Jason Collins got an opportunity to talk about Tony Dungy’s comments on Michael Sam and Collins beautifully shot down Dungy’s concerns over Sam’s sexuality being a distraction.
Collins made history by becoming the first active openly gay NBA player when he played for the Brooklyn Nets last season. Guess how much irreparable harm the signing of Jason Collins caused the Nets. None. Collins himself reiterated that all the hullabaloo died down within a couple of weeks:
“There were games, even a month after I was signed that reporters didn’t even ask me any questions,” he said. “It will always go back to the sport because there are only so many ways they can write the article. There are only so many ways they can keep talking about LGBT issues when you’re a professional athlete because you’re a professional athlete first.”
Despite there being relevant evidence (from this past year!) that the national sports media won’t tirelessly obsess over a person’s sexuality, Dungy has stated quite strongly that he does believe that the media attention around Sam will be a distraction. Collins called bullshit, even referring to terms like the ones that Dungy used as code words.
“I kinda laugh every time I hear a code word being used…,” Collins added. “Any kind of minority group, and you hear people use different code words and you’re like, ‘I know what you’re really saying and I’m above that.’”
For his part, Michael Sam has been above it as well.
Sam on Dungy’s comments: “Thank God he wasn’t the St. Louis Rams coach. (laughs) I have a lot of respect for Coach Dungy.” (1 of 2)
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) July 22, 2014
“And like everyone in America, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.” (2 of 2)
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) July 22, 2014
