Truth & Rumors > NHL

Gay fans criticize Rangers

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06:20 AM ET 03.21 | During the final 10 minutes of many Rangers home games, the spotlights focus on Section 407 as Larry Goodman, a longtime season-ticket holder, pumps up the crowd with a goofy dance. As Goodman's routine is broadcast on the giant monitors above the ice, a familiar chant picks up momentum. "Ho-mo Lar-ry!" the crowd shouts. "Ho-mo Lar-ry!" The chant is one example of what several gay hockey fans describe as a toxic atmosphere during Rangers games and that Madison Square Garden, which owns the team, is not doing nearly enough to address their concerns. Kevin Jennings, a Rangers fan who is gay, said he stopped attending home games for about a month this season because he felt so uncomfortable with the homophobic epithets that are shouted to the players. Ray Stankes, 50, of Bayside, Queens, said he canceled season tickets he had had for 25 years in part because of the antigay environment.

New York Times

Brandon Dubinsky, Henrik Liudqvist, , AP Brandon Dubinsky, Henrik Liudqvist, , AP
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March 21, 2008  08:04 AM ET

DRAMA!

March 21, 2008  08:07 AM ET

The gays are asking for political correctness from the NYC fans at Madison Square Garden during hockey games. That would be paramount to a group of AA guys suggesting beer should be eliminated at Flyers games. It ain't ever going to happen.
So should Madison Square eliminate the name "bum" from the fans vocabulary so as not to offend the unemployed or homeless. There are a good number of those in NYC are there not.
Give me a break. What's next? Another "Kiss In" protest in the Garden.
How about a Gay Fan night. Yes, I can just hear it now...
"Oh youhoo...Mr. Averyyyy...I have some water on me, can I have your stick?
Wait a minute! Did they already have one of those nights?
If the gays find the environment too much to bare, then there are plenty of other things to do in NYC for entertainment. They can attend musicals and chant show tunes for example.
These guys are doing the right thing giving up their seats (sure its not the first time), if they can't deal with 20,000 crazed hockey fans and feel intimidated. That means less chance of future protests breaking out in the future over gay rights at sporting events. If Ray Stankes does not want to go to hockey games and is more comfortable, in Queens, then what more needs to be said.

March 21, 2008  08:07 AM ET

Get over it.

March 21, 2008  08:19 AM ET

700 level lifer is right on,gays are so funny to watch and man the chant is so much fun to scream,i screamed it at a ton of ranger home games **** LARRY,**** LARRY is a clasic

March 21, 2008  08:22 AM ET

With all due respect to those that ****...You think MSG is going to have their security boot hundreds of fans for the chant? That won't happen. MSG isn't about to go putting up signs on the scoreboard saying "please stop the gay chants." And in the defense of MSG...they do already have signs posted throughout the game on the Marquee that politely ask fans to mind their tongue and refrain from abusive or impolite remarks. Homosexuals are just going to have to live with the stigmatism that comes with the lifestyle until a number of years pass until it is more broadly accepted.

In the meantime...cry me a river.

March 21, 2008  08:24 AM ET

It's nice to see that all the above comments only reinforce what these fans are talking about. Typical ignorant American beliefs.

March 21, 2008  08:35 AM ET

Trite> It's nice to see that all the above comments only reinforce what these fans are talking about. Typical ignorant American beliefs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------
What makes you think those comments are all American?
Who's being ignorant and typical now.

March 21, 2008  08:35 AM ET

Yeah, I'm sure Canadian hockey fans never shout anything offenseive or obscene at hockey games. Is it cold up there on your pedastool Trite?

March 21, 2008  08:35 AM ET

Am I mistaken or is hockey a real man's sport? This is ridiculous. Get yer **** back in the closet!

March 21, 2008  08:39 AM ET

On a note of seriousness, they are making a movie about a hockey player that plays for the Leafs and "plays for the other team". I forget the actors name he is JD's brother on scrubs.

March 21, 2008  08:42 AM ET

Durk, just the hockey Moms do it in Canada. Honest...LOL

March 21, 2008  08:46 AM ET

Ha ha, Gay hockey fan seems like an oxymoron. But what do you expect, Hockey is way behind the other sports in dealing with these issues, because I'm pretty sure if you say your gay in Canada, they kick your ass on the spot.

March 21, 2008  08:56 AM ET

It's nice to see that all the above comments only reinforce what these fans are talking about. Typical ignorant American beliefs.
trite_reply | 03/21/08, 08:24 AM
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You're right America is the best country in the world. ummm that's what you meant right. If not, Sorry I'm feeling typically ignorant

March 21, 2008  09:07 AM ET

Hah! Gay story line, did anyone notice the picture choice.

March 21, 2008  09:07 AM ET

Several of you have said that it's simply unrealistic to prevent hockey fans from being raucous, but would you feel the same way if the epithets were racist, rather than homophobic? If the crowd chanted N-GGER, would that be acceptable?

March 21, 2008  09:19 AM ET

Amherst- I hear football players call each other that all the time.

March 21, 2008  09:19 AM ET

Why don't they just tie Larry into his seat?

If he stopped acting like a HO-MO at the games people would stop calling him one.

You can't expect people to see a guy jumping up and down and acting like a HO-MO to just let it slide....

Comment has been removed
 
March 21, 2008  09:24 AM ET

It's nice to see that all the above comments only reinforce what these fans are talking about. Typical ignorant American beliefs.
trite_reply | 03/21/08, 08:24 AM

Typical person from Canadia. Actually I like Canadians.....except this guy. I have a good mind to drive up there in my snow boots and slap you around like a spoiled child.

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