NBA Free Agent Jason Collins Comes Out But He Is No Gay Jackie Robinson.
Although the mainstream media, are trying to say NBA free agent Jason Collins coming out as a gay man is a big deal the truth is it isn’t. Jason Collins is not the gay Jackie Robinson although he is on the cover of the Sports Illustrated. When is Orlando Cruz the Puerto Rican boxer should be on the cover? Orlando Cruz came out as a gay man in late year in in the fall and he is still active in boxing. Since boxing is considered a fringe sport, Cruz isn’t getting the media attention he so rightfully deserves.
Orlando Cruz has won two professional fights since he came out of the closet last fall, so why isn’t he on the cover of the NY Times or ESPN Magazine? Why is Orlando Cruz so disrespected just because he’s a boxer?
Jason Collins coming out, might make a difference in the black community though, he shines a spotlight into the struggles gay black men experience in society. I think that’s the only thing I can really take out of Jason Collins coming out he might allow our community to have more of a dialogue about homosexuality. It does take courage for a black gay man to come out especially if the man is a professional athlete.
I am cynical because, I think the social impact is only going to really occur when a gay man comes out in a team sport while he is still active and in his prime.
When is a male sports superstar going to come out as gay like Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Amelie Mauresmo have done in women’s tennis? Navratilova, King, and Mauresmo are elite tennis champions they reached number one in the world and won multiple grand slam singles titles. Navratilova and King came out in the 1980s they lost millions of dollars in endorsements.
Amelie Mauresmo came out at the beginning of her career after she reached the Australian Open women’s final in 1999. Due to Navratilova and King’s success on the tennis court it was easier for Mauresmo to come out as a lesbian. Mauresmo retained all of her endorsements and she’s a national hero in France.
There still isn’t a professional male athlete in a team sport who is active out of the closet. Jason Collins is a journeyman, he wasn’t a great player and he’s not active he’s a free agent.
In order to smash the misconceptions about gay men in professional sports, it is going to take someone braver than Jason Collins.
It is going to take a man who is in his prime, a professional athlete, and someone who is a solid athlete.
Since, Jason Collins is thirty four years old, he waited until the end of his career to come out which is easier. Collins has nothing to lose coming out now he competed in the NBA for twelve years.
It is sad that the majority of the gay male athletes who do come out only come out always come out at the end of their professional careers. At the end of a pro athlete’s career there is less stigma to coming out and less of a risk.
There is a serious issue of homophobia in men’s professional sports given the fact nobody wants to come out while active.
Since at least 5 to 10% of the population is gay there has to be more gay men in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL who are gay but closeted. Why are these gay men still in the closet?
In the grand scheme of things, Collins is thirty four years old, he’s not on a team. Collins also waited until the end of his career to come out as a gay man. I commend Collins for having the courage to come out, but he is not the gay Jackie Robinson. The social impact that Jason Collins coming out is going to have is small. If Collins had come out maybe five years ago, while he was active in the NBA then he could have made a difference.
Gayblackcanada 
Orlando Cruz might need a better PR person in his corner besides his cut man, water guy and trainer. Ryan Lochte is possibly one of the finest men in the world and no one looks as good as him in swimsuit. I would sell organs to be with this man but one thing I have notice is that he is either as dumb as a brick or one of the best actors ever. I feel terrible about saying something so awful about another human being but he is coming off on his new show, looking a bit challenged. That is fine by me because you always need one smart one in a relationship and that would be me. Sorry boo. One thing I can say is that Ryan not only would capitalize on the Olympics and his all-American good looks but he has good PR people working day and night making sure that he becomes a brand. Boyfriend knows that his good looks might stay around for a minute because the man is fine-as-hell but in his sport of choice (swimming) there is always going to be someone hungrier for success. Ryan was on the path to shatter many of Michael Phelps records and times. I have to tell you that Michael Phelps isn’t bad looking at all and extremely tall and I like tall guys but he doesn’t make me want to go insane as say Ryan does. With that said, Michael is going down in history as one of the greatest Olympians, EVER. He came, he saw and conquered, while Ryan was getting all the attention, Michael was winning all the awards. Ryan performed like no one’s business but Michael meant business and came to win. While you have the world’s attention, how do you keep it? Michael might have won but Ryan came out on top as well because he garnished some pretty sweet endorsements and so on.
