Posted on 04/12/2005 5:41:22 PM PDT by missyme
openly gay male athletes participating in sports, but nearly 24 percent think an openly gay athlete would hurt their team, according to an NBC/USA Network poll.
The mixed results of the survey on American attitudes toward gay athletes appear in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, which hits newsstands Wednesday. Of the 979 people interviewed, 86 percent agreed it is OK for openly gay men to play sports, but some seemed to back off when asked if that could hurt their team.
"It was like, I'm OK with this, but if you press me, I have some doubts," said Doug Schoen, whose firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, conducted the poll.
The views of athletes also seem to be mixed when they are asked about the issue. When Esera Tuaolo came out after his NFL playing career ended, Sterling Sharpe said his former teammate was smart to hide his sexuality.
"Had he come out on a Monday, with Wednesday, Thursday and Friday practices, he'd have never gotten to the other team," Sharpe said.
But Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. said he wouldn't have a problem accepting a gay teammate.
"Wouldn't bother me at all. If you can play, you can play," he said.
In another mixed result from the poll, 79 percent of respondents agreed Americans are more accepting of gays in sports today than they were 20 years ago. But 62 percent agreed the reason there is so little coverage of gays in sports is that America is not ready to accept gay athletes.
Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates conducted interviews among the general population from March 18-21. The margin of error sampling is +/- 3.1 overall.
I've always heard rumors about Dave Stewart, formerly of the Oakland Athletics.
Of course, the REAL homo-team plays in the Bronx. You've seen how A-Rod and Jeter look at eachother.
For example, male homosexuals are not attracted to games where you hit a ball with a stick, such as golf and baseball. Female homosexuals, on the other hand, are strongly attracted to such games.
Another example of the great science we get regarding this subject. Thanx!
You are correct of course , and you included a thought that has always been one of my own, That the main reason Homosexuals advertise is for better recruitment.. In a heterosexual person it is pretty well known what is available, Homosexuals have to advertise to get others to come out so they can look for fresh sexual partners.
By the way Jeff Gordon has never actually come out of the closet.
I know, but he doesn't do it during the races which is good. In NA$CAR you can be fined for saying naughty words during a broadcast; I don't imagine they'd look favourably on a driver trumpeting any kind of sex either.
There are plenty of gays in sports. But who cares?
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