Chris Culliver, 49ers Cornerback, Says Gay Players Not Welcome On NFL Team (AUDIO)

A player for the Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers gave a controversial, anti-gay interview just days ahead of the NFL's championship game. Speaking with shock jock Artie Lange, cornerback Chris Culliver said he's not OK with gay players in the NFL or on his team. "I don't do the gay guys man," Culliver said, according to Yahoo. "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." Culliver went on to say that gays would not be welcomed in the locker room, but if they remained closeted, he might be all right with them playing. "Yeah, come out 10 years later," he said. "How progressive!," Deadspin's Tom Ley quipped, noting that the "interview came to a hurried conclusion at that point." The question of whether or not gay players would be accepted in professional sports has been in the news lately, as some media professionals speculated whether or not Notre Dame player Manti Te'o's fake girlfriend was a cover for his sexuality. Te'o has since turned down the gay rumors, but the scandal re-opened the conversation about sexual orientation in the National Football League. Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said it's likely he played with gay players during his career, although none of them were fully out. "Because [the sport] is so testosterone driven, it’d be really, really difficult for a gay player to really stand up and say, ‘Hey, I’m gay and an NFL football player,'" Bettis told HuffPost Live. "And you don't know how the teams are going to respond to that as well." But at the same time, he said, as long as they perform well on the field, he wouldn't have a problem with openly gay teammates. Another former NFL player, Wade Davis, told the Daily Beast that he personally knows of several gay players currently in the NFL, although none of them have come out due to a continuing stigma in the league. Culliver's comments, meanwhile, contrast strongly with those of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, who has been an outspoken advocate for gay marriage and LGBT equality. Ayanbadejo said he plans to use the Super Bowl as a platform to talk about same-sex marriage. The 49ers will face off against the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 3. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. EST. Update at 6:26pm ET on January 30: NBC Sports reports that the San Francisco 49ers responded to Culliver's comments with the following statement: “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.”

http%3A//www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/chris-culliver-49ers-cornerback-gay-players-not-welcome-in-nfl_n_2584762.html



• Yet, look at his picture. Mary!

• Agree R1,that guy looks like he's smelling cookies and seeing rainbows.

• He said this to "shock jock Artie Lange", as more than one media outlet has reported. #1, WHEN did Artie Lange become a "shock jock and, #2, Didn't he used to work for Howard Stern? Would love to hear from any of those Stern listeners to know what Stern had to say about that on his show today. Stern is notoriously jealous and I'm sure is going to hate the fact one of his has-beens is getting air play today.

• Already apologized.

  http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-49ers-chris-culliver-anti-gay-apologizes-20130131%2C0%2C1902344.story

• closet queen

• [quote]Already apologized. We don't care. What he said against us was heart-felt. He was forced to apologize.

• From the link at R4: When Culliver was asked if there were gay players in the NFL, he answered: "I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that." He gives a statement about himself in response to a general question about the whole league. Interesting.

• It's information, R6, whether you "care" or not.

• I'm gay but I refuse to be deeply offended by bullshit like this. It's media hyped hyperbole. Yeah, the guy dislikes gay people apparently. That isn't a crime. I'm free to refuse to buy tickets to see his team.. But I'm not gonna be so delicate that I faint over it. In the grand scheme of things, what he said was only mildly offensive, though offensive nonetheless. He didn't call for the banning of gays and lesbians from anything, didn't express violence or hate toward us, etc. Sure, if that had been a white player saying the same things about black people, he would have been fired already. At the same time, I'm not up for people losing their entire careers over one or even two PR fuck ups like this. America, you've become insanely pussified when this is making the rounds as a top news story.

• [quote]Yeah, the guy dislikes gay people apparently. That isn't a crime. I'm free to refuse to buy tickets to see his team.. But I'm not gonna be so delicate that I faint over it. Stand there while I get the grease and a match.

• Please don't let him be black...

  Captain%20Obvious

• Well, you equal the score, don't you, R11?

• Don't show him this website!!! (Safe for work)

  http://deadspin.com/5980345/this-photo-of-two-male-49ers-fans-making-out-is-awesome

• I always look at the person insulting me before I react. In this case, I simply can't be bothered. Football players aren't known for their intelligence, they are simply meat to be destroyed by the opposing team.

