WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes comes out: 'I'm tired of having to pretend'

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Houston Comets forward Sheryl Swoopes is opening up about being a lesbian, telling a magazine that she's ``tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about.''



Swoopes, honored last month as the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, told ESPN The Magazine for a story on newsstands Wednesday that she didn't always know she was gay and fears that coming out could jeopardize her status as a role model. ``Do I think I was born this way? No,'' Swoopes said. ``And that's probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news;_ylt=AnoPqjLKgUanpc6uywatuGJ2vrYF?slug=ap-comets-swoopescomesout&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

[BAMAPHIN 22]

This revelations IMO really hurts the image of the WNBA. This league has really struggled for legitimacy. Your sexual preferences and /or orientation is a private matter. It has no place in sports.

 

[finfansince72]

Lesbians in the WNBA? Im shocked.

Agree with the previous poster, there is just no reason to discuss your sexual preference in the media, keep it private.

 

[Slappy8800]

to both previous posts

 

[Ray Finkle]

Not to sound like a jerk or anything but unless women play sports naked no one really cares. I don't think the announcement will help or hurt the WNBA because no one cares about it to begin with. I doubt John Smith in Anytown, U.S.A. is going to be flipping through the TV and see the WNBA on Lifetime and say to himself, "That lesbian is playing right now let me stop and watch it".

(Don't get me wrong I respect that she had guts to come out with it however it doesn't change my opinion or interest on the league)

 

[SMadison29]

No opinion.

 

[MikeO]

Not to sound like a jerk or anything but unless women play sports naked no one really cares.

That might be the dumbest thing ever written in the history of this message board.

Im no huge fan of women sports, but yes some people do care! Figure skating shows on CBS, NBC, and ABC outdraw most NHL, NBA, and other "mainstream" sports on a regular basis. Same with the LPGA and woman's tennis. To say people don't care about women sports is downright foolish.

 

[Ray Finkle]

That might be the dumbest thing ever written in the history of this message board.

Im no huge fan of women sports, but yes some people do care! Figure skating shows on CBS, NBC, and ABC outdraw most NHL, NBA, and other "mainstream" sports on a regular basis. Same with the LPGA and woman's tennis. To say people don't care about women sports is downright foolish.

People don't care. Figure skating shows? How many times a year are they on TV 5 or 6 times max? It's a special event. People don't really watch wrestling anymore compared to the early 2000s yet Wrestle Mania's buy rate is always huge. Why? Because its the biggest event in wrestling.

Women's tennis and the LPGA? Really? Wow that I'm shocked at, I didn't think anyone cared about tennis in general. But again you're naming special events (i.e. tournaments). Again if there was a women's pro baseball or football league (like the WNBA) I doubt it would draw.

We'll see if people care about this then. Like I said I doubt that people are going to watch the WNBA more now because a star came out of the closet.

By the way when are those events on TV on CBS, ABC, NBC etc? Either on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon (granted the only time you can play golf is the day time). Not in prime time. Why? Because people would rather watch American Idol or The OC.

As for the dumbest thing ever written on the message board? Well if you said it is Mike then it obvious is true because you're always right about everything. You're never wrong. I'm shocked that you haven't been hired to be a GM in baseball, football, basketball, or hockey or for your gambling picks. I could just picture you starring in "2 For the Money: Part 2" with Al Pacino.

 

[MikeO]

People don't care. Figure skating shows? How many times a year are they on TV 5 or 6 times max? It's a special event. People don't really watch wrestling anymore compared to the early 2000s yet Wrestle Mania's buy rate is always huge. Why? Because its the biggest event in wrestling.

Women's tennis and the LPGA? Really? Wow that I'm shocked at, I didn't think anyone cared about tennis in general. But again you're naming special events (i.e. tournaments). Again if there was a women's pro baseball or football league (like the WNBA) I doubt it would draw.

We'll see if people care about this then. Like I said I doubt that people are going to watch the WNBA more now because a star came out of the closet.

By the way when are those events on TV on CBS, ABC, NBC etc? Either on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon (granted the only time you can play golf is the day time). Not in prime time. Why? Because people would rather watch American Idol or The OC.

As for the dumbest thing ever written on the message board? Well if you said it is Mike then it obvious is true because you're always right about everything. You're never wrong. I'm shocked that you haven't been hired to be a GM in baseball, football, basketball, or hockey or for your gambling picks. I could just picture you starring in "2 For the Money: Part 2" with Al Pacino.

You have snapped or lost your mind. One of the two. You clearly have no clue what you are talking about on this topic.

 

[Ray Finkle]

You have snapped or lost your mind. One of the two. You clearly have no clue what you are talking about on this topic.

Apparently so. Maybe both. But give me proof that people care about women sports. No one on this board even knew that the WNBA season ended, or who won. I doubt that an average sport fan can name 3 women golfers or figure skaters.

 

[Pink_Dove]

No man has ever come out while still active in the major leagues of football, baseball, basketball or hockey. If an NBA ever player did, commissioner David Stern said, there'd only be one question:

``How many points? How many rebounds? I think that it's a non-issue.''

Am I the only one that thinks Stern is wrong ?
I think it would make the front page in some newspapers especially if the guy was a star or played on a big market team like the Sox or Yanks.

 

[MikeO]

Apparently so. Maybe both. But give me proof that people care about women sports. No one on this board even knew that the WNBA season ended, or who won. I doubt that an average sport fan can name 3 women golfers or figure skaters.

Proof........the WNBA has a TV deal. NCAA hoops for femals has a TV deal. Ladies tennis is always on TV. Nobody is saying they are super popular, but people care. They are on TV. You said nobody cares and they have to play naked. Maybe a pea-brain like you can only watch women sports if they are playing naked, and Im no huge fan of women sports in general, but to say nobody cares is just flat out incorrect.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Proof........the WNBA has a TV deal. NCAA hoops for femals has a TV deal. Ladies tennis is always on TV. Nobody is saying they are super popular, but people care. They are on TV. You said nobody cares and they have to play naked. Maybe a pea-brain like you can only watch women sports if they are playing naked, and Im no huge fan of women sports in general, but to say nobody cares is just flat out incorrect.

I'd bet you a million dollars that if women play naked that more people would watch the WNBA then they do now. Why? Because the majority of the people watching sports are males and I'm sure plenty of people would agree with me that they would be more interested in watching it than they would now. In fact here's a good point: one of the highest rated shows in TV history was Baywatch, do you think people turned in to see David Hasselholf or a bunch of good looking women running around in bathing suits?

But you know what you're right some people do care, and obviously you're one of them. I was just generalizing things. So instead I'll say that the majority of people don't care about womens sports. Actually it's kind of funny considering how you told me no one cares about post season records yet me and nyjunc both do apparently, therefore I guess you're a pea-brain too. Welcome to the club

 

[RWhitney014]

Proof........the WNBA has a TV deal. NCAA hoops for femals has a TV deal. Ladies tennis is always on TV. Nobody is saying they are super popular, but people care. They are on TV. You said nobody cares and they have to play naked. Maybe a pea-brain like you can only watch women sports if they are playing naked, and Im no huge fan of women sports in general, but to say nobody cares is just flat out incorrect.

Pro rodeo has a TV deal. Bass fishing has a TV deal. Billiards has a TV deal. Bowling has a TV deal. When Finkle says that no one cares, Mike, you can't honestly think he means that not one person in the entire country cares. But this is no huge revelation. People aren't going to stop watching the WNBA simply because a star came out...if anything, more are going to stop and watch to say, "oh, that's the one who made the news last year", right before they change the channel to watch Chuck Norris blow some '80s bad guy's brains out.