Mike Ditka is the analyst and former Chicago Bears coach who led his team to a 15-1 season in 1985 and won Super Bowl XX.
What would he say to Chris Culliver, the 49ers’ defensive back, who made those anti-gay remarks last week?
“There’s an old saying,” Ditka said. “Make sure your brain is engaged before opening (your) mouth, especially in San Francisco. It (reaction) might have been different in Dallas.”
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This is nuts, how far have we come as to having any freedom to hold a differing views towards homosexuality. On Thursday (just one day), 49ers Webzone had 35, yes thirty-five articles written by the media on Cullivers response to whether he would want gays in the Niner locker room. With that was a chiding response and distancing by the PR department, his coach and even the owner. It also must mean he’s a hate monger and intolerant of others, a real crap of a human being.
It was only 50 years ago African Americans had to drink water from a different fountain and sit at the back of the bus. Just because we have freedom of speech doesn’t mean everything we say is justified. It’s 2013 and times are very different… Chris should have known better than to open his mouth on such a touchy topic and I guarantee you he regrets saying anything at all.
First let’s just talk in terms of professional behavior.
As a professional you do not make comments that could put you or the team in a negative light. Especially before the Super Bowl.
Even if Culliver doesn’t accept homosexuals personally. Professionally he’s required to tolerate them in the work place and work with them (be a supportive teammate).
When Culliver was asked about the possability of having a homosexual teammate. He simply should have answered that the 49ers are an equal opportunity organization and I support my teammates in our common goals on the field.
Culliver’s response just showed that he’s immature and insecure about homosexuality.
The SF media and many of the participants on this blog ardently support diversity and tolerance — unless that involves tolerating an unpopular point of view with which they disagree.
intolerant of intolerance? ah, the world is made up of so much wonderful hypocrisy. i’m always surprised why this keeps surprising others.
nah, he’s too valuable. starting corners (Culliver would start on many teams) on a rookie’s salary contract are hard to come by.
The LBGT community would have to hold their pride parade at the Niner’s facility during training camp in protest for Cully to be traded. As valuable as Cully is, the entertainment value might be worth it.
You mean we should be tolerant of bigots?
Let us be tolerant of Bull Connor, attack dogs and fire hoses while we’re at it.
NOT INTOLERANT???
“Nah. We don’t got no gay people on the team. You know, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can’t be with that sweet stuff. Nah. Nah. Can’t be… can’t… uh… be in the locker room.”
So it would have been ok and acceptable if he had said,
“actually, homosexuals are welcome to play on this team, I just believe it is morally reprehensible.”
nope, that falls under “negative media spotlight”. just give the team answer that the organization supports everyone and that he supports his teammates on the field.
simple solutions for stupid people.
all4fun
Tollerance and “open mindednes” implies tolerating oppinions that are different from yours. While what Cully said creates a distraction and should have been kept private (not because its right/wrong but because it reflects poorly on ur employer 49ers) The people who jump down his throat are practicing the same principles (shaming, exclusion) that they deride Cully for. Its a common theeme im openminded as long as everyone is openminded in the EXACT same fashion as me
bos,
what’s your point? i haven’t said anything about Culliver’s views as being right or wrong. Just unprofessional. They’re unprofessional because they go against rules that state employers have to provide a tolerant work place. Also because it causes a media hot storm where the media will jump down his throat.
is your issue with why the media is jumping down his throat for being intolerant? are they upset because his comments are unprofessional? or Intolerant? to the Intolerance, well that’s their opinion and they can say what they want. Culliver can’t and still be professional. If the media’s recaction is because of Cully’s unprofessional, then they’ve got him dead to rights.
All 4
I agree with you. But the MEDIA is the one thats causing the distraction as evidenced by them asking Cully the same questions for 45 min on wednesday. and the reaction to the reaction is what keeps this going non stop. If its hard for us fans to wait 2 weeks for the SB its even harder for the media because they have stories to write, space to fill. So IMO as bad as what cully said (and i cringed when i heard it) the media is running with it making it more than it could have been. thats all
sure he should. for being a distraction to the team and being, putting the organization in a negative spotlight and just simply being unprofessional.
ya think more than half of the Niners locker room is probably not okay with homosexuality? most likely. but they’re professionals and don’t make it a controversial sound bite.
Piers = Darren…just trying to stir up more drama. Pay no attention.
Piers…
You got it all wrong. It’s not that his opinion is wrong or that he’s not justified to his own opinion. And he does have the right under the 1st amendment to say whatever he wants to. It’s that he said it to a media outlet four days before the Super Bowl and had to know that it was going to cause a firestorm of controversy. I personally am very liberal and one of my dearest friends is a gay male so yeah I took it personally because it does hurt others. I admit it would be an awkward situation at first but it’s eventually going to happen. Not everyone is going to agree with it but not everyone agreed with African Americans having the same rights as everyone else 50 years ago either.
The semantics arguement always makes me laugh.