• R3 - Artie has had a sports-oriented radio show for about a year now (which also airs on DirectTV). I think the writer used the term shock jock because of Artie's association with Howard and because of Artie's past (drugs, rehab, standup career). Howard's show only airs Mon. to Wed., so he didn't even know about this controversy. Also, Howard ever hardly discusses Artie. Howard was really weirded out by Artie's suicide attempt and rarely even says his name. Plus, he'a a competitor now.

• Chris Kluwe needs to put his foot up Chris Culliver's sorry ass--spikes and all! The bigger the homophobe, the deeper the closet....

• He's obviously been hit too many times in the head.

• I don't think Howard and Artie are friends anymore.

• "America, you've become insanely pussified when this is making the rounds as a top news story." ROFLMAO. You're the "pussified" one...you just want to blindly accept prejudice instead of standing up to it.

• Artie tried to kill himself via stabbing. He falls asleep in the middle of a conversation. He is obviously on the wagon. Howard threw him off the show a long while ago, firing him or something. Howard had enough. It wasn't a joke.

• I appreciate these kind of comments in order to know who to root for or support. Culliver has his right to comment on anything he wants as I have the right to ignore him from now on. Isn't it great when it's so easy to know who you like based on his opinion about gays and gay rights issues?

• He'll end up bankrupt two years after he's out of the NFL.. OR shot at a club in Atlanta.

• I disagree with those who think things like this should just be ignored. Ignoring it means you're giving tacit support to the comments. It means you accept what he says, that gay men should stay closeted for 10 years while in the NFL. There are gay men right now in the NFL who are closeted. Sooner or later a current player will come out and if you have people in leadership positions saying these kinds of comments are not acceptable and we believe in non discrimination, this will create the environment where that player will begin to feel it's OK to come out. Passively sitting back saying whatever, free speech and so on accomplishes nothing. When someone says something stupid like this hit them hard back.

• He's trailer park trash, who cares what he says?

• Totally agree with R23. Couldn't have said it any better. Hit back and hit hard and make them pay.

• r23, there's support and there's lack of support. Active support of the ones you like will always outweigh the dissing and criticism of the ones you don't like. If you want to do both and have the time for it, be my guest, do it. However others may prefer to spend their time more efficiently and choose the one they feel has more impact.

• I hope you're right r22.

• "Chris Culliver: Why the NFL Must Suspend San Francisco 49er for His Anti-Gay Remarks" writes Michelangelo Signorile. San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver selfishly shot off his mouth yesterday, igniting a firestorm of controversy and creating a nightmare for his team and the National Football League as they head to the Super Bowl. For that alone the NFL should suspend him, his comments having put his entire team at the center of an unnecessary controversy as they're trying to focus on the game. But for the horrendously bigoted, anti-gay content of his remarks, there is no question that Culliver must be suspended if the NFL is serious about its claims to be taking on homophobia in its ranks. Thanks to players like Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo and their pro-gay advocacy, we're seeing a shift among NFL players, but the leadership needs to take strong stand against Culliver's kind of bigotry if that shift is to continue. "I don't do the gay guys, man," Culliver told radio host Artie Lange. "I don't do that. No." Asked whether there are any gay players on the 49ers, Culliver said, "Nah. We don't got no gay people on the team. You know, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff." Incredulous, Lange pointed out that gay players might be able to play well, too, but Culliver responded, "Nah. Nah. Can't be... can't... uh... be in the locker room." (continued at link)

  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelangelo-signorile/chris-culliver-why-the-nf_b_2589414.html

• Why do football teams let their dumber members give interviews to shock jocks? Not good PR.

• John Aravosis at Americablog pointed out that the 49ers suspended running back Brandon Jacobs last month for making derogatory comments about his bosses. Are the team bosses saying that they take it seriously when they themselves are insulted, but not when closeted gay players and gay fans are subjected to bigoted, offensive remarks from jackasses like Culliver?

• Replace gay with 'Chinese', 'Jewish' or 'Muslim' and they'd be boycotts and he's be fired. Be a homophobe and gay fuckwits like R9 make excuses for him and allow the continued marginalization of gay people. Gay people are the only class where it is not only acceptable to discriminate again, but it is actively encouraged. Just say you're sorry, when your not, and all is forgotten and forgiven. We're such cowards we probably deserve it.

