Redskin Receiver Resurrects Rumors that Legendary Quarterback Troy Aikman is Gay October 17, 2007
Los Angeles, CA - For years there have been implications that legendary Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman may be gay, but this week Redskin’s wide receiver Brandon Lloyd all but outed the former player in a radio interview. The comment came after now sports commentator Aikman criticized the receiver for a pass that he missed during a game, but the retaliation may just add fuel to an already smoke filled fire.
Troy Aikman was the number one draft pick out of college and legendary coach Jimmy Johnson brought him on board to help out the then struggling Dallas team. During his tenure at the club, the exceptional player was a pro Bowler 6 times and brought three Super Bowl championships back to Dallas.
His good looks and raw talent always made him a fan favorite, but also sparked rumors that he was a homosexual. Aikmen never made much of the rumors that were fueled by several insiders in the NFL, but the speculations always seemed to resurface.
In his 1996 book Hell-bent, football analyst Skip Bayless made the first reference to the subject and since that time rumors have neither been denied nor confirmed.
David Kopay, the first openly gay NFL player who came out in the seventies, also made reference to Aikmen's sexuality several times and later publicly apologized for trying to force Aikman out of the closet.
After retiring in 2001, Aikman joined the Fox Sports team as a commentator and has been an energetic addition to their line up.
This week, while calling a Redskins game, Aikman stated that he felt Lloyd had missed a catchable pass that could have cost the club a scoring opportunity. The next day on 106.7 WJFK in Washington, D.C, Lloyd retaliated by saying, “There's no such thing as an easy catch in football. I don’t believe Tory Aikman anyway. He wasn’t man enough to admit his personal life situation as a player.”
The radio hosts respond by saying, “ I knew he was queer” and they all continued making speculations about Aikman’s sexuality.
Gay or not, Aikman is one of the most outstanding players to ever take to a football field and has earned a respected place in history.
Writers at Towleroad.com commented on the interview saying, “Lloyd presents no solid evidence of anything regarding Aikman, but the exchange demonstrates the difficult atmosphere gay players must face in the NFL. When a player's sexuality is seen as something that can blatantly be used against them is it any wonder none of them are open about it.”
So far neither side has made a further comment about the incident.
Copyright 2007 GayWired.com, All Rights Reserved
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The point that has been lost in this discussion is what relevance the subject's sexuality has to each underlying story. While both stories involve men making passes, one dropped the other arrest worthy, only one pass implicates sexuality.
Both men have public profiles (we can argue about what responsibilities they may have but that is a different discussion). Both men have also had numerous rumors about their sexuality.
It has been well established in this thread the years of allegations and rumors about Aikman being gay. What is missing is reference to the numerous rumors about Craig (dating to 1982 according to a Washington Post story). He is also one of a list of politicians in DC often suspected of being gay. His hometown newspaper was working on a news story on these allegations for the past year. The story was killed but then resurrected after news of his arrest surfaced.
Neither the rumors about the men nor their public profiles alone warrant their sexuality being a news story. An important distinction is how the issue of their sexuality was brought into the stories.
In Craig's situation, he was arrested as part of a police sting targeting sex in a public restroom. Instead of proclaiming his innocence, he chose to plead guilty. A politician being arrested is usually newsworthy. That he was arrested for activities that directly implicate his sexuality makes his sexuality relevant.
It becomes more relevant when you factor in Craig's voting record in the Senate (as summarized by Greg) and his comments and actions since the story broke.
Allegations of his sexuality are also relevant when you factor in Craig's party affiliation and the Republican Party's record on gay issues and the recent "scandals" involving other party members (David Vitter and Mark Foley).
Now contrast this to the Aikman story. Aikman's sexuality is called into question by a professional football player making an ad hominem attack against Aikman because he was upset that Aikman criticized him for dropping a pass. Aikman's comments were directly related to his job as a football commentator and in no way directly implicated his own sexuality (had he commented on another player's sexuality this would be different).
