Time to break out your best #ShakingMyHead gif: Mickey Marotti, the new “director of performance” for Ohio State University’s football team has decided that homophobic banter in the locker rooms isn’t enough. He’s penalizing poorly performing players by making them wear a faggy lavender jersey like the one at right.
The Columbus Dispatch‘s Tim May, when covering the story, seems totally clueless as to the punishment’s purplephobia:
If a player fails a couple of times, though, he is singled out—as in, he is handed the lavender shirt, a stain that takes at least a week of renewed gusto to erase.
Oh, the editors over at the Dispatch just love it when Tim May injects his column with a little dose of casual homophobia. Never change, Tim.
To be fair, the team isn’t making its not-up-to-par players sashay around in a shirt that says “homo,” but the shirt sends a pretty clear sign: you play like a gay guy.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“You don’t want to wear those,” senior linebacker Etienne Sabino told May of the purple jerseys. Actually, they look kind of fierce to us. We’d probably wear them next time we go to Boxers or Gym Bar.
Ray
I dont know about homophobic rhetoric in the locker room etc but this is just a way to single players out. The world isnt going to change overnite and there are SOOO many more instances of blatant hate that deserve our attention rather than this. Remember, if you go through life looking to be offended…you will NEVER be disappointed
MKe
I’m sure the players call it the gay jersey too. Because gay is so much easier to say than purple.
MEJ
What’s wrong coach? Are pink triangles played out?
Oddly enough, it would take a real man to wear that jersey publicly, and I can think of dozens of real men–queens everyone of them–who would wear that jersey without one ounce of shame.
Mr. Robertson
@MEJ: “Are pink triangles played out?”
From zero to Godwin in record time. Expect a call from Guiness.
Whiz
Old hat stuff. Hayden Fry had the visitors locker room painted PINK. No big deal then, no big deal now. If you don’t want one …… WORK!
Hey, maybe we could have Congress send those to the slackers they pay to not work.
JayKay
@MEJ:
Despite the left’s constant attempts to warp and change the definition of manhood to accommodate anyone and everyone who wants to identify as male, “queens” will never be real men.
MEJ
@Mr. Robertson:
Firstly, a coach is using a colour to stigmatize, and differentiate certain persons, something the pink triangle was used for. So in this case, a Nazi comparison is apropos.
Secondly, Mr. Robertson, go fuck yourself. Because I seriously doubt anyone else would want to.
MEJ
@JayKay:
If you have to tell people you’re a man, JayKay, then you aren’t really.
Mr. Robertson
@MEJ: No, you’re right. First step, that purple shirt. Next step, the ovens. Thank God you were here to alert us.
MEJ
@Mr. Robertson:
I appreciate that you have no sense of sarcasm, humour, nor any human personality traits to speak of. However, if you’ve decided to take my comment and run it off onto a tangent that suits whatever pathetic agenda you have, feel free. Just understand that with every asinine comment you post, the less important your opinion becomes.
Okama
@JayKay: Tell me, are you actually queer, or *just* conservative? Because if you aren’t queer, then I think I’ve had enough of homophobic breeders telling me how to live my life on a website DEVOTED TO US QUEERS (just in case you couldn’t read the name). Then again, if you are queer, then that comment just proves that queer conservatives are barely even queer at all.
Mr. Robertson
@MEJ: Whoa. Looks like I really touched a nerve there. Don’t take this stuff so seriously, MEJ. It’s just the Internet.
MEJ
@Mr. Robertson:
Considering you fired the first shot, sunshine, I’m merely returning fire. I appreciate that every blog, message board, etc., needs someone who feels it necessary to downplay overt forms of bigotry, and bullying, I just didn’t expect you to push over your rock, and make an appearance so early.
As far as this just being the internet, people like you have existed forever. In 1940 Poland, you’d be sniffing the air and saying, “What smell? I smell nothing!”
