What . Out sports was started many years ago because being a sports fan realized people did not want to talk about sports and sports did not want to talk about them gay issues but we did we knew there was a large group of people. So we talk about the issuesou of homophobia or athletes coming out on their team and so the we became the experts in the area we were the only ones talking about it. And slowly as professional athletes started to come outut of the closet for the Mainstream Media started to pay more attention with the professional athletes those highschool athletes in the smaller athletes the media does not talk much about them but their stories are in trouble to what we tried to tell about sports. Host in your book fair play you talk about the big five correct. Bid big five sports leagues a lot of people say for the nfl even with declining ratings still the most powerful Cultural Institution that we have the nba baseball and Hockey League the big five would add majorleague soccer i like to call it the big five because the only openly gay we have in any of those is bobby rogers to place 40 l. A galaxy. Host currently the only openly gay athletes in the big five quick. Ce asa publicly outt certainly there are athletes have of boyfriend theyre out to their families that we the public dole know or dont talk about it. And right now the only one is robby rogers and there has only been one other in history. And was actively play . This is a tough question for our movement and it beginsit beg as a personal journey and ends as a personal journey as they are held up to the bastions of masculinity and that has helped to change the conversation avoided is to be masculine but the bigger reason that i advocate people coming outut is because of what it does for them personally. Every single athlete we have written about, a tiny fraction of the first hundred exceptions they were shocked. But the men who were the most homophobic are some of the first guys to embrace them to say that i love you and the only thing they have is they didnt do it sooner. And with the experience of some of the athletes of nine of those athletes of highschool college and tennessee kentucky california europe and australia but the biggest reason that i advocate is because it will make your life better to how much people love you. Find your book when will we receive the gave Jackie Robinson . When we rival that this gave Jackie Robinson a lot of people use it to talk about the first big sports jocks or sport stars but as they come not of the of closet is a type of person to chain the conversation but to understand who Jackie Robinson was understand when he first played Major League Baseball they could not set in certain parts of the restaurant and where gayth people are today it is nowhere near that it is beyond where we are. You could have a gauge Jackie Robinson because the rights of africanamericans but the other foot side of one seminal figure of the athletes who have come out and nfl player to come out of the closet and since thenn just uh trickled but they are changing sports from the ground up. Is a different way to look at it we will not have a gay Jackie Robinson even what not he was in 1947. There are still many different ways and to be embraced by a is athletes at the university of missouri and they knew before he came out. The univ key played his entire senior season best player of the year wearing a rainbow wristband the entire season nobody picked up on it nobody saw that. N it, the teammates embraced him when he went to the st. Louis rams in the seventh round some of the the leaders and tried too talk about being the nfl player. The interesting part of the flat side is to me there is no question that hurt getting a job after he was cut from the rams are the cowboys to call the agentsts to inquire about him. That the rich white guys in suits still have an issue with this and the ticker real lack of leadership in this issue at the nfl team level that day was it love to have an open the gate player in the nfl but some are ready and some not and the next bank of professional sports. What is doing today quick. Not playing football and that is the most disappointing part. A College Basketball player who came out of the closet was not picked to the nba. Up nom their identity is wrapped around sports been made in name for themselves on National Television and i know they doesnt play in the nfl and i dont believe he really did get a fair shake. Eve that i think that will haunt him and a lot of people in the nfl along time. Host cyd zeigler playing a large role in your book fair play, why . Michael when i first met him for the nfl hall of flame holophane with the i first met him he was a ladys man, a mans man, he was the man. You do not get any more of a persona that he had as a masculine man. But as i got to know michael as a mutual acquaintance through their radio show he opened the p. Haddad gave brother and despite being raised in the Southern Baptist household, he did not oppose samesex marriage. This and he agreed to do a cover story for out magazine which is said gave mens magazine in the united states. Barack cover story for which he decided to appear shirtless this mans man it was the perfect storm and what is amazing about michael it was so calculated he wanted to jump start the conversation about gay issues and people and he did the tests they all took notice when he decided to be shirtless on the cover of a gay man magazine to talk about samesex marriage and his gay brother in 2011 that was an important turning point in our movement. Host one of your chapters is on revision . An why . Religion has as strong grip in the united statess sincerely twentieth century. It was very intentional. And the rule of religion and Team Chaplain is a very powerful part of American Sports at the highschool level and in the professional ranks. And unfortunately a lot of churches have a problem withth gay people. If you have a constant reinforcement of the Christian Doctrine that is painful so it is important to talk about gay people in religion inside of sports because of the stranglehold that religion has on so many corners. And it is the most important thing in their lives. But at the same time, i do you still see that today where Christian Churches and emphasize quick. The n. C. A. A. Allows member institutions that have specific antiltv to policies like brigham youngam operated by the Mormon Church in the student handbook a specific policy that forbid homosexuality past and even to gay people dating one another is forbidden the n. C. A. A. Claims to be this incredible Inclusive Organization but allows the number of institutions because of the religion to active reid discriminate and they can fire the coaches simply because they are gay we know they have done this. They allow this and to me it is very damaging and this is really happening today. Host would you advocate that byu should not be allowed into the n. C. A. A. . They say that inclusion includes all g. T. People. They pulled championship level events of North Carolina because of the law that targeted our community but they cannot say they are inclusive and at the same time allow byu with the antipolicies that reallyre harm those old ddt students. I will not tell them what to do but they can do both. Host web is the reaction in the big five to you as a reporter quick. I have a fantastic relationship with people in the front office that every single lead. The nfl, their heads spokesman and others, they answer my phone calls, and answer my questions and Major League Baseball, Vice President of the league, i have the great relationship. But i think because in my Business Partner and i have demonstrated fairness. We will treat you fairly. If we thank you have taken a misstep and you got wrong and if you got right we willk say that to. I hear from people that they respect that we are honest and fair. Host you talking in fair play the interviews you have done with players and they open to talk withth you as well . Op we talk about going to the Nfl Players Association events and a representative having a big problem with me asking gay questions of the new players. This was three for years ago. There have then a couple who dont want to talk to me for sure but curt warner who was a devout question that god th the most important thing in his life but and and his wife stopped and chatted with me very openly most of the athletes get it is about your teammates and sportss and winning together not to use sleep with. Cyd zeigler fair play 20 t20. And american sailors firsthand account of pearl harbor. Were takinon