The statement below comes from 2 year Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh.
It should be noted that Walsh watched Kluwe get fired for speaking out. Two brain cells could come up with the fact that to say anything other than the statement above could get you fired.
Just saying…
“I have been a member of the Minnesota Vikings for 2 years. I want to start off by saying I have the utmost respect for Rick Spielman, Leslie Frazier and Mike Priefer. All three, are good men. I have had countless conversations and interactions with Coach Priefer, and I personally can attest to his integrity and character. His professionalism in the workplace is exemplary, and I firmly believe that my teammates would whole-heartedly agree.
“The allegations made today are reprehensible and totally not compatible with what Mike Priefer stands for.
[snip]
“In my time here at Minnesota, Rick Spielman and Leslie Frazier have exemplified true leadership. Contrary to Chris’ statements, they have promoted a workplace environment that was conducive for success. At no time did I ever feel suppressed or that I could not be myself.I firmly stand behind Rick Spielman, Leslie Frazier, and Mike Priefer.”
Former NFL star Brendon Ayanbadejo tells TMZ Sports ex-Minnesota Vikings kicker Chris Kluwe is “100% right” about claims he was cut from the team because of his pro-gay rights crusade — and he’s got the stats to back it up.
I guess, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself: “Is it possible a straight, conservative football coach might have used anti-gay language or phrases in the locker room?”
Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer is denying former punter Chris Kluwe’s claims that the two of them butted heads over Kluwe’s advocacy of gay marriage, and that Priefer used homophobic language around Kluwe.
I vehemently deny today’s allegations made by Chris Kluwe.
I want to be clear that I do not tolerate discrimination of any type and am respectful of all individuals. I personally have gay family members who I love and support just as I do any family member.
The primary reason I entered coaching was to affect people in a positive way. As a coach, I have always created an accepting environment for my players, including Chris, and have looked to support them both on and off the field.
The comments today have not only attacked my character and insulted my professionalism, but they have also impacted my family. While my career focus is to be a great professional football coach, my number one priority has always been to be a protective husband and father to my wife and children.
I will continue to work hard for the Minnesota Vikings, the Wilf family and all of our loyal fans.
I’m not sure why, but the line about “my number one priority has always been to be a protective husband and father to my wife and children” jumps out at me as off topic. How does that relate to these allegations? OR, what is he protecting his family from? The gays? It just seems odd that the line is there.
Kluwe, who gained widespread attention during the 2012 season for his advocacy of gay marriage and his outspoken opposition to anti-gay bigotry, wrote yesterday that he was subjected to homophobic language from Priefer. Kluwe, who called Priefer a “bigot,” believes that he was cut because the team sided with Priefer over him on the matter.
Citing many examples of homophobic statements on behalf of Priefer, Kluwe describes one particularly virulent episode: “As [my teammates and I] sat down in our chairs, Mike Priefer, in one of the meanest voices I can ever recall hearing, said: ‘We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows.’ The room grew intensely quiet, and none of the players said a word for the rest of the meeting.”
I have several friends who are football players. My understanding is that it’s not uncommon among players and coaches for homophobic slang to come up even in just casual use as part of the locker room culture. Priefer might want to be very aware of what and how he says things in the next few days about the allegations. All it would take to damage him further would be for a former Viking player (who has nothing to gain or lose) to come forward saying he used any form of anti-gay language. Just one example of using “fa**ot” or “p*ssy” in a Vikings setting would wreck havok on his future coaching career.
I’d also point out – everyone has a smart phone today. And a lot of people record meetings using the recording app on their phones for future reference. Priefer might want to think if there are any recordings out there with ANY ant-gay animus coming from him.
Two current kickers for the Vikings – Jeff Locke and Blair Walsh – have come out in support of Priefer. But that needs to be taken with a grain of salt. They saw Kluwe fired. There’s no way they will risk their livelihood over this.
The Vikings (who still employ Priefer even though they fired his boss, head coach Leslie Frazier, this week) have vowed to investigate Kluwe’s accusations.
According to reports Priefer is under consideration to become head coach. If that’s true, he would have good reason to defend himself at this time.
I think it would be of great concern to the Vikings management to get to the bottom of such allegations. As an NFL team, the Vikings stand as role models to the people of Minnesota and beyond. The idea that a head coach – who sets the tone for the entire organization – could possibly be spouting such hateful comments about LGBT citizens is very disconcerting.
Earlier today I reported on an essay by former Vikings punter (and LGBT ally) Chris Kluwe, who wrote a devastating account of his views on why he was released from the team last year.
The essay – “I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot” – chronicled Chris’ feelings that his public stance for LGBT rights led to his release from the team.
Via press release:
The Minnesota Vikings were made aware of Chris Kluwe’s allegations for the first time today. We take them very seriously and will thoroughly review this matter.
As an organization, the Vikings consistently strive to create a supportive, respectful and accepting environment for all of our players, coaches and front office personnel. We do not tolerate discrimination at any level. The team has long respected our players’ and associates’ individual rights, and, as Chris specifically stated, Vikings ownership supports and promotes tolerance, including on the subject of marriage equality.
