In an interview with shock jock Artie Lange on Wednesday, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver let his homophobia banner fly just in time to embarrass his entire team headed into the Super Bowl.
I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah…can't be…in the locker room man. Nah.
When asked if a gay football player should remain closeted, he wasn't shy about his opinion on that either.
Yeah, come out 10 years later after that.
Rightfully, the blow-back from the San Francisco 49ers management was swift and clear in its condemnation of his remarks.
The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.
Shortly after, Culliver issued his own apology for his remarks.
The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.
I certainly have my doubts about the sincerity of his apology, but we are all supposed to take the highroad and forgive him, I suppose. I wouldn't struggle with that notion so much if it wasn't for Culliver's PR rep, Theodore Palmer, and his outrageous claim that Culliver was simply misunderstood.
Chris is very apologetic for any harm caused to anyone ... He is one who celebrates the differences of others. All of this was just a big mistake. It was interpreted wrong.
Right. It is all one big misunderstanding and we are actually the party at fault for interpreting "No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do" wrong. To employ the tried and true "blame everyone for quoting you verbatim" tactic pretty much undermines whatever apology Culliver gave.
However hard Culliver tries to walk back his disgusting comments, the fact remains that he made them and they should have consequences. I am of the opinion that if the NFL was truly serious in taking a stand against homophobia in sports, they would suspend Culliver immediately. Actions speak louder than words and if their is no real repercussion for spouting bigotry, then it is all just empty rhetoric.
Update: YouTube just posted a video clip of a press interview Culliver made this morning.