Dr. Giganto

Former Heat star Hardaway makes anti-gay comments

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guard Tim Hardaway said on a radio show Wednesday afternoon that he would not want a gay player on his team.


"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."


Hardaway was a guest of Miami Herald columnist Dan Le Betard on the Miami radio show Sports Talk 790 and was asked how he would deal with a gay teammate. When asked if he would accept an active player's coming out, such as that of retired NBA center
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, Hardaway replied:



"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team.


"And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right. And you know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that."


Hardaway later apologized for the remarks during a live telephone interview with W-S-V-N Channel 7, saying he was sorry and should have never said anything.


"Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that," he said. "That was my mistake."


Hardaway, who was in Las Vegas Tuesday at a pre-All Star Game NBA Cares outreach event, was both a coach and player for the ABA's Florida Pit Bulls in 2006.


Hardaway played for five NBA teams from 1990-2003 and was a five-time All-Star. He finished with averages of 17.7 points and 8.2 assists.

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Inogenius

Props to Hardaway for not being a politically correct poster boy.

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Mr. Kennedy

I hope he gets slammed all wee by the media. You know that if it was a white guy saying he hated black people, you wold have people calling for that player to get fired.

Freak

He'll get slammed, and he'll deserve it. He's a fucking idiot.

Ino, I dunno if you were joking or not, but there's a pretty solid line between politically correctness and flat out stupidity. Remarks like that can mean career suicide.

Dakstang

No one should hate gay people or anyone for that matter.

But I don't think that anyone should hold back what they think. If they dissapprove of the gay lifestyle they should not be afraid to say so.

That is the world we are living in today though. You have to try and say what you think others want to hear or otherwise risk your job. That is not right. People should not have to put on an act.

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There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no more pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Freak

Dude, come on. It's one thing to feel a certain way about gays or blacks or Jews. It's another to step into the public eye and say, "I hate gays, blacks and Jews." That's just being hateful.

Even if you're asked your opinion on something like that, how hard is it to say "No comment."

Invictus

Yeah I totally agree. Plus as was said before, if Larry Bird came out said black players where ruining the NBA the entire world would stop and throw rocks at him. This is not different.

I'm all for political incorrectness but this is prejudice and there is a big difference.

Slim

Well I do not agree with gays at all. I think it is wrong. But as for the way Tim said everything, well that was wrong. I don't hate gays, and If I was a pro player, a gay player would not bother me.

If i was him, If the media asked me, I would of just been Like, well, I don't agree with it, but its up to him and God. HE is my teammate and my friend, and that wont change.

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Dr. Giganto

That would have been the best way for Hardaway to handle it. The way he did it was just wrong, and he's been in the spotlight long enough to know how his statements would be taken

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Dakstang

I agree.

That would have been the way I would handle it as well. But there are a lot of pressure out there for people to do the PC thing and that is wrong. Speak your mind, but do it in the right way.

__________________

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no more pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.