Former Nova Player Comes Out of Closet

[RDF]

Will Sheridan has come out of closet. He's also doing this which I guess shouldn't have made coming out any big shocker:

[guru]

weirdest thread ever

[RDF]

Phoenix Suns had a front office guy come out yesterday as well and NBA debuted an ad featuring Grant Hill/Jared Dudley about supporting tolerance. Maybe it's just ironic Sheridan came out publicly today, but going to be interesting if others follow suit. The video should increase intolerance--not for what sexual preference you have, but for what you view as making music. That is beyond awful.

[tashoya]

I've heard worse on top 40 stations.

[theexorcist]

Two of the recent high-profile athlete coming out stories - Sheryl Swoopes and now Sheridan - have seemed to be based, at least in part, on marketing. Swoopes was featured prominently in ads for a lesbian-oriented cruise line the week she came out, and Sheridan's trying to sell his CD.

It just seems crass. For all the stories about teens and young adults who come out and have to deal with violence and hate, it's kind of frustrating for someone to make the push just either to start or prolong their fifteen minutes.

[RBHoya]

People at Villanova have known Sheridan was gay since he was playing there, maybe even before. It was never a secret at Villanova. I guess it's "coming out" in that the media didn't talk about it while he was in school, but anybody who went to Villanova and anybody who followed their team closely/off the court was aware a long time ago, so it's not like he was closeted before.

I also agree that "coming out" is a way to get attention for his project. I don't begrudge him that really, though I guess on some level its a little duplicitous to act like this was some big secret you were holding inside when really everybody was well aware.

[hoyarooter]

May 16, 2011 12:47:47 GMT -5 RDF said:

Phoenix Suns had a front office guy come out yesterday as well and NBA debuted an ad featuring Grant Hill/Jared Dudley about supporting tolerance. Maybe it's just ironic Sheridan came out publicly today, but going to be interesting if others follow suit. The video should increase intolerance--not for what sexual preference you have, but for what you view as making music. That is beyond awful.

Nothing duplicitous about this one, though. Best of luck to him.

[Filo]

That video would have been great if it was a Saturday Night Live skit. But, alas, it wasn't. Wow.

[Elvado]

His sexual orientation is nothing to be ashamed of.

that video on the other hand...

[tashoya]

It's crazy that things like this are still such a big deal to some. Sad really.

[nashvillehoyas]

A sign of the times!

[kchoya]

May 17, 2011 9:31:24 GMT -5 tashoya said:

It's crazy that things like this are still such a big deal to some. Sad really.

Not sad at all.

If you want to get high and mighty and show how you're morally superior to others, blame ESPN.

[RDF]

Agree that it shouldn't matter and don't think it does to a lot of people but I'm also on the side that thinks what people say when they are angry shouldn't be viewed as their behavior towards others. Mentioning that Nardi still called people the same derogatory word that when upset/talking about someone else is interesting part thrown in--because by all signs in article--Sheridan liked Nardi and team support was there/friendship.

So would you say that understanding how people can say one thing and still be tolerant/good people does exist? Let's get a ribbon for tolerance of intolerance and then tolerance of intolerance at times of anger directed at those who are tolerant of those who are persecuted, etc........

[tashoya]

May 17, 2011 15:42:40 GMT -5 kchoya said:

May 17, 2011 9:31:24 GMT -5 tashoya said:

It's crazy that things like this are still such a big deal to some. Sad really.

Not sad at all.

If you want to get high and mighty and show how you're morally superior to others, blame ESPN.

It's not high and mighty. And what does it have to do with ESPN?

[kchoya]

May 17, 2011 18:43:56 GMT -5 tashoya said:

May 17, 2011 15:42:40 GMT -5 kchoya said:

Not sad at all.

If you want to get high and mighty and show how you're morally superior to others, blame ESPN.

It's not high and mighty. And what does it have to do with ESPN?

They're blasting this story all over ESPN.com and Sportscenter and E:60 and everywhere else. That's why people people are talking about it. It's not a big deal that someone came out of the closet (to the extent he did). It's a big deal because ESPN is hyping it.

I fail to see why it's sad.

[tashoya]

May 17, 2011 19:05:02 GMT -5 kchoya said:

May 17, 2011 18:43:56 GMT -5 tashoya said:

It's not high and mighty. And what does it have to do with ESPN?

They're blasting this story all over ESPN.com and Sportscenter and E:60 and everywhere else. That's why people people are talking about it. It's not a big deal that someone came out of the closet (to the extent he did). It's a big deal because ESPN is hyping it.

