Is NFL ready to embrace a gay player?
Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh said that in more than 10 years of covering the Chicago Bears, no question made him more uneasy than the one he asked former defensive tackle defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, who was falsely accused of sexually assaulting another man in 2003.
After a search warrant was executed at Robinson’s house, prosecutors declined to file charges. Back at the Bears’ headquarters, Robinson answered questions from reporters.
“Once the crowd thinned, I followed up individually by asking Robinson to clarify the nature of his relationship with the accuser to better understand the man’s motivation for filing a complaint,” Haugh wrote this week. “His answer was unprintable. If looks could kill, police would have returned to investigate a homicide in the Bears locker room.
“Minutes later, an older, easygoing Bears teammate pulled me aside to explain Robinson’s reaction. I’ll never forget that veteran telling me NFL players would rather you suggest they’re guilty of a crime than gay. It didn’t matter that I had made no such suggestion about Robinson; it only mattered that others might.”
After Missouri All-America defensive end Michael Sam revealed Sunday night that he is homosexual, Haugh wrote that he hoped NFL locker rooms have become more tolerant.
“I want to say they have - especially the Bears’ culture under Coach Marc Trestman,” he wrote. “But in the Age of Incognito, I have reservations about speaking with certainty.
“With specific detail, I could describe three separate incidents the past couple of years when 1) a Bears player used a homophobic slur to insult another reporter, 2) a Bears player called me the same word to my face and 3) a former Bears player referred to [quarterback] Jay Cutler by that term in an off-the-record conversation. And you don’t have to eavesdrop to find players occasionally use the slang ‘No homo,’ which casts homosexuality in an inferior light.
“That doesn’t mean Sam automatically will encounter open hostility in the NFL. Given the attention Sam will receive for breaking one of the last barriers in sports, many teammates will recognize the value in making a pioneer feel welcome. Some will mind their own business.
But, inevitably, a small group of players will remind Sam why so many people attached the word courageous to his decision. To expect Sam to receive blanket approval from teammates and coaches is naive.
“Forget Johnny Manziel or Jadeveon Clowney. The most significant player in this year’s draft is Michael Sam because no matter when his phone rings, it will be history calling.”
Bob’s eye
Not surprisingly, social media has had plenty to say about NBC sports commentator Bob Costas and his unfortunate problems with his pinkeye, er, eyes.
Costas, who was set to host NBC’s prime time coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics, first appeared Saturday wearing glasses (he normally wears contacts) and his left eye was swollen and pink.
He said he planned to trudge on, and he did until Tuesday. By then, both eyes were infected and Costas stepped aside to be replaced by Matt Lauer.
On Twitter, the hashtag “#bobcostaspinkeye” has been very active all week. With apologies to Costas, here are a few of the highlights:
“Bob Costas’ left eye has more pink slime in it than a McDonalds chicken nugget.”
“SPOILER ALERT: In the finale of True Detective, Hart and Cohle confront the root of all evil, and it’s Bob Costas’ left eye.”
“On Russian TV, Costas’ eye looks completely normal.”
“These Bob Costas jokes are getting cornea and cornea.”
Quote of the day
“It was the best thing that ever happened to wrestling. We were a sleeping giant and they woke us up.” Arkansas Wrestling Academy director Pat Smith on wrestling being kicked out of the Olympics, only to be reinstated
Sports, Pages 20 on 02/12/2014