₦airaland Forum

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-amaechiout&prov=ap&type=lgns


Amaechi to come out publicly

By BILL KONIGSBERG, AP Sports Writer
February 7, 2007

AP - Feb 7, 7:42 pm EST
More Photos



The small, exclusive club of openly gay professional male athletes has a new member.

Former NBA center John Amaechi, who spent five seasons with four teams, on Wednesday became the first NBA player to publicly come out.

His admission comes three years after his playing career ended, making him the sixth professional male athlete from one of the four major U.S. sports -- basketball, baseball, football, hockey -- to openly discuss his homosexuality.

Amaechi details his life in his autobiography "Man in the Middle," which will be released Feb. 14.

"He is coming out of the closet as a gay man," Amaechi's publicist Howard Bragman said.

ADVERTISEMENT


Martina Navratilova, perhaps the most famous openly gay athlete in the world, praised Amaechi's decision and said it's imperative for athletes to come out because of what she called an epidemic of suicides among young lesbians and gays.

"It's hugely important for the kids so they don't feel alone in the world. We're role models," she said. "He will definitely help a lot of kids growing up to feel better about themselves."

Orlando's Grant Hill, who said he didn't know Amaechi when he was with the Magic, also applauded the decision to go public.

"The fact that John has done this, maybe it will give others the comfort or confidence to come out as well, whether they are playing or retiring," Hill said.

NBA commissioner David Stern said a player's sexuality wasn't important.

"We have a very diverse league. The question at the NBA is always 'Have you got game?' That's it, end of inquiry," he said.

LeBron James, however, said he didn't think an openly gay person could survive in the league.

"With teammates you have to be trustworthy, and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy," James said. "So that's like the No. 1 thing as teammates -- we all trust each other. You've heard of the in-room, locker room code. What happens in the locker room stays in there. It's a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor."

Injured Philadelphia Sixers forward Shavlik Randolph acknowledged it's a new situation.


AP - Feb 7, 1:55 pm EST
More Photos


"As long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine," Randolph said. "As far as business-wise, I'm sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room."

News that Amaechi had come out surprised some players.

"For real? He's gay for real?" said Philadelphia center Steven Hunter. "Nowadays it's proven that people can live double lives. I watch a lot of TV, so I see a lot of sick perverted stuff about married men running around with gay guys and all types of foolishness."

Even so, Hunter said he would be fine with an openly gay teammate.

"As long as he don't make any advances toward me I'm fine with it," he said. "As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I'd be fine with it."

Orlando's Pat Garrity acknowledged reaction was bound to vary throughout the league.

"They would have teammates that would accept them for being a good person and a good teammate, and there would be people who would give him a hard time about it," he said. "I think that's true if you're playing basketball or in an office job. That's just how the world is right now."

In his book, Amaechi describes the challenge of being gay in a league where it's assumed all players are heterosexual. He describes the blatant anti-gay language and attitudes he experienced in NBA locker rooms.

"We're all insensitive at times. There's no taboo subject in the locker room," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who coached Amaechi in Orlando, where he said he had one of his strongest locker rooms. "I think if he would have come out they would have got on him jokingly. , And I actually think that when guys do come out, when that day happens, it will make it easier."

Amaechi also writes that while playing in Utah, coach Jerry Sloan used anti-gay innuendo to describe him. Sloan said Wednesday that although his relationship with Amaechi was "shaky" because of the player's attitude, he didn't know Amaechi was gay. Sloan had no comment about Amaechi's contention that Sloan used anti-gay innuendo when referring to him. Amaechi said he found out about it in e-mails from friends in the Jazz front office.

Asked if knowing Amaechi was gay would have mattered, Sloan said: "Oh yeah, it would have probably mattered. I don't know exactly, but I always have peoples' feelings at heart. People do what they want to do. I don't have a problem with that."

