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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTexas Sports Anchor Delivers Jaw-Dropping Speech On Gay NFL Players
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/12/dale-hansen-michael-sam-gay-nfl-video_n_4775165.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp#sb=1358652b=facebook
Texas Sports Anchor Delivers Jaw-Dropping Speech On Gay NFL Players
The Huffington Post | by Ryan Grenoble
Posted: 02/12/2014 3:40 pm EST Updated: 02/12/2014 3:59 pm EST
Sports broadcasts are typically known for their punchy lists of best plays, epic goal countdowns and testosterone-fueled commentary.
Which makes Dale Hansen's address Monday night all the more remarkable. The Dallas sports anchor for ABC local affiliate WFAA took a break from the standard script to address the issue of Michael Sam, a defensive lineman poised to become the first openly gay player in the NFL.
The approximately two-minute segment, titled "Hansen Unplugged: Celebrating Our Differences," opens with a joke about Sam's "shocking" circumstance -- that he's the "best defensive player in football's best conference," yet only a third to fifth-round NFL pick ("Really?!?" -- before adopting a more serious tone and addressing Sam's critics and haters alike.
In particular, Hansen focuses on athletes who are deeply destructive to the world and people around them, yet are still revered for their on-field performance:
Hansen then drives home the hypocrisy: "You love another man? Well, now you've gone too far!"
"I'm not always comfortable when a man tells me he's gay; I don't understand his world," Hansen adds later. "But I do understand that he's part of mine."
The segment made waves on social media -- from the jocular ("BREAKING: Texas has sane people too" to the more sentimental ("Proof there is still hope for humanity" .
WATCH Hansen's poignant segment, above (at link).
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)lillypaddle
(9,580 posts)K&R
blackspade
(10,056 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)more of this, please!!!
kairos12
(12,862 posts)SomeGuyInEagan
(1,515 posts)
earlier this week.
Granted, her show is not a sports show, but in addition to his brilliant commentary for Esquire, he is a highly respected sports columnist. And she did say something like, "Shifting to sports
"
Nice to hear someone - esp. in Texas - say this the way he did.
yellowdogintexas
(22,264 posts)on her show Thursday.
cprompt
(192 posts)"I've never understood how they've been able to claim both sides of that argument" B.I.N.G.O.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)but he gets it right sometimes.
I have never much liked him on air or off, but this is excellent.
Ishoutandscream2
(6,662 posts)Very full of himself. Seen him having to stand in line before at a club, and actually speaking to security "Do you know who I am?" He's that kind of guy.
Nevertheless, good for him. And to make DUers heads explode, not only has he worked in the Dallas market for over three decades, he was also the color commentator with Brad Sham on Dallas Cowboys' broadcasts...so, BAM, DU!
calimary
(81,304 posts)"I'm not always comfortable when a man tells me he's gay; I don't understand his world," Hansen adds later. "But I do understand that he's part of mine."
One for my quotes file!
Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)That last quote simply blew me away!
calimary
(81,304 posts)Glad you're here! I marveled at his entire editorial. SO spot on! And I LOVED what he said about how "you can't have both sides of the argument," pointing out how CONservatives love to blather on about freedom-freedom and liberty and getting the government out of people's private lives, but then they're also busy-bodying all over everyone's bedrooms, non-stop and relentless as hell. I'm always pleasantly surprised to hear statements like these quotes here, coming out of someone else's mouth independent of mine (or someone else in a place like this one). Aha! You noticed that, too, Mr. Hansen? Seriously, I'm impressed and actually quite grateful! I'm glad to see that awareness starting to sink in and spread. We need that across America! We need it said, read, and SPREAD!!!!
And he does make a WONDERFUL, practical, and common-sense acknowledgement. I may be uncomfortable in your world, but I also realize that you are in mine. Sounds like this gent is one of those with a sufficiently open mind that he can recognize and accept the real world around him rather than the insular, all-straight-all-the-time, whites-only, women-need-to-just-quiet-down-and-go-stand-over-there-in-the-kitchen pretend world that the teabaggers yearn for - which never REALLY existed in the first place. I keep thinking about that pathetic middle-aged woman sniveling in the back of the room at a town hall meeting awhile back, during the rise of the teabaggers, who loudly sobbed "I want MY America BAAAACK!!!" Girlfriend, "your" America was an illusion that only existed in "Leave it to Beaver" and "Father Knows Best" episodes. You can't get that back because it was never real - except in your own clouded deluded and thoroughly sanitized mind.
