CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama


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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney
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was asked his thoughts on Michael Sam's announcement that he is gay in an interview on The Morning Show with Jason Bailey and Randy Cross on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta.

Swinney said that as a football coach all he is looking for is the best football players regardless of sexual orientation.

"To be honest with you I don't get in all that stuff, " Swinney said in the interview. " I don't think it is anyone's business what their sexual orientation is. This is football. I have a lot of personal beliefs that I believe in, but I can't transfer those to the football field. On 3rd and 2 or 3rd and 15 you need the best football player."

Swinney said that he did play with players he believed were gay at Alabama, where he was a wide receiver from 1990-92.

"When I was at Alabama there were a couple of guys, as a player, that we felt like that was their sexual orientation," Swinney said. "But it was never an issue, never a problem. It's not something that you run out to tell people.

"Again, you have respect for each individual and their personal beliefs. It's just like they're different religions. I'm a Christian, but I've coached and played with Muslims and all kind of different religions. It's not about any of that. Those are personal decisions that people have to make. I mean everyone is going to be judged one day, but it's not up to me to judge somebody."

Swinney believes that he has probably coached a few gay players at Clemson.

"It's the same thing since I've been here at Clemson," Swinney said. "I've been here 11 seasons now and I'd be foolish to think there hasn't been a few guys that have come through here. That would be foolish. A football team is really just a reflection of society. It really is. You've got 118, 120 guys on the team, you got a little bit of everything. That's your job as a teammate, your job as a coach to bring all that together. It's not just sexual orientation. It's religious beliefs, it's background, culture. You are just talking about one thing. There are lots of things that dividing or potentially dividing factors among people. That's what makes football great. Football is the ultimate team sport. There is nothing that brings race, religion, and all that stuff together like the game of the football."

Listen to the full interview here

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Subject (Replies: 92) Author
spacer FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
TigerNet News®
spacer Here we go again!****
78Clemson00
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
SouthernTiger09
spacer Their mascot are C O C K S.***
STERLING®
spacer Sure, only retarded gamecocks would see anything wrong
soccerkrzy®
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
lhaselden
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Don't over think it ST09. The SC fans definitely will not.***
joeyb®
spacer Re: Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
cupton
spacer Coach answered this question Perfectly
MB93Tiger
spacer Re: Coach answered this question Perfectly
Dugatiger®
spacer Re: Coach answered this question Perfectly
919Tiger
spacer Well done Coach.***
STERLING®
spacer Couldn't have given a better answer.***
Smiling Tiger®
spacer Perfect answer, and I mean that!***
Clemson_Orange
spacer I lol'd***
Tiger6060
spacer Very well said. I have always held Coach Swinney in the
Clemson81to85
spacer Dabo Swinney: football coach, player and tightrope walker
conservativealex
spacer This liberal was pleasantly surprised and very pleased with
Clemson81to85
spacer did you mean Westboro?***
tiger_swimmer®
spacer Yes, thank you for that correction***
Clemson81to85
spacer I thought his comments were
conservativealex
spacer Too libertarian for a liberal?
Chuckston T-Man®
spacer Dabo's comments, with which I agree, were
conservativealex
spacer You know nothing of liberals, so don't bother commenting...
tigerking79
spacer Re: You know nothing of liberals, so don't bother commenting...
deleted
spacer ahahaha - expected***
conservativealex
spacer He knows plenty!
tmac9wr
spacer seems like he know all thats important.
domduck®
spacer Not trying to pick a fight, but that doesn't make sense
grover173
spacer Eh, in attitude not exactly
tiger_thom®
spacer disagree. great misconception. Liberals want it to be the
conservativealex
spacer Re: disagree. great misconception. Liberals want it to be the
withasigh
spacer indeed. and the libertarian would say gov. has no
conservativealex
spacer Liberals don't want the government intervening in people's..
tigerking79
spacer you are a card! go back to the IRS!***
conservativealex
spacer Remember for right wingers everybody has to be stereotyped..
tigerking79
spacer Re: Remember for right wingers everybody has to be stereotyped..
deleted
spacer hear hear!!!!***
conservativealex
spacer I am a Christian and pretty conservative
232press®
spacer Re: I am a Christian and pretty conservative
OneChristianGuy
spacer Says a lot of things people disregard now... because they
STERLING®
spacer I know, and respect, that you believe that
tiger_thom®
spacer Re: I am a Christian and pretty conservative
232press®
spacer That's all well and good... but
STERLING®
spacer where do you work and how did you not get fired?***
conservativealex
spacer Why would they need or want to defend their lifestyle to
SilverKing
spacer Re: Why would they need or want to defend their lifestyle to
232press®
spacer If God loves the sinner, then why doesn't he burn the crap
Completely Solid Orange
spacer Re: I am a Christian and pretty conservative
tmac9wr
spacer Re:Of course they didn't "defend" their lifestyle
232press®
spacer Thank you for pointing out that the Bible argues with itself***
Completely Solid Orange
spacer The Bible also says not to eat pork or shrimp…..
tigerking79
spacer the fundamentalist never have an answer for that one***
conservativealex
spacer Re: the fundamentalist never have an answer for that one***
supermantiger
spacer There is a difference between Conservative Christians and...
tigerking79
spacer Fundies are the MOST conservative of the consrv. Christians.
Completely Solid Orange
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
CharlieHarper
spacer Good point. The heading could be misconstrued by
cutigerbob®
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
W8kbrder
spacer Dabo is awesome. Plain and simple.***
Lukerum®
spacer What a great line this ... sorry, no disrespect, it's just funny.
icebucket®
spacer A perfect and logical response
Purple_Panther
spacer Thank you coach for a thoughtful, compassionate answer
grover173
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
lhaselden
spacer Dabo handled it just as I thought he would...
uproar84
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
Mortimer
spacer Hit the nail on the head
camdentiger09
spacer Enough crazy religious people in the world.
AlaskanTiger
spacer The Best thing Dabo could had done was
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Re: The Best thing Dabo could had done was
AlaskanTiger
spacer 7 posts in
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Boring..
Colapaw
spacer Are you really wanting to go there?
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Why? It's in there too, if every single word is to be
darkhuntingtiger
spacer Apparently you need to "READ YOU BIBLE!!" more yourself.***
soccerkrzy®
spacer Yes, you're correct :)***
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Maybe then you wouldn't come off as such a judgemental
soccerkrzy®
spacer Which parts of the bible have you decide to keep and which
STERLING®
spacer New Testament***
Prime T. Tiger
spacer How can you "Love" someone yet shun a big
darkhuntingtiger
spacer Re: How can you "Love" someone yet shun a big
232press®
spacer Yep. And he said don't judge either.
Colapaw
spacer MANY Christians and ordained ministers agree
Bonz
spacer Except, as a Christian, Dabo answered that question
soccerkrzy®
spacer Re: FB Update: Swinney: I played with gay players at Alabama
TotalTeeTiger®
spacer That interview was awesome. I listen to...
thetigerdaddy®
spacer He played this one right, mostly. I could have done without
Completely Solid Orange
spacer I agree with Dabo, it is a decision made by the individual
gostate1
spacer I've read through this again today and I can't keep my
TotalTeeTiger®
spacer Coach is a total class act
orngpurple®
spacer Re: Coach is a total "mouth of the south"
domduck®
spacer I heard he was a tight end when he went to Bama
Murica