Gay in the NBA

[sergechronos]

Not that this is significant either, but at age 34, Jason Collins is likely on the verge of retirement; he was the 18th pick in the first round of the NBA draft in 2001, so he's been around a long time.

Before his announcement the other day, I had no clue who he was - wouldn't have recognized his name to save my ass.

He also averaged like 3ppg and 3rebounds for his career lol Not exactly a super star.

[j2k4]

which is precisely why i feel navritalova's coming out was a much bigger ordeal. when it happened, the USA was in the beginning stages of AIDS panic. that's pretty heavy stuff.

Well, Thadd, what we have here is an imperative to subordinate the supremely significant issue of openly gay athletes to the by-God NBA, which is infinitely more important.

Frankly neither the issue of gay athletes or the entity referred to as the NBA matters a whole helluva lot - there are still kids starving in India, aren't there?

[IPD]

i couldn't really care less about the NBA. openly gay athletes aren't news. Not after Greg Louganis. or Navritalova. or (to cite a more recent example) Megan Rapinoe.

[Echo419]

i couldn't really care less about the NBA. openly gay athletes aren't news. Not after Greg Louganis. or Navritalova. or (to cite a more recent example) Megan Rapinoe.

lets be realistic. when was the last time a female athelete came out as a gehy and anyone didn't see it coming(pun intended)? at least with most dudes it isn't like, "wow he likes to blow dudes? never saw that coming(again)" until he starts "gehying it up" and becoming a guest judge on Ru Pauls drag race show.

this is nothing short of a brilliant career move for this guy. his career is about over anyways so he has a couple of options. he can try to get another contract when the time comes. if he doesn't get one or even gets a crummy offer he(or at least the media) can blame it on discrimination. imagine that, a black complaining about being discriminated against in the NBA. I know the notion itself sounds about insane and that's what makes it so possible. he can also retire when his contract is up, do tours speaking to various groups/functions/universities and probably land a tv gig to get the "gehy perspective" and the network can kill the proverbial 2 "minorities" with one stone.

Mutha F*cking Genius I say.

[IPD]

that's too true. and also fucking pathetic. racism (or any "ism" for that matter) only exists in the minds of people who want to keep scapegoating their personal failures.

[HilbillyHomeboy]

I do find it oddly peculiar concerning the timing of the announcement. Hmm, dude is old (by NBA standards), and is now a free agent. And he just so happens to come out...now. Smells very calculated.

I thought we were supposed to be aspiring for equality? How does declaring you're "different" help to bring people together? Why does it need to be screamed from the mountaintops? WHO CARES? Last I checked, Collins is a member of the human race, and that's all I need to know about him. When I first saw this story I gave it about 2.5 seconds of attention...oh, this guy's gay...scroll scroll scroll.

Jeremy

[Echo419]

I do find it oddly peculiar concerning the timing of the announcement. Hmm, dude is old (by NBA standards), and is now a free agent. And he just so happens to come out...now. Smells very calculated.

I thought we were supposed to be aspiring for equality? How does declaring you're "different" help to bring people together? Why does it need to be screamed from the mountaintops? WHO CARES? Last I checked, Collins is a member of the human race, and that's all I need to know about him. When I first saw this story I gave it about 2.5 seconds of attention...oh, this guy's gay...scroll scroll scroll.

Jeremy

equality in America means given an advantage over white hetero males

[stealthee]

I do find it oddly peculiar concerning the timing of the announcement. Hmm, dude is old (by NBA standards), and is now a free agent. And he just so happens to come out...now. Smells very calculated.

I thought we were supposed to be aspiring for equality? How does declaring you're "different" help to bring people together? Why does it need to be screamed from the mountaintops? WHO CARES? Last I checked, Collins is a member of the human race, and that's all I need to know about him. When I first saw this story I gave it about 2.5 seconds of attention...oh, this guy's gay...scroll scroll scroll.

Jeremy

Exactly how I feel. If you want to come out to your family, fine, but there isn't a need to announce it to the world. I have zero issues with gays, my cousin is gay and we are still very close and his sexuality is a non issue. He's out there in the world trying to make a difference with his education and skill set, not using his sexual preference as a manipulation tool. Why should anyone else be any different?

[j2k4]

I bothers me a bit to say this, but I'll bet in the fullness of time someone is going to accord him a status similar to that of Jackie Robinson or Martin Luther King, and a seat in the pantheon of greatest-ever human-beings will be reserved on Wikipedia.

Call me a cynic, feel free.

[Vantage]

I bothers me a bit to say this, but I'll bet in the fullness of time someone is going to accord him a status similar to that of Jackie Robinson or Martin Luther King, and a seat in the pantheon of greatest-ever human-beings will be reserved on Wikipedia.

Call me a cynic, feel free.

I bet he's forgotten before the month's out.