tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607955612343993162.post2601432619185312782..comments2023-11-29T08:58:41.094-08:00Comments on Playing Basketball From The Closet: Everyone Coming Out?Ballerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16765237119454186998noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607955612343993162.post-24507138740866535872011-05-21T13:11:39.775-07:002011-05-21T13:11:39.775-07:00It's easy to call people cowards, but that doe...It's easy to call people cowards, but that doesn't make it so. The first active U.S. major-leaguer who comes out will certainly encounter a lot of hostile reactions. Hopefully the reactions won't be at the level that Jackie Robinson experienced when he broke the color barrier, but it definitely won't be easy.<br /><br />Jackie Robinson paid a high price emotionally for being a trail-blazer. He was an extremely strong person psychologically and emotionally, but he suffered a lot of psychological stress and trauma and it probably took years off his life. The first couple openly gay major-leaguers will need to have thick skins and strong personalities to endure the abuse that bigots will throw at them.gphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15201026571725646823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607955612343993162.post-81248593574628695702011-05-21T12:53:05.313-07:002011-05-21T12:53:05.313-07:00Will Sheridan came out to his teammates while he w...Will Sheridan came out to his teammates while he was still playing. Many of the other athletes profiled on Outsports have as well. None of them have said that their teammates or coaches rejected them, or that they had to leave their team because of harassment.<br /><br />No one should be forced to come out. But I've come to believe that if there's a superstar athlete -- vital to his team's success, making millions of dollars so he's essentially set for life unless he screws up -- if that athlete is gay and remains closeted, he's a coward. There's no reason any more for such an athlete to not come out. If any teammate speaks out against him, so many other people will support him. If any company drops sponsorship, others will take their place. The only real backlash will come from the usual sources: the extreme right-wing politicians, Fox News, the ultra-religious nuts.Joe in Phillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10013249164119263662noreply@blogger.com