Jason Collins

[LA ump]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9223657/jason-collins-first-openly-gay-active-player

 

 

When do you think an active openly gay baseball player will come out?

[cyclonehokiece]

Who cares, I don't get why people are getting all up in arms about this.  So what if he is gay, you are not to discriminate.

[mjr_2013]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9223657/jason-collins-first-openly-gay-active-player

 

 

When do you think an active openly gay baseball player will come out?

 

Within the next couple years, very possibly sometime in the 2013-2014 offseason... I kind of expected baseball and basketball to be the first sports to have multiple openly gay athletes, just due to the sports not being full contact sports... Hockey and football will probably be less accepting, and we will probably hear terrible stories when it does happen, particularily in football.

Who cares, I don't get why people are getting all up in arms about this.  So what if he is gay, you are not to discriminate.

 

I've heard more acceptance and cheering for this as a milestone of sorts than jeers.

[cyclonehokiece]

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9223657/jason-collins-first-openly-gay-active-player

 

 

When do you think an active openly gay baseball player will come out?

 

Within the next couple years, very possibly sometime in the 2013-2014 offseason... I kind of expected baseball and basketball to be the first sports to have multiple openly gay athletes, just due to the sports not being full contact sports... Hockey and football will probably be less accepting, and we will probably hear terrible stories when it does happen, particularily in football.

Who cares, I don't get why people are getting all up in arms about this.  So what if he is gay, you are not to discriminate.

 

I've heard more acceptance and cheering for this as a milestone of sorts than jeers.

 

My point is you are already playing with him, he is already in the league, why make an issue of it? We are to be a non-discriminatory society, I think the media is blowing this up way too much.  So he is gay? Ok, moving on.

[JHSump]

Of course, openly gay athletes should not be a big deal at all, and it is quite likely that there are already gay professional athletes in all sports.  No big deal.

 

I heard a discussion on a radio program about openly gay athletes from the athletes perspective.  The guy being interviewed had been studying this in detail (interviews, etc.).

 

What I found most interesting about what this guy was saying: Despite what some may think, professional football players are much more accepting of gay football players than are professional baseball players.  And the guy had a good understanding of why: most professional football players have gone to college where they were exposed to a much greater diversity of people than they had interacted with in high school.  He even said the professional football players were more accepting of gay athletes than the professional coaches and administration.  On the other hand, many professional baseball players did not go to college, and furthermore, many professional baseball players are of Hispanic background, which can be intolerant of gays.

 

Of course, generalizations are not always correct for individuals.  But he said the statistics of his studies showed these statements to be generally true of football players, football coaches, and baseball players.

 

I had not thought about it, but his discussion made some sense.

[JHSump]

Check out an ESPN survey:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8465169/anonymous-athletes-give-views-presidential-election-social-issues-sports-gambling-espn-magazine

 

The related question, "Should the US legalize gay marriage?" received "yes" votes by 92.3% of NHL players polled, while 45% of MLB players voted "yes."     61.5% of NFL players voted yes.

 

NHL players, like NFL players, will probably me more accepting of gay teammates than MLB players. I would guess.

 

NBA players voted similarly to MLB players.

[cyclonehokiece]

Check out an ESPN survey:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8465169/anonymous-athletes-give-views-presidential-election-social-issues-sports-gambling-espn-magazine

 

The related question, "Should the US legalize gay marriage?" received "yes" votes by 92.3% of NHL players polled, while 45% of MLB players voted "yes."     61.5% of NFL players voted yes.

 

NHL players, like NFL players, will probably me more accepting of gay teammates than MLB players. I would guess.

 

NBA players voted similarly to MLB players.

Your numbers are not surprising at all.  A great percentage of NHL players are Canadian, and Canada legalized same sex marriage in 2005.  A lot of NHL players don't go to college, but I think they come from places where it is more acceptable.

[JHSump]

 

Check out an ESPN survey:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8465169/anonymous-athletes-give-views-presidential-election-social-issues-sports-gambling-espn-magazine

 

The related question, "Should the US legalize gay marriage?" received "yes" votes by 92.3% of NHL players polled, while 45% of MLB players voted "yes."     61.5% of NFL players voted yes.

 

NHL players, like NFL players, will probably me more accepting of gay teammates than MLB players. I would guess.

 

NBA players voted similarly to MLB players.

Your numbers are not surprising at all.  A great percentage of NHL players are Canadian, and Canada legalized same sex marriage in 2005.  A lot of NHL players don't go to college, but I think they come from places where it is more acceptable.

 

 

That makes sense.

[CentralOhioUmp30]

I would think MLB would be more conservative than the other leagues.

