First openly gay professional athlete comes out while still playing

[dangue]

The level of cynicism in this thread is disappointing. Without knowing anything about him, I'm willing to take him at his word (without evidence to the contrary).

Full disclosure: I used to HATE him when he played for Stanford (not on an individual level, but on a collective level reserved for athletes of rival schools).

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[BillD1984]

Shows you how much I've been paying attention....I thought he was still on the Celtics roster.

 

[BillD1984]

BTW, kudos to him.

I agree this is not "Jackie Robinson", but it is still a monumental moment.

 

[Teehar]

Only issue I have,why did he wait until he is practically out of the NBA to come out?Coming out when he was still kind of relevant,would give more merit to the word courageous.

 

[BillD1984]

Only issue I have,why did he wait until he is practically out of the NBA to come out?Coming out when he was still kind of relevant,would give more merit to the word courageous.

Definitely a valid point. I can see where one might question the timing, but then again I'm not a gay athlete with the perceived pressures that come with that.

 

[Rey]

Did you even read the statement he made? Being dismissive of the statement's expressed intent and adding cynicism to your interpretation of his motives ignores the courage that he is showing. There's a reason why there are no other active professional athletes that have come out.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

It would've been courage if he had done this at the start of his career.in todays society it's never been easier and more accepted to come out of the closet.even easier when there's no risk of damaging a career in the NBA that was pretty much over.

 

[Rey]

I fail to see how teams are going to fall over themselves to go after a 12-year veteran who's averaged 3.6 ppg and 3.8 rebounds, and hasn't even hit half those numbers in the last few years...

Of course you don't.because we've never seen an owner in sports make a similar move just to call attention to their organization. :-/
I'm not guaranteeing it's going to happen, just saying if it does it's only because of one reason.

 

[Ramy]

The only reason he did it was for publicity. He shouldn't have even been playing the last few years. He has never been any good.
I remember him playing for Stanford against Kentucky in the 1998 final four, but I don't remember how good he was in college.

 

[salsadancer7]

Great move to maybe revive a dead career for a guy who isn't any good and is getting old. Genius......

How? If you have good to great locker chemistry...now you bring in a stranger, where reporters will be invading the lockerroom for non-basketball related questions and soundbites...

This is Tebow-mania on steroids.

What GM is going to want to put that kind of pressure on the franchise and the players?

 

[salsadancer7]

......He most likely won't be on an active roster next season anyway.Not due to his coming out,due to his 12 seasons in the NBA.

On this I agree.

 

[salsadancer7]

Only issue I have,why did he wait until he is practically out of the NBA to come out?Coming out when he was still kind of relevant,would give more merit to the word courageous.

Because I think it was nowhere near a tolerated then as it is now. Many with disagree with the lifestyle, but as compared to 10 years ago, it is much more accepted.

 

[salsadancer7]

Shows you how much I've been paying attention....I thought he was still on the Celtics roster.

LMAO! Wake up will ya!

 

[salsadancer7]

Definitely a valid point. I can see where one might question the timing, but then again I'm not a gay athlete with the perceived pressures that come with that.

Imagine the pressure that he supposedly did not tell his twin brother.

 

[salsadancer7]

The only reason he did it was for publicity. He shouldn't have even been playing the last few years. He has never been any good.
I remember him playing for Stanford against Kentucky in the 1998 final four, but I don't remember how good he was in college.

He is a 7 footer that takes up alot of space and plays good defensive. Not very 7 footer that comes out of college will be do 20 and 10 in the NBA. 7 footers that don't trip over their feet will last a long time in the NBA so long as they stay healthy.

The are the MLB's answer to left handed relief pitchers. They are in the Majors forever.

Could publicity be a part of this...? Yeah, the ONLY reason..? That a stretch.

 

[Rey]

How? If you have good to great locker chemistry...now you bring in a stranger, where reporters will be invading the lockerroom for non-basketball related questions and soundbites...

This is Tebow-mania on steroids.

What GM is going to want to put that kind of pressure on the franchise and the players?

hey the jets did it. anyway,i ain't talking about how it would be for the team that decides to bring this guy in when i said it was genius. great move for HIM and his dead in the water career. before yesterday who the Hell was talking about this guy? no one....

 

[salsadancer7]

hey the jets did it. anyway,i ain't talking about how it would be for the team that decides to bring this guy in when i said it was genius. great move for HIM and his dead in the water career. before yesterday who the Hell was talking about this guy? no one....

The Jets did it for ONE year. There was resentment in that locker room, there was jealousy(of the attention) and the little cohesiveness that there was in the locker room COMPLETELY disappeared by years end.

Remember, we are talking about a office...this is were big macho guys change and shower together. To think anyone thinks this is easy.... or a ploy or a stunt, well, it sort of boggles the mind. But, very few think like me. I look at it this way, IF it was easy, everyone that is gay would have done it a LONG time ago.

 

[Rey]

that's why he didn't do it when he was with the nets

 

[salsadancer7]

that's why he didn't do it when he was with the nets

Correct because the NY media monster would have COMPLETELY concentrated on him being gay and not on him being a 7 foot center.

 

[Rey]

Correct because the NY media monster would have COMPLETELY concentrated on him being gay and not on him being a 7 foot center.

and because now he has nothing to lose. see what you just posted is what would've made it a courageous move. either way i couldn't care less what he or any other athlete does in their private life. i don't understand the need for these announcements on people's sexuality. i really don't need to know...... i have to stop now because i'm heading into a direction where this isn't the correct platform for it and don't care enough to continue. no offense to anyone, just dealing with some issues here at work so you guys have at it

 

[Ramy]

and because now he has nothing to lose. see what you just posted is what would've made it a courageous move. either way i couldn't care less what he or any other athlete does in their private life. i don't understand the need for these announcements on people's sexuality. i really don't need to know...... i have to stop now because i'm heading into a direction where this isn't the correct platform for it and don't care enough to continue. no offense to anyone, just dealing with some issues here at work so you guys have at it

This whole thread is borderline PIT worthy.