I fail to see why it's sad.

I agree. You do fail to see why it's sad.

[hoyarooter]

May 17, 2011 17:18:01 GMT -5 RDF said:

Agree that it shouldn't matter and don't think it does to a lot of people but I'm also on the side that thinks what people say when they are angry shouldn't be viewed as their behavior towards others. Mentioning that Nardi still called people the same derogatory word that when upset/talking about someone else is interesting part thrown in--because by all signs in article--Sheridan liked Nardi and team support was there/friendship.

So would you say that understanding how people can say one thing and still be tolerant/good people does exist? Let's get a ribbon for tolerance of intolerance and then tolerance of intolerance at times of anger directed at those who are tolerant of those who are persecuted, etc........

RDF, have you been channeling Norm Crosby? ;D

[theexorcist]

May 17, 2011 19:17:33 GMT -5 tashoya said:

May 17, 2011 19:05:02 GMT -5 kchoya said:

They're blasting this story all over ESPN.com and Sportscenter and E:60 and everywhere else. That's why people people are talking about it. It's not a big deal that someone came out of the closet (to the extent he did). It's a big deal because ESPN is hyping it.

I fail to see why it's sad.

I agree. You do fail to see why it's sad.

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/charles-barkley-in-sports-ability-to-play-should-outweigh-sexual-orientation/2011/05/17/AFSArk5G_story.html?hpid=z5

Not putting words in kchoya's mouth, but I think that Barkley puts it pretty succinctly:

"“I really like ESPN,” Barkley added. “They do a great job. But like once every two or three months, they bring all these people on there, and they tell me how me and my team are going to respond to a gay guy.

“First of all, every player has played with gay guys. It bothers me when I hear these reporters and jocks get on TV and say: ‘Oh, no guy can come out in a team sport. These guys would go crazy.’ First of all, quit telling me what I think. I’d rather have a gay guy who can play than a straight guy who can’t play.”".

ESPN is trying to write a narrative about how remarkable this is, and yet the facts don't bear that out. Villanova's team didn't implode because of him coming out to them. As hateful as the St. Joe's chants were, they were never the focus of the story, and things of a similar level of hate have been yelled at people from many different schools.

A consistent flogging of the story over numerous media outlets doesn't seem to bear the coverage - Sheridan's not the first men's college basketball player to come out post-career (John Amaechi came out much earlier and played in the NBA). There's been no real reaction from his teammates, or from Jay Wright. This would deserve cross-platform promotion and discussion if an active men's college basketball or NBA player came out, but the news doesn't really matter.

[Boz]

Chuck can be an idiot at times (just like ESPN), but you really have to admire his frank and blunt way of cutting through BS and talking straight (no pun intended).

Well said, Sir Charles.

[kchoya]

May 18, 2011 6:17:17 GMT -5 theexorcist said:

May 17, 2011 19:17:33 GMT -5 tashoya said:

I agree. You do fail to see why it's sad.

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/charles-barkley-in-sports-ability-to-play-should-outweigh-sexual-orientation/2011/05/17/AFSArk5G_story.html?hpid=z5

Not putting words in kchoya's mouth, but I think that Barkley puts it pretty succinctly:

"“I really like ESPN,” Barkley added. “They do a great job. But like once every two or three months, they bring all these people on there, and they tell me how me and my team are going to respond to a gay guy.

“First of all, every player has played with gay guys. It bothers me when I hear these reporters and jocks get on TV and say: ‘Oh, no guy can come out in a team sport. These guys would go crazy.’ First of all, quit telling me what I think. I’d rather have a gay guy who can play than a straight guy who can’t play.”".

ESPN is trying to write a narrative about how remarkable this is, and yet the facts don't bear that out. Villanova's team didn't implode because of him coming out to them. As hateful as the St. Joe's chants were, they were never the focus of the story, and things of a similar level of hate have been yelled at people from many different schools.

A consistent flogging of the story over numerous media outlets doesn't seem to bear the coverage - Sheridan's not the first men's college basketball player to come out post-career (John Amaechi came out much earlier and played in the NBA). There's been no real reaction from his teammates, or from Jay Wright. This would deserve cross-platform promotion and discussion if an active men's college basketball or NBA player came out, but the news doesn't really matter.

Pretty much what I would've said.

I think the bottom line is that the story wouldn't be a big deal except for ESPN promoting it. And for Sheridan apparently using as a marketing ploy.