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)IllinoisBirdWatcher
(2,315 posts)Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)I love his take-down. I suspect it won't sit well the the family values crowd.
Lobo27
(753 posts)Dale always tells it the way it is imo.
panader0
(25,816 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,264 posts)this is a big metropolitan area
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)And I hope Sam is not too small to play DE in the NFL or too slow to play at LB. he could be a ST standout.
juajen
(8,515 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]
Vashta Nerada
(3,922 posts)K&R
KinMd
(966 posts)lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)Exactly.
dem in texas
(2,674 posts)I remember when we had the big SMU football player scandal years ago. I was watching Dale Hansen and he stopped what he was reading and said something to the effect that this just makes me sick and went on a rant about how the rich alumnae were corrupting the morals of the young players by giving them money under the table. I will note that SMU paid a big price for what they let happen.
mc51tc
(219 posts)Thank you Mr. Hansen
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Now all they can do is cry over their loss of power.
ReRe
(10,597 posts)Alrighty then! Truth & integrity with guts is catching on!
Ron Green
(9,822 posts)interviewing an Olympic cyclist. He was a classy guy then, and he's obviously remained classy.
proudretiredvet
(312 posts)I also have a lot of respect for the young man who just came out. He displays courage and integrity. We need all of that we can find.
About his dad... I don't like using words like that on here....
deathrind
(1,786 posts)This was a fantastic and refreshing commentary to watch!
Mosby
(16,318 posts)loyalsister
(13,390 posts)that some people will accept him because of what he brings them in terms of athletic success.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts):kick:
Quixote1818
(28,946 posts)SunSeeker
(51,571 posts)ConsSoLoca
(5 posts)Hopefully this will drill some common sense into the heads of sports fans who are on the fence with regards to homosexuality. Those who are incurable wingnuts, on the other hand, may experience increased blood pressure followed by head explosion.
TexasTowelie
(112,236 posts)Welcome to DU!
ConsSoLoca
(5 posts)As a newbie I was wondering why I have to wait at least 5 minutes between posts. Can someone please explain this to me? Is it only for new users or does it apply to everyone? I've never encountered this rule before on any other online forum so I was a little confused when I first encountered it.
TexasTowelie
(112,236 posts)Placing limits on posting responses allows the malicious intruder response team (MIRT) to revoke posting privileges if they identify suspicious behavior. I believe that it requires 10 posts for new users to actually initiate a thread.
People that have low post numbers and recite right wing talking points will be viewed suspiciously by most longer term members which may cause an alert so that a DU jury can evaluate the post. The post can be hidden by a 4-2 jury vote and depending on the severity of the offense may result in the suspension or loss of posting privileges, particularly if patterns of disruptive or trollish behavior is shown.
All of that being written, we have plenty of fun and the occasional argument on DU. While most members have similar viewpoints on most issues, we also know that we don't agree 100% of the time. Most of those disagreements are also handled in a respectful manner so being confrontational isn't cool.
If you are going to make a humorous remark, keep in mind that it may be proper to use the smilie since some people may not understand your sense of humor. The smilies can be accessed from the smilies button above the dialog box where you type your text. There is a second level of smilies located behind the ... button at the bottom of the first level of smilies.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Heidi
(58,237 posts):kick:
arthritisR_US
(7,288 posts)LO on MSNBC showed it on his show. First time I've seen that guy but he was dead on! Hope it goes viral because it's surely needed
TheMathieu
(456 posts)liberalla
(9,249 posts)Hey Texas, Listen up!
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)Sienna86
(2,149 posts)Refreshing and very pointed.
tanyev
(42,564 posts)Granted, I don't know much about Mr. Hansen as I am reaching for the remote as soon as weather is over to go back to The Daily Show. I sometimes catch him and the weather guy (also an ex-jock) yukking it up in the weather to sports transition. Given where I live, I assumed they were both RW good old boys. And maybe Hansen is simply a sane RWer. But I was most intrigued by this quote from his transcript:
But then want government in our bedrooms.
I've never understood how they feel "comfortable" laying claim to both sides of that argument.
Good for you, Dale!
PatSeg
(47,496 posts)with so few words and pretty much covered it all!
Ishoutandscream2
(6,662 posts)You know how they all are down there!! And he was the color commentator for Dallas Cowboys radio broadcasts for years. We hate these things at DU!!
ChisolmTrailDem
(9,463 posts)Ishoutandscream2
(6,662 posts)Just had to say it!
jayschool
(180 posts)He grew up in Logan, Iowa and worked in radio there as well as television and radio in Omaha, Nebraska. He moved to Texas in the early 1980s.
