“We are not going to just lay down, we come to play,” the message read. “Who the hell do you think we are the DALLAS COWGIRLS OR THOSE GAYBIRDS FROM PHILLY…NO WE ARE THE NEW YORK GIANTS.”

The most offensive part has to be the fact that he referred to the New York Giants as “we.” I don’t remember seeing Mainor out there in freezing cold making any tackles. I don’t remember seeing Mainor catch any touchdowns. No, Mainor was in a nice, warm party sipping who-knows-what and stuffing his face with pigs in a blanket. “They” are the New York Giants, Mr. Mainor.

Second is what’s gotten Mainor into so much trouble: Calling the Philadelphia Eagles “Gaybirds.” It doesn’t help that he calls their other NFC East rival the Dallas “Cowgirls,” but that term is thrown around so much it’s lost most of its impact. Of course, the implication is that gay people don’t “come to play” and don’t make big plays and hard hits. Gays are fairies, flitting about the shopping mall. Maybe Mainor would like to learn a lesson about that from Esera Tuaolo.

The third troubling piece is the requisite non-apology:

Here’s where things get interesting: According to Mainor, he authored only part of the post. He claims a “friend” sat at the computer and punched in the “gaybirds from Philly” line before it went public.

“I have to take full responsibility because it was under my name,” Mainor told The Star-Ledger on Monday. “I have no excuse, other than me not looking before he did send the post.”

Are you kidding? Who types part of a Tweet (but doesn’t submit it), then walks into the other room while someone else sneaks up on the computer, adds a homophobic comment, and submits the Tweet? The excuse is even worse than Anthony Weiner’s!

Hat tip to Matt M.

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I talked to some 20 Eagles players about having a gay teammate. And I got the feeling, going around that locker room after practice, that I’d entered a time warp: Having a gay teammate would be troublesome for many Eagles—especially sharing the shower—but it was more than that. For many players it was, in fact, a brand-new idea:
“Never thought about it. Never happened.”
“That would be different.”
“Wow. I don’t know, man.”

Many of the players Huber talks to are uncomfortable with the subject, saying they are not sure how they would react to having an openly gay teammate. Even Nnamdi Asomugha, who comes across as sophisticated and articulate, says, “I don’t know.” And this is a guy who has acting designs, a field where gay people are prominent.

It’s a somewhat discouraging look, but not unexpected since this is a rather common answer. Athletes love routine and having a gay teammate could upset that. And, of course, some players were afraid they would be looked at funny (why do so many straight guys think they’re so desirable?). But there were some rays of hope:

But I also found a thoughtful, everybody’s­-welcome attitude among many Eagles when I asked about gay teammates.

“A lot of guys who are open-minded would be fine with it,” guard Evan Mathis told me. “The way I hear guys talk sometimes, I think some guys might be a little affected by it. I’d be fine with it.”

“If you’re not meshing with all your teammates,” Mathis said, “that can be a big problem. Chemistry is a big part of professional sports, and the potential for somebody who doesn’t really understand it, who does have homophobic tendencies, that’s their fault—but it’s there. And probably why you don’t see anybody out.”

Like it or not, the fear of players coming our is still real, as evidenced by this anecdote Huber tells of Brian Sims, whom we have written about extensively:

Brian Sims is a Philly lawyer now running for the state legislature and a former football star at Bloomsburg; he came out as gay at the end of his senior year a decade ago (and was utterly accepted by his teammates). Sims knows three current, closeted NFL players, and he reached out to them to see if they’d talk to me; he told them I wouldn’t reveal their identities, and he never told me who they are. They all said no, and one emailed back in outrage to Sims, who paraphrased the response for me:

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? I told you from the get-go, I’m not coming out. You PROMISED an anonymous conversation. Just telling anyone­ we talked breaks our deal.

That I would even know of this player’s existence­—though he would remain nameless­—set him off. Now that’s fear.

The piece is quite long but well worth reading. A lot of it is background that our readers are familiar with, but offers a good state of where the issue stands. The interesting part about the Flyers are the rather positive comments made by Wayne Simmonds, who called Sean Avery a “faggot” during a game. There is also this juicy tidbit for Phillies fans:

In fact, a recent Phillies player, a renowned womanizer, has been rumored to be quite interested in men. There are whispers in gay circles about him picking up men at Knock, a bar on Washington Square West, and taking them back to his condo. Phillies insiders still murmur about his bisexuality.

Please let it be Cole Hamels or Hunter Pence (that’s wishful thinking, since I no nothing about either guy).

I still think that despite the uncomfortableness, an openly gay player would be accepted. A lot would have to do with the support he gets from management and coaches and his place on the team. Are players bothered by it going to quit? Athletes are very regimented and would eventually find it’s much ado about nothing.

I think pro sports is where the military was 15 years ago on gays and lesbians serving openly. It was a huge deal then, but when Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed this year, people mostly yawned and now even opponents of its repeal say they were wrong. Life goes on and it will in any locker room that has a gay player. Everyone needs to get over it.

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This one’s worse than Kobe Bryant and Joakim Noah. This time, Jackson directly linked the word “faggot” to being gay. While Bryant and Noah could conceivably hide behind the “it’s just a school-yard taunt” excuse, Jackson has nowhere to hide. He knew “faggot” was an anti-gay epithet and that’s exactly how he used it.

Now we’ll find out what the going rate for calling someone a “faggot” is in the NFL. Depending on how much money you make, the NBA fines players $50k-$100k, as we saw with Kobe Bryant and Joakim Noah this spring. Noah made $3.1 million in salary last year; This year Jackson is slated to make a paltry half-mill. Maybe a fine equal to a tenth of his salary will wake up this ‘dumb-ass jerk.’

