Around the same time Jason Collins became the first major league athlete to come out of the closet, some pretty major names and organizations followed suit by coming out in support and encouraging other LGBT athletes to do the same.
Among them was the NFL, who touted fans and the press with an alleged “mass coming out” of a handful of NFL stars. Needless to say, that didn’t happen, and the NFL instead dealt with blowback after reportedly inquiring about the sexual orientation of potential prospects.
But as training camps open throughout the NFL this week, the upcoming season is moving forward without any LGBT athletes. Does it mean the NFL is discriminatory?
Viv Bernstein of the New York Times writes in her personal blog:
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.
As of today, veteran NBA player Jason Collins remains the only professional athlete in a major team sport in the U.S. to come out while still active. Interestingly, right now Collins is a free agent as well. And so far, he has not been able to secure a contract for next season. Is that because he is gay or because he is a journeyman near or at the end of his career? That remains to be seen.
Fans even claimed when Collins’ coming out was fresh that it may not affect his ability to land a contract this year, recognizing that he was already an old horse among stallions. Another free agent still without a contract is our old pal Kerry Rhodes, who has battled gay rumors since photos of his alleged gay affair began circulating on the web.
Though he has never publicly come out, Rhodes stirred up controversy in the weeks following his pseudo-outing by denying it, employing a beard, and claiming he was the father of Kim Kardashian’s baby.
According to Bernstein, Rhodes is ranked as one of the better safeties in the league right now, and as an eight-year veteran at a ripe 30-years-old, should already have a contract. That’s not to say he isn’t looking—he told AL.com earlier this month that “it’s in the works” and he “can’t talk about it in depth.”
So, sports fans, why isn’t Kerry Rhodes working? Could his brush with gay rumors be holding him back from a contract this year, or is he just getting ready for his rumored Dancing With the Stars stint?
hyhybt
So… he’s not out, he’s just done a bad job of denying rumors. I guess the answer depends on whether that other football player with the imaginary girlfriend still has a job.
niles
This site has done its best to ruin his career through innuendo, and now you’re
“concerned”?
Kangol
Since being closeted isn’t working for his career, Kerry Rhodes might as well just come out.
BTW, wasn’t he supposed to be marrying a woman this summer whom he’d been dating for a long time? What happened to that storyline?
Scribe38
@niles: yeah queerty has definitely done its best to bully this guy.
dwndckd
@ niles; @Scribe38-
I’m interested in understanding what this site has on this guy? Usually, reputable news organizations print “fact,” unless it’s an opinion column. As an interested person- I am attempting to figure out what area of journalism does this site fit into…. Overall- the site doesn’t seem very accurate— “tons” of misspellings, and little to no proof reading; more-over- innuendo thrown around without concrete prove or validity…Interesting!?!?
MikeE
@dwndckd: Ok, I can only assume you are new to Queerty?
have you never noticed that every other article glorifies some porn star or other, or dishes the dirt on some twinky celebrity?
Queerty is the TMZ of horny gay blogs.
you MIGHT accidentally find a tidbit of news here, but it’s highly unlikely. And most times, when you do, it’s so poorly written or researched that it cannot be taken at face value.
DerekR
@MikeE: Yet here you are……..
MikeE
@DerekR: Notice that I’m not the one complaining that Queerty isn’t serious about its news? I’m just stating the obvious. So, snark wasted.