In today’s Dallas Voice we have a Super Bowl-related story about homophobia in the NFL (image above). And while we didn’t make it to Super Bowl Media Day at Cowboys Stadium on Tuesday, it sounds like a reporter from 105.3 The Fan had the gay angle covered. According to Time magazine, the unidentified reporter from the Dallas radio station was going around asking players if they’d go gay in exchange for a Super Bowl ring:
But in a new media day low, a reporter from Dallas-area sports radio station, 105.3 The FAN, asked one Packer if he would turn gay if that would guarantee a Super Bowl victory for the team.
To confirm I heard this line of questioning correctly, I watched this reporter interview a Steelers player during Pittsburgh’s media session. First inquiry: “Who has the biggest wiener on the team?” She asked the player who his favorite celebrity was. When he told her it was Denzel Washington, she asked if he would “hook up” with Denzel in exchange for a Super Bowl ring.
It continued. She asked if he would “French kiss” his father for a million dollars, and implored him to “describe a vagina.”
And here’s a gay reaction to Time‘s report from Cyd Ziegler Jr. at OutSports.com: “I’m not sure why asking someone if they would have gay sex for a Super Bowl ring is so “low.” Heck, I’d have sex with Denzel Washington in exchange for a Super Bowl ring any day!”
It’s offensive because the reporter is not considering that these are athletes and a win should be based up on their athletic prowess and also makes it seem as if gay is something bad. It came across that the reporter really didn’t have the skills to interview properly. These are professional athletes at the top of their field and questions should be geared around their skills on the field.
Inappropriate questions are asked occasionally and the questions say a lot about the person who asked them. The response and how the situation is handled says a lot about the person who was asked. Can you tell us how the players handled the situation?