Football, Sexual (And Other) Violence, and Homophobia - Part III

The Trayvon Martin case has been filling the headlines. Trayvon Martin, 17 years old, was killed by George Zimmerman, member of a community watch, after police told him to leave Martin alone. Something about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. It came out that Zimemrman was not a member of that community's watch. This week, the news is that Martin had been suspended from school for having a baggie--kids still use those?--of trace amounts of weed. Now, word is out that Martin attacked Zimmerman and Zimmerman shot Martin trying to defend himself. To paraphrase what Martin's mother said, First, they killed my son; now, they're trying to kill his character. 

What else will come out? When will Zimmerman be arrested? Or even questioned? When will his gun and clothes be examined? This tragedy--aren't tragedies supposed to be inevitable?--has ended with one life taken. I worry that the toll will not end there. Partly because of all the events that led to this point. There is more to ask and say about this case, but for this blog, I just want to make one side note: Thirteen members of the Miami Heat wore hoodies for a photo. Athletes taking a political stand! Wow.  

Back to the series...     
 
According to Esera Tuaolo’s website: he played in the National Football League for 9 years. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1991 (second round 35th pick), the highest Defensive Linemen ever taken in Packer history at that time. Esera also was the first rookie to start all 16 games his rookie year in NFL history. He earned a spot on the All Rookie team in 1991.

Garrison Hearst and Jeremy Shockey didn’t want him—a 280-pound nose tackle who could run a 40 in 4.8--in their locker room? Or on their team? (Okay, they weren’t speaking of Esera specifically…)

Crazy!

Jim Buzinski of outsports.com quotes one player as saying, "I really don't see it as being that big a deal," Carolina Panthers left tackle Todd Steussie, who played with Tuaolo in Minnesota from 1994 to 1996, told the Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald. "It might make some people uncomfortable, but to me it's a non-issue." Back to the first hand or stuck somewhere between the two, Buzinski quotes another player saying he loves Tuaolo like a brother and even though God forbids it “we can be friends.”

Like Esera, I found Dave Kopay, the first former NFL player, to come out. Somehow I ran across his name. It was so long ago I think it was before I came out to myself. I might have still been in high school or early college. I knew I was more than casually interested in the Dave Kopay story, but I couldn’t admit to myself why.

Writing this post, I found out about Roy Simmons and Gerald “Jerry” Sandford Smith and looked for information them. Dave Kopay said smith and he had an affair when they were teammates.  Smith died of AIDS; he acknowledged having AIDS but not being gay. Simmons wrote a book that www.outsports.com calls a “searing and brutally honest account of a player who wrestled with his sexuality and drug abuse.” When I looked for the book in my library’s system, this title appeared: Out of Bounds: Inside the NBA’s Culture of Rape, Violence, and Crime.

Back to the violence off the field, court, etc.

I know that whatever happens in sports happens in society. I’ll explore why we outsiders, spectators, folks in the bleachers look at sports as if it weren’t a microcosm of society.

Recently, the 49ers signed Randy Moss. He’s supposed to be moody, disruptive, divisive, and whatever term team executives and reporters use to describe players who don’t go along with the program. 

I don’t know why besides addiction to capitalism that I get so invested in a team of men who earn lots of money to play a game to win a silver football on a stand. What do I care? What does this have to do with freedom and equal rights for me, other women, other queers? What does it have to do with anyone's freedom?

Then I remember being 15 or 16 years old and the 49ers won their first Super Bowl. That silver football on a stand meant so much. Actually, all the games leading up to that game like The Catch.

I’d like to end this post on a happy note, in an article in ESPN Magazine, Esera says:
“I live with a partner, Mitchell, I have loved for six years, and we have beautiful 23-month-old twins -- Mitchell and Michele -- we've adopted and are raising together. Got a house in the suburbs (of Minneapolis) and a lawn and two dogs. I've recorded two pop albums. I'm just your typical gay Samoan ex-nose tackle who'd like to break into show biz.” 

You can hear Tuaolo singing "Imagine" on his website. His voice is as sweet as his smile.