Kobe Bryant said he’d do more to correct for his use of the slur ‘faggot’ last week, and he has started with a PSA encouraging understanding. The PSA, which will be shown during Lakers games, features Bryant’s Lakers teammates and is making the rounds on TV and the Web. It talks about differences of race, [...]
Posts under ‘NBA’
Kobe Bryant says he protected gay kids and will do more soon
The biggest news since we last checked in with Kobe Bryant might be that Bryant allegedly told ESPN reporter Lisa Salters he used to beat up kids for teasing gay students, and that he intends to do more on the issue. From Towleroad: I used to beat up a lot of kids even in high [...]
The cost of saying “faggot” in sports has gotten higher thanks to Kobe Bryant
$100,000. That’s the new baseline for yelling “faggot” in the NBA, based on the fine issued to Kobe Bryant. (Does this mean that “fag” gets you 50K?) As far as I can gather, that’s the largest fine in American major pro sports for someone uttering a gay slur. True, it should have been more and [...]
NBA fines Kobe Bryant $100k. Bryant says he will appeal the decision.
The NBA has fined Kobe Bryant $100k for calling referee Bennie Adams a “fucking faggot” during their game last night. NBA commissioner David Stern released this statement: Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be [...]
Kobe Bryant’s non-apology isn’t enough
The Los Angeles Lakers posted this statement from Kobe Bryant after he called a referee a “faggot” in last night’s game: What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay [...]
Kobe Bryant headed for suspension? Immediate outpouring of reaction to anti-gay slur
According to TMZ, the NBA is reviewing tape of Kobe Bryant’s homophobic tirade at last night’s Spurs-Lakers game. Athletes clearly have not gotten the message that this language is not okay: The only appropriate course of action at this point would be to suspend Bryant for a playoff game. We’ve learned athletes don’t learn from [...]
Video: Kobe Bryant calls referee a faggot
TNT cameras stayed on Kobe Bryant a little too long after a technical foul during last night’s Lakers-Spurs game. They followed Bryant to the bench where he went into a mini tirade, punching a chair (and a teammate in the process), throwing a towel and then yelling out what certainly looks like, “Bennie…fucking faggot.” That’s [...]
Video: Toronto Raptors Leandro Barbosa and Reggie Evans holding hands spurs homophobia
After the Raptors’ big win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday, 102-98, cameras caught Leandro Barbosa grab the hand of Reggie Evans and walk into the locker room (video after the jump). While Barbosa remained stone-face, Evans was good-natured and gave a big smile. The duo had a strong night with 18 points on 9-for-15 [...]
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will be the subject of a new Broadway play
For NBA fans of the 1980s, nothing was better than the Larry Bird – Magic Johnson rivalry that started their senior year in college and dominated the NBA from 1980-1988. Now the producers who created ‘Lombardi’ on Broadway have announced they will produce a Broadway play about the two legendary NBA stars, and that both [...]
GQ’s 25 coolest athletes ever includes Tom Brady, Joe Namath and Bo Jackson
Publications create lists to generate the “who’s on and who’s off” buzz. Gentleman Quarterly’s list of the 25 coolest athletes of all time shouldn’t disappoint. For starters, they only considered athletes post-1957 because “all time” began when GQ did. Most on the list are good picks; In fact, I can’t quibble with any of the [...]
Golden State Warriors host gay night
The San Francisco Gay Basketball Association is teaming up with the Golden State Warriors to bring another gay community night to the NBA. This event is next Tuesday, Feb. 15, as the Warriors take on the New Orleans Hornets. Tickets range from $25-$60. So if you’re in the Bay Area next Tuesday, check it out! [...]
Photos: Clippers Equality Night
Sorry it’s taken a few days to get up some pictures from the Equality Night with the Clippers last Wednesday. The event was attended by over 300 people with many more buying tickets throughout the arena. I think the loudest cheers of the night came from the gay-ish sections when Esera Tuaolo sang the national [...]
Clippers Equality Night is ‘statement game’
Tonight Outsports co-hosts the first Equality Night with the Los Angeles Clippers, along with Equality California and the Clippers themselves. Amazingly, the event is sold out and has been for a week. When we scheduled the event back inNovember we targeted the game against Chicago because we figured the Bulls would be good this year, [...]
Tuaolo to sing Clippers Equality Night anthem
Out former NFL player Esera Tuaolo will sing the national anthem at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Equality Night next Wednesday, Feb. 2, presented by Outsports and Equality California.. Esera was the first NFL player to sing the Star-Spangled Banner before a game he played in; He’s also sung it at the Pro Bowl and for [...]
NOH8 Campaign joins Clippers Equality Night
The NOH8 Campaign is joining us for Equality Night with the Los Angeles Clippers. The event, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, is the first LGBT night with the NBA team. The first 50 people to arrive at the event’s cocktail reception (starting at 6pm on the City View Terrace at Staples Center) will have their NOH8 [...]