The Aikman story is nothing more than a childish playground taunt with no more validity than "I know you are but what am I". Childhood taunts are not newsworthy even from professional athletes. And it definitely does not make years of rumor and innuendo newsworthy.
This is so interesting that we are putting so much emphasis on who's gay and who's not; who's closeted and should come out et cetera. Why do we even care? What someone does behind closed doors is their business, unless of course they want everyone to know.
Jim/Ryan...kiss and make up.
I'll have to admit that just because someone has a badge doesn't make him/her any more credible than someone without one. I have listened to reports, radio interviews and the alike. What I can't picture, you're married...your wedding band is on your left hand. Why in God's name would someone (Senator Craig) reach from left to right to get someone's attention in the stall to the right of them? To me, it just doesn't make sense.
How many times have you had people you know (yourself included), get crossed by a law enforcement? It is something that happens ALL the time and causes damages beyond repair.
Lastly, if you happen to have sex with a celebrity (wishful thinking), do you honestly think they are going to admit it? That'll be the day Troy Aikman and Larry Craig rendezvous. Just a little light humor boys.
Thanks to LOGO Television, I have been able to watch lots of episodes of Queer as Folk. This 'story' comes along just when I was beginning to think I could sense fact from fiction. I don't know nor care if Troy Aikman is 'family' or not - but I do know this: I respect folks who are courageous and themselves. Let's honor and celebrate those who have come out and provided positive role models.
This past weekend I took the opportunity to see one such 'out' athlete in action in the community. John Ameci, former NBA player, was involved in an HRC event in Orlando. He carried himself well and was very polite and giving of his time and energy. I'd rather see folks applaud John than 'wonder' about Troy.
10/18/2007 1:38 PM
todd aka st. breesus
you know what's harmful to our community? this idea that we should all be this one "mind" when it comes to dealing with issues that affect the lgbt community. this idea that if you have a differing opinion then your not truly a part of the team to fight for our causes. it's fucking ridiculous. we're human, we're not supposed to agree on everything. this idea that we should have this unified front to the rest of the world is what will truly harm the lgbt community in the long run. and anyone who doesn't follow in step will be ridiculed to the nth degree. gee, that's not really being inclusive now is it? what happened to all of this love that supposedly exists within the lgbt community? HA!! it's a fallacy and im so glad i never fell for it.
i don't hide my sexuality one bit. i would have no problem walking down any street in this country with my partner holding his hand. hell, i've done it countless times. having said that, it doesn't mean my sexuality is the "be all end all" for it's just a part of me. i go to pride parades, lgbt functions, fund rallies etc...but that still doesn't make who i am. it's only a part of me and i don't really see how that means i have internalized homophobia.
all of the above examples doesn't mean horse shit for the simple fact that im happy with myself. i have self love and if you have self love then internalized homophobia just can't exist. so you can assume all you want ryan, that is your right but it's just that, an ASSUMPTION. i really have no idea who you are and i would never truly try to assume your nature from posts on a message board. your opinions on these boards just make up a part of you. it's not the totality of what makes you.
sound familiar?
Ryan, thanks for the sympathy, but it's truly not needed. I'm perfectly proud of being gay. I don't consider my long term relationship with Mark any more or less, because he's a man. If you're going to quote someone, then you should quote properly. I said "Not everyone wants to be defined by who they sleep with." Frankly, I'd like to think I can't be defined. But, if you desperately require categories and definitions for people, I am a caucasion, gay male, approximately 5' 11", blond(ish) hair, blue (sometimes bloodshot) eyes and 175# (on a good day).
And no, referring to someone's sexual orientation shouldn't be a punishment, except the gay community chooses to use it as a weapon every now and then when it suits them. However, we get our panties all in a twist when it's used in a manner we don't agree with.
