Lots of professional sports teams — mostly in baseball — have made videos for Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” project, but no NFL teams have stepped up to the plate yet. There’s a new petition at Change.org asking the Denver Broncos to be the first. I think this petition is wonderful and hilarious because Tebow.

Little Timmy Tebow is all the rage right now, idolized by Fundamentalist Christians for his willingness to show off his faith to everyone by kneeling and praying, AKA “Tebowing,” in the middle of the field. Also, his throwing style is quite unique, drawing comparisons to the throwing styles of six year-old girls. Indeed, people are talking about him so much that last night, his name was connected to two of the Republican candidates for losing the presidential election to Barack Obama.

For instance, from last night’s debate:

9.16pm: Asked why he is so rubbish, Rick Perry claims that like star quarterback Tim Tebow – actually not a very good quarterback but he somehow still wins games – he can be better than he looks. “I hope I am the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses,” says Perry. Perry will be lucky to be the Forrest Gump of the Iowa caucuses.

And then yesterday, one of Santorum’s supporter/s said this:

Rick Santorum reached the milestone of visiting all of Iowa’s 99 counties in November, and he’s making return trips now — by car and minivan, rather than bus. Chuck Laudner, a Santorum backer, has been involved in many Iowa campaigns. Laudner suggests Santorum is a bit like the underestimated quarterback of the Denver Broncos who has led the team to a string of surprising victories.

“They’re watching the Tim Tebow of the Republican process out there, working all the way through the 4th quarter,” Laudner told Radio Iowa this morning.

Uh, yeah, wow. Both of those links come from Tbogg by the way.

So yes, I want an “It Gets Better” video from Tim “Aren’t You Glad I Wasn’t An Abortion?” Tebow and his team. And maybe it will even make Timmy himself feel better, next time he’s having one of those games that causes him to cry. It gets better, LGBT kids, and it gets better, Tim Tebow!

Sign the petition here.

Yet another baseball team!

[h/t Joe]

They just keep comin’.

There’s a petition:

Every day, gay and lesbian teens in Middle School and High School are made fun of and bullied. It’s sad that some of them are bullied so badly, they decide to commit suicide. Recently, a petition much like this one was created to ask the San Francisco Giants to make an “It Gets Better” video. The Giants announced that they will make a video against bullying. We can do the same.

My name is Sam, I am 12 years old and my two friends and I really like the Boston Red Sox. If we can get a lot of signatures from our peers and teachers, we can possibly have the Red Sox make a video too!

AWESOME. Go sign!

For those interested, there are also petitions for the Cleveland Indians, the New York Yankees, Manchester United, the Texas Rangers,  the Arkansas Razorbacks [ohhhhhhh, yes], the Chicago Bears, the New England Patriots, the New York Mets, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cincinnati Bengals, AND SO ON AND FORTH.

Blow it up, internetz.

How cool would it be for gay and struggling kids if no matter who their home teams are, if they live under the thumb of fundamentalist bigots, they can at least get the message from their teams that it can get and does indeed get better?

Yes.

The Chicago Cubs will produce an “It Gets Better” video, which takes a stand against anti-gay bullying and homophobia. The project has been in the works for more than a week and is set to be filmed after the team returns to Wrigley Field from its current 10-game road trip. The Cubs will be the second professional sports team to participate in the “It Gets Better” campaign following the San Francisco Giants who released their video earlier this week. “The Cubs applaud the Giants for their stand against anti-LGBT bullying. Bullying of anyone for any reason is unacceptable,” said Laura Ricketts, Cubs owner and board member. “We are proud to join the Giants in taking a stand against bullying and encourage other professional sports organizations to do the same.”

I want to see the Cardinals do it next. And while we’re talking about the Cardinals, how ’bout their little AAA affiliate team, the Memphis Redbirds? Hmmmm?

[h/t Chicago native Dan Savage]

Here it is:

[h/t Joe]

The past week has really been stellar when it comes to people coming out, or simply coming out as straight allies.  Here’s another one.

Donté Stallworth, wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, publicly expressed his support for gay people and for marriage equality on Twitter, three times today:

Donte’ Stallworth
Sad that people are ridiculed for their sexual orientation in this age… and leave religion out of this, God loves ALL!!! #hyporcrites

Donte’ Stallworth
These politicians that use religion to deter gay marriage are same ones doing dirty under the table ish & war mongering #WheresYourReligion

Donte’ Stallworth
Wanda Sykes: “If you don’t believe in same sex marriage, don’t marry the same sex.” #EnoughSaid

Indeed, sir.

[h/t Twackle]

Wow:

The San Francisco Giants told SF Weekly today that the team will make an iconic “It Gets Better” video to encourage LGBT youth across the nation. The Giants will be the first professional sports team to join the spirited campaign aimed at curbing LGBT bullying and teen suicides.

According to Staci Slaughter, spokeswoman for the Giants, the team was already considering creating a video even before the change.org petition circulated last week, which requested that the Giants be the first sports team to join the campaign. More than 6,500 people have signed the petition. The It Gets Better Project started in 2010 after a slew of LGBT suicides across the nation. Since then, thousands of ordinary people, celebrities, and politicians have made videos.

I’m already a baseball fan, and the Giants just went way up in my book. When the current World Series champions are gearing up to loudly tell LGBT kids that It Gets Better, I’d say things have changed, people. Things have changed.

[h/t Dan Savage]

Maybe Peter LaBarbera* can go try to convert the Stanley Cup into an ex-gay or dress it up like a leatherdaddy:

The adventurous Stanley Cup will make its first appearance in a gay-themed event this weekend.

The Chicago Gay Hockey Association invited the Blackhawks to join Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade — and the team said yes. So did the Chicago Cubs, who will have their own float for the first time.

Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel and his wife, Kelly, will accompany the Cup on a float. Sopel, traded to Atlanta this week, is a father of three and said he’s not trying to make a statement.

“But everybody is a person, and we all have feelings,” he said.

That’s pretty cool. See, wingnuts? That’s how actual straight men who are actually comfortable with their actual sexuality act.

Happy pride, everybody.

(h/t Roy Edroso, who also says “Happy Pride”)

*Oh, secret message to Chicago pride-goers: If you see Peter, make out with the nearest acceptable person of the same gender lovingly and enthusiastically, right in front of him. He likes that.

Warning: Sexual honesty in sports may be objectionable to some viewers.

Soccer Officially Announces It Is Gay