Just a few weeks after he made history by signing with the Brooklyn Nets and becoming the first openly gay NBA player in history, Jason Collins has revealed that he’s been the target of antigay comments.
In an interview with the New York Daily News, he speaks openly about being confronted with taunts by another NBA player, but stops short of mentioning the name of the player or which team he plays for.
“One player, one knucklehead from another team. He’s a knucklehead. So I just let it go. Again, that goes back to controlling what you can control. That’s how I conduct myself just being professional.”
Collins is about to start a stretch of games with the Nets in so-called “Bible Belt” cities like Dallas, New Orleans and Charlotte, but when pressed by the Daily News about any potential nervousness surrounding the reaction of fans in those states, he reiterates that you “can’t control what other people do” and moves on from the conversation.
Collins is certainly a bigger man than we are. We would take the first opportunity to publicly shame anyone who has the balls to be antigay in 2014.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Still, Collins is a pioneer, and with that comes the added pressure of performing on the court while taking great pains not to make the wrong headlines off of it.
His presence is an inspiration to many, so good for him for taking the high road…for now.
Tackle
Hmmm! I don’t know what to think about this story. Without the players name or atleast the name of the team, how much meret does this story really have? Did anyone witness this incident? Not saying Jason is lying, but due to all the other gay/lesbian hoax/lies/ false acusation, involving waitresses, tips,birthday cakes, gay bashings and the like, I’m just kinda leary of such accusations.
alterego1980
@Tackle: It might be easier to look at it from another angle, in that, those other people you mention are relative nobody’s looking for attention. They might even be trying to call out for help. This situation is quite the opposite. Jason Collins has always been a consummate professional and is aware of his spot on the team as a role-player. He is consistently down-playing his importance to media outlets who continuously hound him for daily updates on his life as a gay basketball player. I would be inclined to believe him. Actually, given past comments from some players in the NBA, the only thing that sounds outlandish to me, is that only 1 person has been that way toward him.
Sansacro
@Tackle: “all the other gay/lesbian hoax/lies” . . . infuriating as those are, they are a handful and pale in comparison to documented cases of gay bashings and discrimination. By the way, it’s “merit.”
gauty
@Sansacro: Also, “accusations” and “leery”…
masteradrian
Having the greatest possible respect for Jason Collins, not in the least because of the huge bigotry inside sports, I think that exposing the individual being active in negatively addressing the homosexuality of Jason should be a point of concern!
Namely, when and if individuals like that anti-gay person is allowed, or given the platform to keep on going being anti-gay without being put in his place, of being a bigot and a anti-equality, others can regard it as legitimate to also keep on excluding people from sports based upon their sexuality!
With all respect for the decision by Jason to not expose the anti-gay colleague, I think that sort of protecting that individual means giving others the impression that being anti-gay and or anti-equality is an OK thing, were it is definitely not an OK-thing!
No one should be judged on his or her sexual orientation, were and when it has no relation with his social functioning!
A community that allows people to treat people in-equal is unworthy to be treated seriously!
As long as a sport is treating homosexual people in-equal because of their sexuality that sport is unworthy to be considered being a social sport, or even worthy to receive subsidies, being sponsored or being televised!
Such sports should be banned, excluded and outlawed!
My opinion!
BigWoody
All Jason needs to do is give the knucklehead a hard foul or two, or guard him with a bit too much body contact and the bigot may explode, spouting anti-gay epithets that will be picked up by a court-side microphone.
Tackle
@alterego1980: Good point.@Sansacro: True. ” merit”, wont forget it. @gauty: Thanks for the correction.
Alan down in Florida
If he can hear the remarks so can his teammates. I’d hope they would have his back especially since the team is now winning since Jason joined it.
Black Pegasus
Either give the idiot’s name or shut up! Tired of gay guy always taking the high road when the rest of these assholes play dirty.
Tackle
What Jason may not realize is that by not exposing who this persperson is, he is aiding & abetting this person. In a sinse protecting him. But what for? Jason has already did a brave act in coming out. The hard part is done. I say expose the homophobe. You don’t protect a person like this. And if Jason is gonna take the silent’ stance, then maybe he should have just kept his mouth shut about the whole thing. Because now a door is open. Wide open. Many in the LGBTQ community will not agree with Jason not naming this player, and will think of him being a coward for not doing so. And mark my word, the longer he goes without naming the player, or if he chooses not to name him, the more people will began to cast doubt on his story.
Dakotahgeo
@Tackle: merit… MERIT!!!
Dakotahgeo
Jason already knows there are hundreds of thousands of ‘knee pad’ idiots in the world. Our job is to stay above their lowlife pursuits and make the world a better place to live. Good goin’ Jason!
Tackle
@Dakotahgeo: In regards to merit, that’s already been dealt with. So you’re a day late and a dollar short.
Dakotahgeo
@Tackle: Good man! Never a dollar short, however.
Kangol
I think Jason Collins is trying to be very highminded about this, like Jackie Robinson (and the parallels are obvious in some ways), but he should name the @sshole who’s making the slurs.
If any of his teammates witness it, they should speak up too. Don’t let this crap go unchallenged.
But I get where he’s coming from. He’s trying to be and is being the better person.
JohnnyCorby
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” -Elie Wiesel