Rice coach feels heat over quotes about gays By BRIAN McTAGGART Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Rice University football coach Ken Hatfield has found himself in a swirl of controversy for recent comments attributed to him about homosexuals in The Chronicle for Higher Education, a weekly newspaper for college administrators and faculty members. In a story about gay athletes in the Nov. 1 issue titled "The Loneliest Athlete," Hatfield is quoted as asserting homosexuality clearly conflicts with his religious beliefs and that he would consider removing a player from the team if that player said he was gay. The article's author, Jennifer Jacobson, writes: "(Hatfield) says that while he would not necessarily kick a player off the team for being gay, he probably would think hard about it." Hatfield said Wednesday that he told Jacobson he wasn't sure how he would deal with the situation because he never has been through it. "I don't know how I'd deal with any situation until it occurs," he said. "She said, `He said this,' but she didn't quote me as saying that. The main thing is I'll deal with any situation period that affects the team, and I'm not going to do anything derogatory toward Rice University and its policies, period." Scott Jaschik, editor of the Chronicle for Higher Education, said Wednesday: "We stand behind the story 100 percent." The story prompted Rice President Malcolm Gillis to meet with Hatfield on Monday to discuss the matter. "As soon as possible after first seeing the story on Monday, I engaged Coach Hatfield in direct and frank conversation," said Gillis in an e-mailed response to questions from the Houston Chronicle. "I made very clear that Rice and I, personally, are committed to our nondiscrimination policy and that all university employees would carry out that policy fully. "Coach Hatfield understood what I told him and promised he would carry out university policy sincerely and completely. He has always kept his word to me, and I trust that he will on this." In the article, Hatfield, who is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is paraphrased as saying homosexuality clearly conflicts with his religious beliefs. "I believe in the Bible," he is quoted as saying. Also, when asked what effect a player's going public with his homosexuality would have on the team and the parents of other athletes, Hatfield is quoted as saying he would ask the player: "What happened? What changed since we recruited you? When did this come about?" Hatfield sent an apology letter that appeared on The Chronicle of Higher Education's Web site Tuesday. Gillis also sent a letter, claiming Hatfield's stance is contrary to Rice's policy on nondiscrimination. In his letter, Hatfield writes: "I was reported to have made remarks contrary to Rice policy on about how I might deal with an athlete on my team identifying himself as homosexual. As I told the Chronicle (of Higher Education) reporter, in my role as football coach, a position of authority assigned by my university, I am aware that I must thoroughly carry out university policy, including its prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation. "While I have personal views on the subject, I have assured the president that I can and will follow the university's nondiscrimination policy sincerely and completely. I apologize to the university and the entire community for any distress this story caused them." Gillis wrote in his letter: "Our university is committed to carrying out to the fullest its policy of nondiscrimination. As I have told coach Hatfield in unequivocal terms, he is entitled to practice his personally held religious views in his private life, but as Rice University football coach he must wholeheartedly execute university policy. He has agreed to do so." The letters were e-mailed to The Chronicle of Higher Education on Monday, and both letters and the original story were sent to the Rice faculty and student leaders, as well as the school newspaper, the Rice Thresher. Gillis said Wednesday the response he has received from student groups is dismay over the comments, but appreciation for immediately addressing them. Still, the article was a hot topic among campus student groups. "It has generated a very strong reaction," said Matt Haynie, president of the Rice Student Association. "It's been the main topic of discussion." The student association drafted a resolution Tuesday night that was scheduled to be presented before the full student senate late Wednesday for approval. The resolution will call for Hatfield to print an apology in the Thresher. Pride, the school's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender student group, found Hatfield's comments problematic. "As someone representing the university, I feel it's his job, especially as a coach, to make his athletes feel safe and supported," said Uri McMillan, president of Pride. "I think his comments don't do that. It's going to hurt recruitment of students to come to Rice, especially athletes, and also his comments assume that any of the athletes he's recruiting are straight. "It's also especially hurtful because there are gay athletes, and his comments have made it harder for those students to come out even if they wanted to." McMillan said Pride held a meeting Tuesday to come up with a response. He said group members plan to make their presence known at football games and want a letter published in the Thresher to explain why they find Hatfield's comments discriminatory. The Rice faculty also responded to the comments. At its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, the faculty unanimously passed a resolution "repudiating any statements that might seem to imply that the University discriminates and reaffirming the university's policy of nondiscrimination." Hatfield, the fifth-winningest active coach in Division I-A college football, is in his ninth season at Rice. He was previously head coach at the Air Force Academy, Arkansas and Clemson.
Ummm...yeah...it conflicts with my religious views too. That's a horrible reason to treat these people differently. Discrimination isn't exactly a Christian thing to do either. If there were some kind of misconduct involved that would be a different story...but heterosexuals commit misconduct too. It conflicts with your religious beliefs yet you can't even say if it's in your holy text with certainty? Let me help you out with this...it is. Also in the same text are admonitions to "hate the sin but love the sinner" and to "love thy neighbor as I have loved you." This leads me to believe that Jesus Christ didn't want us to discriminate. Any??? I'm assuming that at least a few are. Regardless of the size of the group...that will be the largest block of tickets sold at Rice in decades.
