Sharp writing in story on NBA executive coming out

I disagree. While most fans might not know who he is, Welts is a major figure in the NBA. The players, the ones who have the power to determine the treatment of the first openly gay player in the locker room, know who he is. Especially veterans.

 

Many thought Imus quote was harmless also. Russell was Welt's superior.
You really think that would fly in a work place today?

It would be considered derogatory and a form of control.

Ironic in such a sharply written story that is somewhat about tolerance and sensibilities.

 

I totally agree, but...

Does it make anyone rethink Luke Scott's "banana chips" "joke"?

Would we be offended if a white superstar had been calling an African-American "boy"?

If you've been around any group of friends, including work colleagues, you could pull a quote or two out of context that would offend many and even be grounds for firing.

 

I don't know. When the story of the affair between Kate Lacey and David Berson at ESPN was reported, it was criticized for its lack of news value because the average fan didn't know who they were.

Meanwhile, they were two of the top people in sports business. Lacey had been a big shot since her days at Pepsi.

I think this story in somewhat newsworthy, but is it front page of nytimes.com newsworthy? (That's where it was last night, I don't know where it is in print. O'm guessing front page of the sports section.)

They participated in a roll out of the story that seems more like what an entertainment or gossip magazine would do if they found out a pop start was gay.

It was somewhat moving, I'll admit. It's been tough for the guy. He couldn't properly morn the death of his partner and a long-term relationship ended because he wasn't comfortable coming out.

But, most of what made it hard turns out to be his own doing. Seems like everybody he knows has known he was gay for years and didn't care. Would it have held him back at all? Hard to say.

But, I felt like the times wasn't trying to tell me an interesting, newsworthy story, I felt like they were trying to teach me that it's ok to be gay. Well, I already know that.

Is it the Times job to break news or are they this guys personal PR agency available to tell his story in a coordinated manner.

And, finally (while I'm totally not advocating news organizations "outing" anybody) it can't be considered newsworthy if you would only report the specific news with the subjects willing participation.

The Times would have never run this story without him coming to them. Well, then by definition it's not newsworthy.

 

Still though, sharp writing NTL.

 

it's a valid story. but not nearly worth the play it received. i agree with those who contend, 'who cares? the guy's a nobody?'

EVERYONE is waiting to break the first SIGNIFICAANT gayness in sports expose'. this guy may have been a high-ranking nba official but bot one involved with the 'game' itself; a former ballboy/p.r. guy who climbed the executive ladder, yada yada yada.

hey, i'm thrilled for the guy that he was 'outed' on his own terms. but when most of the people who know you have always assumed you were gay, and the story has to devote most of its time explaining who this behind-the-scenes exec is, it tells me it's a piece soon to be forgotten, not given a second thought by most.

wake me up when the first active sports star comes out. now, that there's the 'gays-in-sports' piece everyone hankers to 'break.' i vote 'ho-hum' to this one.

 

Did anyone find the paragraph yet that "grabs you by the throat"?

 

Yep.

 

The NYT ran a story a couple years ago that I thought was much more poignant. It was about the boxer Emile Griffith quasi-admitting he was gay. In that case, it was newsworthy because Griffith had killed one of his opponents (Benny Paret) in the ring on live TV after Paret had allegedly taunted Griffith with a gay slur at weigh-in.

For background, see the documentary "Ring of Fire."

The point of the story was... is it really any of our business? People will think what they want to think anyway. Does it really change people's behavior? Who knows?

 

i remember that story. and was moved by that story. BUT...

again, it was the story of an athlete loooong gone from our consciousness. THE sports story we're all waiting on, and might truly make a diference in terms of opening up a very important, visible frontier for the gay rights movement, is the one in which a CURRENT high-profile athlete summons the courage to out himself.

 

Maybe I missed this, but it surprised me that the reporter only talked to sources that Welts directed him to. Seems there would have been opportunity to speak to others as well? Get a broader view of the impact of the story?