49ers CB says openly gay players would not be welcomed on the team

**pwaldo** · 01-30-2013, 08:55 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--re...190346715.html

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver has made inflammatory comments regarding homosexuality in football just a few days before Super Bowl XLVII.

Shock jock Artie Lange revealed he had interviewed Culliver at media day Tuesday and aired a segment on his show that night, where the player insisted that any gay players would not be welcome on the team.

"I don't do the gay guys man," said Culliver, whose Niners play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. "I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.

"Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah…can't be…in the locker room man. Nah."

When quizzed by Lange whether any homosexual athletes would need to keep their sexuality a secret in football, Culliver responded: "Yeah, come out 10 years later after that."

The 49ers released a statement Wednesday in response to Culliver's remarks:

"The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made [Tuesday], and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community."

In the NFL's long history, there has never been an openly gay active player. However, sexual orientation has increasingly come into the spotlight recently.

The Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax saga was believed by many to be a ruse designed to hide his homosexuality, a claim that was vehemently denied by the former Notre Dame defensive star.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has been an outspoken supporter of gay rights, using the profile of Super Bowl week to bring the issue further into the spotlight.

**Kickstand54** · 01-30-2013, 09:15 PM

I wish we could hear his response as to why having a gay teammate would not be tolerable. That would probably be an equally entertaining demonstration of ignorance.

**Bosox3** · 01-31-2013, 11:13 AM

a non story IMO...who cares what he thinks. He plays football and that's the only thing we should worry about..his performance on the field.

**boba** · 01-31-2013, 12:25 PM

Was he asked a specific question that led to his respose? If so he has the freedom of his own opinion. Now if he just went on a tirade about this then it was wrong.

**selby56** · 01-31-2013, 01:14 PM

We touched on this very subject in my Sport & Gender class last year, and our class as a whole agreed that professional sports (the NFL in particular) just isn't ready for a homosexual player. Not because they don't belong, but because they are going to be singled out, in good and bad ways. They will have multiple teammates (if not most of the locker room) uncomfortable with it. Opposing players will go out of their way to mentally and physically harm them. The coaching staff/front office will question his mental and physical strengths more than your typical straight player if he has a bad game. The media/fans will simply refer to them as "the gay player." And he will always be "the gay player" even if he is one of the best at his job.

Chris should have danced around the question to avoid the backlash he has received. But even if he did dance around the question or he gave a politically correct answer, it still doesn't change the fact that he and multiple NFL players feel this way.

**pwaldo** · 01-31-2013, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by boba

Was he asked a specific question that led to his respose? If so he has the freedom of his own opinion. Now if he just went on a tirade about this then it was wrong.

Either way he would still have the freedom to say whatever he wants in America.

**Star_Cards** · 01-31-2013, 03:28 PM

I don't think it's a non story. I find it sad that people still feel this way... that he wouldn't welcome a gay teammate is sad. He's probably been a teammate with a homosexual throughout his football career. I bet he'd be surprised that it wouldn't be a big deal if he did have a gay teammate on the 49ers.

As far as the question if pro sports are ready for a homosexual players to be out while in the league... I think it would take someone of a high star power to be that first athlete for the climate to change.

**Star_Cards** · 01-31-2013, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by pwaldo

Either way he would still have the freedom to say whatever he wants in America.

I don't think anyone questions his right to say what he said... although the 49ers certainly didn't like it. I think that it made him look ignorant.

**justinhixson** · 01-31-2013, 03:31 PM

Of course another player making a statement then backtracking and saying that's not how he truly feels. Come on, like we really believe that you just said it and didn't mean it.