Jason Collins

[ChicosBailBonds]

The article itself contains and basically is an essay written by Collins.

I guess I don't see it.  I'll need some help on this one.

[Jay Bee]

Kind of a racy article by Collins.

"The relief I felt was a sweet release."

"I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back."

"by dinner that night, he was full of brotherly love."

"my wrists are taped."

"Believe me, I've taken plenty of showers in 12 seasons."

"What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room."

"I've never been an in-your-face kind of guy. All you need to know is that I'm single."

"I'll set a pretty hard pick on him."

PS - I see people using LBGTQ now - have asked what the Q means. It's "queer" but what it means? - have heard different answers from almost each person that's opined.

Collins says that being gay is not a choice. So 100% of gays didn't make the choice to be gay? "sigh"

[Tugg Speedman]

Anyone who thinks Jason Collins' life just got easier is nuts.

What backlash is he going to face?  Are Wizards fans going to cancel their season tickets?  Are TV ratings going to fall?  Are his team-mates going to shun him?  Is his landlord going to evict him?

The answer is no in all cases.  He will not suffer any backlash and he will be praised across the land.  Obama has already praised him.

Coming out is the easiest thing to do in America right now.  Their is no punishment, just praise and reward.  He will probably get a parade.  

So, why don't more come out?  See my post above, maybe because their are only a small handful more in the closet in pro team sports.

Which brings me to my post at the top.  Why did he do it?  What we have learned is he is at the end of his career and many NBA experts say he may not get resigned and his career might be over.  Earlier I said I was a cynic, I'll let you decide.

[Lennys Tap]

That's why I said it depends on a lot of circumstances like geography, industry, etc, but to just blanketly say someone is crazy (like you did), is wrong.   

So the only consequences for your friends and co-workers who came out was more sex because they live and work in a small world that doesn't reflect the bigotry that still exists in this country. Jason Collins has to live in that other, bigger world. Your friends who assume nothing will change for Collins in that bigger world except an improving sex life are myopic, childish and, at least on this point, crazy.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So the only consequences for your friends and co-workers who came out was more sex because they live and work in a small world that doesn't reflect the bigotry that still exists in this country. Jason Collins has to live in that other, bigger world. Your friends who assume nothing will change for Collins in that bigger world except an improving sex life are myopic, childish and, at least on this point, crazy.

Nope, nor did I say it was.  In some cases they lost friends, tough conversations with their parents, etc.  But to a person, they all said it made life "easier"...kind of like what Collins himself said today.

Sense of relief.  Not living a lie anymore.  Complete your own sentences, but you get the idea. 

If I were to guess, to each of them it was about the bigger picture of being who they are and not having to play a game of who they are not...thus life became easier.   I believe it was you who said that was crazy talk, but that's not necessarily the case.  Maybe you meant something different.

[martyconlonontherun]

Shouldn't matter and the only reason it's a story is because he is an "active" player. Doubt he plays again, so I don't see why this is a story at all..

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

What backlash is he going to face?  Are Wizards fans going to cancel their season tickets?  Are TV ratings going to fall?  Are his team-mates going to shun him?  Is his landlord going to evict him?

The answer is no in all cases.  He will not suffer any backlash and he will be praised across the land.  Obama has already praised him.

Coming out is the easiest thing to do in America right now.  Their is no punishment, just praise and reward.  He will probably get a parade.  

So, why don't more come out?  See my post above, maybe because their are only a small handful more in the closet in pro team sports.

Which brings me to my post at the top.  Why did he do it?  What we have learned is he is at the end of his career and many NBA experts say he may not get resigned and his career might be over.  Earlier I said I was a cynic, I'll let you decide.

Again, this is a man who has earned over 30million dollars in his career.

Do you honestly think he is using his sexuality to manipulate the league into giving him another season?

From a logic standpoint, that doesn't make sense. He's going to make very little money (compared to his career earnings), so why come out for the money as you imply?

He does a nice job explaining it in his own words.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#all

[warriorchick]

Kind of a racy article by Collins.

"The relief I felt was a sweet release."

"I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back."

"by dinner that night, he was full of brotherly love."

"my wrists are taped."

"Believe me, I've taken plenty of showers in 12 seasons."

"What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room."

"I've never been an in-your-face kind of guy. All you need to know is that I'm single."

"I'll set a pretty hard pick on him."

Very mature.

PS - I see people using LBGTQ now - have asked what the Q means. It's "queer" but what it means? - have heard different answers from almost each person that's opined.

