP for Badger Bob's "feelings" on this subject. I felt pretty digusted after reading his views.

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

It's not a huge deal in the States. The news media is obsessed with the issue, and those who give a flip about what "trends" on Twitter care about it.

I'm not saying that this is the case with you, but many people who claim not to care when someone comes out really mean "it makes me uncomfortable to hear about so he should have stayed in the closet." Would they be saying it's no big deal if Collins was celebrating a championship by giving his male partner a big affectionate hug while all the other players are giving their female partners big affectionate hugs? Maybe you would, but I strongly suspect that most would not.

Hopefully society gets to the point where no one has to come out of the closet because they never had to hide in the closet in the first place, but, until then, it is a big deal.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by gargamel

I'm not saying that this is the case with you, but many people who claim not to care when someone comes out really mean "it makes me uncomfortable to hear about so he should have stayed in the closet." .

That's exactly what this is.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Good man Leroy Butler

When Collins came out as gay on Tuesday, Butler tweeted, “Congrats to Jason Collins.” Those four words were enough to make the church decide that Butler lacks the morals to speak to its congregation.

Butler recounted on his verified Twitter account (@leap36 because he wore No. 36 and invented the Lambeau Leap) that he was informed he’s no longer welcome at the church because he dared to congratulate Collins.

“Wow, I was scheduled to speak at a church in WI, and a member said that the pastor wants to cancel my event. I said ok why? Then I was told, because I said congrats to Jason Collins on Twitter,” Butler wrote. “I said really? we have a contract, he said check the moral cause, FYI the fee was $8,500, then I was told if I removed the tweet, and apologize and ask god forgiveness, I can have the event. I said no, only god can judge.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...weet/#comments

[ernie]

Originally Posted by saskflames69

Yes but that's the South, where people are a different type of special.

No doubt. But I think it says something about where the US is in terms of progressiveness when there are still segregated proms and up until recently a state that hadn't officially outlawed slavery.

all this crap happens, people KNOW it happens yet what do they get upset over? The potential removal of automatic weapons from their homes. Priorities more often than not are completely backwards.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

It's not a huge deal in the States. The news media is obsessed with the issue, and those who give a flip about what "trends" on Twitter care about it.

Meanwhile, it turns out that he had a (female) fiance:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...6pLid%3D306510

Then, his own twin brother didn't know until recently?

Both of my siblings are gay, and I didn't know until they were 25 and 28 years old. One I suspected, since I found porn on a PC when he was younger, but there were zero indications for either otherwise.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Both of my siblings are gay, and I didn't know until they were 25 and 28 years old. One I suspected, since I found porn on a PC when he was younger, but there were zero indications for either otherwise.

Not to mention they haven't played on the same team for 10+ years. With travel schedule who knows how often they actually saw each other.

[Suave]

Dustin Penner ✔ @Dustinpenner25
Honestly I don't care if you are gay or straight as my teammate. As long as you don't listen to Nickelback. #courage

[Puppet Guy]

...aaaaaaaaaand now the Westboro Baptist Church decides to get in on the action:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...161904717.html

According to a press release from the Westboro Baptist Church, though, God does hate the NBA. And this edict is so significant that the church has announced plans to picket at both Wednesday’s Game 5 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, and Thursday’s Game 6 between the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. Apparently the Big Man Upstairs, according to the Westboro Baptist Church, is really ticked off at Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant for wagging his fist at the sky before telling reporters that if a free agent veteran center was “happy, that’s cool with me.”

and the "Church"'s announcement viat twitter (more NSFW for message, not content):

NSFW!

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by Suave

Dustin Penner ✔ @Dustinpenner25
Honestly I don't care if you are gay or straight as my teammate. As long as you don't listen to Nickelback. #courage

Dustin has to get into the media when his on-ice career is over...too funny

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Your tone seems to suggest you think he's making this up? You do realize that he admitted to having a fiancee in the SI article.

Not at all, but there is an issue of honesty, if he was with her for 8 years.

