The first active NBA player to come out

Joshua S. Kelly - Wikimedia Commons

Jason Collins stated in a Sports illustrated article that he is gay, which is the first time an active professional NBA player has admitted this. His choice to disclose this information can drastically change his future because players may act differently around him than in the past.

He could have revealed his sexuality in the middle of a season, but decided not to because it could cause problems during the season. Collins' decision to wait until the end of the season before announcing this shows his maturity. It shows he thinks about how his decision may affect the game and the players in it.

The public is taking the sports illustrated article very seriously and is showing their support for him. Many people are revering him because of his courage to admit that he is a homosexual. “I couldn’t be prouder,” President Barack Obama said.

Not everyone is showing support for Jason Collins. Some people think his decision is wrong. NFL player Leroy Butler was supposed to make a presentation about anti bullying in a church in Wisconsin. Butler posted a tweet congratulating Collins, and as a result, the church said Butler couldn’t make his presentation. The church was against him supporting Collins and in order to make his speech they asked him to remove the tweet and ask for forgiveness, which he declined.

Collins is similar to Jackie Robinson in the way he is changing the NBA. He is the first active gay NBA player which can draw lots of resentment. This is similar to when Jackie Robinson was one of the first African Americas to play in the Major Leagues. Collins may face resentment, but hopefully many people will accept him like Robinson.

Nate Robinson filling the gap

Nate Robinson / Flickr - Shinya

Nate Robinson was picked up on February 4, 2013 from the Golden State Warriors as a backup for the Chicago Bulls  superstar Derrick Rose. Robinson has provided the Bulls the surge they have needed to contend with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Robinson saw as few as 16 minutes in the first three games in their playoff series against the Nets, leaving most of the work to Kirk Hinrich.An opportunity for Robinson to play occurred when Hinrich injured his calf in Game 3.

In Game 4, Robinson led the team with 34 points in just 28 minutes, 23 of them coming in the 4th quarter. “Just let the ball find me.” Robinson told Coach Tom Thibodeau in a NY Times article. His critical scoring in the fourth quarter helped secure a triple OT win.

Due to Hinrich’s calf injury, Robinson saw 35+ minutes a game in the playoffs, giving him more of an opportunity to shine. His scoring in the last few games leading up to their victory over the Nets wasn't as spectacular as his performance in Game 4. His consistent scoring was much needed at the guard spot to fill the hole left by the absence of Rose and Hinrich.

Robinson will have to show more of his tenacity in their next series, producing opportunities for his teammates if the Bulls hope to defeat the seemingly unstoppable number one seeded Miami Heat.

Kobe Bryant clouds the Lakers’ chances in the playoffs

Kobe Bryant / Jenson Chan - Flickr

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon on April 13 and is expected to be sidelined for nine months. Due to his absence, the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs after they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Bryant made a tremendous contribution to the Lakers during the regular season. He led his team by scoring 27.3 points per game and adding 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. His great offensive skills led him to become the fourth leading scorer of all time in the NBA this season.

Not only did Bryant provide his team with valuable scoring, he also motivated his teammates to do better and helped them grow as players. "Kobe is a different type of player, just like I said, just sitting back and watching Kobe and how he handled himself the whole year was great for me to watch,” said his teammate Dwight Howard to the LA Times.

Even though Bryant wasn’t able to play against the Spurs he encouraged his team to continue to make good defensive and offensive plays. “What I would say if I was there right now? Pau get ur a-- on the block and don't move till u get it #realtalk," tweeted Bryant as he coached his teammates from home.

Without Bryant, the Lakers lacked motivation and had difficulty scoring against the tough defense of the Spurs. As Bryant recovers there is hope that next year the Lakers will have a strong season. With the help of Pau Gasol and Howard, Bryant will try to make the Lakers a winning team. His main focus is to recover from this injury with the same mentality he always had.

“We don't quit, we don't cower, we don't run. We endure and conquer" said Bryant on Facebook.

John Tavares lifts Isles to playoff berth

John Tavares vs. Rangers' goalie - Robert Kowal - flickr.com

The New York Islanders have been plagued by bad luck for the past six years. After surprisingly making it to the playoffs in 2007, the Isles went back into a slump in which they wouldn’t make the playoffs for six years. This year, they were able to clinch the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference and played the top seeded Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Islanders went 8-0-3 in the month of April in order to earn a playoff berth. Only one of their three losses were in regulation, showing the resilience and determination of the young team. One player in particular who helped the Isles play astoundingly in April was John Tavares.

Tavares was drafted first overall in the 2009 draft from the London Knights. In his first two years his play wasn’t as consistent as it was in London. This year he has shown that he is an elite center and a contender for the Hart Trophy.

Tavares played 48 games in the regular season, ranking first in games played and in those games he scored 28 goals, constantly helping the team be competitive. He finished third in goals scored, only behind Alex Ovechkin and Steve Stamkos. Tavares is among the elite scorers of the league. Some may argue he’s only good at scoring, but he’s fifth overall in goals created which makes him a diverse offensive player. The one thing that Tavares must work on is his maturity level, as a 22-year-old he must gain experience and help the younger Islanders.