The ideal with athletes and entertainers alike is, most would love to go to the ‘next level’ and sometimes going to the ‘next level’ is probably a journey or walk that wasn’t something they were looking into doing. Cute little Manny Pacquiao is hustling nuts. He was doing a commercial for peanuts and this is killer in the ring. Oscar De La Hoya was attempting to cut an album and even Manny was doing the same and I got to tell you that Oscar’s career was plagued with all types of rumors about him and I watched him fight and you can tell that he wasn’t about ruining his ‘good looks’. I didn’t blame him. Boxers get knocked around a bit and lose all types of teeth and so on. Most don’t try to end up with some kind of brain injury like many do so they venture out and try other things. Orlando Cruz should have struck while the match was hot and keep pouring gasoline on, to keep the fire going. When he came out as a proud gay man, he should have with a huge press tour, and got all the media outlets at his beck and call. From The Advocate, OUT magazine and even the Logo network could have helped to create some kind of media buzz around his announcement.
He should have gotten any other big name magazines to make him the cover boy with his story and possibly did a few of the talk shows. I know Mr. Cruz is fine and dropping guys like flies but I’m not sure if he speaks English well but just have a good translator in your corner. All Mr. Cruz would have needed to do is to make sure every gay person and every person they knew on this planet were fully aware that there is a pro boxer, who is out and proud and we should pay attention because things were going to change. I always think of Orlando Cruz and then I think of the legendary Emile Griffith, who was never out while he was boxing professionally but most people who knew him, knew he was gay. That might even be the case with Mr. Jason Collins, who has a twin brother, who is also in the NBA. Jason’s story is going to get a bit of buzz and you would think that boxing being the rough, rumble and tough sport and to have an openly gay athlete wrecking shop, sounds like something people would love to hear. The NBA for years would have whispers about certain athletes being in the closet or being allegedly gay but then when John Amaechi came out after retiring, all the progress you would think would come out, didn’t.
Cute skater, Johnny Weir wouldn’t end up on the podium as much as he deserved or should have been but he made a splash and even got a TV show and some endorsements. I’m pretty sure since Jason Collins is a free agent, he is already working on his next moves outside of basketball if no one picks him up next season. It’s safe to say that Jason isn’t bad looking and extremely tall, so he is a tall drink of water and I can see him taking his new found notoriety and making it work. Jason’s personal life isn’t going to be too bad either especially if he is a single guy. Now if he is already partnered, which I can see someone as hunky as him being single but if he is in a relationship, their life is going to full of some chaos for a minute but then it dies down and back to normal. Jason’s professional life could go either way but I don’t think he would end up like so many people before him (Orlando) that have taken the leap of faith and said aloud, “I AM GAY!” and not run with it. This is an awesome blog site and maybe you can do something to not only help Orlando take his career to the next level but you could even get an interview with Jason Collins that isn’t going to candy-coat or be friendly for readers that don’t want to read or hear the truth. Someone is going to have to show this man in a light that might be uncomfortable for some but many are going to get it. Orlando would possibly need a date with me and then I could be his biggest fan and take him to that next level. If Sharon Osbourne could take Ozzy career and turn it around, I could help Orlando turn into a household name and brand.
What of Asante Samuel’s assertion that Collins needs to pipe down because straight athletes aren’t announcing that they’re straight? Given that Samuel has played in the NFL since 2003, I assume he’s noticed the hot-panted cheerleaders shaking it on the sidelines every Sunday. Maybe he heard about Brent Musburger ogling Katherine Webb in the stands , and cooing that “quarterbacks get all the good-looking women.” He’s probably noticed the million or so times when a TV camera has focused on a player’s wife—a woman sitting in the stands, showing off her heterosexual relationship with the whole world watching. And I’m also guessing he’s looked up at the stadium Kiss Cam, which encourages straight couples to smooch while wringing gay-panicky yuks out of the possibility that presumably straight football players might lock lips .