Comments on: BLOOPS: Ladies and gentlemen, your 1988 AL MVP

By: bluejaysstatsgeek

bluejaysstatsgeek — Sun, 29 May 2011 16:51:52 +0000

There is a brief interview with Steve Nash where the subject of an openly gay player came up. I thought Nash's response was spot-on:

Q. Is the N.B.A. ready for an openly gay player?
A. If a player in the locker room came out, it would come and go quickly, too. I really don’t think it’s a big issue anymore. I think it would be surprisingly accepted, and a shorter shelf life than maybe we would imagine. I think the time has come when it should happen soon.

By: BSK

BSK — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:42:33 +0000

Yea, he thinks I'd be surprised to learn that a queer was tougher than a tough guy. As if queer and tough guy are mutually exclusive. I worked in Chelsea for two years. Dem queers were hard as shit.

By: Johnny Twisto

Johnny Twisto — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:40:38 +0000

Oh wait, I see what you meant, he was saying queers aren't tough, but *even* the queers of old were tougher than tough guys now.

By: Johnny Twisto

Johnny Twisto — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:38:59 +0000

Actually, he said the queers were tougher than today's men, because today's men watch American Idol, or something. I don't disagree that a lot of guys are, how shall I say this, soft. I don't think it's a recent phenomenon or has much connection to Simon Cowell or Lady Gaga. I also think he was dissing hip-hop (hard to tell), and I won't stand for that.

By: BSK

BSK — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:22:08 +0000

Timmy P-

I never said you were a homophobe. But you seem to be taking the curmudgeonly stance that nothing today compares to anything of yesteryear. I'm afraid next you'll tell us youngsters to get off your lawn. I have no doubt that things are easier now than they were 50 years ago. Many of the posts here were dedicated to just that notion, about the progress society at large has made and sports in particular seems to be making.

Yet it is comments like yours, which have the implicit assumption that a queer is less tough than a tough guy, or that man should act a certain way, that show there is still a hell of a lot further to go.

By: Timmy P

Timmy P — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:19:43 +0000

BSK before you call me a homophobe, know that in my heart I hope that a ballplayer can reach his potential without worrying about what he does at night. In 1950 they called them queers, but I will bet that the 1950 queer was ten times tougher than than the 2011 tough-guy. I knew gay men growing up, and I had the guts to stick up for them when they needed it. But I just think that the idea of whatever goes is OK is wrong, life doesnt work that way.

By: KB

KB — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:15:26 +0000

@ 58 (with tongue in cheek)

There's never been a time in my life when I've known too much baseball. Yet, just after reading this post, I know more about Lady Gaga than I ever wanted to.

By: Timmy P

Timmy P — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:11:53 +0000

BSK - No, but I would like to see some gentlemen start acting like men. My God do you forget how much harder others have had it.

By: BSK

BSK — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:01:23 +0000

Timmy P-

Are you going to start demanding your country back?

By: Spartan Bill

Spartan Bill — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:50:20 +0000

@57, and that is probably a good thing.

I think most of us know way too much about baseball already.