Big D

Usually that stands for "Dallas."  In this case, it might be "Dale."  Then again, since it takes place in Dallas, they both fit.

I came across this story and video Thursday morning, and meant to get to it, but so many other things got posted ahead.  I saw over on Mark Evanier's site that he wound up posting the video, so it's great to see it getting so much attention.  There are some nice details to go along with it, including an update.

As you might have read, one of the top defensive linemen in college football, Michael Sam of the University of Missour, announced this week before the NFL pro draft that he was gay.  Particularly interesting to the story, which didn't get as much coverage, is that he had told this to his team at the beginning of the year.  The world did not come to an end, and Missouri had a very good season, going 12-2.  That's about as "very good" a season as a team can have.

The other day, the local sportscaster from WFAA in Dallas, Dale Hansen, gave a commentary, "Hansen Unplugged: Celebrating Our Differences."  It's low-key, thoughtfully written, and hugely supportive of Sam, in a way that suggests there's nothing to be supportive of, that this is the way life should be.

The response has been huge.  The video went viral, and has had over three million views on YouTube.  Hansen told the Dallas Star-Telegram, "I'm shocked, stunned," that the piece has received more attention of any he's ever given, and the response has been very positive.  “They see a big, fat, old guy from Dallas, Texas, and they thought they knew what the redneck was going to say. I guess they were wrong.”

Quite a few media sources have reached out to Hansen.  The most notable one will be on Friday (tomorrow, as this written), when he appears on the Ellen show.

And what was that commentary that brought this all about? 

It was this --