Because soccer isn't gay, but once in awhile it kinda is.
San Jose Earthquakes
Soccer Ally May: San Jose Earthquakes
05/14/13
The Allies List has crossed the one hundred mark for Major League Soccer players represented and now it’s time for the San Jose Earthquakes to add to the ranks.
The Quakes have just been through a time of learning over the past few weeks following Alan Gordon’s use of a homophobic slur on the field, but the team already has a few allies. Mike Fucito took part in a Seattle-wide It Gets Better video while with the Sounders. Sam Garza and Dan Gargan both joined the list last season, and Dan Gargan represented the Chicago Fire last summer at an event for Equality Illinois.
Let’s get some Quakes to join this trio. Use the list below to ask players on Twitter to become allies by tweeting to us at @gay4soccer or with the #soccerally hashtag.
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Alan Gordon Speaks to Newspaper About Suspension
04/18/13
MLSSoccer.com
Alan Gordon spoke with the San Jose Mercury News after receiving a three-game suspension for using a gay slur in Sunday’s Earthquakes game against the Timbers.
He revealed that he has been in touch with out player Robbie Rogers through mutual friend Steven Lenhart to apologize, who understood how words can at times slip out at the heat of the game.
Gordon far from uses the heat of the moment as an excuse when he spoke with the Mercury News, though:
“I’m the furthest thing from being homophobic,” Gordon said. “That’s why it hurt. I can honestly appreciate the sensitively of the word if I put myself in other people’s shoes. That has not come out of my mouth since high school. It’s not language I use. It’s despicable.”
There are more powerful quotes from Alan Gordon in the Mercury News piece. They also spoke with the You Can Play Project’s Patrick Burke, who with David Testo will be doing diversity training with the team soon.
Alan Gordon Suspended Three Games for Slur
04/16/13
SJEarthquakes.com
The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee has suspended San Jose Earthquakes forward Alan Gordon three games for his use of a gay slur Sunday night in the Quakes’ match against the Portland Timbers.
This is in addition to an automatic one-game suspension for being ejected from the game after receiving a second yellow card after elbowing Timbers player Mikael Silvestre.
Alan Gordon will also be fined an undisclosed amount and attend diversity training beyond that which is part of the standard preseason training.
Said Commissioner Don Garber:
Major League Soccer stands against discrimination and prejudice of any kind and will not tolerate this type of behavior. All of our players, staff and fans must remain committed to respect and dignity at all times.
It’s commendable to see the League act so quickly and maintain the same zero tolerance policy and repercussions set last season. Beyond the League-mandated punishment it would be great to see Gordon go above and beyond what is demanded and use this time to reach out to his local LGBT community, much like Marc Burch did during the off-season.
Alan Gordon Crosses the Line
04/15/13
SJEarthquakes.com
Forward Alan Gordon clearly used a gay slur in the 60th minute of last night’s MLS match between his San Jose Earthquakes and the Portland Timbers.
The look on Gordon’s face immediately afterward showed a keen awareness of what he had just said, and his apparent target Will Johnson flashed him the number three as a sign of the now-standard three-game suspension that was issued to Colin Clark and Marc Burch last year. (Incidentally, while with Salt Lake Johnson was also who Burch directed the same insult toward.)
Deadspin captured the video and slowed down the moment in question.
Following the match Alan Gordon issued a statement via the Earthquakes’ website:
I sincerely apologize for what I said in our game tonight. Although I said it in the heat of the moment, that language has no place in our game. That is not my character, but there is still no excuse for saying what I said. I made a mistake and I accept full responsibility for my actions.
Beyond the expected suspension for this incident, Alan Gordon also has an automatic one game suspension as he was ejected from the game for a second yellow card for elbowing Portland’s Mikael Silvestre. It will also be interesting to see if Gordon does anything beyond any suspension handed down by the Disciplinary Committee, much like Marc Burch did in Seattle over the off season.
Will Johnson scored the lone goal of the game, a beautiful free kick leading to the Portland Timbers’ 1-0 win.
Soccer Ally May: San Jose Earthquakes
05/03/12
Soccer Ally May is off to a great start. Two teams that started off the month with no players on the list — Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City — each have five players represented as Soccer Allies.
Sporting Kansas City is having a match at the end of the month at which they’ll be honoring Show Me Pride in their city, and their opponents for the game are the San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose also starts off our recruitment campaign with no players on the Soccer Ally list, and hopefully a push to contact their players today can keep this recruitment month going strong.
Please help us contact Quakes players throughout the day today. Have them Tweet at us or use the #soccerally hashtag and we’ll be watching both for responses.
San Jose Stadium Gets Go-Ahead; League Fans Rejoice
02/23/12
Sometime in 2013, 17 years after their inaugural season, the fans of San Jose Earthquakes will get what’s been coming to them for a long time: a stadium of their own. read more…