Former NFL running back David Kopay came out in 1977; offensive lineman Roy Simmons and defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo came out more recently. Glenn Burke, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A's in the 1970s, and Billy Bean, a utility player in the 1980s and 1990s, also have come out.

Each did so after retiring. Burke died of complications due to AIDS in 1995.

Amaechi, 36, who was raised in England, writes in the book that he never touched a basketball before the age of 17. A quick study despite being a "terrible athlete," he found his confidence in the game and made it his goal to play in the NBA.

He competed for Penn State, then played in 301 NBA games over five seasons. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds. He began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995-96, then spent a few years playing in Europe. He rejoined the NBA to play for the Orlando Magic from 1999-01, then played two seasons for the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz traded him to Houston, which traded him to the New York Knicks. When the Knicks waived him in January 2004, he retired.

Amaechi came out of retirement to help England's men's basketball team win the silver medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York and AP Sports Writers Doug Alden in Salt Lake City, Dan Gelston in Philadelphia, Jimmy Golen in Boston, Rob Gillies in Toronto and Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed

It seems you  do not know the meaning between foot and hand. You call it football and throw it with your hands. What do you call handball? This  is called Rugby elsewhere except America. NFL is a game of speed and collision, while real football is a game of contact , skill and flair.  In football-soccer, you have to be a versatile/utility player and NFL  you only have be good at one. Imagine Robine Gould or Adam Vinateri being paid millions to kick only. Peyton Manning another $100 million to throw only, Devin Hester another million of dollars  to return kicks. Its a game that is devoid of talent, Imagine Shaq getting paid millions to block shots and Wade getting paid  millions to throw 3 points. Besides, its a game meant for obese men. 70% of them are. That's why their life span and career are shorter than any professional team sport.

NFL is a hyped game, that's why a  score/tough down with hand  is upped to six point while a kick with  foot is upped to 3point. What prevents soccer from saying that a goal is 7  or 6 points. Its just that NFL likes high scoring game and a game of fantasy. NFL is purely entertainment like Royal Rumble or Wrestling.

How Do U Say Gay In Your Language? This Naija Guy Is Gay

Former NBA player Amaechi to reveal he is gay


BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT (TICKER) --
Former NBA player John Amaechi will declare he is gay in his book to be released later this month.
Amaechi would be the first NBA player to publicly declare his homosexuality and join a very short list of males in professional team sports who have come out.
The book is entitled "Man in the Middle" and is published by ESPN Books. Amaechi's declaration in the book was reported Wednesday on ESPN.com, and he will appear on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EST.

Currently a TV personality in England, Amaechi helps fund the Amaechi Basketball Center in Manchester, which encourages children to become involved in sports and their communities.
"I don't think (Amaechi's declaration) will have any effect on his ability to do that," said Cyd Ziegler, the co-founder of Outsports.com, a web site dedicated to the gay influence in sports. "You will have some people who will raise an eyebrow."
Amaechi, 36, was born in Massachusetts and raised in England. The 6-10 forward-center played collegiately at Penn State before entering the NBA in 1995.
In five seasons with Cleveland, Orlando and Utah, Amaechi averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds before retiring in 2003. While with the Jazz, he accused the coaching staff of making anti-gay remarks about him.
Very few male team sports members have publicly declared their homosexuality. Among them are former NFL players Esera Tuaolo, Roy Simmons, Dave Kopay and Jerry Smith and former baseball players Glenn Burke and Billy Bean.
Kopay told Outsports.com in an interview that he had a sexual encounter with Smith while they were teammates with the Washington Redskins in the 1960s.
Ziegler said he has read an advance copy of Amaechi's book and spoken with him on the telephone. He gave some insight to Amaechi's upbringing in England, where he was raised by his mother and felt isolated because of his size and black race.
After the 1999-2000 season, Amaechi was offered a $17 million multi-year contract by the Los Angeles Lakers, who featured Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and had just won the NBA title.
However, Amaechi elected to re-sign with the Orlando Magic at a much lower figure in order to maintain his commitment to some of the community programs he became involved with in central Florida.
"He's dedicated his life to philanthropy, " Ziegler said. "His real passion is helping kids."

