Another SEC Coach Says He Coached Gay Players

Since Michael Sam's announcement that he's gay, there have, of course, been negative reactions from from former coaches and players, but there also has been some positive feed back too.

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said he coached gay players and the situation didn't effect him or his team.

Well, quelle surprise!

“Certainly don't want to call any names, because everybody is entitled to their privacy unless they want it to be public,” Freeze said. “I guarantee in both cases they knew the coaching staff loved them and respected them.”

It's interesting that Freeze would say that, considering a few months ago, a few of his players had gotten into trouble for allegedly harassing actors at a play on campus about openly gay man, Matthew Shepard. Then again, the fog of cyberspace accuracy never really cleared on the matter.

Freeze did come out and say on Twitter that if the initial accounts of that incident were true, those players would be reprimanded. 

On the other hand, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said he has never coached a gay player -- at least to his knowledge -- but doesn't feel it would be a problem.

 “Chances are, there's a guy that is gay on every team,” Mullen said. “It's not that big of a deal. Statistically speaking, probably more than one.”

It's refreshing to see that, in a conference where race used to be an issue, a player's sexuality doesn't seem to matter as much as some would have us believe.

And that's progress.