What I like most about the 30-second video done for the You Can Play project by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik is that it’s just him speaking into the camera. The result is a simple but powerful message about inclusion in the sport. Says Orpik in the video: What matters to me and my teammates? [...]
Posts under ‘NHL’
Brian Elliott, Jordan Eberle latest NHL players to make You Can Play video
Brian Elliott of the St. Louis Blues and Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers are the latest in a series of National Hockey League players to endorse the You Can Play project to fight homophobia in sports. “I support LGBT athletes everywhere,” says Elliott in the video. The project, started by Philadelphia Flyers scout Patrick [...]
Athletic Equality Index for pro sports teams?
Hudson Taylor would like to see the sports world follow HRC’s corporate index and institute and Athletic Equality Index to determine just how gay-friendly each pro sports team is. Though professional sports are moving in a positive direction, they need the transparency and metrics of an equality index to institutionalize a proactive rather than reactive [...]
NHL commish Gary Bettman supports ‘You Can Play,’ doesn’t say ‘gay’
Dave Kaufman, radio host at TSN990 in Montreal, caught up with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. He was able to fire off two questions about the You Can Play project, which aims to show the support of NHL players for gay athletes. I think it’s the right thing to do. I’m fully supportive of it. And [...]
Boston Bruin Shawn Thornton has no problem with gay teammates
Boston Spirit Magazine talked with Boston Bruins left winger Shawn Thornton about a number of gay-related issues. He added his voice to the growing number of players who say they just don’t care if a teammate’s gay: Boston Spirit: What do you think would happen if one of your teammates announced he was gay? Shawn [...]
You Can Play releases second video
The You Can Play project has released its second 30-second video featuring various NHL players saying versions of “If you can play, you can play.” The latest video features some new faces and includes: Philadelphia Flyer James Van Riemsdyk, Devils Mark Fayne and Andy Greene, Islander Frans Nielsen, Maple Leafs Tyler Bozak and David Steckel, Anaheim’s [...]
Video: 3 Toronto Maple Leaf players talk about homophobia in sports
John-Michael-Liles Xtra, the Canadian gay and lesbian wesbite, has a video with three members of the Toronto Maple Leafs discussing how they would deal with having a gay teammate. Luke Schenn, Mike Komisarek and John-Michael Liles don’t have anything groundbreaking to say, but that they’re discussing it at all is cool. We have heard [...]
Slate readers: Pro athlete will come out October 2014, will be in baseball
Slate.com asked its readers to predict when a professional male athlete in the United States will come out of the closet. The average: October 2014. The most common guess was June 2013, with the majority of voters saying it will be by the spring of 2014. Either way, their readers think it’ll be in the [...]
Sharks’ Tommy Wingels, Canucks’ Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler welcome gay teammates
The latest impact of the You Can Play project is being felt by the San Jose Sharks and the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks’ very own Tommy Wingels was featured in the pro-gay PSA during a home game late last week in which he said, “It’s time to end homophobic bullying in our locker room.” Of [...]
Alicia proposes to Christina at an Ottawa Senators game
I’m not a big fan of public marriage proposals; For me it’s a private decision that when made public puts undo pressure on someone to say “yes.” But I sure did get teary-eyed watching a video this morning of an Ottawa Senators fan proposing to a Toronto Maple Leafs fan on the ice in front [...]
You Can Play launch attracts heavy media attention
With the launch of Patrick Burke’s You Can Play project, the mainstream media has a great entree to talk about gay-sports issues this week. And they’re using it. With 30 NHL players lined up behind the project, plus the Burke family, there is a strong sports hook. And the fact that it is mostly straight [...]
Patrick Burke’s ‘You Can Play’ project launches on NBC featuring eight NHL players
Philadelphia Flyer scout Patrick Burke has unveiled a new non-profit organization created to lay out the welcome mat in sports for LGBT athletes. The “You Can Play” project focuses on producing videos of mostly professional athletes with a simple message: If you can play sports, you’re always invited to play with us. A 30-second video [...]
Outsports confirms name of Patrick Burke’s new charity, launches this Sunday on NBC.
Outsports can confirm that Patrick Burke’s charity will be called the You Can Play Project. Eight NHL stars will appear in the launch video this Sunday, March 4, on NBC. Patrick (right) is the brother of openly gay former Miami (Ohio) University hockey manager Brendan Burke, who died two years ago; His father is Toronto [...]
Minnesota Wild prospect Justin Fontaine suspended for Tweeting ‘faggot’
Two Houston Aeros players in the Minnesota Wild farm system don’t like the Foo Fighters very much; They also don’t blink when calling people “faggots.” So when the band showed up on the Grammys, Justin Fontaine had no trouble expressing to the world how he felt about them. Teammate Jon DiSalvatore quickly retweeted Fontaine’s thoughts: [...]
Brian Burke: There is a lot of support for gay players in the NHL
There was an awesome interview yesterday with Brian Burke, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, about whether the NHL is ready for an openly gay player. Burke’s son, Brendan, was gay and died two years ago in a car accident. Brian Burke has become a strong public advocate for gays in sports. Here is [...]
Brian Burke tells PFLAG: My son Brendan was my hero
Brian Burke, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was honored by PFLAG as an “ally” at a dinner this week. Burke’s son Brendan was an assistant on the Miami of Ohio hockey team and died in a car crash on Feb. 5, 2010. Brendan’s coming out story was told just months prior on ESPN.com. [...]
Vote: Who is Outsports’ Person of the Year?
Last day to vote! Every year we ask our readers to crown the Outsports ‘Person of the Year.’ Last year’s honorees were Brian & Patrick Burke, who garnered over 60% of the vote! This year we have many incredibly deserving people, and we have narrowed it down to these final six. We’ll announce the winner [...]
Toronto hockey player Mike Zigomanis says nude photos aren’t of him
Mike Zigomanis, a player in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, says that nude photos on a website are not of him. The website isanyoneup.com posted photos of a clothed Zigomanis from his Facebook page, along with two nude photos that did not show a face. “Ziggy assures us that the clothed photos are of him, [...]
Brian Burke and Toronto Gay Hockey Association host LGBT event
The Toronto Marlies, a farm team of the Maple Leafs, held a sold-out LGBT event on Saturday featuring Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke. The event was co-hosted by the Toronto Gay Hockey Association and featured a hockey shinny (the equivalent of a pick-up game) with Burke! He later Tweeted about it as only a GM [...]
Puckbuddys celebrate one year with Washington Capitals gay night
Our good friends at Puckbuddys are celebrating their gay NHL blog’s one-year anniversary with the first-ever gay night with the Washington Capitals. Co-hosted by Team DC, the event this Saturday, Dec. 3, against the Ottawa Senators. The block is sold out, but you can try to snag some tickets from Ticketmaster or Team DC. Congratulations [...]