Tim Hardaway: 'I Hate Gay People' http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_045205258.html (CBS4) MIAMI Former Miami Heat superstar Tim Hardaway told a local sports radio show that he “hates gay people.” Hardaway made the comments while he was being interviewed by Dan Le Batard on 790 the Ticket Wednesday afternoon. The five time All Star was asked how he would deal with a gay teammate. “First of all I wouldn’t want him on my team,” said Hardaway. “ “Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don’t think that’s right and I don’t think he should be in the locker room when we’re in the locker room.” Le Batard took Hardaway to task, pointing out that his comments were “flatly homophobic” and bigoted, but that only seemed to stir up the former point guard. “Well, you know, I hate gay people,” Hardaway said in response to Le Batard. “I let it be known I don’t like gay people. I don’t like to be around gay people. I’m homophobic. It shouldn’t be in the world, in the United States, I don’t like it.” Hardaway’s comments come on the heels of a groundbreaking revelation made by former player John Amaechi, who became the first professional basketball player to openly identify himself as gay. Amaechi became only the sixth male atlhlete from one of the four major American sports (NBA,MLB,NFL,NHL) to admit he is gay. Former NFL running back David Kopay , offensive lineman Roy Simmons and defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo just recently came out. Glenn Burke, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics in the 1970s, and Billy Bean, a utility player in the 1980s and 1990s, have also come out. No player has ever publicly admitted to being gay while currently playing for one of the four major American sports.
Hardaway makes anti-gay comments on radio show LINK HAS AUDIO: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16700045.htm BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN mkaufman@MiamiHerald.com MIAMI HERALD FILE PHOTO 'I AM HOMOPHOBIC': 'I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people,' Tim Hardaway said. Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway, known for his candor, said on a radio show Wednesday that he would not want a gay player on his team, would ask for him to be traded, and went so far as to say: ``You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States.'' Hardaway was a guest with host/Herald columnist Dan Le Batard on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket, and at the end of the interview, Le Batard asked Hardaway how he would deal with a gay player, in light of last week's disclosure by retired NBA center John Amaechi that he is gay. ''First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team,'' Hardaway replied. ``And second of all, if he was on my team, I would really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that is right. I don't think he should be in the locker room while we are in the locker room. But stuff like that is going on and there's a lot of other people I hear that are like that and still in the closet and don't want to come out of the closet, but you know I just leave that alone.'' Asked what he would do if he had a gay teammate, Hardaway said he would ask for the player to be traded or to be bought out of his contract. ''Something has to give,'' he said. ``And I think the majority of players would ask for him to be traded or they would want to be traded. Or buy him out of his contract and just let him go. Something has to give. If you have 12 other ballplayers in your locker room that are upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate.'' Hardaway is the first NBA player -- current or former -- to make anti-gay statements since Amaechi's news came out. In fact, most of the players and coaches quoted last week, including Heat center Shaquille O'Neal, were supportive of Amaechi and said they would not be bothered by a gay teammate. What if the gay player were a great player, Hardaway was asked. ''If he were that great something would still have to give,'' he said. ``People would feel uncomfortable with that. If you're not gay, nobody in that locker room would feel comfortable with that person on your team.'' Amaechi probably will not be surprised when he reads Hardaway's comments. He said in a phone interview Tuesday he believes there is still a lot of homophobia in society and in professional sports locker rooms. ''We are much further behind than I'd like,'' Amaechi said. ``People in America and England [where Amaechi grew up] would like to think racism is over, sexism is over, and homophobia is over, but it's not. My coming out will show that gay people don't all look like Jack from Will and Grace. Some of us are big, athletic men, and that should be OK.'' Amaechi said he had not heard from a single former teammate or NBA player, that he had only heard from former coach Doc Rivers. He challenged straight athletes ''who feel able'' to stand up for gay rights. ''I would like professional male athletes to be active supporters, and that doesn't mean putting a rainbow decal on their car,'' he said. ``It means letting other guys in the locker room know that it's not OK to make gay jokes, that it's hurtful, and that it's not OK to be homophobic. ``But it's hard to get straight guys to step up. When men stood by women during the suffrage movement, they were called progressive and bold. When whites stood by blacks, they were heroes. But a straight guy standing up for a gay guy faces discrimination, and that's a big part of the battle we're fighting.''
Wow. It takes some kind of stupid to not just think this way but to be dumb enough to open your mouth on the public airways and let everyone know. What an ididot.
Damn, some people are complete idiots. Even if you felt that way you should not be saying it on the radio. I have no respect for him
Oh Timmy.. silly little Timmy. If it wasn't for your killer crossovers, you'd probably get bashed even more
One of my roommates from freshman year was very, very homo-phobic. He used to openly bash gay people. Guess what guys....he came out of the closet a couple of yrs later.
And I hate stuff like this because it just further fuels the idea that if you don't believe homosexuality is right that you're automatically a hateful bigot. I don't hate anybody. Tim Hardaway doesn't speak for me, and he just makes things worse with those kind of comments.
I find it more bizarre that some gay people have to let the world know that they are gay. Why do they feel the need to do so? At least John Amaechi didn't babble his feelings while on a team, since it would obviously be a distraction. Face it, homosexuality is and always will be a shunned lifestyle by the majority of people. That doesn't require that you hate someone for it, but the disapproval is there. Hardaway goes a little far in expressing his view, but I agree with some of it. If he didn't have a point, then why are men's and women's locker rooms seperated? Should a gay man be required to use a women's locker room, or have his very own area?
Good job, moron. Goodbye broadcasting career, good bye fans, goodbye anything. You deserve the heat you're about to take. And by the way, good luck struggling with the part of yourself that can't stop thinking about two dudes kissing.
Tim Hardaway can kiss whatever small broadcasting career he has (had) goodbye. Geez, think before you speak Timmy, think.
Face it, no it won't. "Shunned" and "not practiced" are two very different things. 50 years and homosexuals are not going to face the bigotry and prejudice they do now. Mark my words.
why would it be the end of his broadcasting career? seriously? two things, unfortunately a lot of people in america don't think homosexuality is moral, second of all, who's gonna stand up for gay people to get him out of sports broadcasting.
