Pro BB HOF member Charles Barkley on gays in sports:

[Are_grits_groceries]

Recently, Rick Welts, president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns NBA basketball team, revealed to the public that he is gay in a story posted on The New York Times' Web site. Celtic great Bill Russell, Suns Steve Nash, Jared Dudley, and Grant Hill, Commissioner of the NBA David Stern have all offered support.

Then there is Charles Barkley or Sir Charles as he is known. He NEVER minces words:
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Charles Barkley is sick and tired of hearing how the sanctuary of the locker room is not ready for a male athlete in a major team sport to come out to his teammates, how awkward everyone would feel after they heard a teammate say, “I’m gay.”

After all, Barkley has no doubt he played with several gay teammates.

“I didn’t think it . . . they were gay,” he said when asked Monday about Phoenix Suns President Rick Welts coming out in a New York Times story over the weekend.
<snip>
Whole article worth a read:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/charles-barkley-in-sports-ability-to-play-should-outweigh-sexual-orientation/2011/05/17/AFSArk5G_story.html

He can say and do things that drive me crazy. He is still one of my faves.

[Syrinx]

1. even though he's an Auburn man, I still love him

And I think it is turrible that some don't. :)

[Scuba]

2. Ah, the Round Mound, reticint, soft spoken, always the wallflower....

...this quote from the article is classic...

“First of all, every player has played with gay guys. It bothers me when I hear these reporters and jocks get on TV and say: ‘Oh, no guy can come out in a team sport. These guys would go crazy.’ First of all, quit telling me what I think. I’d rather have a gay guy who can play than a straight guy who can’t play.”



A few years ago Charles is reported to have told family members he was a Republican. When they challenged him with "but that's the party of rich people" he reportedly replied to the effect "yeah, I'm rich".



He may also have been the most fun player to watch, ever. He certainly played as hard as anyone. If the other league players had played half as hard, I might have been an NBA fan.