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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

jason collins is gay

Earlier this week, NBA center Jason Collins came out as the first active, publicly homosexual athlete in America's four major sports.  This is apparently a big deal because it's on the cover of Sports Illustrated  and a leading story on major news networks.

Not that the opinion of a random blogger means anything to Collins, but good for him.  As a football coach, I have been part of some very homophobic staffs and discussions, and I have heard some nasty, disparaging remarks about some people's sexual orientations.  As a member of choirs and performing groups since I was a kid, I have befriended, traveled with, and shared rooms with too many gay men to count.  Some of them have even hit on me, only to have their hearts broken because I'm, like, seriously God's gift to the human race.

In the end, who really cares?  I don't care if my straight neighbors are tying each other up, whipping each other, and having threesomes with Carrot Top.  I don't care if my single neighbor is a virgin and has never seen a female nipple in his life; if that is indeed the case, I would enthusiastically suggest that he start watching Game of Thrones  but his poor taste in television shows isn't really my business, either.

I hope Collins finds support among his peers and NBA fans.

36 comments:

  1. hey man, whipping can be a noise hazard...

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  2. I appreciate the fact that you want Jason Collins to be able to live his life the way he chooses. Far too often we, as humans, are pushing people into cookie cutter mold based on how WE think people should be. I commend you on allowing people to be able to make their own choices, whether you agree with them or not.
    However, in the same post that you are uplifting
    someone for a choice that THEY made, you kindly snub someone (although a theoretical someone)for the choice of not watching nudity and being a virgin.
    I've been around this site long enough to know that you have an appreciation for beautiful women, and are not shy about it. Some people have chosen not to go down that path. I don't think that it's right for you to commend one person for their choice, and bash another (your theoretical neighbor that has never seen a nipple)for their choice. Does he not have the same rights to choose his life as Jason?
    I'm not up in arms over anything and will definitely continue visiting this site. I just wanted to point out that sometimes we are guilty of the same thing that we are condemning.
    David

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    1. I wasn't snubbing anyone - I was using people of both extremes, the virgin single male and the wild and crazy couple. "Game of Thrones" is just a good show, whether there's nudity or not; but if you watch it, then you can't really help seeing nudity.

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    2. What the above "anonymous" (I'm a different anonymous) is saying is that you are taking someone (a virgin who hasn't seen a nipple) and saying "Hey, that's not right, you should see a nipple -- watch GoT". That's not the sort of support that you wish Jason Collins will have.

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    3. But I'm not. I'm just saying "Watch 'Game of Thrones.'" Anyone who has never seen a nipple clearly isn't a fan of "Game of Thrones."

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  3. Agreed Thunder. I have a lot of Christian friends who are proudly homophobic, guess they missed that whole "judge not lest ye be judged" thing. I think the fact the everywhere you turned yesterday the radio and T.V. were going on and on and on was pretty annoying. Hopefully we will get to a point where this is no longer a big deal. BTW I haven't noticed much appreciation of the female form on the blog lately, what gives?:)
    John

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    1. the fact that some people have moral code and don't approve of certain sexual behaviors doesn't mean they are "phobic". I wish Americans would look around and see what lays ahead before choosing a direction. In Europe, it is illegal for a pastor to teach against homosexual behavior in his own church. The Obama administration has already directed the EEOC to protect trans-sexuals on the job. Are you ready to have your kindergartener taught by a dress wearing male?

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    2. Everyone has a moral code; it's just that some are different than others.

      "Homophobic" means "prejudiced against homosexual people." I agree that not all anti-gay people are necessarily homophobic, but many are.

      I think you're climbing a slippery slope with the "dress-wearing male kindergarten teacher."

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    3. If you have a serious problem with men wearing dresses (as if that's a logical progression from this story) to the point where you think it will in any way stunt your child's development...you're the one who needs help, not the country.

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  4. Did it have to be Carrot Top?

    That's a seriously disturbing image there Thunder.

    I'm a little bit concerned about you.

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  5. I'd like to know what percent of the male population coaches football (having also presumably played the sport at some point) *and* has performed in choirs. Indeed, your extracurricular activities have given you an unusual perspective on this issue.

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    1. Tough to say, but the Deacon Jones cameo on that episode of the Brady Bunch offers some insight into the issue.

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  6. It's funny though how people get a pat on the back now for coming out of the closet. not to mention a call from the president. but when someone gets saved....nothin. are we moving forward or getting worse?

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    1. "It's funny though how a black woman gets a pat on the back now for refusing to give up her seat on the bus. are we moving forward or getting worse?"

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    2. Someone gets saved...from a house fire? From a car accident?

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    3. I imagine that getting "saved" still comes with a lot of back patting (look at Tebow), but it has been a long time that getting "saved" actually put someone in harms way in this country. Anybody old enough to post a message on here can remember a time when being openly gay was a safety hazard in many places in this country. This whole Christian persecution complex is patently ridiculous considering the context and history.

