Here's my idea for a great Outsports contest!

Guess which pro sports player will be the first to come out while still playing? What sport will he play? Will he get outed, or summon up the cojones to do it for himself? And will America react the same way they did in the best baseball/gay love story ever written, "The Dreyfus Affair?" And when will it happen? Winner gets, well, how the heck do I know! I'll conclude by giving you my best Nostradamus imitation.

PLAYER: Brady Anderson

SPORT: Baseball (duh..)

WHEN: As soon as he signs with another team (Aug 1, 2002)

HOW: Tabloid will get the photos of a kiss on
the... beach.

AMERICA REACTS: With a yawn. Yes, Visiting fans will verbally harass him for awhile, then lose interest when the next scandal comes along.

ADDITIONAL PREDICITION: He will gain the respect of his fellow big leaguers by NOT naming names. That includes the player he's dating, who will wait to see the reaction before coming out himself.

What do you guys think?

While I agree our guy Brady was a likely candidate, I don't think he will get the chance to play again. His only hope is a team in a pennant/wild card chase that needs a pinchhitter and will sign him in September. If he came out then, it would probably be a yawner. Now if he did it right after his career year of 1996, that would have been news.

Rob,

I think it'll be news, whenever it happens. But you're right, the bigger the star, the bigger the impact.

So, if not Brady (also my straight brother's name, by the by,), then who?

If you're focusing on ACTIVE players, you're not likely to be right on your guess: Brady Anderson is currently out of baseball. Given his age, and his performance the last couple of seasons, it is highly unlikely he will ever again be on a major league roster.

In fact, putting it in a matter of odds: it is more likely that Brady Anderson will be caught on camera at a beach in liplock with a muscle boy than it is he will ever again be on a major league roster.

I think it would be big news if Brady Anderson came out, regardless of whether he's playing at the time.

Back to your poll:

PLAYER: If I were in a position to know I wouldn't be telling.

SPORT: Tennis

WHEN: After winning a major event in the twilight of his career

HOW: Finds a mate who supports him fully and a small circle of close acquaintances who do the same

AMERICA REACTS: Strongly from left and right. Avid curiosity from center. Not a yawn but not a bang either

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: I loved Dreyfus Affair too, but I'm guessing it's fiction that suits the time in which it was written. Coming out would be totally different now and will hopefully continue to evolve positively

Charlie, how did you know Brady and I have been necking on the sand dunes at the Jersey Shore? He said we need to be more careful, but I told him since he will never be back in the majors, I don't care anymore. It's time the whole world knew about us. Now, back to our liplock!

Hmmmmm, does Scott know about this ???

.... in 1997, he took a whirlwind 8-day Italian vacation with Scott Erickson,...

Brazen Hussy !!!

Am I that far under a rock that I do not know of any evidence that Brady is gay... or is it all hopefulness on your part.... It is getting very old in here to constantly be hereing about one guy or another being gay just on a hunch.... and as far as that goes, lets get off the Piazza issue also.... until you all have it out of the person's mouth, or the pics on the beach... enough already!!!!

Boy, Brady and Scott would have the most beautiful children, wouldn't they?

Scotty boy

Jim, I just read your article about the double standard between Wicks and Piazza and I have to admit that I was fascinated.

You're right that there's probably a double standard, but I think there are several reasons for that. First and foremost is probably because of trailblazers like Martina who had to face quite a lot of hatred after she came out, until she got general acceptance, and then finally love. No major male athlete has had to face that yet.

But the big reason is (and I hate to admit it) is because of gender roles. A woman who plays sports is always suspect unless she goes around flaunt how feminine she is. It's like mothers who try to put dresses on their tomboy daughters so that people "won't get the wrong idea".

On the other hand, boys who play sports are doing manly things, no fear of them being effeminate or eventually gay. Everyone assumes that a male sports figure (outside sports like figure skating) is straight.

And of course, the obvious reason is that Major League Baseball is a helluva lot bigger and more popular than the WNBA.

Jim--well written and very well addressed. I see the double standard in a daily basis and am still amazed. Sue Wicks should be commended for her coming out and for her making a stand...it's like that old question. If a tree falls in the middle of an uninhabited forest does it make a sound? If no one cares about the WNBA, does anyone care if she or someone else comes out? Especially when the assumption is that she is probably gay anyway? A sad state of affairs, but true. In any case, keep up the good work!!