Torii Hunter Signs with the Tigers

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

...And now they're going to try to destroy him over the "gay" comments. Wow. He must have ****** in somebody's Wheaties. God bless and keep 'im, man. I think he's a great player and a great man. I wish him well in Detroit, when they're not playing the Angels.

[BigGuy951]

He really ****ed up with those comments.

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

He really ****ed up with those comments.

I think he should have a right to say anything he wants
unless it's death threats or slander. I think it's horrible
he's being treated like some kind of monster because
of his comments. Honestly, I think it's bizarre how
they are suddenly going after him so hard.

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE your new sig!!!!!

[BigGuy951]

I'm all for free speech, but you just don't say those things when you're a professional athlete. He's supposed to be a classy, respected leader. Now he's going to be seen as a bigot in a lot of people's eyes.

No one is saying he's a monster. No one here, anyway. But he's not as classy as we all thought he was. And I would be saying the same exact thing if he were still on the Angels.

Thanks! I think I changed the one you're talking about though

[natepro]

What the hell did he say?

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

I'm all for free speech, but you just don't say those things when you're a professional athlete. He's supposed to be a classy, respected leader. Now he's going to be seen as a bigot in a lot of people's eyes.

Thanks! I think I changed the one you're talking about though

Here's the thing I think is hypocritical about our society though.
A guy can be associated with rape, murdering dogs, murdering human beings, selling drugs, using drugs, and so on... and he's forgiven and even portrayed and adored as a hero. Life goes on and he gets big pay.

But a guy comes out and says he would be uncomfortable with gay men in the locker room, and he's a bigot? He's not classy now? He shouldn't say it cause he's a professional athlete?

Listen, I've been around gay men in my life, and I've heard plenty of them both hitting on and talking about the things they'd like to do to straight men in their lives. And I think it's grossly inappropriate and creepy. All the time I hear gay people say, "You straight people shouldn't flatter yourselves that we want you". But at the same time, they make a big deal out of the straight people they'd nail, and also make passes at straight people and then wonder why they get punched out.

I'm not a professional athlete, but it creeps me out to think of people in the locker room sizing me up or checking me out. The locker room isn't supposed to be like that. If everyone had private places to change clothes and shower, then it would be ok, but that's rarely the case.

I think Hunter has not only every right to say what he did, but also he has a point that needs to be dealt with in terms of how locker rooms are constructed. If we're going to insist that all gay people should be "out" and that they receive 100% equal treatment as everyone else, then locker rooms need to be re-configured so straight people can undress and shower in total privacy. Because without that, it's the same as straight men and women having to share a locker room. in keeping with modesty and a person's right to privacy, if the sports writers are going to castigate Hunter, they need to also address the issue of how MUCH sports facilities are going to need to be changed in order to have an "openly gay" sports world.

I know plenty of people will say, "But they've always been there."
Great. Creepy. Now we know. So let's do something about it,
so everyone can feel comfortable; straight, gay, etc. and so on.

Furthermore, if we start pushing the whole "gay is good" agenda in sports... what are ya gonna do when a formerly male, suddenly female athlete wants to be in the WNBA. Or what about a formerly female, now male athlete who is good enough to make it to the NBA/NHL/MLB/NFL?

I don't think anybody really is gonna want to deal with this can of worms, but if they're gonna hound guys like Hunter... they are definitely turning the wheel on the can opener.

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

Also, yeah, you changed your sig from the one I dug so much. I did like the other one better, but hey, if it's Trout, I'm all for it!!!

[RUSTYTROMBONE]

This is what he said, Natepro:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...0197--mlb.html

[BigGuy951]

Here's the thing I think is hypocritical about our society though.
A guy can be associated with rape, murdering dogs, murdering human beings, selling drugs, using drugs, and so on... and he's forgiven and even portrayed and adored as a hero. Life goes on and he gets big pay.

But a guy comes out and says he would be uncomfortable with gay men in the locker room, and he's a bigot? He's not classy now? He shouldn't say it cause he's a professional athlete?

Listen, I've been around gay men in my life, and I've heard plenty of them both hitting on and talking about the things they'd like to do to straight men in their lives. And I think it's grossly inappropriate and creepy. All the time I hear gay people say, "You straight people shouldn't flatter yourselves that we want you". But at the same time, they make a big deal out of the straight people they'd nail, and also make passes at straight people and then wonder why they get punched out.

I'm not a professional athlete, but it creeps me out to think of people in the locker room sizing me up or checking me out. The locker room isn't supposed to be like that. If everyone had private places to change clothes and shower, then it would be ok, but that's rarely the case.

I think Hunter has not only every right to say what he did, but also he has a point that needs to be dealt with in terms of how locker rooms are constructed. If we're going to insist that all gay people should be "out" and that they receive 100% equal treatment as everyone else, then locker rooms need to be re-configured so straight people can undress and shower in total privacy. Because without that, it's the same as straight men and women having to share a locker room. in keeping with modesty and a person's right to privacy, if the sports writers are going to castigate Hunter, they need to also address the issue of how MUCH sports facilities are going to need to be changed in order to have an "openly gay" sports world.

I know plenty of people will say, "But they've always been there."
Great. Creepy. Now we know. So let's do something about it,
so everyone can feel comfortable; straight, gay, etc. and so on.

Furthermore, if we start pushing the whole "gay is good" agenda in sports... what are ya gonna do when a formerly male, suddenly female athlete wants to be in the WNBA. Or what about a formerly female, now male athlete who is good enough to make it to the NBA/NHL/MLB/NFL?

I don't think anybody really is gonna want to deal with this can of worms, but if they're gonna hound guys like Hunter... they are definitely turning the wheel on the can opener.

