Disappointed!

Remember the scene from A Fish Called Wanda when Kevin Kline's character screams, "Disappointed!"? I felt the same way this morning, not because I didn't find jewels in the safe, but because I read a blog entry about Torii Hunter's stance on homosexual ball players.

 

I always liked Torii Hunter, especially when he played for Minnesota. He's a solid fielder, an even better hitter, and, let's face it, he has a killer smile. That said, reading about his discomfort at the prospect of playing with a homosexual teammate caused me some disappointment. Is he really using the Christianity defense for his intolerance? Please. My understanding of abiding by Christianity is emulating the selfless, kind works of Christ. Then again, I'm a lapsed Catholic, so what do I know?

 

The religious rants of athletes annoy me. I'm sorry, but they do. Josh Hamilton's phony fervor and so-called rededication to Christ are such a farce. Now that he is "second," he feels his crack smoking, adulterous days are forgiven. While it's true that gone are the days of liquor-swilling, womanizing, cigar-puffing baseball players who couldn't physically represent athletes if they tried, we instead have the same hedonistic players who lean toward pleasurable lifestyles but then excuse such scandalized behavior by claiming they strayed from religion. They use their faith as a platform for improving themselves. Why can't they just admit they succumbed to financial gain and focus on their work on the field, instead of filling press conference time with vapid atonement and religious oratory? It all seems so artificial.

 

I digress, as usual. Back to Mr. Hunter. Why would the presence of a gay teammate make another player uncomfortable? Do straight men flatter themselves into believing gay men would make passes at them in any circumstance? Why is it acceptable for heterosexuals to make passes at each other in public, but unacceptable for homosexuals to do so? Why does it matter? Please don't give me the biblical literalism approach to your explanation. I can't have that.

 

Oh, Mr. Hunter. Your dazzling smile won't charm yourself out of this mess.