Ayanbedejo: End Homophobia in Professional Sports

 In an excellent column in 'USA Today' yesterday, Brendon Ayanbedejo, one of  our greatest allies in professional sports wrote eloquently about Ending Homophobia in Professional Sports.  He wrote about the wait for the Gay Jackie Robinson who hopefully will have a teammate like Pee Wee Reese:

"Just like Jackie, the breakthrough gay athlete will be a courageous individual going it alone in uncharted territory. But, also like Jackie, he will have backup -- and hopefully more of it. 

One of the seminal moments of Jackie Robinson's first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers was when teammate Pee Wee Reese put his arm around Jackie during a game and then faced the crowd. The message was clear: teammates are teammates." 

  

Brendon also told the story of how he was raised and why he began advocating for equality as an extension of his personal beliefs.  He said that even with the progress we have made, homophobia is still "an issue closer to home {which} comes more sharply in focus: the sports world -- my world -- is the last closet in America."  He then states his case and calls for the end to homophobia in sports.  He then concludes the column with this:

 

"This is our time and our cause. Everything we know as athletes, teammates, spokesmen and vehicles of American pastimes compels us toward the kind of action and camaraderie we saw from Pee Wee Reese nearly 66 years ago. It's as simple as putting our arm around the shoulder of another athlete. It's a gesture; it's a pledge; it's solidarity at its most basic. Our Jackie is coming. We need to pave the way."

I could not have said it any better than that.  Brendon is a Champion, but he still remembers from whence he came and knows where we all need to go.  I am really glad he is on our side. 

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I am in a symphonic mood today so I am going to overdose you with 3 Mozart Symphonies: Number 39 in E Flat Major, K543; my favorite Number 40 in G Minor, K550; and Number 41 'Jupiter' in C Major, K 551.  All three are recorded live and performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Nikolaus Harnoncourt.  While you are being serenaded by the VPO, you will find plenty of denim dynamite to occupy your eyes lounging about the page below the video.  Thanks for spending part of your day here at Nichevo, see you again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!