DU Hockey Video: You Can Play


(above) DU Hockey joined many other college and pro hockey teams making a "You Can Play Video" promoting tolerance for all athletes regardless of sexual orientation

You Can Play is an organization is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation. 

You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success. 

You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit.

20 comments:

Aluuum said...

Very well done. No complicated preaching. Just a simple message that gets right to the point.

= said...

This is great. I find it quite sad that people have to feel they need to hide in an emotional closet for fear of being societally rejected... And just because a minority (and growing smaller by the day) has over-hyped a biblical passage or two...

5BWest said...

I am a pretty conservative guy and I agree with the message. Obviously not a choice and probably even more difficult in sports than other things.

Good work.

Harumph said...

"Conservative" or "Liberal" has nothing to do with your position on something like this. There are plenty of so-called liberal people out there who are idiots.

I could go on and on but it will just be tl;dr style and it's only Monday.

Anonymous said...

"I am a pretty conservatve guy".....Tim just proved to everyone how much of an idiot he really is.

That's the best way to start a comment on diversity issues.

Way to go, Tim!!

Max Power said...

@ last anon. You should work for the National Media with that kind of skewing of a statement.

4Chan is just down the Internet road, take a left when you see the bridge and head on under.

Anonymous said...

Team sports is one of the last frontiers of eqality. I don't know of any currently male active team sports ahlletes who have had the courage to "come out".

It's good to see my University out there on the forefront of social change. Our guys are on the right side of history. I am proud of them.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm....I didn't see any DU alumns hoisting the Cup tonight.

It's been tough to be a DU fan lately.

Anonymous said...

How many national championships did any of those former North Dakota stars bring home? I always forget....

Anonymous said...

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Some day "pretty conservative guys" like Tim may open their eyes and realize that conservative values are antiquated and don't live up to what the USA is supposed to stand for.

EQUALITY FOR ALL!

UDenver20 said...

Seriously?

Why are people laying in to timt89? His message was that he is supportive of the message. What's wrong with that and why criticize him for how he expressed it?

So what if he is "conservative"? Does that discredit his support? No, but being a jerk to him might.

How about this: "Tim - thanks for being supportive. If we're going to build an environment where our sport can grow and where as many kids get into skates, and stay in them, we're going to need everyone regardless of their political perspective to be supportive of building the right environment. Again, thank you."

Anonymous said...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=398163 Joe C Article

Anonymous said...

Meh... I don't see the point of making a video for this non-issue. I would have preferrred a video on how to fix this economy. I guess that's asking too much. There will always be inequality based on differences. I wasn't aware there was a huge problem with gays in sports.

Is UND's Rocco Grimaldi starring in their video?

Anonymous said...

DU is involved because one of the You Can Play founders ia a DU alum (Brian Kitts) and Gwoz is also tight with all the Miami (Ohio) people who are involved after Brian Burke's son (who was opnely gay) and was a student manager for the hockey team there before he was killed in a car crash.

I think what this about is trying to create a more tolerant team sports culture. Sure, there are more pressing problems in the world than this, but people should be allowed to be who they are.

Anonymous said...

2:12, I don't see your logic. Why do a video on gay atheletes when the economy needs fixing? Why work on the economy when there's a war on terror going on? Because they both need fixing, that's why. A society needs to be able to tackle multiple issues going on at the same time.

And, how about the fact that the players on the DU hockey team are sports atheletes and that fits perfectly with the video's message? They are not economists. Why would you rather see them make a video on how to fix the economy? That sounds rather idiotic.

"there will always be inequality based on differences"....no shit. Does that mean you should try and do anything to fix injustices? We'd never make any progress as a society if we all had your mentality.

"i wasn't aware that there was a huge problem with gays in sports"...obviously, you are not a gay person that has dealt with the issue. I also think if you were somewhat aware of sports media you'd be aware that it is a problem.


Thanks for added notes 12:32. Good info.

Anonymous said...

2:12 is probably a homophobic tea-partier. Just disregard.

Anonymous said...

I saw a former Merrimack player skating with the Cup as well as the Conn Smythe trophy.

Anonymous said...

This is 2:12

Seriously? Are you that butt hurt over my comments? Sorry... Maybe I should have used a different expression.
Regardless, I am not a homophobe... I just don't care. I don't care that someone is gay, black, obese, or Mexican. I suppose you could plug any of those into the message "you can play."
If you honestly think making a video is going to change someone's mind and prevent injustices, you're crazy.

I do however agree with 12:32, People SHOULD be allowed to be who they are.

Anonymous said...

1:35, you have no idea have tough it is to be a gablobesican. I'm glad to know that you don't care about me though.

Anonymous said...

A gablobesican?

I googled, just to see what the heck you meant.

The one and only google hit was this thread.

So...You like to make up words or what? I'm confused.