Joey
I couldn’t say this is outright homophobia so much as it has resulted in homophobia. At my school, some kids erected a pink pyramid, it was actually a bunch of straight kids having fun, but it was still pretty gay and seen as such. Then on the National Day of Silence some drunk lacrosse players knocked it down. Thing is, they had no idea what it represented or that it was the day of silence (or what the day of silence was when they were informed). Anyway I have full confidence that homosexuality wasn’t on their minds when they destroyed the pyramid but it still resulted in a lot of hurt feelings. This shirt probably wasn’t concocted by people going “ohh Gays aren’t men, and purple is gay, so when the players don’t play hard we’ll call them gay by making them wear a shirt.” But the connections exist and its hurtful and insensitive regardless of intent, and it’d be nice if they thought of something else that wasn’t a direct allusion to homosexuality or femininity.
JayKay
@Okama:
You’re right, I’m not “queer.” I’m a gay man. Not queer, not GLBT, gay. And I will thank you leftist chucklefucks to stop trying to force gays into this ridiculous “queer” circus tent.
Mr. Robertson
@JayKay: Well, to a homophobe you’re still just a faggot. Much as you like to pretend they’d see you as a “real man.”
Curtis
Wow. Why would ANYONE want to go through that?
This is exactly why I was in track and field highschool. xD
James
This story had an update about 3 days ago when the head coach actually apologized for the transgression, saying it wasn’t intended, and the jerseys would be removed.
http://www.theotherpaper.com/news/press_releases/article_452f65b8-648f-11e1-96e6-001871e3ce6c.html
JayKay
@Mr. Robertson:
Ah yes, typical liberal gay logic. “B-B-But, s-straight ho-hom-homophobes think we’re all the same! W-we should totally all band together, pretend we’re all the same, and totally reinforce that be-belief!” That’s pure idiocy. Sexual minorities are not all the same. Gays giving up their identity and embracing “queer” just to show solidarity with these groups we have nothing in common with is disgusting and destructive, and it does tremendous harm to the entire gay (again, gay, not GLBTQIAA2PSVITA) rights movement.
Mr. Robertson
@JayKay:
“What’s that, faggot? Kinda hard to understand you with that dick in your mouth.”
–Everyone whose approval you so desperately crave
MEJ
@JayKay:
I’m a gay man.
Once again, JayKay, if you have to tell people you’re a man, you aren’t really.
JayKay
@MEJ:
Going by the liberal idea of manhood, that would be true.
But then “liberal man” is an oxymoron, so I’m not inclined to take their definitions seriously.
MEJ
@JayKay:
There’s only one person here telling everyone he’s a man, JayKay. The rest of us are confident in our masculinity.
prince of snides aka divkid
@JayKay: “…we have nothing in common with is disgusting and destructive, and it does tremendous harm to the entire gay (again, gay, not GLBTQIAA2PSVITA) rights movement.”
thank you. out your ugly destructiveness, this:
GLBTQIAA2PSVITA acronyms (yeah!)
AVAST GLIB PAT IQ
STAB VITAL IQ GAP
BATS IQ GAP VITAL
VAST BI GAL APT IQ
BI SLAG PAT IQ VAT
endless fucking fun.
beats having to actually read you.
Curtis
Children, children please..
:-/
prince of snides aka divkid
@prince of snides aka divkid:yes, yes i knew along it was *anagrams. (red faced).
zephyr with a Z
I get that competitive sports programs want their players to always give 100%, but about the only thing that surprises me about this instance is that the jersey wasn’t pink. Or maybe they thought that would be too obvious. Glad the program backtracked from this, it reinforces the tired old “why you acting like a pansy” jock mentality that should just become extinct.
As someone who visits Columbus fairly regularly, I can state definitively that no college annoys the shit out of me more than THE Ohio State University. They think they are the best at everything they do, and since the city doesn’t have a pro franchise other than the NHL Blue Jackets (who, sorry to say, have never been very good), the complacent TV stations and newspaper in town treat the Buckeyes like they hung the moon in the sky. Their fans strike me as whiny, spoiled and arrogant as well, and the whole town was supposed to act like they were in mourning when the football program screwed up and landed on probation. It was a couple of the players faults, but not the whole team, and Coach Tressel did everything he could…until it was all the Coach’s fault (scapegoat) and they fired him…and then it was the NCAA’s fault because they’re just jealous of how great they are, or something. I’ve been wanting to unload my opinion about OSU for a while now, who’da thunk queerty was the place I’d get to do that? Thanks.
