College Jocks Kiss

University of Florida footballer Tony Joiner set tongues wagging by kissing his roommate and teammate Tim Tebow on the ear after Tebow made a second quarter touchdown pass in Saturday’s game. Of course, the guys were on the receiving end of lots of jokes particularly after the clip of the kiss and attendant commentary by sports analysts hit YouTube. Its been a hot topic on talk radio in Tampa and message boards.

Its not that often that we see to athletes publicly show such affection for one another so some people are a little shocked and Joiner being African-American and Tebow being white adds a bit more to the situation. There is nothing like a little interracial man on man action to get everyone all hot and bothered even if its only in their fevered imaginations. Joiner and Tebow are roommates and have become close friends have they have said a number of times, but that does not mean that they are gay. And if they are, fine.

Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss.

What I find more than a little weird is that the sight of two men showing affection for one another is so unusual that people even feel the need to comment on it. There are over 30 comments on the clip on YouTube with a number of them referring to the peck as “gay” as if any show of affection between men is gay or sexual in nature. As a columnist for the Independent Florida Gator says “C’mon, seriously? What are we in, fourth grade?”

Yeah, I know its more “normal” to see American jocks, particularly ones as celebrated as Tebow and as handsome as both are throwing each other across the field or court and displaying the kind of braggadocio that suggests an anatomical shortcoming, but this was nothing more than the expression of love and brotherhood that I think we need more of on the field and off.