Most, Not All Support Jason Collins
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Former Boston Celtics center Jason Collins came out Monday as the first openly gay athlete in major U.S. pro team sports. Collins' story will be featured in Sports Illustrated later this week.
Much of the response to Collins' announcement has been very supportive including the statement released by his former coach - Doc Rivers of the Celtics.
"I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins," Rivers said in a statement released by the team. "He’s a pro’s pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite 'team' players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, 'I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be it's not up to you, it’s just me being me.'"
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Former president Bill Clinton also issued a statement about Collins. Clinton knows Collins from his days at Stanford when he was a college classmate of his daughter Chelsea.
“I have known Jason Collins since he was Chelsea's classmate and friend at Stanford,” Clinton said. “Jason's announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT community. It is also the straightforward statement of a good man who wants no more than what so many of us seek: to be able to be who we are; to do our work; to build families and to contribute to our communities."
Not all of the reaction to Collins' announcement was positive. Miami Dolphins WR Mike Wallace tweeted some less than understanding comments about his announcement. Wallace recently signed a 5-year contract worth $60 million with Miami as a free agent. Here's what he had to say via twitter earlier today:
"All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH..." Wallace tweeted.
Five minutes later, he wrote, "I'm not bashing anybody don't have anything against anyone I just don't understand it."
Those tweets were later removed from Wallace's twitter account and he did tweet the following apology. "Never said anything was right or wrong I just said I don't understand!! Deeply sorry for anyone that I offended."
Collins is a 12-year NBA veteran who started the season with the Boston Celtics but was traded to the Washington Wizards in the middle of the season as part of the deal that brought Jordan Crawford to Boston.