Tom
I like Football, and I also think the Jersey is something I’d wear to a game with a good bit of pride ( I’m gay, masculine, and smart enough to know the coach is an idiot). I see it as a dang cool Jersey. Why not turn this lemon into lemonade and get the big ten to authorize a lavender jersey line for all their schools, with any profits made sent to campus-based tolerance / LGBT programs ( I’d buy one for my old alma matter = Purdue ) — just a late evening thought!
TASTEY GOODIES
THE COLOR LAVENDER USED 2 B PART OF THE GAY PRIDE FLAG AND THAT COLOR SYMBOLIZED BISEXUALITY.
Neil
The lavender isn’t a poke at homos. Our coaches do the exact same with our rivals green jerseys. It’s not the actual color that is the punishment!! It is the fact that very other player knows the coach thinks they need to work harder and are undeserving to represent your school colors. You people are so anal about your gay rights that you’re missing the purpose of the different colored jersey. It’s a team sport and NO ONE wants to be the guy who is singled out negatively
wait what
By reading these comments you can tell who has never played a sport in their entire life.
The jersey is about singling out someone as weak (unlike the QB jersey, which, Im sure almost none of you queens know what that is) so you have a target, forcing them to work harder.
Sexuality has no place on the court/field/pool/track. In my lifetime as an athlete and cock sucker, I have never seen any homophobia in sports, esp from members of the same team. If you were cool, did your job, supportive of the team, and a good athlete then no one gave two shits.
Eric Auerbach
@wait what: Another gay Uncle Tom. You douchebags are everywhere.
wait what
@Eric Auerbach:
….except I don’t live in a cabin.
JohnAGJ
@Mr. Robertson: “No, you’re right. First step, that purple shirt. Next step, the ovens. Thank God you were here to alert us.”
Now that’s amusing snark I can really appreciate. Kudos!
JohnAGJ
@MEJ: “Firstly, a coach is using a colour to stigmatize, and differentiate certain persons, something the pink triangle was used for.”
Yet unlike the pink triangle, not on the basis of sexual orientation but instead on the poor performance displayed by the athletes made to wear such jersey. If lavender is such a big deal, fine. How about yellow? Day-glo orange? Neon green? Please do provide a list of colors that are considered verboten lest the more faint-hearted find something else inconsequential to b*tch about. By the way, “sunshine”? Oh the irony considering your argument about this jersey…
CBRad
That coach should force them to wear a half-shirt and skinny jeans. Then they’ll REALLY be mortified.
jim
Why don’t you go after the Iowa Hawkeyes’ away locker room? It’s painted pink to soften the visiting team.
The lavender jersey to straight people would suggest the athlete is playing like a girl, not a gay man. Really feminists should be up in arms about this. I know it’s your job to put the spotlight on yourself for everything no matter how obscure but, personally, you just set gay people back in my eyes. There are bigger problems in the world. Get over it.
Keep the jerseys. GO BUCKEYES!
jim
@TASTEY GOODIES:
AND??? Homosexuals didn’t invent lavender. Your point failed. Moving on…
jim
@zephyr with a Z:
As someone who lives in Columbus you’re biased “facts” are completely inaccurate. Every university with a successful athletic program will have fans that are perceived to be “arrogant” but usually those are just the kids that go to the university. I’m in my late 20’s and thought Ohio State deserved the sanctions they received and now we’re moving on.
Only uniformed people like you think Ohio State fans dwell on things like that because you’re a media sheep who never actually interacts with the fans but rather gets your opinion from ESPN, Yahoo and sites like this.
You’re obviously amazingly biased since you’ve been wanting to “unload” this for awhile. You just showed complete strangers how you can’t think for yourself. Good job.