Homophobia in Hockey
Posted by jtbourne on November 3, 2009 · 20 Comments
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I’m excited today. My USA Today column on homosexuals in professional hockey is “out” this morning (did you gasp? You gasped didn’t you.) Major thank you’s to the people there for allowing me to run it, and for only editing out certain sentences, like, “I’ve said fag more times than a British smoker”, which was at one point my entire intro paragraph. Please give it a read people, I think I make a fair point.
Secondly, Bourne’s Blog had it’s best reader comment ever, in regards to head injuries. Verbatim, jbrown:
This is what watching game 73 of 162 on TV feels like.
“We’ve covered NFL and NHL in this thread, but what about MLB? Baseball is responsible for some of the worst head injuries around. The other day I accidentally left the TV on Sportsnet and the World Series was on when I walked by. I vaguely recall being overcome with an intense malaise and dizzying level of apathy. When I came to, I was laying on the ground beside the coffee table with a small cut on my forehead.”
I still can’t read that without laughing.
I’m not sure what’s happening with me and baseball. It makes no sense that I can love to play a sport so much, and have so much fun going to a game in person, yet can’t watch so much as a full inning of the World Series final on TV, even with two of the leagues most interesting teams playing.
I literally found it hard to flip back to the baseball game last night because the football game was so good, and the Coyotes were tied 3-3 in the third. That’s how I knew I was really over baseball on TV.
HD TV has done well by so many sports, but I think baseball needs to go back to low-def. Maybe seeing guys eating Spitz and not paying attention to their own game takes some of the fire out of it for me. Imagine eating seeds on the bench in hockey? You’d choke and die. Hearing that Manny took a shower mid-game last series says a lot about baseball, unfortunately.
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Some quick hits:
...thinking "boy-oh-boy do I like finishing my checks and playing defensively responsible hockey"
The Coyotes were one win away from a blogged apology last night. I saw they were up 3-1, and I wrote in my phone “admit you were wrong to Coyotes fans tomorrow”. Then they puked on their shoes. Now you’re going to have to wait a little longer for that apology. …I hear a rattling… did a few screws get loosened around the bandwagon wheels?
Here’s the problem with this – I moved here intending to like the Coyotes, but I “knew” they were going to be bad. So I wrote my opinion. Now, they have a fast, hardworking, probably likable team (Shane Doan as the superstar made me type “likable” while cringing. Nice guy, but as exciting as beige), but I want my prediction to come true, so I root against them. At the very least, I offer the fans this: I’ll stop rooting against them. There. That’s what you get.
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In hockey, did you know team bus drivers honk the horn twice when pulling away from an arena after a road win? Wasn’t sure if fans knew that or not. Every level, every team.
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Blog would have been up earlier, but I google imaged "tartan skirt". My bad.
In reference to a Paul Shirley tweet, isn’t it amazing that any Catholic school anywhere still makes teenage girls wear Tartan skirts as a uniform? Are they that socially oblivious to what those have come to represent?
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Is switch-hitting the most impressive thing in sports? It has my vote. I can’t imagine the spinal damage I’d incur trying to hit a slider left-handed.
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I tweeted this in the past (God we need a better word for microblogs), but in the cap era of team building, is prolonged suckage the best path to success? Isles are 4-0-2 in their last six, the Pens have been in two finals in two years, and the Blackhawks might win the Presidents trophy. And those three teams sucked, sucked and sucked the first half of this decade.
Weird, the case was made by a UNH alum.
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I had someone make the case to me about James Van Riemsdyk in Philly being a potential Calder Trophy winner. I’m sold. Seven points in his last six, and looking like he’s just getting more comfortable.
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That’s all for today. Again, check out my USA Today piece, and let me know what you’re thoughts on the issue are. Preferably on their site, not this one. Thanks!
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with a NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL. My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now a columnist for USA Today, The Hockey News and Hockey Primetime.com.
Had no idea on the honking thing, but yet another little nuance about hockey to love.
I”ve heard the honks before, but had no idea it was so widespread
btw, great USA Today article. Interesting considering our discussions here about the prevalence of lesbians/bis in the women’s leagues.
I’ll point out (in case you have access to edits) that in the sentence: “and use homosexuality as a punchlines.” either the “a” needs to go away, or “punchlines” needs to be singular.
Thanks Deirdre. I sent in a note about the fix.
I think gay rights will pass soon. If you look at the arguments against it, they are the same basic arguments used against civil rights. We admit segregation was an unfortunate episode of our past. To now continue using the same reasons for racism against homosexuals wont last long.
Here here, Mike! (or is it “hear hear?” I actually don’t know). Seems so obvious to me.
