From Pro Football Talk:

Redskins receiver Brandon Lloyd has some eye-opening comments about former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman during a Monday visit with the Sports Junkies on WJFK in D.C.

"I don't believe Troy Aikman anyway," Lloyd said. "He wasn't man enough to admit his personal life situation when he was a player."

Pressed by the Junkies to clarify his comments, Lloyd tried to backtrack. "I'm speculating," he said, laughing, "just like he speculates."

Later in the spot, Lloyd says that his former teammate, Jeff Garcia, isn't gay.

When listening to Lloyd's remarks, which come at about nine minutes and seventeen minutes of the spot, further illustrate how difficult it would be for a guy who comes out of the closet to survive in the locker room.

(The Lloyd interview can be found here.)

Lloyd was pissed that he was criticized by Aikman, a Fox analyst, during Sunday’s Packers-Redskins game. He said that Aikman’s criticisms of the way Lloyd ran routes showed he was “confused,” which then led him to his implication about Aikman’s sexuality. The two radio hosts egged him on and all Lloyd would say is that “I’m speculating, too.” It was a cheap shot that has zero relevance to Lloyd and the NFL in 2007; “Aikman is gay” rumors have been around forever, but the former Cowboys quarterback retired in 2000.

As for Garcia, Lloyd said his former 49er teammate was not gay because “he’s my homeboy.” He was also asked to comment on the sexuality of former Steelers Kordell Stewart and Yancy Thigpen and he declined, saying, “If those guys want to say something about me, I’ll say something about them.” As muddled as Lloyd was, I take it that if someone criticizes him (Aikman), that means he’s gay, but if he likes someone (Garcia), that means he’s not. Lloyd came across as an ignorant buffoon during the interview.

A writer who covered Lloyd when he was with the San Francisco 49ers offered this analysis of the receiver to Outsports: "He's very cocky and arrogant, and is his own best promoter. He was criticized a lot his final year in SF for being selfish, for throwing [then QB] Cody Pickett under the bus after Pickett's one-completion performance in Chicago (he blamed Pickett for a bad throw when in fact he ran the wrong route), and for lacking the speed, strength and work ethic that would have made his spectacular receiving abilities more useful to the 49ers. After being traded to Washington, he put out some rap record in which he blasted the 'crackers' in San Fran who were critical of him. He's caught 1 pass for 9 yards this year."

As for PFT's comment on how the Lloyds of the world would make it tough for a player to come out, it echoes what we reported last week about a panel on gays in the NFL. My sense is that most players would not care much if a teammate is gay, but peer pressure from ignornant homophobes might result in such a player be ostracized rather than embraced; football players may be physically tough but they often go along to get along. —Jim Buzinski

From Pro Football Talk:

Redskins receiver Brandon Lloyd has some eye-opening comments about former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman during a Monday visit with the Sports Junkies on WJFK in D.C.

"I don't believe Troy Aikman anyway," Lloyd said. "He wasn't man enough to admit his personal life situation when he was a player."

Pressed by the Junkies to clarify his comments, Lloyd tried to backtrack. "I'm speculating," he said, laughing, "just like he speculates."

Later in the spot, Lloyd says that his former teammate, Jeff Garcia, isn't gay.

When listening to Lloyd's remarks, which come at about nine minutes and seventeen minutes of the spot, further illustrate how difficult it would be for a guy who comes out of the closet to survive in the locker room.

(The Lloyd interview can be found here.)

Lloyd was pissed that he was criticized by Aikman, a Fox analyst, during Sunday’s Packers-Redskins game. He said that Aikman’s criticisms of the way Lloyd ran routes showed he was “confused,” which then led him to his implication about Aikman’s sexuality. The two radio hosts egged him on and all Lloyd would say is that “I’m speculating, too.” It was a cheap shot that has zero relevance to Lloyd and the NFL in 2007; “Aikman is gay” rumors have been around forever, but the former Cowboys quarterback retired in 2000.

As for Garcia, Lloyd said his former 49er teammate was not gay because “he’s my homeboy.” He was also asked to comment on the sexuality of former Steelers Kordell Stewart and Yancy Thigpen and he declined, saying, “If those guys want to say something about me, I’ll say something about them.” As muddled as Lloyd was, I take it that if someone criticizes him (Aikman), that means he’s gay, but if he likes someone (Garcia), that means he’s not. Lloyd came across as an ignorant buffoon during the interview.

A writer who covered Lloyd when he was with the San Francisco 49ers offered this analysis of the receiver to Outsports: "He's very cocky and arrogant, and is his own best promoter. He was criticized a lot his final year in SF for being selfish, for throwing [then QB] Cody Pickett under the bus after Pickett's one-completion performance in Chicago (he blamed Pickett for a bad throw when in fact he ran the wrong route), and for lacking the speed, strength and work ethic that would have made his spectacular receiving abilities more useful to the 49ers. After being traded to Washington, he put out some rap record in which he blasted the 'crackers' in San Fran who were critical of him. He's caught 1 pass for 9 yards this year."

As for PFT's comment on how the Lloyds of the world would make it tough for a player to come out, it echoes what we reported last week about a panel on gays in the NFL. My sense is that most players would not care much if a teammate is gay, but peer pressure from ignornant homophobes might result in such a player be ostracized rather than embraced; football players may be physically tough but they often go along to get along. —Jim Buzinski

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