One of our favorite football players, uber-sexy Laveranues Coles, is a free man. The New York Jets restructured the contract of their veteran wide receiver, allowing the player to become an unrestricted free agent when the signing period begins at midnight. The Jets are off the hook for the guaranteed $6 million Coles was due this upcoming season.
"I'm leaving $6 million on the table," Coles tells the Daily News. "It's a roll of the dice, but I thought it would be in my best interest to try free agency."
In late 2005, Laveranues Coles went public with his story of childhood sexual abuse to help others who may have been similarly traumatized. For three years in middle school, Coles says his stepfather molested him at gunpoint. The reaction has been mostly positive, "but every so often somebody will say something that causes Coles" to isolate and return to his shell, Coles tells the New York Times. Coles says after the Jets’ 2005 finale against Buffalo, "a Bills player, whom he would not identify, approached him and made a coarse homophobic comment."
Congratulations and best of luck to Laveranues Coles. Oh and here is to the tenth straight year without a playoff appearance for the Buffalo Bills.
Jets WR Coles to Become Free Agent [SI]
Jets Release Coles, Shed $6 Million [NYDN]
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I love Laveranues Coles. He was so brave to go public with that story, my heart aches for him. And he always looks so sensitive. You can tell the players really like him. Maybe he will go to come Dallas, we need some good players who aren't hoodlums.
Posted by: D. Askew | 26 February 2009 at 14:06
I can't believe another player would make a remark like that to him just because he won a game.
Wait. Yes I can. sad sad sad
Posted by: A. Ronald | 26 February 2009 at 14:13
laveranes is so dam sexy. i would punch that other player in the face
Posted by: Carlos | 26 February 2009 at 14:49
BROTHER COLES IS AN AMAZING, SHINING EXAMPLE OF MANHOOD AND STRENGTH.
AFTER HIS MOTHER NEVER SPOKE A SINGLE WORD TO HIM ABOUT HER HUSBAND'S MOLESTATION AND RAPE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HE WENT ON OPRAH AND FACED IT ALL LIKE A REAL MAN!
HIS BOLD MOVE RIGHT HERE IS THE SAME THING...A REAL MAN, DARING TO STEP OUT AND GET WHAT HE'S WORTH! IT WILL COME BACK TO HIM 1000 FOLD!
I AM PROUD OF LAVERNEUS COLES, INDEED!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 26 February 2009 at 15:06
Thank you RevKev!
Lavarneus is so courageous, such a role model and an inspiration. It took so much heart for him to put himself out there. And what was up with the mother never saying anything to him about what happened?
Posted by: Anderson | 26 February 2009 at 15:39
When I saw this brother on Oprah, his story broke my heart. His eyes looked so sad. I wish him all the best. He deserves some happiness. I pray for all of my brothers that have had to find their way after experiencing this particular trauma.
Posted by: FREELEO | 26 February 2009 at 15:54
Thank you RevKev and Freelo...
This gorgeous young man always loosk so sad and vulnerable, even when he smiles. He has been hurt so much and chosen to try to help others... I wish him the very best and pray for his success and happiness.
Posted by: GRANT | 26 February 2009 at 16:03
I wonder if he likes men as a result of his unfortunate abuse?? He is hella sexy!! I wish him the best in whatever he does. I hope he finds a nice "mate" that will treat him right. And not a gold digger.
Posted by: AzzedineAliaFan | 26 February 2009 at 18:31
A couple of years ago I was on another black gay website and they had a headline "football player comes out on Oprah" and they showed stills of Laverneous on Oprah. It made me so mad I sent them an e-mail telling them that sexual abuse not the same as sexual orientation. We could be so ignorant! I hope that brother has a strong support system.
Posted by: Dluv | 27 February 2009 at 07:46
Laveranues Coles, a real quiet NFL
player and real person of courage and integrity, has let his actions
speak with much more eloquence and power, personally, publicly and professionally, than most athletes in professional sports, not as a 'role model,' but as a REAL man and adult for men, women and children, in addressing being sexually violated in his own life.
His veracity of being sexually
violated by a parent breaks the silence of incest both in families
and institutions, openly putting real care and character above his
career. Now, that's a HERO!
Being violated in two Catholic seminaries, with cover-ups of such
crimes and whistleblowers normally
getting only torturous silence, I view Laveranues Coles as truly a
MVP in the NFL and in Life.
Rather than being seen as only a
'victim' or a 'survivor,' I see
and admire Laveranues Coles, like myself, trying to BE a 'violated revivor,' setting a standard and an example for self-empowerment,
while supporting Justice for all
persons, subjected to sexual crimes, social stigma and society's silence.
I pray my brother, Lavernues, has a long, happy and prosperous Life,
where he IS finding himself!
Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea
One World LIfe Systems
Posted by: Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea | 01 March 2009 at 23:57