San Francisco Player homophobic comments

Here is the story that I copied and paste from the Mercury News media.

NEW ORLEANS—San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver apologized Wednesday night for anti-gay remarks he made during a Super Bowl media day interview a day earlier.

"The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel," he said in a statement released by the team. "It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."

The 49ers said earlier Wednesday they had addressed the comments, but didn't elaborate on whether the second-year player would face disciplinary action or a fine.

During an interview Tuesday at the Superdome, Culliver responded to questions from comedian Artie Lange by saying he wouldn't welcome a gay player in the locker room. He also said the 49ers didn't have any homosexual players and, if they did, those players should leave.

"The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris," the team said. "There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community."

Culliver planned to formally address his remarks during a news conference during the 49ers' media availability Thursday morning, according to his personal public relations representative,

Theodore Palmer.

The interview Tuesday began with Lange asking Culliver about his sexual plans with women during Super Bowl week. Lange followed up with a question about whether Culliver would consider pursuing a gay man.

"I don't do the gay guys, man. I don't do that," Culliver said during the 1-minute taped interview. "Ain't got no gay people on the team. They gotta get up outta here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff."

Lange asked Culliver to reiterate his thoughts, to which the player said, "It's true." He added he wouldn't welcome a gay teammate—no matter how talented.

"Nah. Can't be ... in the locker room, nah," he said. "You've gotta come out 10 years later after that."

The 24-year-old Culliver, a third-round draft pick in 2011 out of South Carolina, made 47 tackles with two interceptions and a forced fumble this season while starting six games for the NFC champion Niners (13-4-1).

He had his first career postseason interception in San Francisco's 28-24 win at Atlanta for the NFC title.

The 49ers participate in the NFL's "It Gets Better" anti-bullying campaign. The city of San Francisco and progressive, open-minded Bay Area are home to a large gay community.

Three organizations working for LGBT inclusion in sports—Athlete Ally, You Can Play, and GLAAD—reacted to Culliver's remarks and later acknowledged his apology.

"Chris Culliver's comments were disrespectful, discriminatory and dangerous, particularly for the young people who look up to him," said Athlete Ally Executive Director Hudson Taylor. "His words underscore the importance of the athlete ally movement and the key role that professional athletes play in shaping an athletic climate that affirms and includes gay and lesbian players. Culliver's current views are as marginal as they are misguided. We're seeing more and more NFL players take a stand against homophobia in sports through our advocacy and we know that support at this level is only going to grow. It is becoming clear that discrimination is on the fringe and has absolutely no place in sports."

 

Culliver meant everything he said about gays. His apology was fake and lame. He apologized because he was forced to by either Harbaugh or by the 49'ers upper managment.  Otherwise, he would have been reprimanded and possibly suspended for the Super Bowl.

Also, it's ironic that the player is based in San Francisco, which is the gay capital of the world.  

perhaps he is reacting to exactly that....

He has a right to his opinion, but he is representing the 49'ers,
should have waited until the season was over.

I think Culliver is happy.

why are they asking football players about this?  because of manti teo?  they need to cut out that extra week before the super bowl.

You should be able to give your opinion on any topic without being crucified for it. It he's anti-abortion, or deny man-made global warming those would be a problem as well. Isn't it great how we've become liberalized to project a certain point of view or be ridiculed. Welcome to the U.S.A.

i can see where an employer who relies on the public to support their organization would not want an employee making bigoted comments to the press, especially in san francisco.  an employer certainly has  a right to try and protect its business from bigots.  however, i would think a reporter might have better questions to ask than that one.

The man has a right to his opinion. He does not have to like happy individuals or the happy lifestyle just because he plays in the NFL and is playing in the SB. Not a single person on earth would solicit this man's opinion about gays, even joking, if he wasn't playing in the SB. 

i agree, but his employer also has a right to tell his employee to shut the darn up with the bigoted comments since his employer is trying to sell a product to the public that might not want to support such a bigot, particularly in san francisco.  but it's true that the most ridiculous part of the story is that a reporter is asking in the first place. 

i guess i didn't realize there was much publicity to this.  i avoid all super bowl stories and can't watch espn anymore when a game isn't on.

the media manufacturing bullshit stories is ridiculous.  i agree.  and the guy should not have to retract or take back his comments.  what's the point of that?

I agree ESPN is unwatchable. Maybe if I was 12 or 14 years old it would be the greatest channel known to man, but nowadays virtually anything they do that doesn't involve putting a camera on the field/court goes beyond my level of tolerance. 

A possible first, I'm in total agreement with Scalabrine...

you ever been to the gym before and changed clothes or taken a shower.  or any other place open to the public, used a public restroom?  do you go around polling people to see if they are happy or not?  only closet person*xuals and people who aren't sure, i.e. people insecure about their sexual orientation should have a problem with this. 

outside of that, you might want to actually talk to someone different from you and learn what they are like.  you sound like you got your knowledge of person*xuals from your bible study teacher, who might know about person but not uncloseted ones.

Dirt, I'm just a little wise that there are the Jerry Sandusky's of the world out there. I'm not blind to my environment. I went to public school and showered after gym class and never had a problem. I've never been to a public bathhouse, maybe you could enlighten me on that experience? 

no, we can't agree.  if only 3-5% of the population are happy, how could it be a recipe for extinction?

and i'll assume you're equally bothered by people who cannot have kids for medical reasons or choose not to have kids.,  are they not equally a recipe tof extinction.  of course they aren't but with your logic, for lack of a better word, i suppose they are.

and who is forcing anything on you.  if happy people can have the same jobs as straight people despite the misgivings of certain people who have sexual orientation insecurities of their own,m how does that affect you?

Keep putting the burden on me Dirt. It's not my rock to push up the hill, nor will I have the rock rolled over me. 

no, if it's 3-5% of the population.  no more than people who do not want to have kids lead to extinction.  as a result, the human population is growing. 

i don';t know what burden you are talking about unless it's tough for you to accept treating other people who are different from you but are not hurting you as equal whether they are happy, black, muslim or whatever. 

i've never seen a heterosexual parade nor have a seen a white people parade.  unfortunately, because there are bigots and racists in this world, minorities have to do those things to try and gain quality.

gain "equality"

Nonsense.  So if he says Hitler was right and person should have exterminated?  Or women should stay in the kitchen and shouldn't be allowed to vote?  Or that he's glad 9/11 happened?  Or any number of things.  He should be able to say anything like this without any consequences?  Come on now.

And so does the celibate lifestyle.  So I guess the clergy lifestyle leads to extinction too?

Just like dep to bring Hitler and exterminating 6M into a football player asked to give his opinion on a happy football player. All clergy are not celibate btw.