Tim Hardaway Comes Out of the Closet
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MIAMI, FL (February 16, 2007) - Only yesterday, Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway said that he hated gay people. Less than 24 hours later, the same Tim Hardaway released a public statement that not only does he regret making what some have called a bigoted remark, he claims to be homosexual himself. In the written statement, Hardaway explains his off-the-cuff remarks as those typical among self-loathing latent homosexuals.
"I guess the only reason I didn't want to be around (other) homosexuals, was that I was afraid my secret would be exposed," writes Hardaway, going on to explain that there were many near-misses while trying to maintain his clandestine relationship with television star, Isaiah Washington.
"Isaiah and I agreed the best defense was a good offense. He made himself seem like a tough, macho guy on a television set, and I did the same on the radio. No one knew then that we were the target of our own self-loathing."
Hardaway and Washington have both agreed to attend sensitivity training, after returning from a previously planned trip together to the Bahamas, which will conclude at the end of February.
The shocking confession was sparked by last week's announcement that retired NBA center John Amaechi is gay. The host asked Hardaway how he would interact with a gay teammate. "You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people," he said. "I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."
When asked what he would think about Amaechi being on his team, Haradway responded, " First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he were on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that is right. I don't think he should be in the locker-room while we are in the locker-room."
If he did find out that a teammate was gay, Hardaway said he would ask for the player to be removed from the team. "Something has to give," Hardaway said. "If you have 12 other ballplayers in your locker-room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker-room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate."
Hardaway later apologized for the remarks during an interview with Fox affiliate WSVN in Miami's, Sports Director Jim Berry."Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that, especially since I am gay myself," he said. "I mean, I don't want to sound like a hypocrite."
Hardaway, speaking by telephone from Las Vegas, talked with Berry at length about his own hidden homosexuality, explaining that he feared others would not like to play with a gay player. He told Berry that many players are gay like he is, but don't say so out of fear of bigotry and loss of sponsorship deals.
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If it were true, it would be fantastic. And I would laugh and laugh. Well done, indeed.
i say Mr. Hardaway is an upstanding citizen. he just spoke what he believes and he has the right too. this is America not Iran. maybe if you don't like what he says you need to live where everyone is told what to like and say. And the only people that would laugh at this site are the delicates!
I guess this explains why Hardaway has been seen frequenting Miami-area bathhouses.
You go Tim. Say what 90% of us think. Gay is sick, wrong, and disgusting. I guess that makes me homophobic, but I can live with that!
Thank you Tim for your courage! Gay community try to hard and spend millions to buy media and we all to agree that homosexuality is right!
it's just stupid and make me sick, when they are kissing on TV and children are watching , my stomach get very sick....
HE IS SO FOUL. SO NOW YOU ARE GAY, BUT FIRST YOU WEREN'T .
How can you write this and not say that you are kidding... people are actually going to think this happened, and thats fucked up. No credibility.
STATEMENT FROM FREEDOM DEMOCRATS, MIAMI, FL.Miami Dade Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic CaucusRE: Mr. Tim Hardaway’s Anti-Gay Comments FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Miami, Florida (February 15, 2007) – Freedom Democrats, the Miami Dade Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Caucus, categorically, and with great concern, denounce the recent comments of Mr. Tim Hardaway. Mr. Hardaway’s insensitive and bigoted comments once again show that many people in the United States have a long way to go before affording the same respect and rights that they expect for themselves. For those who do not know, Mr. Hardaway was an accomplished professional athlete who is a hero to many people. He retired from the NBA at the end of the 2003 season. He reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any NBA player in history, but for the legend Oscar Robertson. He was a five time NBA All-Star, Miami Heat Guard, from 1996-2001, all time assist leader for the Miami Heat and was drafted 14th in the 1989 NBA draft out of the University of Texas, El Paso. Freedom Democrats respect and embrace the rights of each citizen of the United States of America to free speech. We are also aware of the fact that many citizens unfortunately still cannot live side by