So these are the people that have stopped NEPA from working? Where is Anthony Anenih with his N350 Billion road construction. Where  are Andy and Chris Ubah? So these are the people who have spent $170Billion generated by OBJ's government. Where was OBJ when these things were going on. Where is OBJ's kingsman who was a Director General in Ministry of Defence. Where is Danjuma  with his oil block? OBJ tell us. Im loving it. this is going to get nasty.

Is this an indication that things are improving economically?
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article01

pls becareful with those prayer warriors. My brother invited them to our house and he finally told me that they charged him about N85,000 and wanted me to reimburse part of the money.

guys its very illegal

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070101093937AAz1Xmq

Is it legal to use limewire for peer to peer music sharing

@lewa,
I second the motion. Let he who is clean cast the first stone. OBJ should show us his incorruptibility not tell us. If we accuse Atiku of corruption, then OBJ should not extricate himself because his is the President and approved most of the contracts

Dont lose your  BF of 3 yrs. That stranger anointed by prayer warriors is trying to reap where he did not sow. Ask your mum how much she paid those prayer warriors and tell me why they would not do  her bidding. It looks like your family knows the other guy more than your BF. Its time for him to step the play.

everything a woman does to get a man is ok, but if a man does the same thing, it becomes harassment. I think she's a stalker. I don't believe in the notion that a man is dumb when he tactfully ignores advances from a woman. Sometimes I do that may be she has alot of issues to offload on me.

sorry to hear about your odeal with this OBT(obtain by trick) I think its the society that has taught women how to get over men easily. We have  thousands of  magazines and articles talking about women issues. We men assume that we should not know  more about women.

I learnt from ma cousin's exprience who even had to drain his family to keep his girlfriend in school. The OBT dumped him when she went on NYSC.  Take heart bro.

This question should have been asked this way.
Should I marry a man who is 10 years older than me?
Should I marry a guy who does not have a car?
Should I marry a guy who does not have a house?
Should I marry a lawyer who does not have anything to show for it?
Should I marry a man who loves me but does not have enough money?

It will also be interesting to tell us what's your economic status- i mean how many cars, houses and jobs do you have since marriage is a union of a man and a woman. Are u in Nigeria or elsewhere?

This was a headline news on Yahoo  homepage. Its a shame on Nigeria. Imagine $1.3 Billion that is judiciously spent on Rivers State. I think there needs to be a system which measures  expenditure with delivery of public services. I wonder why a thread like this does not generate alot of buzz.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article04

I am basically a private person full of admiration for such successful yet modest and humble people as Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the venerable former Vice President of Nigeria and the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A number of public affairs analysts flatter me by comparing decision to seek the office of governor of Anambra State to[b] the election in 2005 of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Dean of the College of Cardinals, as Pope, succeeding the great Pope John Paul II. Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. [/b]Pope Benedict, a German theological genius, is ordinarily shy, but has now been saddled with one of the most visible, powerful and influential positions in the world.

Afam,

All the money that Nigeria ever owed could have been easily settled from money (from say 4-10 Nigerias) stashed away in foreign vaults.
ANS: Any proof to show where this money is stashed? Does stolen money translate to national wealth? This is  like my lost deposit at Savanah Bank that can never be part of my worth.

Now, if less than 10 can afford to offset all the debts of a country does such a country qualify to be forgiven for its debts?

ANS: I wonder where u get the facts to support your claim because these funds are not part of  our  national wealth.  They are contributing to someone's economy. Money invested in America by Nigerians cannot be regarded as Nigerian wealth. We were considered for debt forgiveness  given the fact that we were not able to meet up with  some of our financial obligations.