The Q stands for "questioning".

[mu03eng]

Here is a quote from Collin's agent reported by Darren Rovell:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jason Collins' agent Arn Tellem doesn't think NBA will push Collins on teams, but thinks it will be in a team's best interest to sign him.</p>&mdash; darren rovell (@darrenrovell) [url=https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/329040390256730112]April 30, 2013
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/url]

And if I didn't embed it correctly, the quote was "Jason Collins' agent Arn Tellem doesn't think NBA will push Collins on teams, but thinks it will be in a team's best interest to sign him."  Tellem later goes on to say that wasn't the focus of Jason's announcement but it is the reality of the situation.  It's entirely possible for him to do this for personal reasons but reaping a monetary benefit for it.

IMO, great for him to do this but the sooner this sort of thing is no longer a big deal the better.  At some point we need to stop looking at pieces of groups and pieces of people and just look at people

[NavinRJohnson]

Well, I was reading a string of ridiculous douchebaggery by AnotherMU84. To a much lesser extent, there was some wild conjecture about Collins' motives from NavinRJohnson.

I suggest you re-read those comments.

I suggest you do the same. Has his post-basketball career become more high-profile and lucrative, or has it not? The reality is, he went from a guy nobody ever heard of, to someone some people have heard of literally over night, and that's only going to increase in the coming days. However, I suspect the majority of folks are like me, and don't care any more about him now than they did 24 hours ago.

[Tugg Speedman]

Maybe my cynicism is well placed ... it's always about money ....


--------------------

Collins Gay Sports Stand Seen Bringing Riches If Interested (1) 2013-04-30 12:54:04.630 GMT


     (Updates with comment from Billie Jean King in 45th
paragraph.)

By Scott Soshnick and Mason Levinson
     April 30 (Bloomberg) -- If anyone can relate to Jason Collins, it’s Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts, a former National Basketball Association chief marketing officer who says the first openly gay male athlete in a major U.S. team sport can cash in by coming out.
     Provided Collins wants to.
     “People are going to take a step back and take in what happens over the next few days,” said Welts, 60, who two years ago told the world he was gay in a front-page story in the New York Times. “They’re going to see an amazing rallying around Jason and what he chose to do. From that will flow opportunities. I’m not sure what Jason wants. It may or may not fit in with what he wants to accomplish.”
     Collins, a 34-year-old veteran of 12 NBA seasons, made his announcement yesterday in a Sports Illustrated cover story.
     “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,” Collins said in the story. “But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”
     While his name might not be familiar to casual sports fans, being the first openly homosexual player is enough to garner attention from progressive companies seeking to use an athlete endorser, says Bob Witeck, a gay-marketing strategist and corporate consultant whose clients include American Airlines Corp.

                         Gay Market

     Witeck said Collins, a free agent who spent this season with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, stands to reap millions of dollars from speaking engagements and endorsements from companies seeking to capture more of a U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adult population whose annual buying power he pegs at almost $800 million.
     “Every young, black male who has nothing but a street, hoop and ball wants to be a Jason Collins,” Witeck said in a telephone interview. “Some of those kids who are gay don’t have to deny themselves that chance.”
     A product of Stanford University, Collins said he began thinking about coming out during the 2011 NBA lockout and was further motivated by the bombings at the Boston Marathon.
     Collins already has a sponsorship contract with Nike Inc., the world’s largest sporting-goods company, whose founder, Phil Knight, said this month that he’d welcome a gay athlete endorser.
     “We admire Jason’s courage and are proud that he is a Nike athlete,” Brian Strong, a spokesman for Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike, said in an e-mail. “Nike believes in a level playing field where an athlete’s sexual orientation is not a consideration.”

                         Unique Choices

     When it comes to Nike and marketing, Welts said, the only predictable element is the company’s unpredictability. The Warriors’ president said he doesn’t know what the endorsement will be, but he can guess what it won’t.
     “This is not just somebody holding up a product and saying, ‘Buy this,’” Welts said in a telephone interview. “The company will be making a statement about their brand and he will choose them because it’s a message he wants to deliver.”
     Welts said his advice to Collins as a marketer is to be selective.
     “Choose something that resonated with what I was trying to accomplish,” he said. “It definitely won’t be a ‘Your-name- here’ deal.”
     Arn Tellem, Collins’s agent, didn’t immediately respond to a text or message left on his mobile phone seeking comment on the marketing opportunities available to his client.