In my original post I mentioned someone would say simply not being out is a blow (slight pun intended) to the community. To that, I say shenanigans. Famous people are famous, because of WHAT they do, not WHO they do (unless you're Paris Hilton). Aikman was a football player, end of story. That was his job. He did it well and looked damn good doing it.
10/18/2007 12:59 PM
Ryan
Jim, your "knowledge" is tempered by what you choose to believe. That you hold one overzealous cop's account of one encounter with Larry Craig as more proof than dozens of people who have stated that Troy Aikman is gay simply shows me that you don't want to look at the evidence that is out there.
Guys, have fun hiding your sexuality and talking about how it's not an important part of your life. I'll be out there living my life, embracing being gay, and having a lot more fun doing it. Just know that what you do and what you say about our community keeps guys in the closet, forces people like Larry Craig to do dirty things in public, and causes more pain when all of us decide to come out of the closet.
10/18/2007 12:50 PM
todd aka st. breesus
the difference is my reality is way different than yours. no one is putting their fingers in their ears ryan. we're not ignoring you. we just disagree with you. there is nothing wrong with differing opinions.
i still haven't been shown this "pile of evidence" showing that troy is gay. if you consider that ignoring reality then fine. it's your opinion and i don't share it.
i agree with greg. just because you don't want to be defind by who you sleep with does not mean you think less of your partner/boyfriend/trick/whatever. your sexuality is only a part of you. it is not the totality of what makes you.
10/18/2007 12:48 PM
Ryan
So now gay men have no "masculinity"? Internalized homophobia, strike Jim down now.
The only reason why it's "normal" for a straight man to want to punch someone for suggesting he is gay is because he's homophobic. If someone suggested I was straight, I wouldn't want to punch him. If someone suggested I was a child rapist, I might. See the difference?
10/18/2007 12:34 PM
Ryan
Jim, this isn't a popularity contest. That I'm outnumbered by a bunch of guys suffering from internalized homophobia doesn't make your position any more valid.
Larry Craig has ONE witness, who didn't even have sex with him. There are dozens of witnesses who have linked Troy Aikman with being gay, among them a prominent gay man who probably has inside knowledge. The cases are very different here. You shouldn't have to commit a crime to be labeled gay in this society, which is what you're suggesting. And you STILL refuse to answer my question about Craig's family. Why?
10/18/2007 12:32 PM
Ryan
Greg, Troy Aikman publicly threatened to punch Skip Bayless in the face for publishing a "rumor" that he is gay. Why would he want to punch someone in the face unless he thought that being gay was a bad thing?
Talking about a gay man's sexual orientation shouldn't be treated as a punishment that we dole out only to those people who wrong us. Any closeted gay man wrongs us by denying his true sexual orientation, as Aikman has. It doesn't matter if he later speaks out against LGBTs...he speaks out against LGBTs by denying his association with us and by saying that any rumors about being gay deserve a physical assault.
There's a difference between being the flag-waver at Pride and simply being out. David Hyde Pierce, a man in the public eye, has come out and isn't an active member of any LGBT group that I'm aware of.
When you use phrases like "I don't want to be defined by who I sleep with," you're simply denigrating your status as a homosexual and subverting yourself to the heterocentric norm. Straight people define themselves by who they sleep with all the time. If you don't consider a relationship with a same-sex partner as a significant part of your life that you define yourself by, I feel sorry for you.
10/18/2007 12:27 PM
Ryan
Putting your fingers in ears and saying "I can't hear you, I can't hear you!" doesn't change reality, guys.
Not to beat a dead horse, but I had to get my 2 cents in...
Why do we have to attack and “expose” EVERY public figure we perceive (in some cases, hope) to be gay?
There’s a HUGE difference between Troy Aikman and Larry Craig.