Maybe the Rice students should boycott Rice football games. No wait a minute, they are already "boycotting" the games Maybe the student should all attend the next game, to give the appearance of a boycott on the following game. That's it. That's the ticket.
"The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals, and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. It's not that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision." - Lynn Lavner
This is less about homophobia and more about school policy. Rice is a VERY open university with non-discrimination policies for both students and faculty. If Hatfield behaved in contradiction to his university's policies, he gets reprimanded. Simple as that.
It's a moot point. Has a football player ever come out of the closet on ANY level? This is a non-issue, IMO. I like how the organization plans to "make their presence known at football games". I wonder what that entails. At least it helps attendance, LOL.
For me, the issue is whether or not you can come out without serious problems. I mean, if someone said they were gay at your workplace and you were driven from the company because of it, that company would be in court the next day. However, if athletes do it, it's ok??? From GaySports.com... <i> Third Gay NFL Player Finally Out By Matt Johns (Los Angeles)_ HBO aired Esera Tuaolo's coming out interview Tuesday night, and it sent a rush of testosterone through the NFL as players lined up to denounce gays on the gridiron. Tuaolo, who played on the Vikings' defensive line from 1992-96, said he felt overwhelmed by the frustration of hearing gay jokes from teammates and his unwillingness to confront them. "I want to make clear that it wasn't like that every day, but listening to those comments from players kind of slid me further into the closet. The funny thing is, you laugh along with it," Tuaolo said. "I know I can't be the only one, but I understand what they're going through. Now that I'm out, I do understand what players are going through and I feel for them. Hopefully this is the start of something great." Not if other players in the league have anything to say about it. A former teammate and a current ESPN broadcaster, Sterling Sharpe said that any player who declared himself gay would be driven off the team. Sharpe implied that players would feel threatened; a gay teammate would cast doubts in fans' minds about all players' masculinity and sexual orientation. That attitude was reinforced by another former Packers teammate of Tuaolo's: LeRoy Butler. Butler, while praising Tuaolo's courage, said that players in the NFL have a particular problem with gays because of the fact that they shower together. Butler said he_" has nothing against gay people in general,"_ but, he "would not be in a rush to enter a shower" while an openly gay teammate was present. Miami Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain said that if there are gay football players they should stay in the closet. "There would be a lot of repercussions. He'll be alienated. This is a man's game. This is a physical game. You don't want to hear anything like that in the locker room." But Dolphin tight end Ed Perry disagrees. "If he's doing his job, it would be kind of weird, but if you're a man and you approach your situation like a professional, let him be him and let yourself be yourself." Offensive lineman Mark Dixon expects that there one day will be an openly gay player in the league._ "There's no doubt it will happen eventually," Dixon said. "I think in order for a guy to do it, he's going to have to be a superstar. Obviously he's going to have to take on so much. That would be a tough cross to bear. There's such a machismo around football that that would be tough." And, Tuaolo got praise from a man who played college ball with him more than a decade ago. Matt Booher, a former Oregon State quarterback, was co-captain with Tuaolo in 1990 and was his roommate on trips. Booher said teammates and fans respected Tuaolo for his skill and leadership and would not have cared if he had revealed his sexual orientation. "I think that if he had decided at that point to come out, say that he was gay, I honestly think that the people at Oregon State and the players and the coaches, everybody would have been supportive and we could have gotten on with business as usual," Booher said. Tuaolo is the third former NFL player to reveal his homosexuality. Ten years ago, Roy Simmons of the New York Giants came out, and it has been 27 years since Dave Kopay, a running back for the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers, made his announcement.</i>
So, have a separate shower. It isn't like this is a poor house. Reliant Stadium's shower facility is bigger than my freakin' house!
So you think building a separate shower for openly gay teammates would be better for team morale? Why would anyone want to "come out" so they could use the "other shower"? How could that possibly improve the situation? If you were joking, I apologize.
Yeah, I was joking. The point isn't that the situation wouldn't be difficult. The point is that it isn't the gay person's FAULT. We make it out to be gays who are wrong for expressing themselves, yet it is WE who are uncomfortable. Gays seem to be the last bastion of ridicule. It's not cool to make fun of other races, little people, old people, women or the handicapped, so the gays are the default punchline and aim of so many stereotypes. If we accept athletes, whose salaries are boosted by taxpayer dollars that fund their facilities, who say that gays have no place in their world, we are no better than those who once said blacks had no place in their world. As so-called role models, they have to set a higher standard for themselves and suggesting that gay men in sports would be in some cases in physical danger is no different than saying blacks would have been. I remember when an ex-baseball player came out and Brad Ausmus from the Astros said that he knew and was his roommate on the road when they both played in Detroit. He said he knew how tough it was for him but he supported him and tried to help when he could because he was a good person and deserved to be treated with respect. THAT is what we should expect from all of them, not some macho bull**** that seems to permeate locker rooms. We complain so hard and long about athletes who get arrested for DUI or beating a girlfriend. We gripe about their high salaries and flashy lifestyles. Yet, we won't hold them up to the Golden Rule. How is that?
