Did anyone see this?

Well, We all know it can't be a SNAPPER.

 

How 'bout a LONG Snapper

 

And what would happen if actually a Coach, offensive or defensive coordinator, came out? Would he ask to be part of the Rooney rule (as a member of a minority community)? And, what about if it was actually a player, let's say QB, LB or RB: I wonder not only of his impact with media/fans, but about locker room issues, and what his teammates would think about it (in order to continue being a leader, he must have his teammates support, right?)

 

In keeping with the Steeler and football topic, my top 3 guesses would be:
1. William Gay
2. Randall Gay
3. SF 49ers (probably top contender to field an all-male or trans cheerleader squad at some point).

On a pragmatic note, while many on this MB have stated they "don't care who one chooses to sleep with" - isn't that missing an obvious part of sports - i.e. locker rooms and showers? Western society has been built around overt gender-based standards when it comes to public restrooms, sports locker rooms, Scouts, fraternal groups, beauty pageants etc. Seriously, how does the gay and trans gender type fit in with these standards? Should anyone, regardless of their current or converted body parts or use thereof, be simply allowed to cross-over any of these societal standards because they feel more comfortable in one setting or the other? Shouldn't then a hetero-sexual male then be allowed to enter a women's locker room or restroom because they get their jollies doing so? As Mike Tomlin would say - "The standard IS the standard." And regardless of how one feels about the whole subject matter, I see nothing but complete chaos when/if all these standards are removed. Is a unisex world the solution? We appear to be headed in that direction.

 

I don't think these fears are warranted.

 

What it comes down to is this,.. If some dude is gay and play's football,and has been playing for awhile, Why come out now?? whats the point??. IT sure the hell aint gona help his team , all its gona do is cause problems for the NFL... If he is so proud of his lifestile why didnt he come out earlier?? Andi dont wana here that well it wasnt Soacialy acceptable till now... No the reason he would come out now is to get his name in the media,.... And yea im Sure im the only one on here that feels this way, So thank you and enjoy your day...

 

SUGAR RAY GAY LEONARD of boxing


DON'T YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT 7UP?

NAHH THAT'S JUST MY DAD.
ah ah ah

 

Per Concussion - "I don't think these fears are warranted."

It's not fear - it's trying to find practical solutions to not so practical trends and patterns. Look what's happening in Boy Scouts. And in youth sports when a boy feels more comfortable competing with girls rather than boys. How about when he grows up and wants to compete in women's tennis or swimming or soccer rather than men's tennis or swimming or soccer etc because of his "feelings". If he's told no - then he gets the ACLU to sue to get him an exception. It's already happening and I'm just not sure how it all sorts itself out. No pun intended but the issue is a very slippery slope and much larger than just what one does in the privacy of their own bedroom (or backseat or locker room). "Boys will be boys" just doesn't seem to apply any longer.

 

Why does it matter? Seriously...

If the IT guy or manager is homosexual in your office, does it matter? Do you treat them differently? I don't, after all we are all human.

Football is a job to these folks, it's a religion/lifestyle/obsession to us...not them...

I could careless about this, everyone should be treated the same. It's a sad day when the biggest problem we have in this country is gay rights...get over it already. Seriously, people go hungry everyday, the economy is in the ****ter.

I think the media will have a field day with this and it will create unnecessary drama for the team. but do you think there is just 1? doubtful.

 

Why not come out? Why does it have to help the team? If it causes problems in the NFL, that is the NFL's problem.

 

This post wins the thread, for me.

The really interesting point about the news is the broader issue over why sports remains so curiously stuck in a different era when it comes to sexuality. Not just NFL, of course - FIFA, for example, spent a huge budget on their "let's kick racism out football" campaign (which is absolutely admirable), but homophobia is basically ignored. Over a whole range of sports, we have performance-enhancing drug scandals, referee bribes, corruption at high levels... yet there's still this wierd excitement about finding out which side of the bed a guy gets in.

 

I don't think that's totally correct. It seems to me that most people don't care what someone does, but there's an expectaion of being celebrated and accepted by stating what you prefer.

The issue is these guys are afraid of the "percieved" consequences and not willing to confront those consequences head on. The laws about discrimination are already in place.

I see this group comparing it to racism, but that comparison is BS. Most interracial relationships that "came out" didn't expect to be celebrated and embraced by the whole world. They didn't expect a ticker tape parade and glad handing down the aisle. They followed what they truely believed was thier path and to hell with people who stood in the way.

Screw all this "I may come out and say it" crap! Put up or shut up! Either you do or you don't live your life the way you want to. Just stop trying to slap everyone in the face by talking about it and just do it!

 

I agree that the comparison to racism is wrong - not necessarily in the way you've put it, more because it involves such different histories and contexts. And I also take your point about perceived consequences, though this is hardly all down to the guys who want to come out.

But I'm not sure I follow your main point here. From what I can see, there's an article saying that a player might come out. That, to me, doesn't translate into wanting a ticker tape parade. In fact, I can't see where that's in the original story at all. Someone wants to come out. But the sense of the article is that coming out would be quite difficult, for a whole number of reasons, many of which this thread has covered in various ways. Your response seems to suggest that they're only doing it for attention seeking purposes. Where's your evidence here? Who is "this group"?

 

apparently it does in this country. You can't just be a football player, you have to be a gay football player. You can't be a politician, you have to be a gay/ black/hispanic/transgender politician, etc. WAY too many labels and all it does is divide people into categories. We've moved so far away from MLK's "dream" as to be ridiculous. If you can play football, (or whatever you do), I don't give a rat's ... where you like to put your tingly parts, your ethnicity, gender, religious affiliation, or any of the other labels the media puts on you. Just go play the damn game and win! (unless you're not a Steeler, then I hope you choke)

 

The wide receiver thing reminded me of this. the whole thing is funny but Check about 1:02 into this youtube skit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI4c21w77JU

 

Good to see a civil discussion without coming to viral punches. Thanks guys!!!

Spartacus

 

I think alot of understanding comes with age. We had a 20 yr old kid start at the company I work for about a month after I came to the company, this was just about three years ago. Nice kid hard worker, almost never misses a day but some of the stupidest stuff comes out of his mouth. We have a gay co-worker, great guy midaged willing to talk and joke about his life with the best of them, so the first few weeks this kid is working he makes the comment to me about having to clinch his butt cheeks everytime he walks past our gay coworker. At that point I fixed him with my most withering stare and said "please you are 5'5 you already have a beer gut going before you are 30 and the facial stubble that most wouldn't even generously call a beard and you think he would be attracted to you? Just because a man is gay does not mean he is attracted to every man or would hit on every guy he sees." at that point understanding dawn on him and almost three years later you won't hear a homophobic word out of him.

So I think as people get older they begin to realize that this isn't such a big deal. As for why someone who had hid the fact that they are gay for any number of years and done is it successfully why would they jeopardize that by coming out? I would imagine for the same reasons anyone else stops lying about who they are. It is very tiring and draining to hide who you really are and most just want to stop hiding and be accepted for who they are without having to lie about it and pretend to be something they are not. Just think of having to hide who you are for a good portion of your life to just to fit into one of the biggest stereotypical bastions of maleness the NFL. Who here would lie over and over again just to have a job and to not be spit on, of made fun of, or called a deviant, or freak? It is very very hard to wake up every day and put on a mask, sometimes a person just wants to break free not to have attention or to seek the limelight but to just be recognized for who they really are and have it be alright.

 

:roll: For god's sake,.... c'mon man do you realy want goodell messing the nfl up even more..???

 

What the hell does this have to do with Goodell?