Corruption and misappropriation is our problem. I don't know if you are discussing the standard of living (in which case I will agree with you that we are poor) or if you are discussing cash/money realized from sale of oil (in which case we are a rich nation).[/color][color=#000099]

ANS: What's is the criterion for  measuring standard of living.  I know you argument that so long as one person is OK, that  people should not complain.  You are OK that  NEPA supplies you with 80% of constant electricity even though half of the country may not share your views. So 1% of Nigeria who stole our money and kept in foreign bank should make us rich? How does their action impact  on Nigerian economy?

As regards the bank, comparing its capability to being able to buy our oil is a big insult on Nigeria.

ANS: Its an insult to me that some of us think that we are so rich, even though our biggest banks cannot shore up their capital base to $1 billion so that they can manage parts of our foreign reserve ($500 million). My argument was based on yearly production because I cannot place a value on unexplored reserves. Even the bank's annual sales represent about 1/3 of our national oil sales.

Dont get me wrong, Nigeria has the potentials of  a great nation  but does  not have  the capacity to translate them into wealth. Soludo is afraid of injecting our foreign reserve into the economy so as not to cause inflation simply because we do not have the capacity to absolve it. Our banking system is supposed to be managing part of that reserve, but because they barely made the N25 Bn benchmark, they cannot  handle huge cash inflow.Our money in JP Morgan Chase making American economy stronger.



carry go

Nigeria's biggest problem is corruption not having agencies that employ Nigerians that will in turn spend their earnings in Nigeria. By the way let us not be under illusion that subsidies cause unemployment. Libya is a socialist country, yet it has the highest GDP per capita in Africa. Aramco of Saudi is a governement agency, but very efficient and it produces more barrels of oil than Shell. Is our NNPC efficient? Japan has the biggest financial institution in the world- their postal agency that is not privatized. We have to do away with corruption. the government has to take the lead

everyone is a mini government, but by extension people freely give up their mini government status to form a bigger government that will oversee the needs of the people who make up that governmen. the government is in turn saddled with the responsibility of providing basic necessities of life as price for its derivation of power from people.

What can you offer a country which does not derive power from electorates. You rig elections , you win. Our concept of a country is on a flawed premise, so the thinking that you can change Nigeria withpot government's role is unattainable. Example. look at Onitsha where people ,take their destinies in their own hands and Abuja where govt is in control of everything.

The very fact that Alams made away with $2 million does not make Nigeria a rich nation. I wish you compare our GDP with Bostwana's. It seems that you are still mixing things up with what Nigeria will be in ideal situation, not its present condition, the wealth is not distributed properly, so half of the population is poor.

Donzman,
I beg to differ, we are not rich, but have the potentials of a rich nation. Potentials dont translate to wealth if they are not harnessed. Of what use is our arable land when its not productive. Of what use is our manpower when its not engaged in production that will add value to the economy. If we are talking about rainforest, Brazil will become the wealthiest country in the world with Amazon river.

At the moment, we are not wealthy with half of the population living in poverty. I find it puzzling that no naija bank could handle $500 million from our foreign reserve by shoring up its capital base to $1 billion.

In Europe, only 5 out of 1,000 are self employed, compared with 10 out of 1,000 individuals in the United States.

European Union report

I wonder what you know about freedom or apartheid

oga cletus,
corruption is when a police officers demands for bribe on our high way, when OBJ and his assitant Andy Uba flew money in his jet into US. when OBJ bought 200 million shares at Transcorp or when Atiku owns ABTI and co.
corruption is when a foreign Journalist got a Nigerian passporth through bribe.