                         Past Campaigns

     American Airlines, Macy’s Inc., Ikea Group and Amazon.com Inc. are among the companies that have used gay-themed advertising. American created a gay-targeted sales group called the Rainbow Team in the mid-1990s.
     The talk on Twitter backed Collins, who has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, twice playing in the NBA Finals with the New Jersey Nets.
     Jason Kidd, one of his teammates in New Jersey and now a New York Knicks’ point guard; former NBA Most Valuable Players Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant; and the NBA players union executive committee voiced support for Collins via the social media site.
     “Jason’s sexuality doesn’t change the fact that he is a great friend and was a great teammate,” Kidd wrote.
     The announcement from Collins ends months of speculation over which major-league athlete would be the first to announce he’s gay. Former Baltimore Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo, a gay-rights advocate, said this month that he is in talks with football players who are contemplating coming out, and that a joint announcement had been discussed.

                         No. 98

     Collins said his “one small gesture of solidarity” toward the gay community before coming out was to wear the jersey number 98 with the Celtics and Wizards, in memory of the 1998 death of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, who was kidnapped and tortured for his sexual orientation.
     Collins said he revealed his sexuality last summer to his twin brother, Jarron, who played in the NBA until 2011.
     “He was downright astounded,” said Jason Collins. “He never suspected. So much for twin telepathy.”
     Among other athletes who have said they are gay are U.S.
women’s national soccer team midfielder Megan Rapinoe and Brittney Griner, the first pick in the Women’s NBA draft this month.
     Mark Elderkin, chief executive officer of the Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Gay Ad Network, said that sponsors probably are already lined up for Collins.
     “If there’s a cover of Sports Illustrated, it didn’t just happen by chance,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s a controlled event. I imagine the sponsors are in the wings being prepared and those deals are in the works.”

                         White House

     Collins’s announcement drew praise from former U.S.
President Bill Clinton and White House press secretary Jay Carney.
     “We view that as another example of the progress that has been made,” Carney said, adding that he hadn’t spoken to President Barack Obama about his reaction.
     Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization, said in an e-mailed statement that Collins had “forever changed the face of sports.”
     “No longer will prejudice and fear force gay athletes to remain silent about a fundamental part of their lives,” Griffin said. “By coming out and living openly while still an active NBA player, Collins has courageously shown the world that one’s sexual orientation is no longer an impediment to achieving one’s goals, even at the highest levels of professional sports.”

                         Stern Praise

     NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement that the Collins brothers have been “exemplary members of the NBA family.”
     “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue,” Stern said.
     The National Hockey League joined with a gay-rights organization this month to fight homophobia in sports.
     Collins was chosen by the Houston Rockets with the 18th pick of the 2001 NBA draft and traded that day to the Nets. He played into his seventh season with New Jersey before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s also had stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks.
     Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said his team is proud of Collins.
     “He has been a leader on and off the court,” Grunfeld said in a statement. “Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation.”

                         Playing Opportunity

     Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has said he’d be proud to have the first gay player on his team. The billionaire didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment on whether he’s interested in adding Collins.
     Welts said whether Collins plays in the NBA next season will be decided on his statistics, not his sexual preference.
     “If there’s a GM and coach that think he can help their team, he’ll be on a roster,” Welts said.
     Witeck said Collins’s disclosure would probably attract more contract offers from clubs.
     “There are teams out there that may view him as a higher value property and desire that he bring the fan base and interest to their team,” Witeck said.

                         Navratilova Reaction

     Today’s athletes have opportunities that weren’t available to openly gay tennis players Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova, now a fitness ambassador for the American Association of Retired Persons who said coming out cost her at least $10 million in endorsements. Navratilova, winner of 18 Grand Slam tennis singles championships, revealed her sexual orientation at the height of her career.
     “You are a brave man,” Navratilova said yesterday about Collins in a Twitter post. “1981 was the year for me-2013 is the year for you:).”
     King, 69, said in an interview in Atlanta yesterday that Collins would pick up sponsorships from his announcement. She said her own endorsements “disappeared overnight” when she was identified as gay in a 1981 lawsuit filed by a former girlfriend.
     “It was a cost I can’t equate in money,” said King, winner of 39 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. “But the most important thing is to be free and live your truth.”
     Witeck said a gay athlete makes most sense as an endorser for a company in the beverage, automotive, financial or technology fields. They might all be calling.
     “He seems to be a very level-headed, smart, well-educated, full person,” Jim Andrews, senior vice president of content strategy at IEG, a Chicago-based sponsorship consultant, said in an interview. “I’m sure his representatives are fielding a lot of calls, and will be fielding a lot of calls and e-mails in the next few weeks.”

