Another Sunday

"Sports plays a societal role in engendering jingoist and chauvinist attitudes. They're designed to organize a community to be committed to their gladiators."
--Noam Chomsky

"The addiction to sports, therefore, in a peculiar degree marks an arrested development in man's moral nature."
--Thorstein Veblen

"A few sports foster a culture of violence. Such a misguided culture too often spills over into barbaric acts in and out of competition...
The 'trample the opponent' philosophy espoused by some coaches and parents sends the wrong message about the core value of empathy."
--Dan Doyle

"Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people."
--David Sarnoff

Welcome, Keegan!

Keegan Hirst (Photo by Andy Stenning)

Another major sports star has come out. Keegan Hirst of the Batley Bulldogs, a rugby team in the UK has announced he is gay.

Keegan Hirst (Photo by Andy Stenning)

According to UK newspaper The Mirror, he “is the first British professional in the code to openly say he is gay." He has been met with tremendous support from within the sport and from the public at large.

Welcome, Keegan! Continued success to you!

Welcome, Jason!

We now officially have our first AMERICAN openly gay, active athlete from any of the four major U.S. men's professional sports leagues.

Jason Collins is a twelve year veteran of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and now, a gay hero. Welcome, Jason! So happy you joined us!

Continued success to you!

Welcome, Robbie!

Another professional athlete has come out... and we have another hero.

U.S. soccer star Robbie Rogers today made two simultaneous announcements: he is gay, and he is retiring from football. Rogers played several seasons for Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew before joining Britain's Leeds United team last year. In 2007 he played for Team USA in the FIFA World Cup tournament, and he competed for the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Whatever you do now Robbie, we wish you continued success.

Read his inspiring statement on his website:
http://www.therobbierogers.com

Welcome, Orlando!

Not only is it currently GLBT History Month, but today boxer Orlando Cruz came out. This marks the very first time ever that an active, professional boxer has come out. I do not follow boxing at all (it puzzles me), but I am happy to see anyone come out with confidence, pride, and determination. He is quite brave to have come out in such a traditionally masculine sport, and in a country that is suffering such a sick backlash against gay men and women.

Continued success to you, hero.

"I've been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself...I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man.

I don't want to hide any of my identities...I want people to look at me for the human being that I am. I am a professional sportsman that always brings his best to the ring. I want for people to continue to see me for my boxing skills, my character, my sportsmanship. But I also want kids who suffer from bullying to know that you can be whoever you want to be in life, including a professional boxer, that anything is possible and that who you are or whom you love should not be impediment to achieving anything in life."

BEAUTY: Men--Brave Gay Athletes

A collection of professional athletes who have recently come out.

Heroes.

Gareth Thomas, rugby, UK.

Jed Hooper, rugby, UK.

Anton Hysén, football, Sweden.

David Testo, soccer, US playing in Canada.

Steve Davies, cricket, UK.

Yoann Lemaire, soccer, France.