Comments on: Some of My Best Friends Are … http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/ Home of Heart, Mind and Really Big Issues Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:17:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: artbros http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-106 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:19:18 +0000 http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-106 John proclaims that the Jazz should have known that he wasn't going to play hard once they signed him to a big-money, multi-year contract. What the...? The man talks about being balanced, yet he is clearly selfish, self-centered and proud. If his view of "balanced" includes that feature-set, he's driving on square tires. Those character traits will certainly betray you in any relationship, personal or professional. John is his own worst enemy. Unless he alters his course, he is likely to continue to live a frustrated life and die clueless, lonely and profoundly unhappy. His friends called "nice ass" from the free-throw line. Isn't that a bit like shouting, "nice tits" to a columnist? If this is how his best-friends treated him, Jerry Sloan and the Jazz locker-room were hardly his nemisis. John is his own worst enemy. John proclaims that the Jazz should have known that he wasn’t going to play hard once they signed him to a big-money, multi-year contract.

What the…?

The man talks about being balanced, yet he is clearly selfish, self-centered and proud. If his view of “balanced” includes that feature-set, he’s driving on square tires. Those character traits will certainly betray you in any relationship, personal or professional.

John is his own worst enemy. Unless he alters his course, he is likely to continue to live a frustrated life and die clueless, lonely and profoundly unhappy.

His friends called “nice ass” from the free-throw line. Isn’t that a bit like shouting, “nice tits” to a columnist? If this is how his best-friends treated him, Jerry Sloan and the Jazz locker-room were hardly his nemisis. John is his own worst enemy.

]]> by: Nic http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-101 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 19:31:16 +0000 http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-101 My partner and I moved to St. George,Utah two years ago. The majority of our friends and family thought we were nuts. We laughed and moved anyway. We've never felt hostility or out of place here in St. George. We think it's because of the mixed, diverse population... we're blessed to have landed in a great neighborhood... we're comfortable in our own skin... and really,people just don't care. Treat everyone with respect and it'll be returned. My partner and I moved to St. George,Utah two years ago. The majority of our friends and family thought we were nuts. We laughed and moved anyway. We’ve never felt hostility or out of place here in St. George. We think it’s because of the mixed, diverse population…
we’re blessed to have landed in a great neighborhood…
we’re comfortable in our own skin…
and really,people just don’t care.
Treat everyone with respect and it’ll be returned.

]]> by: brucew http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-100 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 08:20:49 +0000 http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-100 I had a long talk with a young teenage boy who is very open about being gay. He believes that 'coming out' to people about his homosexuality will help promote understanding and eventually make being gay a non-factor in people's lives. He is an active Mormon and even "comes out" to people at Church (which isn't going over well by the way). Maybe John's book will be received in the same vein. I hope it is better than the excerpts provided by the publisher though. It seems John spends a lot of time trying to settle scores with his old coach who he admits never knew he was gay. I was interested in his comparison of the Gay Community in Utah versus San Francisco. I'm straight so I have no idea if what he is saying is true. I did grow up in the Bay Area and people are certainly far more open about homosexuality there than they are here. I have also heard from my Gay friends who come from other locals about the hostility they feel here versus other places. I would think that having such a hostile atmosphere could make the Gay community grow closer and stronger in response. Maybe that is what John was referring to. I kind of hope that is the case. I had a long talk with a young teenage boy who is very open about being gay. He believes that ‘coming out’ to people about his homosexuality will help promote understanding and eventually make being gay a non-factor in people’s lives. He is an active Mormon and even “comes out” to people at Church (which isn’t going over well by the way).

Maybe John’s book will be received in the same vein. I hope it is better than the excerpts provided by the publisher though. It seems John spends a lot of time trying to settle scores with his old coach who he admits never knew he was gay.

I was interested in his comparison of the Gay Community in Utah versus San Francisco. I’m straight so I have no idea if what he is saying is true. I did grow up in the Bay Area and people are certainly far more open about homosexuality there than they are here. I have also heard from my Gay friends who come from other locals about the hostility they feel here versus other places. I would think that having such a hostile atmosphere could make the Gay community grow closer and stronger in response. Maybe that is what John was referring to. I kind of hope that is the case.

]]> by: Juniper http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-99 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 04:30:17 +0000 http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-99 I believe the number of gay male athletes that are out is a whopping 6. I'd love to talk about the thriving gay community in Salt Lake City...and I'm glad Amaechi brought it up. It's kind of amazing that people can just be people, even in the shadows of the temple spires. Toast to John! And I love that accent! I believe the number of gay male athletes that are out is a whopping 6.

I’d love to talk about the thriving gay community in Salt Lake City…and I’m glad Amaechi brought it up. It’s kind of amazing that people can just be people, even in the shadows of the temple spires.

Toast to John! And I love that accent!

]]> by: Anne White http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-97 Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:27:45 +0000 http://mullentown.com/some-of-my-best-friends-are/#comment-97 I, too, think this is a huge deal! Especially in Utah. Yes, I am very surprised there is such a "thriving" gay community here. No one wants to say a word, because my fellow Mormons are so busy trying to prove they aren't homophobic - when most of them actually are - that the only thing left is to stay very, very quiet! That is what LaBron James should have done. Can you imagine what most NBA team members would have said if, on the first day of practice John had said, "Hi guys, I'm gay and trust me, okay." I'd laugh but it isn't funny. David Steele has it exactly right, but forgets to mention that Amaechi is now retired. That's why the following ESPN comment is important. I keep thinking of my grandson - not knowing how he feels about homosexuality - and his comments about John when my grandson was a server at a local Guru's. He said that John was the only Jazz player who came in who immediately struck up interesting conversations with employees, being conversant on any topic, a first class guy. There are many athletes who live by their stats instead of by their real wits, as John did while he was here. I hope his book is a bestseller for all of the right reasons. I, too, think this is a huge deal! Especially in Utah. Yes, I am very surprised there is such a “thriving” gay community here. No one wants to say a word, because my fellow Mormons are so busy trying to prove they aren’t homophobic - when most of them actually are - that the only thing left is to stay very, very quiet! That is what LaBron James should have done. Can you imagine what most NBA team members would have said if, on the first day of practice John had said, “Hi guys, I’m gay and trust me, okay.” I’d laugh but it isn’t funny. David Steele has it exactly right, but forgets to mention that Amaechi is now retired. That’s why the following ESPN comment is important.
I keep thinking of my grandson - not knowing how he feels about homosexuality - and his comments about John when my grandson was a server at a local Guru’s. He said that John was the only Jazz player who came in who immediately struck up interesting conversations with employees, being conversant on any topic, a first class guy. There are many athletes who live by their stats instead of by their real wits, as John did while he was here. I hope his book is a bestseller for all of the right reasons.

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