We're seeing a pretty good response to the news of Jason Collins coming out as gay in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. Mike Francesa of WFAN in New York isn't one of them. On his radio show today, Francesa said he "doesn't care" about Collins coming out, and that the announcement was a "dramatic attempt to sell magazines". He also repeated the phrase "I don't get it" several times.
Correct Mike, you don't get it. We know there are plenty of gay people in America. That's not news. Francesa even touched on the fact that gay athletes hadn't come out in the past because they didn't feel comfortable, so there's no reason for them to be forced out. Collins wasn't forced out, and the fact that he was finally comfortable enough to come out *is* a big deal.
Just because there have been retired gay athletes in the past doesn't dim the importance of Collins' announcement. Imagine having a personal detail about yourself potentially affecting the rest of your career. That's the situation Collins is in now, and if you don't understand why that's a big deal, I don't know what to tell you.
