Chris Kluwe staying in spotlight with Out magazine cover, CNN interview

Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Chris Kluwe isn't backing down from his support of gay marriage.

The outspoken Minnesota Vikings punter has been on a media whirlwind this month, getting featured on the cover of the prominent gay and lesbian magazine Out, sitting for an interview with CNN and being profiled in the pages of Sports Illustrated (the last two media outlets are both owned by Time Warner, which may explain the synergy). The current press blitz comes one month after Kluwe wrote a strongly-worded letter to a Maryland delegate defending the pro-gay marriage comments made by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo

Kluwe's answer on whether America is ready for an openly gay NFL player was revealing. He said he doesn't know if that's the case. I disagree, but that's hardly an issue. The real question is: Does it matter whether America is ready?

A major athlete coming out is an inevitability. When it happens, the story will be controversial for the 24 hours and will pick up steam when another player makes an ignorant (or ignorant sounding) statement about his reservations in playing with a gay teammate. The story will stay big for 48 more hours, then will calm down and pick back up when the player takes the field for the first time since the announcement. After that, the player's sexuality will be only as prominent as he makes it. Months later, few people are going to care.

Kluwe's crusade will help matters. His persistence is admirable, but he should stick to one topic at a time. When CNN gives him an open forum, he goes off on Super PACs ("money has an overriding influence on our politics today") and taxes ("do you really need a diamond encrusted yacht?"), and it doesn't help his case. An NFL player speaking out for gay marriage can make a difference. An NFL player talking about how money and politics don't mix -- that's just noise.

Since we're already giving unsolicited advice, if Kluwe is going to talk about something serious, he should at least try and dress the part. The Super Mario Brothers shirt (while awesome) doesn't project the image of a person who demands to be taken seriously.