Because he was identified with the Vikings, Chris was asked to be respectful while expressing his opinions. Team ownership and management also repeatedly emphasized to Chris that the Vikings would not impinge on his right to express his views.
Any notion that Chris was released from our football team due to his stance on marriage equality is entirely inaccurate and inconsistent with team policy.
Chris was released strictly based on his football performance. We will have further comment at the appropriate time.
At the end of the day, what else could the team say on the subject?
NFL punter (formerly of the Minnesota Vikings) and LGBT ally Chris Kluwe has written a detailed and compelling history of his commitment to LGBT equality AND how that intersected his football career leading to his ultimate release from the Vikings.
He begins like this:
Hello. My name is Chris Kluwe, and for eight years I was the punter for the Minnesota Vikings. In May 2013, the Vikings released me from the team. At the time, quite a few people asked me if I thought it was because of my recent activism for same-sex marriage rights, and I was very careful in how I answered the question. My answer, verbatim, was always, “I honestly don’t know, because I’m not in those meetings with the coaches and administrative people.”
This is a true answer. I honestly don’t know if my activism was the reason I got fired.
However, I’m pretty confident it was.
As he writes of the events that he says led to his firing, Kluwe describes an incident where he alleges special teams coach Mike Priefer used violent language in a team meeting:
“As [my teammates and I] sat down in our chairs, Mike Priefer, in one of the meanest voices I can ever recall hearing, said: ‘We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows.’ The room grew intensely quiet, and none of the players said a word for the rest of the meeting.”
I highly recommend you read the entire essay as Kluwe courageously shares what he says was the unraveling of his last season with the Vikings. The title says it all.
Chris closes with this:
Never be afraid to do what’s right. If no one ever says anything, nothing ever changes. —Chris Kluwe, former NFL player
On Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings drafted UCLA punter Jeff Locke in the fifth round. Some see this as writing on the wall that the Vikings current kicker (and LGBT ally), Chris Kluwe, may be on his way out, and that the reason for his exit will be “distractions” related to activism for LGBT civil rights, NBC Sports’ Mike Florio reports:
Of course, the distractions weren’t a problem when Kluwe was staying up very late playing Guitar Hero and Worlds of Warcraft, or staying out very late on Friday night doing shows with his band. After Kluwe opted to get behind a controversial social cause while also getting to bed at a decent hour, the team opted to acquire a player who, given that he was selected in round five, will likely have the field tilted in his favor when it comes to determining whether he or Kluwe gets the Water Pik.
Kluwe told Florio: “It’s a shame that in a league with players given multiple second chances after arrests, including felony arrests, that speaking out on human rights has a chance of getting you cut,” Kluwe told PFT via text message.
Excerpt from Minnesota Vikings’ Chris Kluwe’s blog post “Stand Up”:
Every time you propagate the message that being gay is to be less than human, that same sex marriage cannot be as filled with love and laughter and tears as heterosexual marriage, that gays don’t deserve to pass a legacy on to their family, you quicken that howling storm and sweep away a tiny bit more humanity from the world, drive one more child to contemplating the cold razor’s bite, or the yawning abyss of the overdose because they simply cannot deal with the unceasing assault upon their psyche.
Well I, for one, will not stand for it. I will not stand for a world that demeans those it finds ‘different’ or ‘gross’. I will not stand for an ideology that promotes slavish adherence to a single arbitrary standard, that sacrifices children on the altar of oppression and control. I will not stand for one more RED TINGED MUSHROOM CLOUD second of people thinking that they have the right to live someone else’s life for them, for the complete lack of empathy so often shown in our society.
I stand for gay marriage. I stand for the end of segregation. I stand for a woman’s right to vote. I stand for equality under the law, for treating others how I want to be treated, for the fundamental human right to live a happy life free of tyranny.
Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is supporting marriage equaltiy in Minnesota.
He’s recorded a radio ad combatting a proposed state constitutional amendment that would further cement Minnesota’s existing ban on same-sex marriage.
The NFL player calls Minnesota’s existing ban on marriage equality “anti-American” and “anti-freedom.”
According to Care2MakeADifference, “Kluwe’s comments were made as part of a video he recorded for Minnesotans for Equality. The group is working to defeat the amendment that will go before voters at the November ballot.”
Kluwe says, “Excluding gay couples from marriage is a meaningless and reckless restriction of individual freedom and basic human rights. This amendment is an extreme change to our constitution, making it impossible to change for decades to come.”
Kluwe, who is married with two young daughters, continues: “To deny an entire group of people the ability to be legal couples is anti-American and anti-freedom. As a devoted husband and father of two, I can’t imagine the state of Minnesota not recognizing my love for my wife Isabel. We would welcome and respect the equal rights for gays to experience the same joy and privileges of marriage that we do. Please don’t limit the freedom to marry for anyone. So this November, vote no to the marriage discrimination amendment. It’s the right thing to do.”
