NFL not ready for gay players

There's an interesting story over at Bleacher Report. Apparently one NFL team was about to sign a gay free agent to a deal, after which the player would come out as gay. Didn't happen. The article is about why this is the case, and when and if the situation will ever change. There are some interesting statements along the way.

Estimates of how many gay players are in the NFL range widely, but some of them, from people intimately familiar with the league, are far higher than might be assumed by the outside public.

Players and team executives give totals ranging from several dozen to several hundred. (There are about 2,000 players in the league.) One former general manager said he believes the number of gay players is 30-40. [My bolding.]

I'm surprised by the number this former manager came up with. That would mean it's not unusual for a gay player to be a member of an NFL team. Who knows? Maybe it's true. I've certainly known my share of butch gay guys who could pass for straight in any environment.

The other possibility is a high-profile player in college is openly gay and has discussed this in media interviews for years. By the time he's picked high in the NFL draft, his sexuality has been so discussed and analyzed that no one cares. And that is the goal. Reach a day when no one will care.

We'll care. I promise. But it'll be a good "care". The fans I'm not so sure about but such a player would get worlds of support from the American public. But we may never find out because the teams (the owners, actually) are too bigoted frightened.

So after lots of talk of a gay NFL player coming out, the talk disappeared. Because NFL teams, in the end, got cold feet. It's that simple.

 Bigotry always is.

Conflicting messages on gay players in pro sports

So on the same day that an NBA player comes out, and the NFL distributes a flyer to players, reiterating its "anti-discrimination policy on sexual orientation", it seems Kris Kluwe might lose his NFL job.

He's the very outspoken punter who always stands up for gay rights, like a lion protecting its young. I love the guy because he's wildly intelligent and writes in a wonderful, slashing way. This guy can tear you into ribbons if he wants to. And if you're anti-gay, he wants to. He really, really wants to.

Seriously, on the same day all this happens, they're going to can a guy for his support for gay rights? Here's an outtake from an article about it:

“It’s a shame that in a league with players given multiple second chances after arrests, including felony arrests, that speaking out on human rights has a chance of getting you cut,” Kluwe reportedly told Pro Football Talk via a text message.

You see why I like him. He's never at a loss for words. Let's hope the aura of a good day for gay people in sports will prevail, and Kluwe will keep his job. I think of him as the Dan Choi of the NFL. We have to protect our allies. It's not like we've got a ton of them in pro sports.

Openly gay kicker for the NFL?

It could happen.

As a gay guy who worked out for most of his life, I can tell you that many straight guys have no problem sharing a locker room with gay guys. I worked out regularly with a straight NYC cop at my gym and we would shower together afterward. No problema.

It's time for the NFL (and MLB) to include openly gay players.