For the Idiot File: Tim Hardaway

In American society, you have the freedom of speech to say what you please. More often that not, most people enable a filter onto themselves in our politically correct world; therefore, celebrities do not to want to so much offend, but to save face and not hurt their careers.

Bottom line, ignorance is ignorance and as great as the sporting world is, it can be the bastion of boorishness, intolerance and idiocy.

Tim Hardaway, welcome to the Idiot File. Even though we live in a so-called tolerant society, ignorance and hatred always seems to find a crack in the surface.

Hardaway, I was a Golden State Warriors fan back in the day when you roamed the floor with Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond and yourself to create T-M-C. Ok, you all didn’t win anything, but you all made the game fun back in the day.

In case anyone missed it, he was on a talk show in Miami hosted by Dan LeBatard, and Hardaway in response to John Amaechi announcing his homosexuality said:

"First of all, I wouldn't want him (Amaechi) on my team.

"And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right. And you know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that,"

When I heard this, it was one of those *WTF* moments and that an athlete who played in the NBA, one of the most image-conscious leagues in sports said that. Furthermore, you got his honest answer, and therefore there was no turning back.

You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Dan LeBatard admonished him.

However, Hardaway brought anti-gay thoughts out into the open. This is why and athlete will never come out, and it’s quite refreshing that someone was so honest with their feelings.

He was honest to the point where he was comfortable to let his feelings be known without any thoughts of repercussions. Since yesterday, the NBA has banned him from all league sponsored events in the future, if not forever.

Now for the kicker:

Hardaway, later saying he regretted the remarks, apologized for the remarks during a telephone interview with Fox affiliate WSVN-TV in Miami.

"Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that," he said. "That was my mistake." (ESPN)

Maybe he’ll be joining Isisah Washington, and other countless celebrities in rehab for problems they didn’t know excited until they enlightened the nation.

Pathetic.

For those who are against diversity and programs promoting tolerance, Hardaway's attitude towards a segment of American society that's maligned for no other reason than their orientation still permeates our environment today. Yes, you can disagree with it, but homosexuals are no less of Americans and human beings than you or I.