I've been in the office since about 9 this morning. Things are very slow today, probably due to the snow/ice from the past two nights. Since the caseload's been a bit light, I've been listening to espnradio.com all morning.

Apparently, things blew up after Tim Hardaway commented to Dan LeBatard as to how he would interact with a gay teammate. This past weekend, we saw John Amaechi's interview on ESPN Sunday while having lunch. Since then, it's inevitable that an NBA player will be asked their thoughts on the situation.

Here's an excerpt from the LeBatard column from the Miami Herald:

How do you deal with a gay teammate?

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team," former Miami Heat star Tim Hardaway said Wednesday. "Second of all, if he was on my team, I'd really distance myself from him. I don't think he should be in the locker room when we are in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that. . . . I'd ask for him to get traded. Something has to give. The majority of the players would ask for him to be traded, or they would want to get traded. Or just buy him out of his contract and let him go."

But, Tim, you realize that's bigotry and homophobia?

"I hate gay people," Hardaway said in an interview on 790 The Ticket. "I let it be known. I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people. I'm homophobic. I don't like it. There shouldn't be a world for that or [a place] in the United States for it. I don't like it."

I've got to say I'm not really surprised by his opinion, but more so of his use of the word "hate." Colin Cowherd's had numerous people call in, from both sides of the fence. There are those that blast Hardaway, and those that completely agree with his views. The most interesting, I thought, was from a youth minister. He said that although he didn't believe homosexuality was right; he realized that it goes on, yet intolerance and hate towards others was not an acceptable resolution.

I've thought about it, and it's absolutely the word hate that's the most jarring to me. It just conjures up such vitriolic thoughts in my mind. Maybe that's just me. The context and the venom with which the words came out of his mouth (I've heard the radio interview numerous times now, not just read the column) is pretty disturbing.
There's a difference between saying, "I hate Mondays," and hearing him say "I hate gay people." I don't know how to describe it, you have to listen to the emotion and passion in his voice when he spews his opinion.

I am absolutely all for his right to hold such an opinion, however. I am absolutely dead set against such an opinion, and have every right to such. I do not, however, believe that his dismissal by the NBA from doing public appearances is an overreaction.

The right to speak out on an issue is absolute; the freedom from the consequences after exercising that right is not.