Monday was a groundbreaking day for all sports, not just basketball, when N.B.A. player Jason Collins became the first professional athlete in a major team sport to come out as gay. It was a moment that many had been preparing for and anticipating for a while, a door that finally opened and began a process that will make it easier for others to come out in all sports someday.
And it wasn't hard to see the immediate impact of that opening sentence in the Sports Illustrated column authored by Collins: "I'm a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I'm black. And I'm gay."
President Barack Obama personally called Collins and First Lady Michelle Obama tweeted about it; President Bill Clinton put out a statement. Athletes and others in the N.B.A. and N.F.L., Major League Baseball and tennis, among others, were quick to show their support as well with tweets and official statements from Kobe Bryant to the Boston Red Sox, who invited Collins to throw out the first pitch at a game at Fenway Park.
What was missing from this national conversation? Nascar. The sport that desperately wants to be viewed as mainstream, the sport that has made a significant effort to diversify the garage and fan base, was remarkably silent on Monday. There was no official statement from chairman and chief executive Brian France or president Mike Helton. There were no tweets from drivers -- at least not the most prominent names in the garage that I checked. And as far as I know, no track came forward to invite Collins to attend a Sprint Cup race and wave the green flag.
I don't know if it was an oversight or a nod to Nascar's predominantly conservative Southern fan base. Either way, the result was the same. Nascar was not part of the discussion on Monday -- an outlier on a day when other sports were all in.
You're either a mainstream sport or you're fringe. You can't have it both ways.
But beyond the message sent to those outside the bubble, consider the message it sent throughout the garage and to the race teams and thousands of employees who are part of the sport -- some of whom, no doubt, are gay.
To them, Nascar's silence on Jason Collins Monday says it all.
I completely disagree with all of this. Why is it mandatory for NASCAR to make a statement (By the way it's NASCAR, not Nascar)? Quite frankly, the fact that Jason Collins came out shouldn't even be news. It's 2013. The fact that it is news means we are living in a pretty backwards society. But your whole post makes no sense. Why should any track HAVE to invite Collins to wave the green flag? Why should Brian France make a statement about it? Collins isn't a NASCAR driver so what France says or doesn't say doesn't matter at all.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I guess you missed back in February when Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski said that he (and he hoped the garage, and the whole community) would openly embrace a gay driver in NASCAR. But I guess since he didn't say anything on the matter yesterday he's a homophobe.
This whole column is as far-fetched as it gets. What a reach. And before you call me a Southern, homophobic hick, I'm a left-wing atheist from Long Island.
First of all...NASCAR is an acronym, not a word. If you can't bother to use the name NASCAR properly, even when bashing the entity, don't even bother.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it's clear you have an anti-NASCAR vendetta and are looking for anything to justify it. What responsibility does NASCAR have to comment on an athlete in a completely different sport? You mention the other sports, but those weren't instances of the sanctioning bodies responding; those were cases of individual athletes responding. Bud Selig, Roger Goodell, and Gary Bettman did not respond -- nor were they obligated to.
Thirdly, do some damn research. Earlier this season, a NASCAR blogger (who happens to be gay) asked defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski what he thought of possibly competing against a gay driver. Keselowski said it didn't matter, that if a driver had the talent to be in the sport, that was the only thing that mattered. Those comments drew the ire of the Westboro Baptist Church, who threatening to picket the Sprint Cup race at Kansas two weeks ago.
So before you go painting NASCAR as this backward, homophobic monolith, maybe you need to dig a little deeper to make sure you actually know what you're talking about -- because you clearly do not.
Really, Viv! This is the "best" you can do? "Hmmm, let's see if I can be in-touch and relative in the social media scene. I'll select a hot media topic and bash... NASCAR. Yeah. That's the ticket!" Yours was a biased, baseless, sophomoric and senseless article. Not quality journalism.
ReplyDeleteNASCAR (all CAPS) - lack of response is more because WE HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED IT
ReplyDeleteI think part of the problem with this blogger is - the lack of realizing NASCAR has been in the game for longer then any other sport on this topic. Having LGBT isn't a big thing in NASCAR because its already there - Yeah, the other "American Sports" are finally catching on - but in NASCAR its there already in the garage, on pit crews, in the office, and every day life. We just don't point it out to the nation because its 2013 and our NASCAR Culture embraces diversity of all sorts.
I'm from Los Angeles, WEST COAST and as far removed from "Southern fan base" as one could be, and YES, NASCAR races here in SoCal - I'm a NASCAR fan because of the NASCAR Community - I don't watch them other overpaid crybaby sports because its a unionized Joke.
On hush now girl.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that NASCAR's conservative Southern fan base is just acting normally?
Viv, you're from Jersey, right?
Then you probably just don't understand.
Canape? :-)
Oops, typo: Oh, hush now girl.
DeleteTo clarify: The New York Times has a specific style for acronyms. If the acronym can be spoken as a word, it is written as a word. That's why Nascar is spelled upper and lower case, and why the N.F.L. and N.B.A. are not.
