Chris Kluwe and the Vikings

I guess I slept in a little later than I thought I would today as I did not get up and about until after 2:30, then I had to work form 5-10.  When I opened my feed reader, one of the main story lines across several of my news and sports sites was the Deadspin article by our old friend and ally Chris Kluwe.  Kluwe along with former Baltimore Raven Brenden Ayanbadejo were the NFL's leading advocates in the Marriage Equality battles of 2012.  Kluwe's open letter to a Maryland political opponent of Marriage Equality, Delegate Emmett C Burns, Jr,  who unsuccessfully tried to use his influence to get the Ravens to silence Brenden's voice, was an instant viral classic that brought the term 'lustful cock monster' into the lexicon of the English language.  Both Kluwe and Ayanbadejo continued their advocacy and played pivotal roles in the unprecedented election victories for Marriage Equality in the 2012 election cycle.  Both were subsequently released by their former teams for 'football reasons'.  In his article Kluwe recalls the events that lead up to his release last spring by the Minnesota Vikings.  He stated his belief that he was fired by a bigot and two cowards (Special Teams coach Mike Priefer, Head Coach Leslie Frazier and General Manager Rick Spielman) because of his advocacy and not his performance on the field as claimed.  The Minnesota Vikings have denied that his advocacy was the reason for his release.  However, as his article illustrates, Special Teams Coach Mike Priefer has made some horrifically inflammatory homophobic comments including that all us Gay folks should be 'gathered on a single island and nuked until we glowed'.  I don't know about you, but I really have no desire to become so much nuclear slag or a walking radioactive glow worm.  I also do not believe that such an attitude should be held by someone in a position of power over any group of people, athletes or not.

To their credit, the Minnesota Vikings have, at the behest of openly Gay Minnesota State Senator Scott Dibble, hired two of the finest legal minds in Minnesota for the investigation into Kluwe's claims.  You can read Dibble's letter to Viking owner Zygi Wilf below.  Former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court Eric Magnuson and former Us Department of Justice Trial Attorney Chris Madel, both partners in the law firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, L.L.P. will head up the investigation and report their findings to the Vikings organization.  Madel is also Minnesota's 'Lawyer of the Year' for the last three years (the only 3 time winner in Minnesota's history).

   Zygi Wilf From Senator Dibble

When asked why come forward now instead of last year when it happened, Kluwe said:

"If there's one thing I hope to achieve from sharing this story, it's to make sure that Mike Priefer never holds a coaching position again in the NFL, and ideally never coaches at any level. (According to the Pioneer Press, he is "the only in-house candidate with a chance" at the head-coaching job.) It's inexcusable that someone would use his status as a teacher and a role model to proselytize on behalf of his own doctrine of intolerance, and I hope he never gets another opportunity to pass his example along to anyone else. I also hope that Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are the people they truly profess themselves to be.

Some will ask why I waited so long to tell this story. It's a fair question, and I have two answers. The first is that I still have friends on the Vikings, and opening up something like this during the season would not help them focus on their jobs. By doing it now, I hope they don't have to answer questions about an issue that concerns only four people, and I hope the issue will have died down before next season starts.

The second is that I wanted to prove I still had the physical ability to compete in the NFL. I can still hit the ball 45 yards outside the numbers with good hang time, and at the tryouts I've had this year I've gotten praise from the scouts and personnel people on hand, but for whatever reason I cannot find a job. (Side note: My numbers from last year would put me right in the middle of the pack for this year, and I've traditionally been in the middle to top third of punters each year).

However, it's clear to me that no matter how much I want to prove I can play, I will no longer punt in the NFL, especially now that I've written this account. Whether it's my age, my minimum veteran salary, my habit of speaking my mind, or (most likely) a combination of all three, my time as a football player is done. Punters are always replaceable, at least in the minds of those in charge, and I realize that in advocating noisily for social change I only made it easier for them to justify not having me around. So it goes.

Some will ask if the NFL has a problem with institutionalized homophobia. I don't think it does. I think there are homophobic people in the NFL, in all positions, but that's true for society as well, and those people eventually get replaced. All we can do is try to expose their behavior when we see it and call them to account for their actions.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Never be afraid to do what's right. If no one ever says anything, nothing ever changes."

How very true.  I am sorry that his time in the NFL is over, but I don't think Chris will stay down, he will resurface in another career with success.  I also don't think he will quit being an ally to our community or hold his tongue when he thinks he can positively influence progress and change for the better.  I wish him and his family well, and I will be watching for the results of the Vikings investigation.  

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Your Weekend Musical Moment features the Music of Giuseppe Tartini with several pieces from Volume 9a of  Tartini's Violin Concerti as recorded by L'Arte Dell'Arco conducted by Giovanni Guglielmo.  Tartini was a prolific composer of concerti for the Violin and as we go along, I am sure I will feature more of his works.  Include in this play list are Violin Concerto in F major, D.70, Violin Concerto in D major, D.42, Violin Concerto in A major, D.109, Violin Concerto in B flat major, D.123 and Violin Concerto in E major, D.54.  

Rounding out this weekend post, just to remind everyone that it is warm somewhere in the world and there will be gorgeous guys romping around the sun splashed pools and beaches, there is this collection of Sexy Studs in Swimwear to add some heat to your weekend.  Thanks for sharing a part of your weekend with me, see you again on Monday for Music, Men and More.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!