Indians minor leaguer Kazuhito Tadano is asking for forgiveness for what he called a one-time mistake -- his appearance in a gay porn video in which he engaged in a homosexual act. Tadano took part in the video three years ago when he was a college student. Sitting in the Cleveland clubhouse Tuesday, the pitcher said he hoped to put his actions in the past.
"All of us have made mistakes in our lives," Tadano said, reading a statement in English. "Hopefully, you learn from them and move on." Shunned by Japanese baseball teams, the 23-year-old Tadano signed with the Indians last March. They think he can make their club this spring...
...Through an interpreter, Tadano added: "I'm not gay. I'd like to clear that fact up right now..."
Seriously, who cares? What really makes this wack is that it's not really the porn that makes this a scandal, it's the gay. If the headline just read "porn role a mistake" it would get a totally different reaction, at least here in America.
The fact that we are living in the year 2004, and not one homosexual in any of the major sports feels safe to be open about who they are, is as shameful as it is bizarre. But of course, the same could be said for hip-hop. And many other corners of our world.