Society, for the most part, is like that. And it's unfortunately. However, I don't consider myself part of that problem. I still dislike people like Michael Vick, Chris Brown (the artist), etc.

I'm not saying I think he's a bigot. I'm saying others will after his comments, and it WILL ruin his imagine in other people's eyes. He probably won't care and that's fine. But it will happen.

As an athlete, you're entitled to your own opinions just like every one of us. However, not all of us have millions of fans. Millions of people watching us work every day. None of us have as many critics nor media outlets ready to blow up every single word we say on a national scale.

Torii Hunter should simply know better and at least act like he respects the lifestyle of all others including Dominicans and Gays.

Now, the funny thing here is, I'm not even Pro-Gay or anything. But I respect them as human beings. I would definitely be uncomfortable too, but instead of letting it out to the media, I would be respectful and mature and keep it to myself. I would deal with it myself. No one has to get naked in a locker room. NO ONE. I've been a part of baseball, football and wrestling teams and I've never completely undressed. If you don't want them looking at your junk and "sizing you up," go to the bathroom and do what you have to do in your own privacy.

The WNBA argument is a Red Herring fallacy.

That's enough of this conversation though. We're not even supposed to be talking about this. We've said what we wanted to say and we'll have to agree to disagree.

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

Society, for the most part, is like that. And it's unfortunately. However, I don't consider myself part of that problem. I still dislike people like Michael Vick, Chris Brown (the artist), etc.

I'm not saying I think he's a bigot. I'm saying others will after his comments, and it WILL ruin his imagine in other people's eyes. He probably won't care and that's fine. But it will happen.

As an athlete, you're entitled to your own opinions just like every one of us. However, not all of us have millions of fans. Millions of people watching us work every day. None of us have as many critics nor media outlets ready to blow up every single word we say on a national scale.

Torii Hunter should simply know better and at least act like he respects the lifestyle of all others including Dominicans and Gays.

Now, the funny thing here is, I'm not even Pro-Gay or anything. But I respect them as human beings. I would definitely be uncomfortable too, but instead of letting it out to the media, I would be respectful and mature and keep it to myself. I would deal with it myself. No one has to get naked in a locker room. NO ONE. I've been a part of baseball, football and wrestling teams and I've never completely undressed. If you don't want them looking at your junk and "sizing you up," go to the bathroom and do what you have to do in your own privacy.

The WNBA argument is a Red Herring fallacy.

That's enough of this conversation though. We're not even supposed to be talking about this. We've said what we wanted to say and we'll have to agree to disagree.

Fair enough, friend.

You might want to check into this regarding the
"red herring fallacy" though:

http://www.sportsgrid.com/ncaa-footb...-college-team/

Peace. Out.

[vladdy#27]

I haven't read your replies because I'm lazy, but I don't think Hunter is in the wrong here. It would be very uncomfortable.

Just like it would be extremely uncomfortable for a guy to be in a girls locker room while they got naked and showered.

[BigGuy951]

I'm not saying he is wrong believing what he believes. I'm saying he's wrong in putting it out for the media to manipulate and create a bad image for him.

[natepro]

It seems like he's disputing that he actually said it like that, but it sounds like a fairly week defense. Either of those sentences, on their own, not even said back-to-back, don't sound good.

It's just another person behind the times. It's unfortunate that it happens to be a player I like, who generally seems like a classy guy, but that doesn't make it any less true.

Presumably, it makes him "uncomfortable" because he's worried about the guy hitting on him. There wouldn't really be another reason to be "uncomfortable," and as reasons go, it's a pretty damn poor one. No one that makes it to the majors is going to be dumb enough to hit on their teammate, and even if you did find someone that blindingly stupid, a simple, "No, thanks" is going to end it. I've been hit on by guys more than once, and it was never an issue. I tell them I'm there with my girlfriend, I tell them I'm straight, I tell them I'm not interested, whatever happens to come out of my mouth right then (and all three of them have the benefit of being true), and it ends there. No big deal, everyone goes on their way like nothing happened.

It's just naive and sad.

I guarantee there have been gay baseball players before. Someday, and the sooner the better, there will be an openly gay baseball player. And he'll play the game, and his teammates will play the game, and life will go on, and it will make it okay for other guys to stop hiding who they are. And all of those are good things.

As far as Vick goes (to be fair, I only skimmed that post), I'm not a fan or whatever, but the guy served his time. What more do you want? Should criminals have nothing after they get out? If the purpose of jail is to rehabilitate and stop criminal behavior, then I'd say it served it's purpose. I seriously doubt we're going to see Vick involved in dogfighting again.

[HILLBILLYBLACK]

I'm not saying he is wrong believing what he believes. I'm saying he's wrong in putting it out for the media to manipulate and create a bad image for him.

I agree that it would have been much better if he had simply
ducked the questions... *both* of the recent controversial
answers. Also? I hate what interviewers do to people.
Always trying to get that controversial soundbyte that will
create a stir. I think it's really low of them, generating
business for their news outlet, at the cost of someone's
career. It sort of "takes two to tango" in this situation.
Torii should have ducked the questions, but the questions
shouldn't even have been asked in the first place.

[natepro]

I agree that it would have been much better if he had simply
ducked the questions... *both* of the recent controversial
answers. Also? I hate what interviewers do to people.
Always trying to get that controversial soundbyte that will
create a stir. I think it's really low of them, generating
business for their news outlet, at the cost of someone's
career. It sort of "takes two to tango" in this situation.
Torii should have ducked the questions, but the questions
shouldn't even have been asked in the first place.

If it was a random question in the middle of an interview that had nothing to do with that, then I sort of agree with you. If it was for an article about gay athletes in the majors sports and they asked him for his thoughts, then no. It's a valid question, and something he may have to actually deal with some day.