I don't really understand why people in the public spotlight feel the need to come out publicly (I mean Collins did tell his family, who else matters?), but that's neither here nor there I guess.

Lastly, I'm tired of people tossing around words like "courageous" and "brave" to describe events that require no bravery or courage. Soldiers risking their loves to protect our country are brave. Law enforcement officers chasing and apprehending armed terrorists are brave. A mediocre NBA basketball player coming out of the closet after 12 seasons is not even close to brave or courageous IMO. I mean, the guy probably won't even play in the league next year, so announcing this doesn't really have an effect on anyone else, and it certainly doesn't make the transition any easier for currently gay players in the NBA who still have careers to look forward to.

I don't mean to offend anyone. Just a little on edge hearing those words tossed around (especially by the President) like they don't mean anything anymore.

[Umpire in Chief]

Someone else already said it but there have been gays in all levels of all sports since the beginning, the only difference is now society has become accepting. 

 

I don't think it is as big a deal because he is gay but he is being open. 

[JHSump]

Of course, openly gay athletes should not be a big deal at all, and it is quite likely that there are already gay professional athletes in all sports.  No big deal.

 

I heard a discussion on a radio program about openly gay athletes from the athletes perspective.  The guy being interviewed had been studying this in detail (interviews, etc.).

 

What I found most interesting about what this guy was saying: Despite what some may think, professional football players are much more accepting of gay football players than are professional baseball players.  And the guy had a good understanding of why: most professional football players have gone to college where they were exposed to a much greater diversity of people than they had interacted with in high school.  He even said the professional football players were more accepting of gay athletes than the professional coaches and administration.  On the other hand, many professional baseball players did not go to college, and furthermore, many professional baseball players are of Hispanic background, which can be intolerant of gays.

 

Of course, generalizations are not always correct for individuals.  But he said the statistics of his studies showed these statements to be generally true of football players, football coaches, and baseball players.

 

I had not thought about it, but his discussion made some sense.

 

 

 

I found the radio interview I was referring to above.  It's at:

 

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=162862945&m=162864601

[tldavis19]

I've found that having the news shove this in my face at every turn has been more of an issue with me than him actually coming out. If he wants to be gay let him, but don't shove it in my face every day while I'm trying to find my Rays scores. Just because he's a professional athlete doesn't mean I give a crap. This is why I don't watch national news.

[mstaylor]

First I don't care that he is gay. Two, I don't even know who he is, and I don't care about the either. Third it's the NBA and I really don't care about that. As I always say,"The reason they have play-offs in the NBA is to let everyone know when that crap is done!"

[sdix00]

I disagree that it isn't a big deal.  

 

Shouldn't matter and doesn't matter are two different things     There is no way a gay athlete gets a fair shake these days, but folks who come out make it a little easier for gay athletes to get a fair shot.    And once the gay athletes get their fair shot, that makes it easier on the gay student athlete. 

 

I do like that the conversation has shifted from "Gays shouldn't [insert freedom here]" to  "Who cares.  Just stop talking about it."   Even Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly are making noises about giving up that fight.   

 

We're done talking about it, coach.  Let's play. 

[bam]

As an aside, how about the 4 letter network protecting its brand by distancing itself from their NBA analyst giving his analysis?  I don't know his name, as I can't stand basketball, but he's a high-profile guy.

 

Seriously, what producer is looking for a new job after putting THAT on the air?

[Pete Peterson Sr]

I've found that having the news shove this in my face at every turn has been more of an issue with me than him actually coming out. If he wants to be gay let him, but don't shove it in my face every day while I'm trying to find my Rays scores. Just because he's a professional athlete doesn't mean I give a crap. This is why I don't watch national news.

 How is the media coverage of Collins "coming out" any different to that of Tiger Woods having multiple affairs while married ?

[mstaylor]

Other than an another huge case of who cares journalism, I'm not sure. I don't see where either is worthy of anything more than a mention. Tiger was a bit more of a story simply because his wife beat the bricks off of his car.

[tldavis19]

 

I've found that having the news shove this in my face at every turn has been more of an issue with me than him actually coming out. If he wants to be gay let him, but don't shove it in my face every day while I'm trying to find my Rays scores. Just because he's a professional athlete doesn't mean I give a crap. This is why I don't watch national news.

 How is the media coverage of Collins "coming out" any different to that of Tiger Woods having multiple affairs while married ?

 

Its not different. I felt the same way about that.

[mstaylor]

Tiger had the "accident" plus he was held to such a high level of respect, both as a player and a person, that his fall from grace was from Mt Olympus to Hades in a day. Jason Collins was a huge, so what, for me both because I don't care if he is gay, plus I have never heard of him.