 |
|
Photo by The Associated Press
|
Tuaolo Emerges from the NFL Closet
By Brian Kluepfel
Special to AsianWeek
Esera Tuaolo has faced the spotlight before. A two-time All-Conference player with Oregon State, the Honolulu-born defensive lineman went on to a nine-year NFL career, during which he went to the Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 and sang the national anthem before several games, including the 1999 Pro Bowl in his home state. He’s made CDs with recording star Suzy K and fellow teammates (NFL Jams, NFL Country). But now, all eyes are on the retired player for another reason — he’s admitted that he’s gay.
Currently living with his partner and two adopted children in Minnesota, Tuaolo chose to come out on ESPN’s Real Sports this week. He admits that he did everything to conceal his sexuality in and out of the locker room for fear of on-field retribution by the opposition and ostracism by his own teammates.
The double-life he was forced to lead had him suicidal at times, he said. He said that he made sure teammates saw him kiss women in bars, to keep them from being suspicious. “They didn’t know who Esera Tuaolo is,” he said. “What they saw was an actor.”
Ironically, Tuaolo did nothing on the field to merit this much attention. Although outstanding as a high school and college athlete, he was truly a journeyman as a professional, registering 12 sacks in nine seasons. He says the pressure of living with his secret was a contributing factor to his early retirement — he is only 34.
Tuaolo is not the first ex-NFL player to come out of the closet. Former Washington Redskin Dave Kopay talked about his sexuality freely for the first time in 1975, three years after retiring. Kopay also “outed” two teammates, All-Pro tight end Jerry Smith and fullback Ray McDonald. His 1977 autobiography, The Dave Kopay Story, became a national best-seller. Another ex-Redskin (and ex-New York Giant), Roy Simmons, chose a 1992 TV appearance on The Phil Donahue Show to say he was gay.
During his career, Tualo played for the Packers, Panthers, Vikings, Jaguars and Falcons. Tuaolo and Denver Bronco Maa Tanuvasa received letters of praise from Samoan Congressman Emi Faleomavaega. Though born in Hawai‘i, Tuaolo is the grandson of late High Chief Tavai Esera and nephew of High Talking Chief Tuaolo Lemoe of Pago Pago.
The world of male professional sports doesn’t address the issue of homosexuality, because it doesn’t really have to. No male player in any of the four “major” sports: football, basketball, baseball or hockey — has ever come out during their careers. A former teammate of Tuaolo’s on the Green Bay Packers, Sterling Sharpe, reasoned why. “He would have been eaten alive,” said Sharpe on the Real Sports program, aired for the first time this past Tuesday.
Tuaolo’s duet with singer Suzy K was called “Love has Found a Heart.” The question is, in the macho code of the locker room, will athletes ever have the heart, and tolerance, to accept a homosexual teammate, or will they force them to keep their identities hidden until their careers are over?
|