[GGGG]

For the record, I have several LGBT folks on my team.  First thing that came up today in our staff meeting is what is all the fuss about.  Maybe it's just because of the industry we are in, but being LGBT is absolutely no big deal.  Part of the conversation today was if life will get easier, which is why I noticed your post.  In their viewpoint, it will get easier.  No longer living a lie, sense of relief, etc, etc.  There were some very funny lines that I couldn't fully appreciate since I am not gay, but the improved sex life was mentioned over and over again.  We were all having a good chuckle at it.  It's funny, I think back and I've been working with open LGBT co-workers for at least 12 years if not longer.  Its not even something we think about.  It only comes up when we go out as a team and someone comments on the attractiveness of another person or if they bring their significant other to an event.  

So I think it actually does matter based on your POV.  This announcement in Los Angeles in our industry is a yawner.  This same announcement in Tuscaloosa might be seen much differently.  Geography, religious affiliations, political traditions of the area, etc, etc all factor into this.  So, in fact, life actually can be "easier" or with broader opportunities in some places or industries.  In other parts of this country, things could be much more inhospitable, or certain industries.

I think it really depends on a lot of circumstances and not necessarily fair to say anyone who thinks life will get easier is crazy.  I literally heard those words from some of my LGBT co-workers the exact opposite based on their own experiences.  To each their own, but I value my co-workers opinions very much on this based on what each of them went through over the years.    

Chicos...I hear where you are coming from.  I work on a college campus so you really can't swing a dead cat without hitting a LGBT member.  

But this is why it is a big deal.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000133011/article/chris-culliver-wouldnt-accept-openly-gay-49ers-player

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2766213

I could find more too.  

To me, this is groundbreaking because of the industry he works in.  And frankly it is a sad reflection in society these days that it *is* groundbreaking...but that doesn't take away from some of the courageous aspects of it.

[GGGG]

Maybe my cynicism is well placed ... it's always about money ....

No.  It isn't.  Quotes from third parties selected to back your point don't prove anything.

[GGGG]

The answer is, if the price is right anybody/everybody would do it.  I would say the same applies for me.  Pay me my price and I'm sure I will SAY I'm gay to collect some bucks.

The problem is their is no way to "prove" you're gay (I should say no way is going to "force" you to "show" that your gay).  Just saying it is good enough.

This was a real debating point in the recent gay marriage debate.  Can business partners "marry" as a tax dodge?  Would they do it?  Again, if the price is right sure.  How do they prove they are gay?

Do you want them to have anal sex in front of a judge or something?

[schuess56]

This story is everywhere.    I had to turn off  Mike and Mike this morning.   Why can't people keep their personal lives to themselves?   Respect for all is important, but the "movement" uses stories like this as a promotion tool.   Watching my six kids go through school ... I'm now seeing some really confused kids walking the halls.  It's getting to the point where if a kid goes  a few months without a date he starts to  wonder if he might be gay.   And,  other kids say they are gay because it's almost a fad now. There are some leaders  who want to grow the movement, and stories like this help to do that among these confused  adolescents, and the media is happy to oblige.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos...I hear where you are coming from.  I work on a college campus so you really can't swing a dead cat without hitting a LGBT member.  

But this is why it is a big deal.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000133011/article/chris-culliver-wouldnt-accept-openly-gay-49ers-player

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2766213

I could find more too.  

To me, this is groundbreaking because of the industry he works in.  And frankly it is a sad reflection in society these days that it *is* groundbreaking...but that doesn't take away from some of the courageous aspects of it.

Yeah, I get it and I certainly get why the media will make this close to the second coming of Christ, but I guess that's where it falls apart for me.  The Jackie Robinson comparisons...yikes...they are doing a great disservice to Collins and a HUGE disservice to the African American community and Mr. Robinson in particular with these absurd comparisons. 

For some, a very big deal.  To me and others, especially out in my neck of the woods, this is a gigantic yawn.  There are gay people in society, there will be gay people playing sports. 

And yes, I do think he will be rewarded a LOT of money for this....I'm not a cynic on this to say that's why he did it, but he will do very well as a by product of his announcement.

[MerrittsMustache]

For some, a very big deal.  To me and others, especially out in my neck of the woods, this is a gigantic yawn.  There are gay people in society, there will be gay people playing sports. 

