After signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy over the weekend, Robbie Rogers made his debut becoming the first out gay male athlete to compete in a major sports league. While the MLS is not considering among the leagues (NFL, MLB or NBA), Rogers presence on the field marked a new milestone for out athletes. Rogers debut comes after Jason Collins‘ coming out, which was considered a huge landmark in the major leagues. But not even Collins has stepped on the court since opening up.
Rogers debut was well received. He didn’t do much, but it was also his first match since he last played in England.
At the end of the day Rogers was just happy to play.
“It was really perfect,” Rogers told the New York Times. “We won, which is most important. My family was here, my friends. My grandparents. I’ve kind of been on this huge journey trying to figure out my life. And now I’m back here. I think kind of where I’m supposed to be.”
[Photo: NYT]
Yiannis
I’m on team Robbie all the way!
balehead
Congrats Robbie! He did come out before Jason Collins by the way…..
miagoodguy
It was a good publicity/marketing on his part to come out, “retire”, then come back. Let’s hope he plays well enough to justify being on the L.A. Galaxy team.
Kieran
Is it me or does the Robbie Rogers “coming out” story seem to be generating far less media attention than Jason Collins? Could it be that Robbie Rogers is a little too good-looking, all-American, boy-next-door, to be the poster boy for professional gay athletes?
tardis
@Kieran:
It could be, or it could also be that soccer in the states is too European, like Rugby, and not something that’s part of the mainstream consciousness and often ignored.
JDJase
@Kieran: Um, or it’s because most Americans don’t really care about soccer? #CommonSense
ChiChi Man
@Kieran:
I’m glad Robbie’s back in he game, but being too “boy-next-door” or “All American”(whatever THAT means) has nothing to do with the lack of media attention.
First, Collins and his brother ARE clean cut. They didn’t rise up from the ghetto. They were middle-class children who they attended Harvard-Westlake Prep in LA and went on to graduate from Stanford. So Jason Collins IS good-looking, boy-next-door and All American to me.
Second, soccer is not as popular as basketball in the United States. Soccer players don’t get the same media attention and they’re not as iconic as their basketball, baseball and American football counterparts. Soccer is getting more popular, though, an I hope Robbie will inspire other LGBT kids to try the sport.
Finally, I think the media stayed away because Robbie’s story did not start out as the happy coming out story. He came out and retired in the same day, sending a chilling message to closeted players everywhere. His story has a happy ending fortunately, but I’m thrilled that the first person to come out as an active player did so with headlines blazing. Collins’ coming out was much more positive and inspirational.
Joetx
@ChiChi Man: Very well said.
@ kieran – Yes, good-looking blond men are discriminated against in this country. *sarcasm*