A couple Sixers were quoted in the ESPN.com piece about ex-NBA role player John Amaechi coming ‘out’ and declaring that he’s gay:
Injured Philadelphia Sixers forward Shavlik Randolph acknowledged it’s a new situation.
“As long as you don’t bring your gayness on me I’m fine,” Randolph said. “As far as business-wise, I’m sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room.”
News that Amaechi had come out surprised some players.
“For real? He’s gay for real?” said Philadelphia center Steven Hunter. “Nowadays it’s proven that people can live double lives. I watch a lot of TV, so I see a lot of sick perverted stuff about married men running around with gay guys and all types of foolishness.”
Even so, Hunter said he would be fine with an openly gay teammate.
“As long as he don’t make any advances toward me I’m fine with it,” he said. “As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I’d be fine with it.”
Steven knows gays. He watches lots of TV. And Shavlik, master of the hair gel, doesn’t want your gaynees on him. Not that there’s anything wrong with that (doesn’t everyone have to say that in a piece about gays?).
All kidding aside, Lebron’s quote was a little trouble, saying he wouldn’t trust someone living a lie like that…he seems to naively misunderstand why professional ballplayers who are gay don’t live open lives. They ain’t doing it because they’re trying to get a peek of you in the locker room, Lebron.
You can check out the John Amaechi “Man in the Middle” book at Amazon here:
Man in the Middle
P.S. The book is coming out February 20th so it’s available for preorder.
I love your writing and would like to have you join me on MVN.com. It’s been awhile since we’ve touched base in our comments section, but
your wordpress site isn’t giving you the exposure that MVN will. We are setting up to be the ESPN of sportsblogging. I need your help with the Sixers.
1. I write everyday.
2. A few Giants fans came out of nowhere and took the Knicks to our #1 basketball site.
3. I hate New York teams AND strongly dislike their fans.
4. You also might be able to write for our Phillies site, but I’m the Sixers writer and also cover Philly Big5. They promoted me to
Basketball Director in January.
5. I think you could still use your wordpress to reference your MVN work (like how you do with phillyfuture), but I’d have to check with
the higher ups if that is kosher or not. And who doesn’t love Boy Meets World Mondays!
6. 700level writes on the Eagles for NFL Fanhouse, so MVN would be your mainstream connection.
7. Common Chris, it’s me Jon! You remember me, right? I know you want to take your skills to another level. We want to build it up so we can start PAYING THE WRITERS! Right now, it’s all revenue sharing through advertising. I’m not savvy to all that stuff yet because I’m learning how to build the infrastructure first. I also work for a non-profit, so I’m more about raising awareness than making money. The potential is there to make a career of it.
Would you help? I need ya! Please holla back!
P.S. I’m not gay, since you are wondering. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
You know – it tells you what kind of world they live in that these quotes can be said and there’s no repercussions?
It bothers me so much because if you can find bigotry in yourself against one group, then it’s a small step to find against any group.
I’ve played college basketball and I wouldn’t want any gays hitting on me. I think Randolph and Hunter’s quotes were ok. If you ask someone what they think they should tell the truth. It is crazy now that people get so offended when they say they hate “queers” and don’t what “gayness” being brought on them. People make negative statements about Christians and no one is calling for them to be fired, but if someone says “I hate fags” I’m supposed to want tolerance. The world is going to hell in a hand basket if we tolerate homosexuality.