Quote
_{this is like a slight on some Nairamembers who graduated in honours but are still searching for jobs.}
^{I've repeatedly adviced people to focus their efforts on self-employment, but they refuse to listen.
In an under-developed country like Nigeria there are always going to be more business opportunities than jobs.
Jobs only appear in the market when there are many entrepreneurs exploiting these business opportunities.
If people start channeling their super-human efforts at job-seeking into self-employment, they will all be employed.}

I wish if you could tell us how to be self employed without a capital. Tell us your story, because I know that even a shoe-maker needs some start up capital to be self employed
Quote
Seun, A comparison is based on two known conditions. You have to know New York before you compare it with Lagos. New York is a well organized city and Lagos is opposite.
The traffic in Lagos is bad. The traffic in New York is bad. For the same reason: heavy population. Simple.
The roads in a city like Abeokuta may be worse than the roads in New York, but they are not congested.
Ans: Lagos traffic is caused by lawlessness and bad roads besides about 80%of new yorkers can afford cars but because there are other ways of transportation, they choose not to. I dont even think that 50% of Lagosians have cars.


Quote
Nigeria is not at war period and cannot be compared with other war torn countries.
Nigeria being a "failed state" is often used as an excuse to start a civil war to divide the country. I'm just preemptively pointing out the far more serious problems of African countries where that has been tried.

Your argument is skewed because a failed state as enumerated by the original poster did not make mention of dividing the country. You could have said that you always contstrue a mere mention of a failed state as a ploy to start a civil war.
you sounded as if nigeria is your papa property. Nobody wants to break up Naija, so long as people will be comfortable ok

Nameless,
This man did not bring Jesus in your life, but is about to bring destruction onto himself because he is married. the best way is to avoid him- dont go to his office, change your phone number, and give some other guy a chance to fill that emotional void in you. Talk to the guy who is a poet and let him know that you are interested in working out a relationship with him. This is the only way you can deal with that [predator] pastor who takes advantage of people who are emotionally vulnerable.

love as in relationship is what partners use to gain advantage for their deficiencies. A woman who wants to get something from her man, will open her statement with love even though she wants to get some other things. A man who wants to get his way will open his statement with love. So, love is what people use to soften someone's mind to get their way.

Seun ,
A comparison is based on two known conditions. You have to know New York b4 you compare it with Lagos. New York is a well organized city and Lagos is opposite. How about there are no bad roads in New York, could the same thing be said of Lagos?

You are sounding like OBJ who refutes facts and evidence that are against his position. Why would you compare lagos with new york on traffic, but fail to compare lagos with new york on power generation. Traffic in New York is as a result of a metropolis immersed in a tense economic activity where as Lagos is a lawless place where molues block the road to take passengers. Rich people in lagos use generators and everybody is new york uses constant electricity. It seems some Nigerians have accepted poor infrastructural development as a status quo.

I wonder where you get your facts, as in there are jobs every where. this is like a slight on some Nairamembers who graduated in honours but are stll searching for jobs. People who live in glass house should not throw stones.

Nigeria is not at war period and cannot be compared with other war torn countries. Its very difficult to soar like an eagle when you work with turkeys.

We all know where the shots are coming from. If VP had not said anything, OBJ and cohorts would still be mute on his immediate ascendency into billionaire's club. IBB and his friends gave him N100 million he donated to PDP and Joseph Sanusi, ex CEO of First Bank who would later become governor of Central Bank granted OBJ a credit facility of $1 million with the approval of Abdusalam Abubakar to revive his farm that had been decimated by his incarceration.

Here is my question. why is OBJ telling us these evil deeds of his VP after he lost 3rd term due to opposition from Atikus's camp. Why did OBJ punish his son -Gbenga- for calling Atiku and co corrupt. Remember that El Rufai was the head of privatization and he allowed Atiku to buy all these companies even though he -El Rufai- is answerable to Baba. What did he tell Baba about Atiku's corrupt acts? Why didn't El Rufai go public like the way he did when some senators demanded money from him. My conclusion is that OBJ and and his cohorts were/still accomplice to those corrupt practices. By the way, OBJ's consent was still required in those deals. I think OBJ is entangled in corruption that's why he is trying to clear himself whenever VP camp throws the mud. I am not a fan of VP and I think that its good that he will not rule Nigeria, but our problems are still there.