Outsports is counting down its 30 most-read stories of 2014. And less than half are coming-out stories.
After we started the countdown we had an unexpected hit with this beautiful story that within 48 hours became our most-read story of 2014:
Gay W. Virginia high school soccer player comes out by dancing with homecoming king
Michael Martin, an all-state goalie, slow danced with the guy who gave him the courage to be himself. Inspired by Robbie Rogers, Martin now hopes to inspire others.
Before we started the countdown in early December, these were the top 30 stories…
1) Out speedskater Ireen Wüst wins Olympic gold medal
Wüst, a Dutch star, wins her third career gold by taking the 3,000 meters.
2) Michael Sam’s NFL snub already at historic level
Every big-time conference Defensive Player of the Year drafted since 2000 – from the ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, Pac-12 and SEC – has made an active NFL roster his rookie season … until Michael Sam came out as gay.
3) Cockocracy: Size matters in the locker room, researcher finds
Interviews with British athletes confirm what we all know — guys look and compare, and the bigger the better.
4) Mark Sanchez eats a racist cheesesteak after beating the Panthers
Sanchez promises to go to Geno’s and Pat’s if the Eagles win, and he sticks to his word – even if it means supporting a racist, xenophobic business.
5) Conner Mertens came out to his college football team. Now he comes out publicly.
A place kicker at Willamette University in Oregon, Mertens came out as bisexual to his team. He now comes out publicly in hopes of inspiring other LGBT athletes to come out and be true to themselves.
6) ‘The eagle has landed’
The exclusive behind-the-scenes story of how NFL prospect Michael Sam came out.
7) Tom Brady’s last stand
While the Patriots’ offensive woes aren’t all on Tom Brady, his $1 million replacement will get his shot sooner than you think.
8) Is Aaron Rodgers gay? When speculation becomes problematic.
Innocent speculation is one thing, but the attempted outing last week of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers does all harm and no good.
9) Eric Radford: Olympic figure skater, medal-winning family man. And gay.
Eric Radford has an Olympic silver medal in figure skating. Now he aims for a gold medal in 2018 – with his skating partner Meagan Duhamel – as an openly gay man with his “gay family” at home.
10) MLB umpire Dale Scott comes out as gay in quietest way possible
A photo with his husband in a small magazine was his first public acknowledgment. “I am extremely grateful that Major League Baseball has always judged me on my work and nothing else,” he says.
11) Exclusive: See Ben Cohen’s first-ever centerfold in his 2015 calendar
Ben Cohen’s 2015 calendar is here, this time with a centerfold. Check it the exclusive photo below.
12) What happened when a gay coach in Iowa came out to his homophobic friends?
Evan Risk is a jr. high school track & cross-country coach in rural Iowa. When his friend talked about killing the queers at an Iowa basketball game, he knew he had to come out to him.
13) ‘Mom, I’m gay.’ For college swimmer, coming out to his religious mother was the hardest part.
Coming out to his teammates at the University of Virginia was easy for Parker Camp compared to his family. The result was unconditional love and a burden lifted. “We are the definition of a modern family,” his brother said.
14) Gross. Disgusting. Weird. Watching NFL players kiss wives, girlfriends
My problem with straight athletes kissing their girlfriends.
15) Vulgar Michael Sam sign shows up on ESPN’s College GameDay
“Michael Sam couldn’t even handle dem Cocks,” says the sign.
16) College baseball player Matt Kaplon came out as gay to his team Sunday after years of struggle
"It's one of the best things he's ever done because it's made us closer friends," said a teammate on the Drew University baseball team. "It doesn't change a thing."
17) Olympic rower Robbie Manson comes out as gay
Robbie Manson, Olympic rower for New Zealand, comes out publicly as gay, talks about the struggles in the closet and coming out to friends before the 2012 Olympics.
18) ‘2 of us are gay …’ Wonderful message of diversity from University of Virginia swimmers
What is diversity? Students at the University of Virginia wanted to show that it is more than a buzzword and to make the campus more inclusive.
19) Gay football player reveals what showering with teammates is really like
Locker rooms are smelly, dirty and anything but erotic, writes Scott Cooper, who played linebacker in college as an openly gay man. Fear of having a gay teammate comes from lack of experience and insecurity.
20) iPuto! Mexican soccer fans chant gay slur during World Cup
The Mexico crowd yells the slur at the opposing goalie and you can hear it on the TV broadcast. ESPN says it will be “vigilant” so it won’t be heard on future broadcasts.
21) Kenyon College lacrosse player Holden Richards comes out in the darnedest ways
While nobody on the team quite knew how to handle a gay player when Richards came out, the entire Kenyon lacrosse team now again calls him their lax bro.
22) Michael Sam set to join the Dallas Cowboys
Michael Sam is about to be a Dallas Cowboy. Outsports has confirmed the Cowboys are bringing Sam to Dallas for a physical and have the intention of signing him to their practice squad.
23) College baseball player Chandler Whitney, boyfriend of Conner Mertens, comes out
Whitney found complete acceptance from his Walla Walla Community College baseball team when he came out to them just days after his boyfriend, Conner Mertens, came out to his college football team.
24) Brad Thorson, former college football player and NFL prospect, comes out as gay
Brad Thorson came out as gay on Independence Day. He played college football for Wisconsin, Kansas, and he was with the Arizona Cardinals for their 2011 training camp.
25) A life worth living: To near death and back again in South Bend
Gay Notre Dame varsity tennis player Matt Dooley attempted suicide in 2011. He came out to his team exactly two years later, and their acceptance helped save his life.
26) Gay Guide to Super Bowl XLVIII
Seattle vs. Denver, aka the Bud Bowl, featuring “Beast Mode,” “Pot Roast,” snowy weather, players shirtless, players crying, David Beckham nude, the gay angle and a Super Bowl pick.
27) College football defensive end Mitch Eby comes out as gay
Eby gave a moving coming-out speech to his Chapman University football team on March 18 that sent them into applause. One teammate called him his hero.
28) Derrick Gordon finds his freedom
After a year of isolation, gay UMass basketball player Derrick Gordon discovered the strength to share his truth with family and teammates. He becomes the first active male NCAA Div. 1 basketball player to come out publicly.
29) Michael Sam jerseys No. 2 selling among rookies
Michael Sam jerseys sell more than No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney in 48 fewer hours.
30) Many fall for fake ‘Jeff Gordon is gay’ article
Empire Sports News fakes everybody out with fake story about Jeff Gordon and Stephen Rhodes.
