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Pete Olsen is a recent law graduate from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law where he was President of Moritz's Sports and Entertainment Law Association.(read more)
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Red Card Homophobia23
NBA gay news wrap: Joakim Noah (BAD), Steve Nash and Dwight Howard (GOOD)
0 Comments | Posted by Pete in Allies in Sport, Homophobia in Sport
Only in this wild year for gay news in the sports world (Outsports has reported 27 coming out stories already!) would we have three noteworthy events, all from the NBA, in a single day.
First, the bad.
Last night, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah lashed out at a heckling fan, video below, with a slew of expletives and the same antigay slur that Kobe yelled out just over a month ago.
He then offered this “apology”:
“I got caught up. A fan said something and I said something back. I apologize.”
When asked if he would expect to be fined—Kobe was fined $100,000 for the same slur directed at a referee—Noah responded, “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but, you know, I got caught up. I don’t mean no disrespect to anybody. I just got caught up.”
[EDIT:] Noah offered these additional remarks today, saying basically the same thing: “With the comment to the fan, I just want to apologize about that,” he said. “I just picked up my second foul. I was frustrated. He said something that was disrespectful towards me and I lost my cool. People who know me know I’m an open-minded guy. I’m not here to hurt anybody’s feelings. I’m just here to help win a basketball game.”
I’m really getting tired of the “I just got caught up in the moment” and “I meant no disrespect” excuse in these apologies. Pick a different word, or don’t say anything at all. It’s as simple as that.
Thankfully, there is more good than bad these days.
Just a couple hours after Noah’s outburst, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard tweeted: “Heyy world plz check out this new ad featuring @JaredDudley619 and @realgranthill33 with @GLSEN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-kwMPVqad4”
That ad, of course, is the video with Phoenix Suns Grant Hill and Jared Dudley promoting the ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign to stop the casual use of the word “gay” to mean something negative.
The ad has already aired during the NBA playoffs at least 4 times (by my count) and for Howard to pass it on to his over TWO MILLION followers is phenomenal.
Lastly, also from the Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash has joined the fight for marriage equality in New York. He offered this message with HRC:
“Hi, I’m Steve Nash. I spend my summers in New York, and I love playing in the Garden. A growing number of professional athletes are speaking out in support of gay and lesbian couples getting married. I’m proud to be one of them. Join me, and the supermajority of New Yorkers who support marriage equality.”
With an openly gay President and CEO, Rick Welts, and three allies on the team, I think it’d be safe for a gay player on the Phoenix Suns to come out. One team at a time until that brave player is ready.
