Jason Collins: 1st out player on a US major league team

[Aiden]

I think he's very brave irl :)


I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.
I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.
My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons.
I've played for six pro teams and have appeared in two NBA Finals. Ever heard of a parlor game called Three Degrees of Jason Collins? If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates.
Now I'm a free agent, literally and figuratively. I've reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball. I still love the game, and I still have something to offer. My coaches and teammates recognize that. At the same time, I want to be genuine and authentic and truthful.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#ixzz2Rs5Y2k4L

[-:Undertaker:-]

Big mistake, sports players get ripped on the pitch because thats the nature of the game.

Either way, his choice.

[Aiden]

Big mistake, sports players get ripped on the pitch because thats the nature of the game.

Either way, his choice.

What do you mean? Is that like some sports word? :L awhhhh it will be a shame if this effects anything to do with his sports :/

[-:Undertaker:-]

What do you mean? Is that like some sports word? :L awhhhh it will be a shame if this effects anything to do with his sports :/

I mean the chanting/banter shouted by the audience in the stadium/venue.

[Aiden]

I mean the chanting/banter shouted by the audience in the stadium/venue.

Ohh :( I get ya, that's going to suck but I'm sure everything will work out :s

[Calum0812]

Good on him - I'm sure he'll inspire some of his fans but I agree, it's a shame that he may now be open to hate :(

[Kardan]

Sadly I agree with Undertaker, as wonderful as it is that he has the courage to come out, I'm afraid that the large majority of sporting audiences don't have the maturity to accept such things really. You hear in many sports of racism, and now sadly I'll guess he'll also here homophobic comments. It's not really the sportsmen and women that need the courage to come out, it's that crowds need to actually accept these things and be civil, which I think we're a far way off...

[mrwoooooooo]

I mean the chanting/banter shouted by the audience in the stadium/venue.

how is it a mistake? People used to get abused for being black, they don't any more. The sooner more people come out the better

[Kardan]

how is it a mistake? People used to get abused for being black, they don't any more. The sooner more people come out the better

I'm sure as a football fan yourself you know that isn't entirely true everywhere.

[mrwoooooooo]

I'm sure as a football fan yourself you know that isn't entirely true everywhere.

sure, it isn't everywhere such as russia, and you get perhaps the odd idiot once a month in the English newspapers...

Never happens in America though seeing as their sports are dominated by African Americans.

[Inseriousity.]

I agree with mrwooooooo. Sure now and again you get the odd case of someone making racist gestures etc but it's a prejudice that has largely died. The silence around homosexuality means it's a prejudice that's been allowed to thrive. It needs people to raise their hand as he puts it and say I'm gay and I don't care, time will do the rest.

[FlyingJesus]

Let's just hope this ends more happily than it did with Justin Fashanu. I think the NBA are likely to be more supportive of him than the football world, so that's a huge difference in itself - let's not forget that when Gareth Thomas came out to his rugby team and the press their reaction was "who cares?" and it was business as usual

[Adam]

What does it matter?

[GommeInc]

I'm not sure what sports are like in America and how the fans act so can't really comment. Good on him, but the real battle may be the abuse he will get from rival team fans and even fans on his own team.

I feel sorry for Glenn Burke, a baseball player who came out to his team mates and his coaches. He invented the high five (allegedly) and has suddenly been forgotten about :P