• If the NFL wanted to make sure a player never said something like this again, Culliver would suspended from playing in the Super Bowl. He would also not be paid and he would also be required to attend outreach programs or volunteer with gay charities and organizations. Of course this will never happen.

• If he's ever allowed to be interviewed again, the reporter needs to ask why he answered a question about gays in the NFL by talking about his own sexuality. That wasn't what was being asked of him. He sounds dumb enough to be thrown for a loop by such a question.

• It just sounded like he was referring to his own sexuality because he's stupid and inarticulate. He meant "do" to mean "associate with."

• If there is no suspension, the message from the NFL to young people, amid continued reports of suicides by LGBT youth who experienced bullying, is that it's OK for sports players and everyone else to attack gays and demand that they stay closeted and live in shame. If Culliver faces no repercussions, then the NFL's words about support and acceptance of gay athletes and fans are completely empty.

• He plays for...SAN FRANCISCO!

  Oh%20the%20irony%21

• [quote]we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. So.... he's Asian, right?

• Go Ravens!

  Love Balmore, hate Frisco

• Wow, R9 is a complete fool. With an attitude like that no civil rights gains would have ever been made.

• What if someone told him to get back in the field and pick some cotton?

• If I lived in San Francisco, I guarantee I'd be picketing outside the 49ers office with a bunch of friends.

• he's so hot though hehe

• Miss Culliver looks like a major queen. Let's review the following picture: - limp wrist - smizing (Tyra would be proud!) - multiple pieces of jewelry

  http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/othersports_news/2013/02/49ers__chris_culliver_laughing_N2.jpg

• And check this one out ... love the thrust hip. Someone's been practicing to their En Vogue tapes! The brightly coloured watch on each wrist, and the empty toilet paper roll complete the tableau.

  http://www.wohoo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/deb49__zoQHmZ4_zpsfdb046dc1.jpg

• 49ers may soon stop making any of their players talk. The San Francisco 49ers were the first NFL team to make an “It Gets Better” video, yet two players who participated in it apparently suffered too many hits to the head as they deny ever making the PSA. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga were asked about the video after teammate Chris Culliver eloquently told radio host Artie Lange that his team “don’t got no gay players” and that “they gotta get up outta here if they do.” Although they are literally two of the four 49ers to appear in it, Brooks and Sopoaga initially denied having a part in the team’s “It Gets Better” video. “I didn’t make any video,” Brooks told USA Today. “This is America and if someone wants to be gay, they can be gay. It’s their right. But I didn’t make any video.” USA Today then told Brooks that not only had they seen the video, but they had seen him in the video, Brooks responded, “I don’t remember that. I think if I made a video, I’d remember it.” And that’s when the reporter opened up the cash register and produced a receipt; Brooks was shown the PSA on an iPhone. “Oh, that,” he said. “It was an anti-bullying video, not a gay (rights) video.” The USA Today reporter then pointed out that studies show the majority of bullying is based on a teen’s sexual identity, leading Brooks to contemplate for a second, or several. “I know that. I know that,” Brooks said. “Okay, you’re right and I’m wrong. Are you from one of those New York newspapers?” Sopoaga was also incredulous over his inclusion in the video, even as teammate Will Tukuafu tried to jog his memory. “Yeah, you made that video, remember?” Tukuafu said. “No,” Sopoaga said. “I never went. And now someone is using my name.” Sopoaga was then shown the video, after which he asked, “What was that for?” When told it was to stop anti-gay bullying, Sopoaga responded, “Yeah, OK.” Asked if he would like to comment on the video, the always loquacious Sopoaga said, “No.” So either the 49ers didn’t let their players know they were making a video supporting gay teens, or Brooks and Sopoaga are, how can we put this gently, idiots. We suspect it was probably both. Not like it matters now, since Dan Savage has pulled the 49ers’ video from the It Gets Better website in the wake of all their homophobic trash talk.

  http://www.queerty.com/two-49ers-players-deny-it-gets-better-video-20130201/

• Now players who were CLEARLY in an "It Gets Better" video are claiming they were never in the video. Retro-active revisionist history homophobia? Remember folks: Root for the Ravens to win on Sunday.