If he's openly gay I doubt a team will pick him up, way to much controversy and football isn't known as the most progressive sport.

My guess if the first open player is already playing with the NFL...and has been for a few years

The Seahawks could use a kicker.

Where's my SlogTip credit?

I'm suing.

@2: No, you guys just resigned Hauschka. Next I am going to have to let Seahawks fans know they recently locked up Safety Kam Chancellor to a four year, $28 million extension with $17 million guaranteed. Gawd.

This paper seriously needs a sports writer.

i'll take him.

right up my ass.

yowza.

he fine.

Off topic, but I experience the occasional but when loading slog, where videos posted under one thread appear in place of videos that are supposed to be posted others. For example, this thread is showing that ICP "Miracles" video right now. I had to open the diary in another page to see the one Dan actually posted.

Most of the time it's mildly annoying, but this was one of those times when it was delightful.

@ 3, Dan is notorious about not giving credit to Slog tippers. Just in too much of a hurry, I guess.

@4: Hauschka's got a weak leg and missed our last game due to injury. He's going to get competition from someone.

That guy is insanely attractive!

I clicked on his twitter account and it was pretty much 100% bible stuff and Joel Osteen retweets. People are crazy!

@ 9 He's has recovered but yes is shakey from beyond the 50.

@4 Sports is a dirty word here.

Seems like a nice guy, should be a little more pissed about his church's rejection of him, hope he makes it to the NFL.

@9: His injury was pretty minor, and there are lots of kickers in the league who have trouble past 50 yards. The current FA crop of kickers is weak, and there is not too much to speak of in the draft either.

I just don't see your front office signing another kicker when the one you currently have only missed three field goals all season, all from 50+. That's pretty damn good, all things considered.

@11: I know, right? Unless it's hockey, WNBA, or soccer, that is.

Kickers don't count. Everyone knows they're gay.

Indeed. I was hoping to all hell that he wasn't a kicker...

FWIW, this whole kabuki is predicated on the notion that there has never been a gay man in the NFL, which we all know is bullshit.

For me, personally, the best way for me to support my gay friends is to not give a shit about their plight. This means that I don't treat them with any consideration different than anyone else I know.

Because I don't give a shit about their cause/condition/situation and treat them like any of my other friends, that is equality.

Before you flame me, this is the same thing I say to my Jewish friends. I tell them that I am a Native American and and I'll start giving a shit about your plight at the exact moment you start giving a shit about mine.

That is generally the moment we start to learn about each others position. And then we end up becoming friends.

@15: I notice that you don't become friends with others UNTIL you've shared your plight. So caring about others' plight with the understanding that you want them to care about yours seems like a more sociable way to interact than not giving a fuck and not expecting a fuck to be given. I'm no starry-eyed hippie but I do believe empathy trumps apathy any day.

I read his twitter feed...dear lord this guy's got some issues. I mean how many times can you re-tweet Joel Osteen?!? I'm sure he's a monster in the sack but not someone you keep around for breakfast in the morning

UGH. The first potential out player is a KICKER? Nope, kickers don't count. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Rodgers.

@16

Perhaps I misspoke or didn't communicate my thoughts as well as I would've liked.

Let me put it this way. I treat everybody the same, whether they're my friends or not. At the same time, I don't have as much sympathy for my friends who are rich, white and gay or rich, white and Jewish when they whine about their plight. That's generally the time when I ask them how the gay or Jewish communities rally their support for Native Americans.

Realistically, I misspoke, because I wouldn't bring up an issue like this unless I was already among gay or Jewish friends or if I was in a debate in a bar with a gay Jewish drunken redneck.