Larry Craig has campaigned against the gay community. Every chance he’s gotten he’s voted against gay rights. He’s proclaimed over and over that he’s not gay and “doesn’t do that kind of thing.” If he’s a ‘mo behind closed doors while at the same time voting against the rest of us, then he should be outed and left to fend for himself. Btw, why would he have pleaded guilty to begin with?
Troy Aikman, on the other hand, hasn’t said a thing (as far as I’m aware) regarding his sexuality or a thing against the gay community. He has been quietly living his life with his family and has done nothing wrong (as far as anyone here knows). Why should we drag him into the mire?
If someone is gay and in the public eye while at the same time denies being gay and acts against the gay community, then yes, attack away. When a famous person is rumored to be gay and the story ends there, leave them alone. Other than mental material for self-gratification, it serves no purpose.
I’m sure the argument will be made that simply not being ‘out’ is an act against the gay community. BS! Not everyone wants to be defined by who they sleep with. We don’t need to have every famous gay person carry the rainbow flag down Bourbon Street during Decadence.
Sorry for the rant. Can’t we simply enjoy Aikman’s career and the fact that he’s hot without slinging gay trash? (Would have said mud, but that could have taken on an entirely different meaning…)
10/18/2007 12:26 PM
todd aka st. breesus
yeah, this horse is dead for sure. we just have differing opinions. the world will continue on. my life doesn't change one bit if troy is a breeder or not. what he does behind closed doors has no consequence on my life or my community.
10/18/2007 12:25 PM
Ryan
Jim, you have nothing. Don't talk about Larry Craig if you don't like me talking about Troy Aikman. Think of Craig's family like you want me to think about Aikman's.
todd, supposed murderers on death row, who were convicted in a CRIMINAL court of law (on a much higher burden of proof than in a civil case) are exonerated nearly every month because it was found later that they didn't do it. Are they murderers like OJ?
The evidence is in the story..."Kopay...also made reference to Aikmen's sexuality several times and later publicly apologized FOR TRYING TO FORCE AIKMAN OUT OF THE CLOSET." [emphasis mine] You don't force someone out of the closet who you don't think is gay...because that person isn't in the closet to begin with.
10/18/2007 12:21 PM
todd aka st. breesus
oj was found guilty in a civil court of law. that's why i can safely say that oj is a murderer.
i will continue to discuss the topic but i will not discuss oj simpson. the only connection between the two is that they were both highly gifted and respected football players, that's pretty much it. so argue away about oj. it's not the topic at hand.
if kopay is backtracking then cite your evidence. show us proof/links in support of your claim.
10/18/2007 12:17 PM
Ryan
Jim, why does someone with a badge on make a better witness than someone without it? And how do you get proof that you've had sex with someone? You make no sense. And what about Larry Craig's family?
todd, Kopay said Aikman was gay, "tried to force him out of the closet," got called out on it, and is now backpedaling. That he denies that Aikman is gay now, after being pressured into doing so, means nothing. There are no persistent rumors about John Cena being gay because he doesn't sleep with men. Where there's smoke, there's fire.
10/18/2007 12:13 PM
todd aka st. breesus
kopay clearly says that he doesn't sense that troy is gay.
"I know it's not politically correct in the gay community to say that Troy is not gay, but I have a sense that he's not. Then again, you never know for sure. He could be gay."
seems pretty clear to me what he says. he's right that you never know for sure. he could be gay.
so can john cena, colin ferrel, half the rockies baseball team, etc..
wishful thinking of course.
10/18/2007 12:07 PM
Ryan
Jim, you still haven't answered the questions about Larry Craig's family. Why can you denigrate his family and harm his children by claiming that he's gay? Besides, if someone said that he did have sex with Troy Aikman, you'd just laugh it off as a "rumor."
10/18/2007 12:02 PM
Ryan
OJ never admitted guilt, todd. Why can you call him murderous and not call Aikman gay?
