Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Blame Canada!

Sports Illustrated recently surveyed 450 MLB players, 248 NBA players, 357 NFL players and 346 NHL players, asking "Would you welcome an openly gay teammate?"

Canada's national pastime stands as the most tolerant of the professional leagues, with 79.9 percent of pro hockey players answering "yes" (likely due to the sport's European influence). Baseball, my favorite, came in second with 61.5 percent responding affirmatively. That's somewhat of a surprise, since baseball players are typically less-educated than their counterparts in basketball and football (most of whom attend at least some college ... allegedly).

I suppose this is an encouraging poll, but it would take a braver man than me to come out while still making a living as a pro athlete. We're due one soon, but don't expect the first to come out voluntarily. Just a guess.

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