LOL: Mark Cuban (Dallas owner) says openly gay NBA player would get rich

[The Fake Shemp]

Cuban says openly gay player would clean up

Mark Cuban might be the Mavericks owner, but he thinks an openly gay NBA player would be a trail blazer, and a rich one at that.

"From a marketing perspective, if you're a player who happens to be gay and you want to be incredibly rich, then you should come out, because it would be the best thing that ever happened to you from a marketing and an endorsement perspective," Cuban told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for Monday's edition. "You would be an absolute hero to more Americans than you can ever possibly be as an athlete, and that'll put money in your pocket.

"On the flip side, if you're the idiot who condemns somebody because they're gay, then you're going to be ostracized, you're going to be picketed and you're going to ruin whatever marketing endorsements you have."

Cuban was reacting to the announcement by former NBA player John Amaechi that he is gay. The controversial Mavs owner praised Amaechi.

"When you do something that the whole world thinks is difficult and you stand up and just be who you are and take on that difficulty factor, you're an American hero no matter what," Cuban told the paper. "That's what the American spirit's all about, going against the grain and standing up for who you are, even if it's not a popular position."

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That's a load. 

Maybe after his ball playing days were done, like John Amaechi is currently doing (a player nobody was ever going to talk about ever again until this), but if that player came out in the NBA during his career - he would create locker mutiny.  The NBA, moreso than any other sport (and yes, this is a racial thing, so own up black people), will go fucking shitcakes if a player came out of the closet.  And unless that player is of Arenas-level of talent (see what I did there), then they will most certainly get shived the cold shoulder from the teammates or much, much worse.

[brawndolicious]

It all depends on who the player is but what you said is right, most likely it's not going to be benefical.

[drohne]

charles barkley was talking about this on tnt -- apparently he's played with gay guys, their teammates knew they were gay, and no one gave a shit. kenny agreed. there's an element of homophobic macho posturing in hip hop culture, but pragmatically some of these guys are gay, and athletes probably deal with it like anyone else. a fan backlash would be more likely than a locker-room backlash.

edit: come to think of it nba homosexuality has probably been institutionalized: i'm 90% certain that sasha vujacic is kobe bryant's catamite. and jack haley is on tv over here now, and if that man has never sucked dennis rodman's dick, i'm an archbishop.

[The Fake Shemp]

 

[Phoenix Dark]

Great article on the superficial nature of the Amaechi story
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=granderson/070207


I usually love hearing what Cuban has to say, but here he's 100% wrong. While I would disagree with Willco about a gay player causing locker drama - Barkley and others have dismissed this based on their experience, and it doesn't make sense - Cuban's comment about a gay player making money off his coming out is ridiculous. Outside of Ellen is there any gay person who has any sort of big time promotional (or otherwise) deals? And with respect to homophobic people having trouble getting marketing dollars, what's he smoking? If LeBron James came out and said he didn't like gay people, does anyone honestly think the people his products are aimed at would would give a fuck? The black community is perhaps the most homophobic culture in this country. From the religious aspect to rap music and the over macho emphasis, people simply wouldn't care whether a star was homophobic. The general public has yet to place homophobia and racism on the same level

[Flannel Boy]

Cuban can't even get Nowitzki any deals and he's only gay for David Hasselhoff, so how's he going to get a gay man any endorsements?

[Phoenix Dark]

No one wants to give Dirk deals so meh. Are there any foreign players in the NBA with big time marketing deals?

Dirk is boring and a pussy. And those types don't get deals, or NBA championships tsk tsk

[Flannel Boy]

What makes Dirk a puss?

[The Fake Shemp]

I disagree, if LeBron openly spewed hatred towards homosexuals, it'd tarnish his image, especially amongst pat-yourselves-on-the-back-for-tolerance mainstream white America.  And that's where NBA money comes from, don't fool yourself.

Charles Barkely talks about playing with gay people and I kind of buy it and don't buy it.  I'm sure there were gay ball players, but he played in a time period where NBA ballers openly said they wouldn't play with gay teammates.  I'm sure if he had gay teammates, it was under the radar.

If a player came out and held a press conference and went on Ellen and other promotional stuff, I'm sure it'd create problems in the locker room.

[Phoenix Dark]

I'm being hyperbolic to an extent

But my problem with Dirk lies in his hypocracy. To this day he propogates the idea that the league gave the championship to the Heat. He's talked about the "close calls" Wade got, but I remember Dirk flopping even more than Wade. Where was Dirk in game 4 and 5? HE didn't take the Mavs over the hump. The refs didn't take the Heat over the hump, Wade did.