10/18/2007 11:56 AM
todd aka st. breesus
doug,
exactly. he admitted guilt in a court of law. so i think we can put away the silly comparison between the, i think, murderous oj and craig.
plus kopay clearly states that he doesn't sense that troy is gay. so what evidence is left that leads anyone to believe that troy is gay? this article?
lloyd is just pissed cause he missed a pass and troy, being a football commentator, called him out on it. sour grapes if you ask me. lloyd is just an "ok" football receiver. his stats clearly show that. troy didn't do anything wrong in his comments about lloyd, it's his job to comment. at least troy is doing his job well. the same can't be said about lloyd. he'll be traded come the end of the season for not performing.
so what other evidence? wishful thinking?
i figured that this was/is a non story.
and if by chance that troy is gay then i wish him the best in coming to terms with it on his own time. we all know it's a hard path to get through.
he has done nothing to harm me or my community in any way and should be let alone.
10/18/2007 11:53 AM
Ryan
Jim, if I see you walking hand-in-hand with another man and kissing him, or better yet, if I were to have sex with you, it's not a "rumor" about your sexual orientation, it's a fact. That you can consider me telling someone else that fact makes it a "rumor" doesn't make it any less true. There are plenty of people with "specific" stories about closeted celebrities like Wentworth Miller, Anderson Cooper, and Jodie Foster. Why are these less credible than police reports, and why do you not want us to discuss them?
There isn't any more to say because you won't answer my questions.
todd, that story doesn't say Dave Kopay doesn't think Troy Aikman is gay. First of all, Kopay set off a shitstorm when he said that Aikman was gay. He's covering his tracks after "trying to force Aikman out of the closet." Second, Barry Switzer, a known homophobe, didn't like Aikman because he is gay. See also: Jerry Sloan's relationship with John Amaechi as profiled in Amaechi's book. Third, Skip Bayless, a Texas reporter who has a far more intimate history with Troy Aikman than any of us in this thread, knows Aikman is gay. That's more than enough proof for me, far more than has been shown about Larry Craig.
Quoting GLAAD, re: Bayless's book: "Speculation about Troy Aikman's sexual orientation is not the problem. The problem is homophobia perpetuated by the NFL and biased journalism." You guys perpetuate this homophobia by having double standards for Larry Craig and Troy Aikman.
Rumors that someone is gay don't happen when you're not gay. That so many different people think Troy Aikman is gay means something, and it's not that a lot of people don't like Troy Aikman...it means he's had sex with guys.
Jim, the police report is based on ONE MAN'S version of a story, a version that Larry Craig is denying. If that's your basis of "evidence," then there is a lot more about Troy Aikman. Look at what Dave Kopay said years ago about him, look at what this NFL player is saying about Troy Aikman, everything. That these guys aren't police officers doesn't mean a thing.
Larry Craig ALSO has a family and children, and these stories have hurt them just as much. Do you have no compassion for Larry Craig's family? Why is there compassion for Troy Aikman's family and not for Larry Craig's? Why can you criticize me for talking about Troy Aikman being a closeted gay man but do the same thing about Larry Craig? Why does supposedly reaching under a bathroom stall mean your family gets no compassion?
10/18/2007 9:55 AM
Ryan
Jim, what has Larry Craig done? Reached under a bathroom stall? That's not exactly raping a little girl. Aikman is a closeted gay man in the public eye who denigrates the very existence of LGBTs by refusing to admit to his own sexual orientation. He's done far more than enough for me.
You want to end the conversation because you have nothing to back up your points. If you talk about Larry Craig being gay, you need to talk about Troy Aikman being gay...there's far more evidence backing up the latter, including from some experts like Dave Kopay.
10/18/2007 9:18 AM
Ryan
Jim, a cop is the only person saying that Larry Craig made a pass at him. Craig is denying the charges. Troy Aikman has had dozens of men accuse him of being gay, including the first openly gay NFL player. I think you lose on the credibility front. Besides, Craig, like Aikman, is married with kids. Craig is the representative of a state in the Senate; Aikman talks about football for a couple hours a week. Upstanding citizen? I think Craig wins, hands down.
