Big deal. Now if a male figure skater came out as straight, THAT would be newsworthy!
I would have thought the first would be in the NHL, actually, considering the campaign against homophobia in the league. Huh. Well done, Collins. Rock on.
He is not actually under contract to any teams and at the tail end of a very unremarkable career. What makes him different to John Amaechi?
He’s not retired, and plans to continue playing. By conventional reckoning he’s still an “active” player until he announces otherwise, or the next season is well under way with him still unemployed.
I wish when that happens that more people would simply state that they cared less what the bible’s opinion was on things. If someone dismisses your “authority” right off the bat, that doesn’t leave much room to have an argument by yourself.
And no, I promise I’m not following you, Slypork. Sorry if it looks that way. 
Yeah, and a lot of comments are supporting Broussard. :rolleyes:
Here’s a prime example: "All he did was speak the truth. Does anyone believe God’s opinion has changed just because some people decided it was ok. God only gets one vote but its the only one that counts in the end. "
Yeah. Keep thinking that, bibleputz.
So, God’s vote on slavery changed? Interesting that.
Ugh. People like that disgust me. Hey asshole, if you don’t want to be called a bigot – don’t make bigotted remarks! :rolleyes:
Hurray! My first stalker! Don’t worry, I won’t file a restraining order.
Well, if Broussard gets fired I’m sure he can get a new job as the press agent for Westboro Baptist.
Going to slide this over to the Game Room.
Just curious: since when is gay support vs homophobia a game? Or is it just because this is about a basketball player?
Not being an ass, just want to understand the reason for the move. Thanks!
It’s because it’s about a sports player, yes.
Haven’t read this whole thread, but I just can’t believe this is a news story in 2013. :rolleyes:
Not long after Magic Johnson announced he had AIDS, when he was doing broadcasting, my brother heard him say, “Look at all those beautiful bodies down there on the court!” :eek: He said, “When I heard that, I knew he did not get AIDS from a woman.”
They had a guys on the local sports station, an NBA writer whose name escapes me, who felt it was pretty much a given that Collins will have a job next season if he feels like he wants one (he has, after all, played a long time and made a lot of money already.)
Basically, his argument was this; Collins is a marginal player, but he’s a player of a type - a string defensive big man - that most teams really, really need a spare in. He is also, at least to the subjective analysis of a lot of observers, in better shape than he used to be in and so is good to go for a few more seasons.
A lot of teams need a guy like Collins. Even if some don’t want the gay player, *it only takes one *to say “Man, we really need someone who can play some D in the post, let’s call his agent.” Someone will hire him.
It’s possible to appreciate the aesthetics of something without finding it erotic and refusing to accept another person’s explanation of something that is their business on nothing more than gut feeling is tacky at best.
He’s a significantly better player. Collins has been in the NBA for 12 years and was the starter on a team that reached the NBA finals; Amaechi spent as much time in international leagues as he did in the NBA. As a basketball fan Collins was a name I recognized and Amaechi wasn’t. It’s a difference of degree, I admit - he’s not an All-Star or a world famous player.
Mike Wallace of the Steelers said some dumb things, too, although they were more idiotic than hateful. I wonder if Broussard just got himself fired.
Right. I think he could play next season or a few more seasons in the same kind of role he had with the Celtics: a backup center who can give a contending team 10 or 15 minutes of defense a night. The Celtics had to include him as part of a larger trade during the season, but they didn’t want to - they say they really liked him. I think it’s unlikely a young or rebuilding team would sign him, but I could see a team like the Heat or the Thunder or the Bulls bringing him in.
the first openly-gay (team) professional sports player. it’s a beautiful day!
Interestingly, I heard the same thing; the Celtics were not at all in a rush to let him go.
The question a lot of teams will be asking themselves is “do we have a guy on the bench who’s seven feet tall and can defend the basket as well as Jason Collins?” At least 12-14 teams will think “no, we don’t.”
Right. I think only the contending teams are likely to be interested because other teams might prefer to try developing a younger player, but big guys who play competent defense aren’t easy to find.