Just some bits and pieces commentary… JvR is a legit Calder candidate, and his points are only going to increase as his time does with Gagne out.
I used to hate baseball. Especially after I started playing hockey, baseball became the most utterly boring sport ever created. Then I went to school 10min outside of Boston in 03, and got utterly swept up in it when the Yanks and Sox played. Admittedly, 90% of it that first year was just to rag on all of my New England-er team mates, but that eventually turned into becoming a huge Yankee fan.
Loving this Islander surge (two goals by Witt last night… I mean, seriously???), though I have unfortunately been in the camp hoping they suck just one more year. Just like you noted in the other two examples, Pitt and Chicago, they have two big time sensational players, Crosby/Malkin and Toews/Kane, to go along with other talent. I would have loved another #1 overall pick and grab Taylor Hall to go along with JT and KO. Maybe its just me, but I’d rather add a few more building blocks then be a first round elimination once again.
Hey Justin,
I really, really loved reading your piece. As both a diehard hockey fan and advocate for LGBTQ rights, I hate the homophobia that is all too prevalent in the hockey community (which has already reared its ugly head in the comments to Greg Wyshynski’s excellent response piece to yours).
It’s a very important issue, and one that people seem to sidestep. It will be a brave hockey player who is the first to come out in the professional ranks, but it’ll be a tremendous step forward to eradicating the problem.
Thank you for having the cajones to write the USA Today article–especially as a former player yourself.
You mention the 0% known gay players in the NHL, and how there -has- to be some out there. You might be interested in this anecdotal excerpt from a published psychology book claiming to be from interviews with a then-active NHL player:
One Athlete’s Story: An NHL Player Talks About Being Gay in Hockey
The only thing that bugs me about it is that as a reader, it can’t be verified. The player of course didn’t want to reveal who he was, so the author changed his named and left out details to protect him. All we have is to believe it’s not made up is the author’s scientific integrity, since the book (and interviews) are part of his post-graduate thesis work.
Hockey ruined football for me, but made me appreciate baseball more. Haven’t really thought about why that is. Though baseball is still just as insufferable on TV as ever. But I do enjoy the leisurely pace when AT a game, and the threat of getting beamed in the head by the ball reminds me of hockey a bit. Forces you to pay attention.
THANK YOU!!!! Martin Luther King was certainly instramental in the fight for equal rights, BUT the fight did not really take off until Whites got on board. Therefore, if we want the fight for gay rights to really gain some steam we need people such as yourself to show their support. I will posting the link to your article on my facebook page. THANK YOU!!!!
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean White people need to get behind the gay issues I mean heterosexuals need to get behind the fight.
Haha, nono Ernie, I get what you mean. I’m getting a kick out of the discussions this has started…
Great topic and great article Bourne.
Justin, I sent your article to a gay friend of mine (who is an outstanding hockey player, and was a pitcher for the Western Canadian junior fastball team a few years ago, and is certainly well-verse in the homophobia of sports), and he pointed me to this Sports Illustrated article that you – and your readers – might enjoy:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1019165/1/index.htm
My goodness, that USA Today article is full of comments by idiots. Glad to see far more intelligent responses here.
well done bourne.
can’t wait to see what sarah palin’s facebook page has to say about this!
you must’ve been my recent tweet regarding our win on the weekend. Great tradition. No way the other team ever hears the honks.
Here’s a few other baseball comments to fall off the couch and smack your head on the floor for: http://bit.ly/3zGlOS
Well written Justin.
I knew about the bus honking after road wins – I asked the bus driver why he did that in college. Greyhound bus drivers do it too when they leave from a stopover… Learned that on the bus from Montreal to Winnipeg my freshman year (Air Canada and NWA were on strike in 98 – The only way to school was train or bus).
About some of the anti-gay comments we see around… It’s funny how they say gays are the lowest scum of the earth, but they are the first ones hootin and hollering when two girls make out at a bar or they see girl on girl porn…
I guess we are more liberal in QC than in other provinces/states… Heck we have a gay village in Montreal and the food there is great! Most of us here know at least one gay or lesbian, and it doesn’t bother us one bit. I have a few gay friends… a couple of whom play/have played for the women’s national hockey team…
bob you dick…you got a hit off me left-handed…and then proceeded to celly like you were bob gibson
Very good point there jt. Never looked at it that way, but just because we may have contributed to the locker room banter doesn’t mean we can’t admit it was wrong and move on. Everyone deserves the chance to be happy! Good for you for taking a stand and pointing out what’s right!
I’ve been married over 20 years and if a gay couple wants to get married, why shouldn’t they have the chance to be as miserable as straight, long-suffering married couples?
By the way–good luck with the upcoming nuptials.