Comments on: Former College Football Team Captain was Openly Gay

By: Kobe's Slur Indicative of a Backwards, Ignorant Subculture | Chicago Sports Guru

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:09:12 +0000

[...] -Look first at Brian Sims, a very successful division II college football star. He came out during the season; and his teammates embraced him. Read our three-part interview, to learn more about how many people have been inspired by his courageous example. [...]

By: Paul M. Banks: My Beef with Kobe | aControlledSubstance.com

Paul M. Banks: My Beef with Kobe | aControlledSubstance.com — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:29:05 +0000

[...] him. Read our three-part interview, to learn more about how many people have been inspired by his courageous example. Then look at the fact that The Stanley Cup made an appearance in last summer’s Pride Parade. [...]

By: paulmbanks

paulmbanks — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:39:38 +0000

Jake, that’s a solid theory about baseball possibly being the first sport…I guess football would probably be the final one because of the high level of interdepdence. I still say it will be basketball, because John Amaeachi has been sort of a bridge, and the main target demographics that consume the NBA would be more sympathetic to player from a group struggling to acquire equal rights, being simply that much of the NBA’s audience unfortunately has experience being discriminated against and encountering bigotry

By: paulmbanks

paulmbanks — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:36:19 +0000

I would definitely agree that it’s going to take somebody who’s really established themsleves both on the field/court as a performer and away from the game as a marketable personality to come out of the closet. Shaq is a good example, I don’t think he would lose many fans if that happened. Mark Cuban has been very outspoken about saying he wants the first openly gay player on his team

By: Jake Fowler

Jake Fowler — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:25:31 +0000

The locker room is often discussed as being potentially the hardest place for an openly gay athlete. This is why i think the first player to come out in one of the four major sports could be baseball. Baseball is much more of an individual sport where teamwork doesn’t factor into the outcome as much. With some of the other sports the gay athlete might be more afraid he would disrupt team chemistry which could lead to negative consequences on the field/court.

By: Jake Fowler

Jake Fowler — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:19:38 +0000

I think we will definitely see an openly gay athlete in our lifetime in one of the four major sports. It will obviously take a brave person to do it but the societal gains from this could be tremendous. I don’t think we will see anyone come out until they have established a solid career for themselves and a think a likable, outgoing personality would help the player coming out. But can you imagine if Shaq came out? Would people still not love him? And think of how a person like Shaq could advance the cause of gay rights in society at large.