Ishoutandscream2
(6,662 posts)But he's a Texan now. Or more appropriately, a DALLASITE!
efhmc
(14,726 posts)CrispyQ
(36,478 posts)I'm writing a snail mail letter to WFAA today. Also going to share on FB.
former9thward
(32,019 posts)Yes, Sam is the "best defensive player in football's best conference." But that is COLLEGE. The NFL is a whole different animal. Sam is small for a DE in the NFL and it is unproven how well he could play at other positions.
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)Michael Sam is a 6"2" 250lb-ish DE and is projected to be a 3rd-5th round pick. Small, kind of, but Hugh Green was a 6'2" 225lb DE when he graduated from University of Pittsburgh. He went 1st Round, 7th overall, and was All-Pro twice. I'm not saying Michael Sam is Hugh Green, but calling Hansen an "idiot" might be stretching it a bit.
Dawgs
(14,755 posts)Only makes sense that he could beat those same players in the NFL.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)it means he'll be able to beat the NFL players?
Dawgs
(14,755 posts)he should be able to beat those SAME players in the NFL.
And, as best defensive player in the SEC, it's likely that he would have faced some pretty good O-lineman.
I'm not saying that he should be picked in the 1st or 2nd round..just that calling someone an idiot for suggesting the best defensive player in the best conference shouldn't be picked higher is kind of dumb.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)a sports commentator in Texas would understand that even great success in the SEC doesn't necessarily translate to success at an NFL level, especially given his size is considerably smaller than NFL Defensive Ends tend to be (and he'll likely end up moving to another position).
If I'm reading the numbers right, last year only 8 of the OL in the SEC got drafted, the year before that, only 5 SEC OL got drafted. That's just DRAFTED not started. The SEC has 14 teams, so it has 70 starting linemen per year (though not all go into the draft every year). A vast majority won't even get drafted and of the few who do, many will not see significant playing time at the NFL level. Almost none of the players he'd face in the NFL would be people he faced in college, and the ones he does see will be the best of the best. There are some high quality COLLEGE OL in the SEC, but it's still a far cry from the quality he'll see in the NFL, even on the worst of professional teams.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)Players have gotten considerably bigger since 1981. Hansen is an idiot if he doesn't understand why Sam wasn't a 1st round pick. He was projected 3-4th round even before his announcement.
wheniwasincongress
(1,307 posts)He's on his way, but not quite there yet.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)and how did he end that sentence?
gopiscrap
(23,761 posts)gopiscrap
(23,761 posts)come Monday!
TexasTowelie
(112,236 posts)Hansen has been with that TV station for years and is well respected by his fans. It would cause a major blowup if he was terminated.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)he is a very long-time well-respected personality in these parts
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)short of eating live kittens on TV, he isn't going anywhere.
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)leanforward
(1,076 posts)I took a minute and listened to the segment. This sportscaster has his act together.
herding cats
(19,565 posts)He appeared honest in his statement and he made some good points. We need more people to come out and just be honest about how the whole anti-gay rhetoric is a load of hypocritical BS.
Politicub
(12,165 posts)I always think of the Victor Hugo quote when I read stories like this.
And then a shed a few tears because I well up with emotion - every single time.
Everywhere around us, GLBT discrimination - discrimination that demeans us - is being recognized as an affront to human decency.
There's a long way to go. But wow - the ground has shifted beneath our feet and there's no stopping equality.
I feel lucky to be alive to experience this moment in time. And to have the opportunity to see - to live - the struggle from my awakening in my first semester in college, shortly before Clinton became elected, to today.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,002 posts)DesertDiamond
(1,616 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)jayschool
(180 posts)I remember Dale when he was on the radio and television in the Omaha/Council Bluffs market back in the 1960s and 1970s. He must have moved to Texas in the early 1980s.
CFLDem
(2,083 posts)Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)Though, his jerky head movements are distracting, he's always told it like is.
Damn, I miss Dallas.
DamnYankeeInHouston
(1,365 posts)dogday
(24,008 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)to be their mayor- twice.
dogday
(24,008 posts)Houston is a pretty progressive town. We also had the red light cameras removed.
RayStar
(417 posts)This made me feel so good and so proud of him.
Aviation Pro
(12,172 posts)...will turn blue by 2016.
Which will cement the Republicant fucking party as irrelevant for the next 100 years.
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)Toward gay people were sharing it their status updates.