ReplyDeleteI cover Nascar for the Times, so I follow that style throughout my blog.
Go back to the WNBA.
DeleteNational Association for Stock Car Auto Racing = NASCAR. It's the same as National Football League= NFL. NASCAR fans do care who is gay or not gay. Go back to covering your sissy stick and ball sports and leave us alone!
DeleteIt's a shame that you "cover" NASCAR!! Our great sport doesn't need your awful opinion!
DeleteTypical journalist you answered the least important accusations not to mention who gave the new York times the power to determine how a private entity spells there name if you can't bring youreself to show them the respect of correctly spelling there name you have no business claiming to be an unbiased reporter
ReplyDeleteViv, you must really be having a slow day.
ReplyDeleteMs. Bernstein, I noticed it wasn't just NASCAR that didn't respond, put out a statement, the Indy Car series, NHRA, F1, SCCA, Woo, and several other auto racing sanctioning bodies didn't either, does that make them homophobic too? Or in your mind is it Pick On NASCAR day where you are?
ReplyDeleteNASCAR had no duty to make any statement. Why are you offended so much to write an article on the topic? It is NASCAR - there is no such thing as New York Times style. Get over yourselves.
ReplyDeleteExactly what does it say, Viv? What are you accusing NASCAR of doing or being? Let's hear it...
ReplyDeleteAs we have seen, NASCAR did finally come out with a lukewarm, corporate-speak statement-24 hours later. But I'm still waiting for a current or former driver to say anything on the most high-profile sports story of the past news cycle, even though they tweet about just about everything else. Now I understand why someone like Jeff Gordon or Dale Jr. keeps their mouth shut--unlike athletes in team sports, they work not just for their team owner but also for the corporations that sponsor their cars. That means they will do their best to avoid taking a stand on any issue, aside for stating their support for God, family, and flag. Compound that with a fanbase that tilts to the right and that, until quite recently, could think of no greater insult to a driver than to declare him "gay." Given all that, while I'm disappointed by the lack of response from the NASCAR community, I'm not really surprised by it. At the same time, I imagine that if you got the drivers, crews, etc. to speak off the record, you'd encounter a range of views that pretty much mirrors the range of views you'll find in American society as a whole.
ReplyDeleteyou have no idea what kind of people NASCAR people are, yes there are SOME who may fit that stereotype you promote, but not all, and probably very few. NASCAR didn't respond, and the drivers didn't respond because to us it's a non issue. We accept all...
DeleteEver think that maybe NASCAR fans really dont care about what happens in the NBA? Silence doesnt necessarily say anything but..... silence.
ReplyDeleteReally? Because an entity does not make an official statement on something that makes them homophobic? (that is what you are implying, so just admit it). I have not seen anything official from LOTS of organizations. Why not list all of those too? And what was already stated, your only retort was to your justification to how you wrote "NASCAR". If you want to be a journalist, why not answer the other questions posed to you and state what you actually mean rather than using innuendos and unfounded accusations?
ReplyDeleteWell...read the following article linked -
ReplyDeletehttp://queers4gears.com/2013/03/02/keselowskis-definition-of-diversity-is-wholely-inculsive/
If you keep up with NASCAR closely you will notice so much is going on right now that is in the news (fights, suspensions, fines, etc.) that maybe it doesn't care to take the time to comment on a story that has no consequence to them. A basketball player doing anything doesn't have anything to do with racing. Why do they have to comment? You must know since the Fenway corporation owns half a team in NASCAR (Roush Fenway Racing) someone with an extension into the sport has made some kind of statement.
The question should be...why in this day and age should someone or some entity have to openly applaud a person for hiding their sexuality for years and then "come out"? Does it really matter?
What you are saying is NASCAR is not mainstream because all the drivers and the France family haven't come out and given their "seal of approval" to this one guy who has nothing to do with the sport. That is not journalism...that is personal commentary. The Times really has a great reporter to cover NASCAR these days!
I'm really sick to death of this gay thing being shoved down our throats. Who really cares what someones sexual preference is? And whether a sport, that this person doesnt even play for, comments or not, shouldnt matter. Oh, I hoped you were looking behind you as you backpedaled your way around during your interview, lack of a better word, with Dave Moody. You should be a politician.
ReplyDeleteHere's a short answer as to why NASCAR didn't make an official comment on this "news". It is because motor sports is one of the most diverse forms of competition in the world. Auto Racing is the only sport where men and women compete on the same playing field for the same prize. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Brad Keselowski race right along with Danica Patrick and Johanna Long. Why does NASCAR need to have a stance on a basketball player coming out? Where was your outrage when Brittany Griner came out last week, yet no major sports bodies had comments about it? Also, if you're so gung-ho on blasting NASCAR, where is your outrage against the NHRA, IHRA, IndyCar, Formula 1, the AMA, Rolex Grand AM Series, American LeMans Series, Australian V8 Supercars, etc.?
