Recruiting from the closet

There's an interesting article on ESPN.com about the homophobia in women's college basketball and the perceived negative recruiting that comes with it.
Here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=6060641
The article talks about the Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who stresses his program's family-oriented environment to recruits. The fact that Iowa State really beats this drum hard is alarming, apparently, to some people.
Personally, a person's sexual orientation is no concern to me. As a long-time follower of women's basketball, I understand a lot or perhaps a few of the players I'm watching are lesbians. It doesn't bother me.
Of course, I'm a man.
I've covered high school sports for more than 20 years. In that span, I've known a few girls who took their basketball careers to the college level. More than one has expressed concern about whom they would be sharing a lockerroom.
These were high school girls born and raised in South Arkansas. Honestly, I think they were simply scared to death of lesbians.
Were they uninformed? Yes.
Were they wrong to be afraid of lesbians in general? Yes.
Did they have the right to choose which school and which coach and which lockerroom they'd be spending their next four years? Yes.
If a kid says they don't want to play on a team with lesbians. That's their right.
I don't think it's necessarily wrong for a coach to come out and say, "I'm straight. My assistant coaches are straight."
Seriously, is that wrong?
Actually, I guess technically it is. It's illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. That's why coaches can't announce they have a straight staff and a straight roster of players. That's where phrases like family oriented come into play.
I don't believe in negative recruiting. I don't think a coach should tell another coach's business. Coaches should sell their own programs. Period.
In this day and age, I don't see what's wrong with just being honest. Straight coaches shouldn't be in the closet anymore than gay coaches.
Most girls are informed enough to know homosexuality isn't contagious. Most athletes want to go to the program where they will develop the most as a player. They want to go to a school that offers a degree in what they want to study. They want to play on a team where they fit in on the court as far as playing style.
Most aren't worried about who the coach is sleeping with or who their potential teammates are dating. If they are worried about that, isn't that their right, too?
It's considered racist for a kid to say, "I don't want to play on a team with blacks?"
It's just as wrong for a kid to say, "I don't want to play on a team with gays."
As horrible as both statements are, doesn't the kid have the right to make those decisions?
Just be honest. That's all.

Let's go Pack

Another year, another Super Bowl.
Honestly, this year's game is a little anticlimatic for me. I really enjoyed the NFL season. I even stayed involved in it after my Raiders were eliminated. I thought the Michael Vick story was great. It was fun rooting against the Jets and the Patriots.
But, now that's it's been two weeks since I've watched a game, I'm not that anxious to see the Steelers and Packers tee it up.
To be in the media profession, I'm about as anti-hype as they come. I hate the over-analysis of every single detail. For that reason, I've intentionally avoided ESPN like the plague. At least, I've tried to.
I wanted to know Pittsburgh's center was put on IR. That was good information. It was useful. I didn't need to know Ben Roethlisburger took his lineman out for barbeque while Aaron Rodgers studied film.
Why do I care?
Some idiots will use this trivial nonsense as the reason why one of the quarterbacks will lose today. Big Ben was partying too much. Aaron Rodgers was too uptight.
Idiots.
Wake me up when the actual game starts.
Speaking of, I've never been a Packers fan. But, I'll guess I'll be a cheese head today - by default.
I don't like Roethlisburger. I think he got off quite easy for his off-the-field transgressions. I have a problem with guys who do what he did - allegedly.
I'm also so sick of Brett Favre I can hardly stand it. I've heard his name so much this week. It's as if he's starting at quarterback for Green Bay.
Obviously, I have to root for Aaron Rogers. He's not Roethlisburger, which is good. And, finally, if he leads the Packers to a Super Bowl, maybe it will take some of the legendary status away from Favre.
If Rodgers wins a Super Bowl, perhaps ESPN will have someone else to slurp. Maybe they won't file reports from a farm in Mississippi during the summer.
Oh dear God, we can only hope.
Let's go Pack.