Former Nebraska Kicker Says He Was Openly Gay, Loved By Teammates

[GSG]

Former Nebraska Kicker Says He Was Openly Gay, Loved By Teammates

 

 

 

Erick Lueshen was a kicker on the University of Nebraska football team from 2004-2005, and according to an interview he did on 93.7 The Ticket, he was openly gay the entire time he was on the team. His interview was illuminating, and it sounds like his experience as an openly gay college athlete was very similar to Michael Sam's.

 

You can listen to the entirety of Lueshen's two-part interview here and here, but we've pulled some of the highlights.

[GSG]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

[DonDraper]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

[Axl_sued_me]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

Who? Ron Brown wasn't there a that time.

[Mike Mcdee]

Yup, uncle Ron didn't come back to the staff until Bo's first season back.

[Junior]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

 

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

Who? Ron Brown wasn't there a that time.

 

 

Wasn't Brown an assistant in 2004 still? I thought he was a holdover? Or maybe that was Turner...

[DonDraper]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

Who? Ron Brown wasn't there a that time.

I didn't mean to insinuate Ronnie Brown, as he was on sabbatical from his Husker Coaching run. Take a look at the coaching roster back then and it's not hard to figure out.

[Count 'Bility]

Yes, Ron was out. Turner was moved to WR's.

[Landlord]

All of this not to insinuate that if Ron WERE on the staff, he would have been unwelcoming. I don't think there's anything to support that idea whatsoever.

[Guy Chamberlin]

I think there's a new generation that honestly doesn't give a crap about sexual preference. Or race.

 

Older players will always look for weaknesses to test, mock and haze younger players, so I'm sure some regrettable comments will get more coverage than they warrant. But in large we'll soon look back and be amazed this was ever an issue.

 

For schools with a strong evangelical bent -- I'm looking at you Air Force Academy -- it might be tricky that your religious beliefs assert that homosexuals will burn in hell.

[darkhorse85]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

 

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

Who? Ron Brown wasn't there a that time.

I didn't mean to insinuate Ronnie Brown, as he was on sabbatical from his Husker Coaching run. Take a look at the coaching roster back then and it's not hard to figure out.

 

That's exactly what you meant and now you're just trying to back out of it with some half-assed, ambiguois response.

[Count 'Bility]

On a few of his assistant coaches making him feel unwelcome:

 

Once everyone found out, several coaches made it very clear to me that I wasn't welcome. I would say the majority of how they made it known that I was unwelcome was through non-verbal communication—body language, looks—but there was definitely some verbal things at times.

 

 

 

I have a guess at a certain position coach who might have been "unwelcoming."

Who? Ron Brown wasn't there a that time.

I didn't mean to insinuate Ronnie Brown, as he was on sabbatical from his Husker Coaching run. Take a look at the coaching roster back then and it's not hard to figure out.

I did. I looked at the staff in '04 and '05. I guess I need you to fill me in. I'm not familiar with any of them except Kennedy, so I really have no clue. I wouldve thought you meant Brown too, but I already knew he wasnt there. Unless you mean Gill? I know he's quite spiritual as well.

 

We have to keep in perspective that this was going on 10 years ago. Obviously society has really progressed a sh#t ton since then, in my opinion. Hell, I know I have.

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

He looks Abernathy Darwin Dunlap to me...

[Foppa]

Well...at least he was smart enough not to carve anti-gay slurs into himself and make false statements to police.

[DonDraper]