"We just keep getting better and that's the exciting part for us. We didn't seem to put any of our focus on the outside, we just worried about in here, the belief in here and knowing that when we play our game, we're a tough team to play against, no matter who we're playing,” said Tavares in a New York Newsday article.

Tavares is able to lead the team when he is on the ice due to his tenacity and heart. He can score in the first few minutes of the game or in overtime.  With Tavares playing well, the Islanders can be a top contender for the championship next season.

Return of D-Rose?

Derrick Rose / Keith Allison - Flickr.com

Derrick Rose is rumored to return to the playoffs after suffering a torn ACL more than a year ago. The injury threw doubt on the Chicago Bulls’ success in the 2012-2013 season. Now the team is heading into Game 5 against the Miami Heat and it is urgent that their franchise player returns.

Despite being without their star guard, the Bulls managed to reach 5th place in the Eastern Conference and beat the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. Their current challenge is overcoming a 3-1 series deficit and advancing past the league MVP LeBron James and the Heat. With all of their injury problems, the Bulls are in a tricky situation. A returning Rose; however will just be enough to offer the Heat a challenge.

Another pressure Rose faces comes from the fans. Rose has received much criticism due to his absence despite being cleared to play for more than two months. The NBA star even participated in full contact practices.

“If this is about, 'Hey, it doesn't feel right and I'm worried I can hurt it,' then no way should he play,” TNT commentator Steve Kerr was quoted in an ESPN article. ”But if this is just about, 'You know, gosh, I'm just not quite confident yet.' I would appeal to him and say, 'Can you give us 20 minutes?' And if you're Derrick, you've been watching Noah and Hinrich play on one leg this whole series, at what point do you start to feel sort of self-conscious and guilty about what's unfolding?"

Both his teammates and the Bulls organization are coming to Rose’s aid. ‘‘It’s not bothersome because I know all that he’s putting into it and I know who he is,’’ Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau said in a Sun Times article. ‘‘I know his character. He’s done amazing things for our organization, and he’s doing all he can. That’s all you can ever ask a guy to do. So there’s always going to be some negativity, but I think the vast majority of it is very positive.’’

The Bulls are in a tough predicament and need some help. Despite an early 3-1 series lead, the team was forced to wait for Game 7 to win their first round series against the Brooklyn Nets. Now the Bulls are facing possible elimination against the top team in the NBA. Rose is the missing piece for the Bulls, but only time will tell if they will have to wait for the next season to fit him in. "Everybody has their own opinion," Rose was quoted in a USA Today article as a response to Kerr’s statement. "The key words that he said were, 'If I'm ready.' (Right now) I'm not ready. I'm just trying to take my time and really, really be smart."

Jackie Robinson, the man that broke through boundaries

Jackie Robinson / Wikimedia Commons

One of the first black American baseball players to be allowed to participate in the major league, Jackie Robinson, is remembered for his determination when playing for the sport, and his impact on the racial boundaries of society.

Robinson is remembered for his hard work and self-control. He was chosen to be the player to break the color barrier because he was an all-around athlete and he had a good feel for the game as shown when he played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. Robinson’s impact in MLB allowed more black baseball players to have the same opportunity due to his ability to endure the abuse of baseball fans, the opposition, and even his own teammates.

He was able to pave the road to allow more black baseball players to play in the majors by performing at the top of the league while never fighting back. Robinson got pitches thrown at him, was intentionally spiked, while still being able to hit home runs and steal bases. He was awarded with the honor of MVP in 1949 and was also able to assist the Brooklyn Dodgers to the World Series six times, winning their only championship 1955.

Robinson’s impact on racial boundaries loosened segregation in his time and allowed black Americans to go for work that were considered only for white Americans, ultimately allowing Barack Obama to run for president.

The struggles of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson / Bob Sandberg - Commons

Many may wonder why Jackie Robinson is still talked about today and why is he such a significant figure in baseball. Most would answer that he was the first African American to play in the major leagues, but it was much more than that.

Robinson was selected from in the Negro Leagues to become the first African American in modern day to play baseball in the major leagues. He was scouted while the Brooklyn Dodgers were looking for new talent in many foreign countries, searching for players that could potentially win them the pennant. When Robinson first met Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ club president, he was told that the hardest part of playing in the major league would be not fighting back no matter what might come his way.

The hate was far beyond just the fans; Robinson had to deal with teammates that did not want to play with him, opponents that looked to harm him, and the pressure of failure. Despite the odds being stacked against him, Robinson led the Dodgers to a pennant in 1955, as well as being crowned MVP in 1949.

Robinson’s achievements move far outside just winning the World Series. He is a recognized figure throughout baseball because he paved the way for others to follow in the major leagues. This was not just limited to black people, but any man of color that was previously rejected because of their nationality. 
 
Robinson is recognized for his struggles because it was one of the first major steps in ending segregation not just in baseball, but across the United States.