You clearly are not aware of this, Chicos, but not everything is about you.

[Jay Bee]

Very mature.

Hypocrisy!

The Q stands for "questioning".

A few people have told me this, others (most) have said it's queer. Still others say it's BOTH. So strange.

---------------------
Collins will soon be at the White House being praised. He says he doesn't want to be labeled, but largely talks about the gay "community" and wanting to "support the cause"... it's difficult to guess what all his reasons and angles are and at the end of the day I suppose I don't care all that much.

Many pro's for him stamping himself with a label for the public.

Odd world we live in.

[GGGG]

This story is everywhere.    I had to turn off  Mike and Mike this morning.   Why can't people keep their personal lives to themselves?   Respect for all is important, but the "movement" uses stories like this as a promotion tool.   Watching my six kids go through school ... I'm now seeing some really confused kids walking the halls.  It's getting to the point where if a kid goes  a few months without a date he starts to  wonder if he might be gay.   And,  other kids say they are gay because it's almost a fad now. There are some leaders  who want to grow the movement, and stories like this help to do that among these confused  adolescents, and the media is happy to oblige.

Uhhh...what?

Are you saying that the "movement" is recruiting confused teenagers to become gay?  Are you mixing up the gays with the Jehovah's Witnesses?

[Coleman]

For the record, I have several LGBT folks on my team.  First thing that came up today in our staff meeting is what is all the fuss about.  Maybe it's just because of the industry we are in, but being LGBT is absolutely no big deal.  Part of the conversation today was if life will get easier, which is why I noticed your post.  In their viewpoint, it will get easier.  No longer living a lie, sense of relief, etc, etc.  There were some very funny lines that I couldn't fully appreciate since I am not gay, but the improved sex life was mentioned over and over again.  We were all having a good chuckle at it.  It's funny, I think back and I've been working with open LGBT co-workers for at least 12 years if not longer.  Its not even something we think about.  It only comes up when we go out as a team and someone comments on the attractiveness of another person or if they bring their significant other to an event. 

So I think it actually does matter based on your POV.  This announcement in Los Angeles in our industry is a yawner.  This same announcement in Tuscaloosa might be seen much differently.  Geography, religious affiliations, political traditions of the area, etc, etc all factor into this.  So, in fact, life actually can be "easier" or with broader opportunities in some places or industries.  In other parts of this country, things could be much more inhospitable, or certain industries.

I think it really depends on a lot of circumstances and not necessarily fair to say anyone who thinks life will get easier is crazy.  I literally heard those words from some of my LGBT co-workers the exact opposite based on their own experiences.  To each their own, but I value my co-workers opinions very much on this based on what each of them went through over the years.   

Right. I agree with you. But the whole country isn't like California. This is a big deal for a lot of people. Just because you live in a more open-minded area doesn't lessen its importance for everyone else.

[Coleman]

You clearly are not aware of this, Chicos, but not everything is about you.

+1

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Maybe my cynicism is well placed ... it's always about money ....

If this was Kim Kardashian coming out, then yes, I would agree with your cynicism. It seems like she and her family are willing to do anything for the all-mighty dollar.

But, by all accounts, Jason is a thoughtful man, and a well respected teammate. Therefore, I don't think it's fair to jump to the conclusion that he's doing it for the money.

I have had friends who have come out, and it's a tough process. Usually involves a lot of introspection, self examination, some guilt and some fear. It's not exactly pretty, and for some people, takes years.

[Coleman]

Uhhh...what?

Are you saying that the "movement" is recruiting confused teenagers to become gay?  Are you mixing up the gays with the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Or Mormons?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWA_jr-AwyA

[Jay Bee]

Uhhh...what?

Are you saying that the "movement" is recruiting confused teenagers to become gay?  Are you mixing up the gays with the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Do you believe 100% of gays didn't choose to be gay?

Collins says he didn't choose to be gay. But why do some find it hard to believe that there are a number of people that simply choose to be gay? Even if you think there are people that are 'born gay', why would you think there are not those who just decide to be gay?  

[Coleman]

Do you believe 100% of gays didn't choose to be gay?

Collins says he didn't choose to be gay. But why do some find it hard to believe that there are a number of people that simply choose to be gay? Even if you think there are people that are 'born gay', why would you think there are not those who just decide to be gay?  

Umm for the same reason black people don't choose to be black? Or tall people choose to be tall?