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Players React to Tuaolo Compiled by Jim Buzinski NFL players quoted so far on the record about Esera Tuaolo's being gay have been generally supportive. The St. Paul Pioneer-Press, however, said several players refused to comment at all. One player said others would "wear towels around them more often." Another said that a gay player would be ostracized and possibly even forced out of the locker room, the paper reported. My guess is that very few players would give homophobic remarks on the record, so it would be a mistake to infer from the comments below that the NFL is an oasis of tolerance. "I really don't see it as being that big a deal It might make some people uncomfortable, but to me it's a non-issue." --Todd
Steussie, Tuaolo’s former teammate with the Minnesota Vikings "Aww, hell no! I don't want any faggots on my team. I know this might not be what people want to hear, but that's a punk. I don't want any faggots in this locker room."
--Garrison Hearst, San Francisco 49er running back "Guys don't assume that their teammates are of a homosexual preference, just because of the nature of what we do. I'm sure it would be a hostile environment, because there are a lot of macho attitudes in the locker room. Who has the prettiest girl? Who drives the biggest car? Who is playing the best? I could see where a person would hide that. That would be one of the toughest environments to come out in."
--Henri Crockett, Tuaolo’s former teammate with the
Atlanta Falcons "It really doesn't concern me, because I'm definitely not homophobic. I know that there are homosexuals in every occupation, and with the number of homosexuals out there, I wouldn't doubt there are some in athletics. The odds are, with the number of guys I've played with, I've probably been in the locker room with some. "We as a culture have to be open-minded to different things and different situations, and that goes for sexuality, religion and different cultures. Because you come in a locker room like this, there are people who are totally different from me, probably grew up in a totally different environment from me. But it just comes down to being open-minded and being understanding of other people."
--Byron Chamberlain, Tuaolo’s former teammate with the
Minnesota Vikings "He would have been eaten alive and he would have been hated for it. Had he come out on a Monday, with Wednesday, Thursday, Friday practices, he'd have never gotten to the other team."
--Sterling Sharpe, Tuaolo’s former teammate with the Green Bay Packers An
N.F.L. spokesman, Greg Aiello, characterized Sharpe's message as
"unfortunate and irresponsible." Aiello went on to declare the
N.F.L. a "meritocracy" based on "job performance." --Robert Lipsyte column, New York Times "First of all, I'm proud of Esera Tuaolo. By coming out to the world, he did something a lot of guys would never have the guts to do. We were teammates in Green Bay, and I know him pretty well. And now, knowing that he's gay, it doesn't change anything. I don't have any bad feelings about it. To me, it's not that big of a deal. But the reality is, I may be in the minority. "... A lot of guys would be upset. Particularly because football players shower together. I'm sure a lot of guys are looking back right now and wondering if Tuaolo was checking them out. For many players -- and for many heterosexual men in general -- it's distressing to know that a guy you're sharing soap with is gay. I have to admit, if I knew an openly gay guy was in the shower, I would not be in a rush to go in there. "... I'm proud of Tuaolo for standing up for who he is, but I think he made a wise decision in waiting to come out. Football is a masculine, violent sport. There is a lot of emphasis on toughness. As a player, the last thing you want to be portrayed as is "soft." Other players wouldn't want to go into battle with him on Sundays, he'd most certainly be treated differently."
LeRoy Butler, Tuaolo’s former teammate with the Green
Bay Packers "Most players I know are so confident
in their own sexuality they wouldn’t care about the gay player two
lockers down so long as he acts professionally. Chris Havel, Green
Bay Packers writer/columnist "Guys wouldn’t come out and say [they're gay] and still be playing football now because they would be looked upon differently. They would be ridiculed so much. Even with free speech and free choice and things like that nature in society today, football and the locker room is something different. ”There’s an old-school mentality, that if someone wants to come out and say they were (gay) and was still playing, I think he’d have a hard time doing (his) job and focusing.” Darren Sharper, Green Bay Packers defensive back “The whole ordeal about (Tuaolo) coming out shouldn’t even be as publicized as it is. Millions of people make that decision every day and don’t get glamorized for it. It becomes a problem when you focus on it or when it becomes an issue or the media get involved.” Vonnie Holliday, Green Bay Packers lineman “I would accept [a gay player] personally, because we live in a world where we’re all sinners and nobody is perfect. “I’m not one to judge another man. I would accept him, because if I don’t, I would say I’m better than that person or looking down on him, but I know I’m not perfect.” Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Green Bay Packers lineman
"I
think he's looking for a lawsuit. If he's gay, he's gay. Who cares? Go
on with your life. Luke Petitgout, New York Giants tackle "I think you respect their boundaries and respect what they are and who they are. It's all about how you are with yourself --if you're not comfortable with yourself and who you are, then you may be uncomfortable." Richie Anderson, New York Jets running back "Hey buddy, here's the deal. You know I disagree with it and I believe God forbids it, but I love you like a brother. If you can handle me not agreeing with your lifestyle … then we can be friends." Craig
Sauer, on what he told ex-teammate Tuaolo upon hearing he was gay "I could see coming out to make a statement if the league had a rule that gays couldn't play or something like that. But that's not the case. So just shut up."
--Marshall Faulk, St.
Louis Rams running back, speaking on the subject in general "If we had a guy who was gay on this team, it's none of my business what he does outside of the locker room. My business is my business, and his business is his business. I wouldn't treat him any different. Definitely not." Greg Biekert, Minnesota
Vikings linebacker "For so long I've felt the isolation of always being the only gay football player that's out there. Esera will have a life, children and a partner, things I never have had. I felt regret, but also a sense of validation and freedom, and a relief that the world was finally changing." David Kopay, gay ex-NFL
player Related:
Oct. 29, 2002 |
