Much Ado About Monday: Jason Collins

It's been a very busy sports Monday from the get-go. While some people may think Tim Tebow's release from Jets is the big story of the day, it's not even close.

NBA veteran center Jason Collins came out of the closet Monday with a simple statement. "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.", is what Collins told Sports Illustrated. Collins, who spent the first 6-1/2 seasons of his career with the New Jersey Nets and spent time with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards this season, had been orchestrating the announcement for a while.

Collins felt it was time for someone to step up; someone who still had a desire to play to play professional sports. Now comes the real test- being accepted by an owner, front office, coaches, and players. Shortly after the announcement, support started pouring in from a variety of backgrounds, but none more important than active NBA players themselves.

Kobe Bryant ‏@kobebryant3hProud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU

Of course there was ignorance as expressed (and then retracted) as well by the NFL's Mike Wallace.

@Wallace17_daKid All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH.”

Mike Wallace ‏@Wallace17_daKid1hNever said anything was right or wrong I just said I don't understand!! Deeply sorry for anyone that I offended

I'm sure he would like to have come out sooner - no team could then use the excuse that they don't have room for a 34-year old on their team. Collins finally did come out because he felt it was time to live his life truly, to be who he was. Let's hope he's treated with the dignity he deserves and as an equal., not just on the court, but in life.

The Sportsgasm

That is the term coined by the lovely Mrs. MM to describe the overlapping sports seasons. As in, "You're going to have a sportsgasm". With the Yankees heading to the post-season and the Giants off to a 3-0 start in the NFL, she is right as usual. Plus, incredibly, the NHL season opener is just a mere days away.

She first coined the phrase when the Yankees season began and I bounced between the early games and NY Rangers playoff hockey and Boston Celtics playoff basketball.

The sportsgasm is a great feeling, probably the equivalent of a woman eating chocolate. (Unlike women, however, I don't think the sportsgasm is better than sex.) And your partner may not enjoy your sportsgasm with you.

This is NOT Mrs. MM, but it could be during a football or hockey game.

There can be messy clean up with the sportsgasm. Chips, soda, beer, remote controls can often be sent flying in various directions. Actually, the remote control is usually reserved for big, bad moments, such as when the Rangers lost to the Devils in Game 5 of the 1994 conference finals. (Still haven't been able to totally fix that dent on the wall.)

Speaking of remote controls, the sportsgasm cannot be achieved without an excellent working remote control or two. You always need a supply of fresh batteries to be sure you're not stuck on one channel. (God forbid you have to get up and manually change the station.) You also should have a good working knowledge of the "last" and "favorite" buttons on the remote. They are essential in making rapid fire changes from one channel to another.

You should also be familiar with the SAP button, DVR controls, etc... no, not to use them, but how to shut them off if you accidentally hit one of them in the middle of a game.



So there you have it. Enjoy your sports and your sportsgasm. Oh and always practice safety... be sure to use a coaster.