side with each other and embrace the uniqueness of each person. We, as an organization that represent the civil and human rights of all people, denounce and hold accountable any person that uses any forum to advance hatred and bigotry to the detriment of other citizens of the United States (See www.FreedomDems.org.) Through his comments, Mr. Hardoway feeds the fires of insidious intolerance that pervades our society. Mr. Hardaway seems to have forgotten the history of struggles so many minorities have suffered through to gain basic human and civil rights throughout the world. Freedom Democrats believes that this type of rhetoric creates an atmosphere and environment that allows for the ongoing harassment of young GLBT peoples in our schools, discrimination in the workplace and in housing, and the lack of laws which would protect the civil and human rights of GLBT peoples throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida, and The United States of America. Mr. Hardaway is a respected citizen and celebrity of Miami, a respected businessman and a 5 time NBA All Star. He makes money off of his appearances and his celebrity recognition has presumably been good for his two businesses he owns in Miami. Furthermore, Mr. Hardaway has spoken at many schools and has been a role model and hero for many kids and young adults with his on-the-court grit and excellence. He now gives those same kids and young adults the power, excuse, and platform through his words and example, to practice bigotry and oppress a group of people who he chooses to “hate” (his own word). His remarks show people and our leaders that great work still needs to be done to overcome learned prejudices in order to move our society to a more open, loving, and tolerant place that respects all people for whom they are as American citizens and not pariahs to be cast out of our society. The Freedom Democrats call on Miami Dade County, and all of those citizens and people who respect and embrace diversity, to not patronize Mr. Hardway’s business at Tim Hardaway US1 Car Wash, 3501 S. Dixie Highway, Miami, Florida, 305-447-9998, until that time that Mr. Hardaway makes a public apology to the citizens of Miami Dade, in a public news conference, for fueling bigotry, hatred and intolerance and engages in practices that would justify any citizen patronizing his business. *****************************************************************Chip ArndtPresident, Freedom DemocratsInfo@FreedomDems.org305.895.9466 x113
TO THE FREEDOM DEMOCRATS AND TO CHIP WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS, YOU JUST SUCK!
HE LOOK A HOT MESS AND HE TALK LIKE THAT NAD HE'S GUY TOOOOOOOOO
....he's just way on the downlow. That's a fact.
Where are Tim Hardaway's nude pictures and videos that had been floating around the internet? HELP!
I wish he would stay the course. I think what he was trying to say was he hates what gays do and stand for. SO DO I. I just lost my mother last week to Alzheimer's. She was a wonderful woman, never smoked, drank, always exercised. What makes me want to vomit is the fact that gays drain the research dollars away from such diseases such as Alzheimer's to spend on AIDS. AIDS IS A LIFESTYLE DISEASE!!!! The NASTY FAGGOTS WHO WANT TO KEEP UP THEIR UNPROTECTED SEX ACTS IS THE MAIN REASON THEY WANT A CURE FOR THEIR DISEASE. I HAVE YOUR DAMN CURE---STOP YOUR SICK SEX ACTS AND IV DRUG USE AND AIDS WILL GO THE WAY OF THE DINOSAUR. Just for the record, last year, 4.5 million Americans were reported to have Alzheimers compared to 400,000 with AIDS. Research spending per death was over $162,000 for AIDS and just over $10,000 for Alzheimers. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! IF perverted sex is the way of the 21st Century, we better take a step back to some sanity and morals.
Hardaway is stupid. People should know by now that we are born gay. It's sad that he converts to name calling. He needs to be educated. He doesn't "get it." Maybe some day the world will, until then, I wish them the best. Don
Man those closet cases are real hypocrites. I would have never suspected Hardaway is gay but he did make a much bigger deal about homosexuality than most. I would say the next coming-out candidate will be roger, #15 above.
Dan, you don't have to watch, if it makes you sick, you don't have the balls to see 2 persons kissing. You sure are pathetic.
Tim HarDaway - you pathetic soul. To think that we gays are also a minority and yet you are the one to raise the wall between us - last time I looked it was our Boys at stonewall that fought for equal rights of other minorities such as yourself. Seems like what we should have done was also to stomp on you and leave you as a poor struggling black Idiot from the projects with no hope or right to an education - then we probably would be hearing ANOTHER TUNE from your mouth - You should count every day a blessing that you are evn allowed to play in any sports AND have a gay player to help you make those millions that in my opinion you TRULY DON'T DESERVE.
john says:
3 years ago
great. well done. this will hopefully be saved online forever and keep people thinking this areshole is actually gay.