I can’t believe the media is still reporting this story.
Bos,
waiting the media is like blaming the rain for getting you wet. it’s the media’s job report whatever world get the more ratings any story of interest. if a bee stings a person and that person then decides to hit a be high with a stick and and the beest come out in staying everybody. who do you blame the beesor the idiot with a stick that poke the hive?
BLAIMING THE MEDIA. stupid phone
Essentially, Mike Ditka is saying “It’s OK to speak before you think in Dallas, but not in San Francisco.”
Love it!
If they had to think before speaking in Dallas there’s a good chance they’d have nothing to say. Especially Cowboy fans.
BRILLIANT!
Not finding excuses for Culliver, but looks like he was baited into answering the way he did. See video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AGVHeldoD8
First he is asked whether he is having fun with white girls during Super Bowl week. When he says no, he is asked what about gays. Got him all flustered and it was all downhill from then on… he should have known when to call it quits.
The young and gullible are easy targets. THE WHOLE SB CIRCUS SHOULD BE BANNED! There is nothing redeeming in 2 weeks of filling air time with looking for controversy!
Thanks for the link it shows that Culliver is just a kid who’s trying to be funny. not realizing how this looks bad, real bad in print.
Good points, guys.
It’s funny how the nfl forces you to do media week or else you get fined. In this case,we have a young athlete that opened his mouth at the wrong time.his upbringing most likely being from the south had a lot to do with his attitude towards homo sexuality. although he has already apologized,you know he was pressured Into it.
homo sexuality is a lifestyle choice a person makes . just because you don’t agree with that kind of lifestyle doesn’t make it wrong.
when you gets a group of men that play a violent sport involving blood sweat and tears not to mention the occasional group shower,I can see where a guy like him could become nervous and intolerant of homosexuality in the locker room. political correctness steers most people accept other views even if we don’t really believe in them.I believe this is a prime example of that.
Now, growing up in the Bay Area I have learned to accept all people regardless of race religion or in this case sexuality. We can’t judge people because of the differences rather we accept them because they are different. We all add something to this big pie call the human race. We love each other and be compassionate towards others beliefs.
I hate Super Bowl media week. It’s a waste of time, energy and brain power. Because of corporate sponsorship and television greed, we are forced to digest all of this Media garbage. In my opinion, the media is just as at fault as Culliver us. there needs to be censorship when it comes to things hurting people. Or at least wait till after the Superbowl.
I hate ALL media. It’s sad that so many folks get their info from this evil machine. They twist it and most buy it. Uhggg. Oh well. Are you fired up yet Brotha??????
I’ve been trying to get fired up but in his last to weeks there’s been so many negative stories ranging from Crabtree’s incident to manti teo, cully ,ray Lewis and A Rod among others I have already forgotten. To me , Super Bowl week needs to be strictly about football and the history of the game and it’s players. There should be no negativity involved. It’s kind of been like a buzz kill for me. I guess it doesn’t help that I’ve had the flu for 5 days now.
I have noticed way more Forty Niner fans on the streets and freeways and Its been cool. I think I’ll start getting nervous Saturday night or Sunday morning. I’m excited man. we have waited so long for this day to arrive that I’m almost forgotten how to feel. I want to win because I love my team and I also want to shut up all Raider fan and any hater out there what questions the greatness of the Forty Niner Empire. Go Niners and look for a beat down in New Orleans.
ninermd:
Once again you are 100% correct about the media,as you are about most subjects ! Keep up the great posts !
big niner,
Agree to everything you say. Except when you say it is a lifestyle choice. Don’t believe it is a choice – certain folks are just wired that way.
Rav 4…. There is NO conclusive study that says thy were born that way. There are studies who say they are just as studies who say they aren’t. Until its 100 percent proven you can’t say they are or are not “wired that way”
Rav, everything is by choice. Your beliefs, feelings when acted upon are by choice. Either you like it or you don’t. People choose their lifestyles and sometimes it’s just what the comfortable with. no 1 can force you to be gay or not.
ninermd,
are you an MD? because i think you need to read up on decades of neuroscience. free will is not a cut and dry reality for humans.
Maybe Big N’er feels Black people are making a lifestyle choice too? How about straight people?
Do they choose and pick their lifestyle too?
Big N’er
“homo sexuality is a lifestyle choice a person makes”???
REALLY? It’s a choice? What other options do they have?
Uh yes, how about heterosexual….people choose to live their life the way they want. Being of a certain color is not our choice.
@ Big
I agree with some stuff you post about football but to say people just choose to be gay or straight is crazy.
There are for to many studies that were done that prove otherwise. Being a homosexual is not just a human thing either there are documented accounts of animals being homosexual too.
49er pride is all over. (All of a sudden) but the honks I get when I’m flying the BIG flags on the truck are amazing. I hear horns all day from other Niner fans honking at the cars and trucks with their flags flying. Wheeeew! 2 days away!!!!!! #questforsix!!