This year Dirk is playing like a man possessed, and for good reason. Dirk is smart enough to recognize that the time is now for the Mavs, and they've got to sieze it before it disappears (think the Kings). But as far as I'm concerned he's still on my Peyton Manning shit list, now that Peyton Manning is off the list. I want to see him dominate in the finals - hell, it looks like the Mavs have an easy road back.

They should be able to blow Detroit out the water as far as I'm concerned

[Phoenix Dark]

I disagree, if LeBron openly spewed hatred towards homosexuals, it'd tarnish his image, especially amongst pat-yourselves-on-the-back-for-tolerance mainstream white America.  And that's where NBA money comes from, don't fool yourself.

Charles Barkely talks about playing with gay people and I kind of buy it and don't buy it.  I'm sure there were gay ball players, but he played in a time period where NBA ballers openly said they wouldn't play with gay teammates.  I'm sure if he had gay teammates, it was under the radar.

If a player came out and held a press conference and went on Ellen and other promotional stuff, I'm sure it'd create problems in the locker room.

You mean the mainstream white America who's predominantly against gay marriage, and doesn't seem to think gay partners should be covered by their loved one's health insurance?

[The Fake Shemp]

You mean the mainstream white America who's predominantly against gay marriage, and doesn't seem to think gay partners should be covered by their loved one's health insurance?

I said they were tolerant, not accepting.  The whole point of pat-on-your-back-for-tolerance mainstream white America is to say they like gay people and have gay friends, but NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO DEFILE JESUS' NAME BY DESTROYING THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE.

Same reason why Obama will secure a bunch of, "Hey, I voted for a black guy!" votes from white people.  Wanda Sykes said it best in Curb Your Enthusiasm, that sometimes that white guilt pays off.

[Phoenix Dark]

You mean the mainstream white America who's predominantly against gay marriage, and doesn't seem to think gay partners should be covered by their loved one's health insurance?

I said they were tolerant, not accepting.  The whole point of pat-on-your-back-for-tolerance mainstream white America is to say they like gay people and have gay friends, but NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO DEFILE JESUS' NAME BY DESTROYING THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE.

Same reason why Obama will secure a bunch of, "Hey, I voted for a black guy!" votes from white people.  Wanda Sykes said it best in Curb Your Enthusiasm, that sometimes that white guilt pays off.

If they were tolerant they'd have different beliefs and actions towards the issue lol; it's a "seperate but equal" contradiction. As I said, most people don't seem to think homophobia is an issue, and certainly don't care about it enough to shun someone who makes their own personal beliefs known.

I don't think Obama will secure many of those votes either. Obviosuly lots of people are saying that today, but when it comes time to vote we'll see what happens. There are going to be people who simply aren't comforable with promoting a black man to the highest level of power in this country, and the world.

[The Fake Shemp]

As I said, most people don't seem to think homophobia is an issue, and certainly don't care about it enough to shun someone who makes their own personal beliefs known.

Except is an issue.  Why is John Amaechi a story?  If the country wasn't homophobic, we wouldn't have to take down a Snickers commercial featuring two homophobes accidentally kissing and John Amaechi wouldn't be on the front page of ESPN.

I don't think Obama will secure many of those votes either.

I didn't say a lot or all or the majority, I just said a bunch.  And he will get them, in Massachusetts alone.

[Phoenix Dark]

As I said, most people don't seem to think homophobia is an issue, and certainly don't care about it enough to shun someone who makes their own personal beliefs known.

Except is an issue.  Why is John Amaechi a story?  If the country wasn't homophobic, we wouldn't have to take down a Snickers commercial featuring two homophobes accidentally kissing and John Amaechi wouldn't be on the front page of ESPN.

Amaechi is a story because ESPN has made him one. They are publishing his book and pimping him at all times, attemtping to create a dialogue no one seems interested in having. Next month the issue will be dead.

I never said the country wasn't homophobic: it is. But the public doesn't seem to think it's an issue. And Snickers is taking down the add because they are too pussy to stand up to the juvenile demands of the HRC. The public couldn't care less about the ad.

[The Fake Shemp]

Next month a news story will be dead?  Dur.  Nobody talks about anything for more than a month, save for war.  The Amaechi story is everywhere, not just ESPN.  And although I do not doubt that the helped manufactured the thing to begin with, it's rolling along without their help because homosexuality is still an issue.

The public couldn't care less about the ad.

People were grossed out by it; NFL players no less.  I believe GLAD is investigating the NFL because of that as well.

Homosexuality is most definitely an issue.  Just as much as race.  The fact that homosexuality was a driving force behind George W. Bush's re-election should prove that.

[Phoenix Dark]

Dude, we agree on that point. My point is that people wouldn't give a shit if a player made homophobic comments; the public would agree with them most likely anyway, but of course would be unwilling to voice such an opinion