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Mr Collins for not being afraid of who he is, but wishing NASCAR made a statement about it when it affects them in no way (business or otherwise), is asinine. Motor sports is doing just fine being the front-runner in diversity, even though most may not want to admit it.
I read the article. Twice. And I am college educated. What exactly DOES the silence say?
ReplyDeleteThank you NASCAR for having VALUES!!!
ReplyDeleteNBA senior citizen declares he's gay.
ReplyDeletewhoopee-doo !
pension plan i guess !
I don't really care what way Jason Collins swings, neither should anyone else.
ReplyDeleteNASCAR allows female athletes in their top divisions. I don't see women in the NBA, NFL, or MLB, so perhaps you should call those sports out for sexism.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I don't see anyone has to make a statement regarding Jason Collins. He's gay. Big deal, it's 2013. Second, was it brave for him to come out, sure. But he's a 34 year old washed up free agent. It's not like he's a star with a long career in front of him. Now as far as NASCAR goes, they will allow anyone to drive, work on crews, own teams. The most popular drive is a female. There are gay crew members, reporters, and other workers in the sport. Who cares? As far as judging the NASCAR fan base, I am not a right leaning religous person from the South. I'm from Boston. Stick to something you know about.
ReplyDeleteWow Ms. Bernstein. You seem to have kicked the lion in the rear while he was sleeping on this one. I too totally disagree with your point of view of NASCAR as a whole.
ReplyDeleteWhat difference does it make if the Obamas or the Clintons chose to contact him? That is a personal decision, nothing more.
ReplyDeleteIrresponsible post being that NASCAR DID release a supportive statement. Professionally irresponsible and shortsighted to purposefully post something that you know is nonfactual and will alienate your target audience.
What a waste of a read.
Viv, it was obvious to my wife and I what your agenda was yesterday, there were many sports that did not make "Official" comments, and just because someone does not or an organization does not comment does not mean they are discriminatory or intolerant, it just means that they did not comment. Do you publicly comment on each and every main stream news or sports item? I don't think you can or do, so why should an organization step out and take the spotlight away from the story; they waited a day and gave it the time for the spotlight to dim before saying anything. But your cowardice to take accountability for your article list night just confirmed you have a liberal agenda of wanting it both ways Be accusatory and no responsibility for it, and as you say in your accusations at NASCAR, you can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteOK, no more anonymous posts. You have something to say to me? Put your name to it.
ReplyDeleteI will reply to you with this.....
DeleteI think this so called "writer" needs to stay in her own expertise and leave NASCAR out of it. And it is NASCAR not Nascar. There is no need for everyone to jump up and down and make a scene out of this. We are way past what you are considering a story. We as fans have accepted this a long time ago and NASCAR fans do not see this as a story. I am glad others have made a statement. Hooray for them! We have stories that we focus on each week, and we care more about that than this non-issue. I am super glad that he has let everyone know, and now he can go on with his life. I have no problems with anyone being gay because that is there sexual preference and how they choose to live their lives. The ones who are uncomfortable with it seem to be the ones who are raising all the ruckus over the issue. Okay I am off my soapbox for now because it is TALLADEGA weekend!!!! I personally think this is your way to make NASCAR seem like the bad guys. NASCAR and their fans are very accepting and that is why we do not think this is an issue. Why not find something better to write about.
Damon Lester: The issue isn't our failure to accept or not accept homosexuality. The issue is our failure to embrace homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most ridiculous thing I have read on the internet in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI love how Viv's only responses are to the use of the acronym NASCAR and posts of people using Anonymous. I guess she's ducking her article huh.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very simple column. It's an observation of Nascar's reaction to the Jason Collins news. It's an opinion on how that reaction might be viewed both outside the sport and within.
ReplyDeleteIn the last week I've been accused of calling fans homophobic. I've been accused of calling them racist. I've been accused of backpedaling. Now I'm being accused of ducking.
I never knew that calling the fan base Southern conservatives was an insult. Had I known that's the way those words would be viewed, I wouldn't have chosen them. But I honestly believe that's just a way of attacking me so that you can dismiss or avoid considering the point of view I offered.
As for backpedaling? Haven't done it. I stand by everything I wrote. The problem here is I am being asked to defend things I haven't written, accusations that others have made. Was it a backpedal to assert that I never wrote I was unhappy with Nascar, as I was accused? Never wrote it -- the only emotion here is that brought by the readers, not me.
Was it backpedaling to assert that I never demanded or required anybody say something about Collins? I never wrote that stuff. Never. Wrote. It. I never demanded Nascar officials or drivers say anything. It was an OBSERVATION of how they reacted, not a DEMAND that they act.
Ducking? Are you serious? I responded with a full blog post on the misperceptions and misinterpretations of what I wrote. I've responded on radio. I've responded on Twitter. I've responded in comments. How many times do you want me to say the same things?