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    4. I read this site every day and share your love of Michigan football, Thunder, but on this issue all you liberal fascists can kindly get bent. Men having sex with each other is immoral and repugnant. People who hold this view for moral, religious, or just plain discomfort have a right as long as they treat others with dignity and respect.

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    5. Two keys do nothing. two locks also do nothing. it is not what was intended. Adam and eve not Adam and Steve. regardless, I like to watch college football with my son and do not want him watching anything sexual on tv. whatever CHOICE this guy makes on who he brings to the bedroom is his but does not need to be talked about in the media where children can hear it and definitely does not need to be congratulated by the potus. doesn't that guy have more important things going on? p.s. no one can help the color of their skin. that is not a choice.

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    6. 1. What is immoral is to ostracize a person and deny him or her legal rights and equal participation in society based on an arbitrary and irrelevant criterion such as sexual orientation.

      2. Sexual orientation is biologically determined. People no more "choose" to be gay or straight than they choose to be short or tall (or, for that matter, black, white, or brown).

      3. As some of the posts above have demonstrated, it is important for our society to have a public discussion of homosexuality. We need to address and eliminate the prejudice that gay people have faced, and continue to face. Demanding that gay people stay in the closet, and that the media ignore their issues, allows the status quo to continue. Moreover, if there actually was merit to the anti-gay position, then homophobes could debate the issue on the merits and succeed.

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    7. I'd like to point out how ALL the haters are posting as "anonymous." Real tough guys, these.
      The completely lack of self-awareness among these cretins is amusing.

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    8. And you signing in as blastbeat88 isn't anonymous?

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  7. If my position is center in football, I will immediately quit of the QB is gay

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  8. None of this should be discussed. I wanna watch sports not Ellen degenerous.

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  9. Glad to see your sensible thoughts on this, Thunder. And while it shouldn't be a big deal, it is. An important factor here is that the less common, the bigger deal it is. The first guys to come out cause a stir, after a while it becomes less of a big deal and eventually it's a non-story. The first black player on each team was a big deal a couple of generations ago.

    Here's an interesting scenario. Steph Curry was targeted by Denver players yesterday to affect his play - this is not directly relevant, as it was a physical targeting, but an interesting parallell: http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/9230227/2013-nba-playoffs-mark-jackson-golden-state-warriors-accuses-denver-nuggets-dirty-play

    Now, what if Curry were gay and the Denver players had found out and were threatening him during the game with exposing his secret. Surely this would get inside his head and affect his performance, which could swing the series in Denvers favor. For any star athlete, coming out would be a huge distraction (do it in the off-season so the story is played out by mid-season), and Collins has made this step a little easier. Hopefully such a hypothetical scenario as above will never come to fruition.

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  10. It "coming out" is cliche' It does not matter regardless of your personal opinion on the issue. Whether you approve of it or not it is a common theme in our society today and I don't see it returning to the "the way it used to be" in my lifetime. It is also a huge political weapon in this day and age and that is an absolute fact. If it wasn't a vote getter amongst the younger voter block then I don't think it would receive this attention in this way. It is also gets eyeballs, readership, and in this case...... timed traffic to a certain site simply because it will stir up opinions. A person is not a "hero" because they are gay and public about it, nor are they a coward if they don't. It just doesn't affect anything anymore. About 10% I think of the population has always been gay throughout history and it will be the same for generations I would think.

    As to Thunder being in the apparent epicenter of "gayness" in his years I would expect him in keeping with the posting to start posting "hot" Michigan men as well on his blog since he is soooo comfortable with it.

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    1. I did post a very flattering picture of Andrew one time.

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    2. I'd like to thank the TTB management for this posting, which has become (probably) unintentionally humorous.

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    3. I wouldn't call this snapshot particularly flattering. I look good in all pictures, really.

      http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-andrew.html

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  11. It is absolutely a choice. god would not condemn two cities in the bible for being that way if the people were "born " that way. it speaks about the subject 12 times in the bible. old and new testament. and it never speaks highly of it. I'm not mean to them and its not right to be but I will distance myself from it and it shouldnt be talked about so much in front of children. nothing sexual should. the moral decline of this nation absolutely floors me. let's just talk football

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  12. Dude, please capitalize "God". He's earned it...

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  13. EGD....sooooo if homosexuality is 100% biologically determined, and has no "nurture" component, how the hell was 90% of the ancient Greek and Roman male populations homosexual as teens then heterosexual as married men with dalliances in between? Little complicated eh?

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    1. Meh - you don't have to be gay or straight to experiment with the other.

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  14. Why is the title to this post all lower case? Is that intentional?

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  15. I enjoy this article by the Onion. Puts the "issue" of homosexuality and religion in good light.
    http://www.theonion.com/articles/gay-teen-worried-he-might-be-christian,2888/

    Thanks for publishing Thunder. Been enjoying this blog for a while and I'm glad you made this statement.

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