As the story was breaking Friday afternoon, Jackson took to Twitter to prove he can’t spell or punctuate and complain that people are trying to tear him down.

No, you self-absorbed dumbass. We’re trying to tear down hatred. You’re just in the way.

Hat tip to DCFanatic.com via Deadspin.

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“After careful consideration, I will need to postpone the taping of the Oprah Winfrey interview scheduled for February 22,” [Vick] said. “I admire and respect Oprah and hope to be able to participate in an interview in the future.”

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I liked this comment from Deadspin: “Not sure if he realizes it, but if you’ve watched two seasons of True Blood you’re actually already gay.”

Herremans’ tweets aren’t the most offensive thing I’ve seen, but it’s good that he apologized and without reservations. It’s another sign that jocks can’t get away with public denigration of gays any more without being called on it.

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So, a guy with a physical impairment who was lucky enough to work on game days at the stadium for his favorite team, makes a stupid comment on Facebook and is coldly and swiftly fired. His comment wasn’t against the law. It just made the thin-skinned Eagles mad. In their eyes, he doesn’t deserve a second chance but someone who spent two years in jail for his involvement in the mistreatment — and flat-out murder — of dogs does deserve a second chance.

During the press conference, one reporter actually tried to ask about the treatment of Leone compared to the acceptance of Vick, and was brusquely shut down by Reid. “This press conference is about Michael Vick,” he blustered.

Between the Vikings and the Eagles, is there any way two teams could go 0-16?

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I am curious as to what Eagles and other NFL fans think of this. (And I have already seen one person refer to Vick’s new team as the “Beagles.”)

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Bradley, who was an intern at Elle magazine during the off-season, told the paper about his dating pet peeve (“I can’t stand snotty girls”) and what he tries to find out on a date (“How does she treat people who aren’t going to advance socially in any way? When someone is generally a nice person, that’s a huge plus for me”). Another photo after the jump, and you can watch a video here.

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What a contrast in styles between these two games this weekend. In the desert will be a cordial game between a couple teams that many expected to be watching this game at home. In Pittsburgh, it will be freezing cold, mean and hard-hitting. And in New York City, NBC executives will be praying for an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl. (Picks in bold)

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals +4
On paper, the Cardinals defense put on a show last week, forcing Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme to turn the ball over six times. In reality, Delhomme did most of the work; And this week, the Cardinals aren’t facing Delhomme. Their heightened play will be enough to keep it close, but I think Philadelphia wins the game. Philadelphia 27, Arizona 24.

Baltimore Ravens +6 at Pittsburgh Steelers
The last time I discounted the Ravens for talking a lot of smack was before Super Bowl XXXV. Ravens 34, Giants 7. This Ravens team is mean and nasty, and that is exactly what the winner of this game will need to be. People have been comparing Joe Flacco to Ben Roethlisberg; But Flacco reminds me of Tom Brady. Not Brady in his first year, Brady in his third year. Baltimore 20, Pittsburgh 19.

Playoffs: 6-2. Season Record: 47-44-2.

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But, for those of us who are fans of the 28 teams not playing this weekend, we need to find a team to get behind because the other team and their fans are just a bunch of douches.  And since Patriot Nation took an early tee time, we need to analyze the four teams playing in this weekend’s Conference Championships and figure out which of these douches chills you the most!

Team 1:  The Philadelphia Eagles

• The city known for heart-stopping cheesesteaks and Boys II Men.   New Jack Soul was a disgrace to all of music, and Philly is responsible for the majority of it.
• The most obnoxious fans on the planet Earth with zero reason to be.  Before the Phillies lucked their way into a title this season, the city had been championship-less for 25 years. Can you imagine the self-righteousness of Philadelphia fans if the Eagles win it all and they become the late 2000′s version of Boston fans?
• They boo children.  (okay, this might be a plus)
• You don’t know the meaning of hatred til a drunk asshole wearing green and white shouts “E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!!!!” in your face.  It’s like the Jets chant only much lamer.

Team 2 – The Chicago St. Louis Phoenix Arizona Cardinals

• The team that has not won a title since 1947 (when, coincidentally, they beat the Eagles) and has been the definition of mediocrity for generations.
• Kurt Warner: Burgeoning Artist
• Phoenix has heat during the day that would make your car’s tires explode and that same night has cold that would turn your pool into a skating rink.  I’m convinced this city is filled with schizophrenics.
• Bill Bidwell.  This man must never, ever be rewarded for his ridiculous cheapness.  To give you some idea, until around the turn of the century, Bidwell would require players to buy their own equipment.  Also, he screwed over a city for not building him a new stadium also, which brings us to…

Team 3 – The Baltimore Ravens

• Former owner Art Modell can never step foot again into the city of Cleveland without armed guards.   Generally considered a huge asshole by anyone outside of Maryland (and by Redskins fans within Maryland). No confirmation about this, but it is believed that he also kicks puppies and punches babies for fun.
• These dicks.
• Having an (alleged) murderer in their LB corps and generally having the worst examples of “The U” on their team.
• No one outside of Baltimore can make a crab cake correctly. Their obnoxious guarding of this secret must be stopped.

Team 4 – The Pittsburgh Steelers

• The most successful of the group, having won a championship this century.  They’re the odds-on favorite to win, and really, isn’t it more fun to hate on a favorite?
• Their mayor Luke Ravenstahl had his name (fake) changed this week to Luke Steelerstahl. People who care, zero.
• Troy Polamalu and his long hippie hair.
• 

I know who I’m picking as my winner.

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