There's no difference in their situations, save one cop's story that Craig is denying. But you see one when you can ACCUSE Larry Craig of being gay in another thread, when there is apparently the same amount, if not less evidence of his being gay than there is about Troy Aikman. If you don't think a cop can lie on a police report as much or more than gossip columnists, you're fooling yourself. The fact that a cop is involved doesn't mean that Larry Craig is gay any more than the fact that the NFL player (who's probably interacted with Troy Aikman far more than the cop has with Larry Craig) claiming Troy Aikman is gay means Aikman is gay. There's less credibility in the cop's statement than this player's.
If you want to talk about Larry Craig being gay, which you have, you've simply opened up the closet door and should allow ALL speculation about ANYONE who is gay. Anything else is hypocritical.
Mel, I don't kowtow to homophobia. There are lots of gay NFL fans, and the sooner the NFL realizes it, the better. "Accepting" homophobia simply means propagating it.
10/17/2007 8:06 PM
todd aka st. breesus
jim,
i certainly see the difference between larry and troy and their situations. oh wait, troy isn't in a situation. he was just slandered.
but to some people on here im a homophobic uncle tom so i have no relevence.
i get the giggles just reading that.
uncle tom, too funny.
speaking of sports, G0 ROCKIES!!!!
It is because he finds it is easier to denigrate a joke of a man and reinforce the bad stereotypes, than assert a hero/star in a positive light. Somehow Craig "deserves" the lambaste where as Aikman has done seemingly nothing to warrant the accusations.
Not that I agree, but it is a personal evaluation of such actions.
10/17/2007 11:09 AM
Ryan
Jim in the Larry Craig story: "well Moses, the problem with Craig isnt that he sucks cock from time to time" and "...and yet he [Craig] appears to be gay."
Why can you talk about Larry Craig being gay, Jim, but not Troy Aikman or anyone else?
10/17/2007 11:07 AM
Ryan
Jim, OJ hasn't said he killed his ex-wife and Ron Brown, but plenty of people write about it in the media. We no more need OJ's admission that he killed his wife to talk about it than we do Troy Aikman's admission that he is gay to talk about it.
In fact, Jim, Larry Craig's sexual orientation is a rumor but you have no problem commenting about it in another thread. Why is this any different?
His being gay could hurt his family? Only if his family is homophobic. And allegations that he is gay could hurt his endorsement chances? Again, only if you think that being gay is bad. That you're willing to accept and embrace that possibility and assume its truth only shows me how homophobic you are.
10/17/2007 10:42 AM
Anthony
Flippant comments that are harmful are called slander. I believe it is not harmful to call someone gay, but in the sports world, Troy Aikman could lose contracts based on his sexuality. This is unfortunately the sad state of the world today. I agree this is not a story that should appear in the press as it is all based on rumors. But it has promoted a good debate on whether it is appropriate to "out" anyone in the public's eye.
10/17/2007 9:21 AM
Ryan
Flippant comments make the world go around, guys. Troy Aikman is a homo just as much as Rosie O'Donnell is a homo. It was a story when Rosie O'Donnell came out, it was a story when Ellen DeGeneres came out, it was a story when Barney Frank came out, it's a story that Larry Craig has not come out...need I go on?
"Using his sexuality against him," as Towleroad puts it, is a matter of perspective. I think my sexual orientation as one of my best personality traits, and I think all confidently gay men should. If you don't, or if you make excuses for not wanting to talk about it, it goes a long way towards proving your own acceptance of your sexuality.
Those of you who want to fight for equal rights and acceptance of LGBTs then denigrate those who want to break down the closets once and for all--in the process making the biggest step forward for LGBTs--are the true hypocrites here.
Our visibility is our strength. When the media participates in keeping someone in the public eye closeted, they're not doing us any favors.
