Report: Gay NFL player "strongly considers" coming out

[chrisspringob]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/mi...er-to-come-out

Based on interviews over the past several weeks with current and former players, I'm told that a current gay NFL player is strongly considering coming out publicly within the next few months -- and after doing so, the player would attempt to continue his career.

I'm told this player feels the time is now for someone to take this step -- despite homophobic remarks from San Francisco 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver and the controversy arising recently at the Indianapolis Scouting combine, when prospects were asked questions about their sexuality.

This player's true concern, I'm told, is not the reaction inside an NFL locker room but outside of it. The player fears he will suffer serious harm from homophobic fans, and that is the only thing preventing him from coming out. My sources will not say who this alleged player is.

[RoJoHen]

I can't wait for the day when a person's sexuality stops being news.

[gblews]

chrisspringob wrote:

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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/mi...er-to-come-out

I hope this player does go through with it. I have a feeling it may not be as bad as he thinks it might be. Now if this were 20 to 30 years ago, that would be different but today -- I think the fans would accept it, the players too. With respect to those two groups, I just don't think it would be a problem.

However, if it is a high profile player, one who has endorsement deals, that could be a problem. Sponsors tend to shy away from ANY controvesies no matter the nature of the controversey.

[TheSeeker]

RoJoHen wrote:

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I can't wait for the day when a person's sexuality stops being news.

I just hope that day arrives in my lifetime.

[JarodRussell]

As long as sports teams are segregated into male and female only, you can't expect homosexuals to be treated properly.

Sports are not separated because males are stronger than females. That might be true in some cases, but it's bullshit in general. It's all just an extension of the fact that we don't allow school sports to be mixed because the little ones might see the private places of their class mates of the opposite gender. If a boy turns out to be homosexual, do you put him into the girls classes from now on?

We treat sex/gender wrongly in general. That's the basic problem. Homosexual males are "weird girly men", and that's negative. Where do you think that idea comes from? It stems from the basic idea that women are inferior to men. So homosexuals are inferior as well.

A lesbian athlete doesn't even have the same problem. It's only male gays that have to fear to become outcasts.

[Scout101]

No progress on this one, eh? Think it's time, I can't really see it being the disaster that it would have been 10-15 years ago. People (celebrities) come out all the time now, and it's not much of a big deal. Athletes are one of the last holdouts there.

Maybe it's Mark Sanchez, and the ass-fumble wasn't just a hilarious accident?

[chrisspringob]

Update:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,5781613.story

Ayanbadejo, who was given recognition along with Kluwe from former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue at the event Thursday night, predicted that more than one player may come out as gay during their playing career. Ayanbadejo said the groundwork is being laid to reduce the pressure on such a player, and said as many as four players could conceivably come out simultaneously.

"I think it will happen sooner than you think," Ayanbadejo said. "We're in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now and they're trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.

[1001001]

Not an NFL player, but an NBA player:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...154043515.html