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by gargamel

I'm not saying that this is the case with you, but many people who claim not to care when someone comes out really mean "it makes me uncomfortable to hear about so he should have stayed in the closet." Would they be saying it's no big deal if Collins was celebrating a championship by giving his male partner a big affectionate hug while all the other players are giving their female partners big affectionate hugs? Maybe you would, but I strongly suspect that most would not.

Hopefully society gets to the point where no one has to come out of the closet because they never had to hide in the closet in the first place, but, until then, it is a big deal.

Actually, my attitude is "so what?" Nobody's preventing him from engaging in whatever activities he wants. Everybody knows that there are certain % of players in professional leagues, who are gay. The difference is that he publicly announced it.

Seeing as he's a role player, who's been with 6 different teams in 12 years, and is at the tail end of his career, he may not receive FA offers. Do you think teams will want to deal with the media circus for somebody who'd only play about 10 minutes/game?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

Not at all, but there is an issue of honesty, if he was with her for 8 years.

Well yeah, he was lying to her and probably to himself for all those years. That's unfortunately very common and hopefully something that doesn't happen as being homosexual becomes accepted.

Don't know why you brought it up though, don't get what your point was.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

Not at all, but there is an issue of honesty, if he was with her for 8 years.

Why not criticize some hetero partners who lie and prolong their relationships based on dishonesty? Also if anything this probably brings more closure on those 8 years for all parties involved, finally being able to talk about it and all. Our society improves when more people can feel free to live the way they want. Especially when the reasons against it in this case are matters so trvial that they boil down to adverse opinions from an imaginary deity or deities and their followers and ignorant folks who still do not understand that acceptance in no way has to effect them in any serious way.

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Well yeah, he was lying to her and probably to himself for all those years. That's unfortunately very common and hopefully something that doesn't happen as being homosexual becomes accepted.

Don't know why you brought it up though, don't get what your point was.

In your eyes, it must be all right that she was lied to about marriage, kids, etc. during her prime years.

He probably was a great teammate, like the Tweets say. Give the whole story then. Looks like the woman got screwed (pardon the pun). 8 years was long enough for him to decide and to have come clean, and it wasn't "society's fault."

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Why not criticize some hetero partners who lie and prolong their relationships based on dishonesty?

Start a thread on the topic, and I'll promise to return and post.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

In your eyes, it must be all right that she was lied to about marriage, kids, etc. during her prime years.

He probably was a great teammate, like the Tweets say. Give the whole story then. Looks like the woman got screwed (pardon the pun). 8 years was long enough for him to decide and to have come clean, and it wasn't "society's fault."

Actually it sucks, it's a crappy situation. I didn't say it's okay, I just said it sucks and is, unfortunately, understandable.

It's an odd thing to focus on during all this though.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Mmmm, I dunno about that. I mean I agree with your comments about the south and the midwest, and the division of power in the US that gives states more say to their governance than provinces up here. But to say there were places in the US ahead of Canada, I'm not so sure.

The biggest one I could think of was LA, and even California defeated equal rights marriage by referendum a few years ago.

Even conservative Canada is often more liberal than liberal America as has been noted several times on this board.

I agree you can't paint everyone with the same brush, but I am pretty confident that even on average we've been ahead of the curve on this one. Heck, even when you look at it worldwide we were the third or fourth country to legalize gay marriage.

NYC says HI!!!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by ernie

I know it seems to be not a big deal to many of us, but geez there is a story today on CNN about a school in Georgia that is having their first non-segregated prom. It had to be put on by the students themselves. This is a big deal and kudos to Collins for his bravery and honesty.

As had every previous prom, they have never been school operated. It's great that the students took the step to change things, but this was never a result of any school policies.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by ernie

No doubt. But I think it says something about where the US is in terms of progressiveness when there are still segregated proms and up until recently a state that hadn't officially outlawed slavery.

all this crap happens, people KNOW it happens yet what do they get upset over? The potential removal of automatic weapons from their homes. Priorities more often than not are completely backwards.

What?