Patriots Get Bored With Regular Superbowls: Become First NFL Team To Host The 'Gay Bowl'
Source - The New England Patriots will break new ground in the relationship between football and the LGBTQ community next fall. The Patriots will sponsor The Gay Bowl next October, Boston’s LGBT Flag Football group announced at its award banquet. This will be the first time an NFL team has sponsored the event, which will be held in Boston from Oct. 5-8. The Gay Bowl is an annual national championship tournament for LGBT flag football teams that started in 2002. Approximately 40 teams compete in three separate divisions for their individual championships. Patriots owner Robert Kraft attended the Boston flag football league’s annual scholarship dinner honoring local LGBT high school athlete Chris Morse. The Patriots sent Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett to officiate the tournament’s ceremonial coin flip in 2003, the last time the event was held in Boston.
I wish I could say I’m surprised but I’m not. Despite the constant shit they take from every angle, the Patriots continue to be the gold standard. This isn’t anything new for them either. In 2003 they sent Andre Tippett to officiate the Gay Bowls coin flip. Doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but in 2003 the only time people thought about gays was during an episode of Will & Grace. Come to think of it, I wasn’t even gay yet (that’s a choice I made later in life.)
I think we could’ve done better than “Gay Bowl” though. It sounds like “gay ball.” Regardless having an NFL team throw its support to this event is a big deal. I’m sure the showers will be lit too. For any athletes who are worried about how a gay teammate would act in a locker-room environment, do not use this tournament as an example. In all seriousness, shout out to Mr. Kraft for always being ahead of the curve and leading by example. Supporting athletes at a youth level is how future change happens. I know think the ship has sailed on me being a professional athlete but if more organizations follow in the Patriots footsteps, some other queen will have the honor of being the first openly gay professional athlete.
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