Is it true?

By John Gottlieb

Breaking news: Is it true?

One of the biggest stories of the year is about to be broken and this WILL send shockwaves throughout the sporting world.

According to www.MediaTakeOut.com , a prominent, single, black member of the New Jersey Nets has “come out” to his family that he is bisexual. The Web site does the right thing in not naming the player, but that only leads to speculation as to who it might be.

He apparently came out to his family on a recent trip home. The source, who is listed as a family friend of the player said, "when [the player] came out of the closet, everyone was shocked...we would always see pictures of him with models. No one suspected that he was into men…the two boys were friends since childhood...when [the player] went to the NBA, he brought along [the friend] as a personal assistant. I don't know how to feel, I love them both but something doesn't seem right about them being together like that."

What does this mean to the inclusive sports locker room? The sporting world was in an uproar when women were eventually allowed free access. We’ve heard of players coming out after retirement, living a life of lies, to uphold an image of a tough, indestructible athlete, but if he’s a star player this WILL turn the sporting world on its ear.

I applaud the athlete for coming out. He could’ve kept this quiet and nobody ever would’ve known, but he did the right thing and he should be praised not bashed. This player deserves kudos for wanting to be accepted for who he really is.

I’m sure this is not the way he wanted to announce that he is bisexual, but sports journalists, players, management and executives in every organization in every sport have been waiting for something like this to come across the wire.

Just wait, eventually the gay-bashers and hatemongers will show themselves and tell us how the sanctity of the locker room is destroyed. Hopefully, the world we live in will become more accepting and not focus on who he decides to sleep with, but that he is a amazing athlete who can do things on a basketball court that most of us dream about.

For legal ramifications I will not out the player because it is his choice to come out to the public, but it’s about time the sports world gets in to the 21^st century. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, what race you are, what religion you believe in, or whom you sleep with, we’re all people. Don’t we have enough hatred?