Jason Collins, first openly gay NBA player garners former NFL coach, Raider kicker support

A day after NBA basketball player Jason Collins came out as gay to Sports Illustrated, a former NFL coach and an Oakland Raider record-setting placekicker believe the NFL is ready to accept a gay football player.

"I don't think the NFL is going to have a problem," said Herm Edwards, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach, now an NFL analyst for ESPN. "Is there going to be a vote of confidence in the locker room? For some of the younger and immature players, but the veteran players — they get it."

Edwards' comments were part of a Tuesday teleconference highlighting the recent NFL draft picks and other developments as part of the run up to the 24th annual American Century Championship, the sports-star and celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe set for July 19-21 at Stateline's Edgewood Tahoe and to be televised on NBC Sports.

Also in on the press call was Oakland Raider's placekicker Sebastian Janikowski who said if a Raider were to come out as Collins did, "I would support him 100 percent." Because being a teammate is about letting the players do their thing and respecting them for it "I would support him if it happened in Oakland. I would support my teammate."

Collins, the 34-year-old Washington Wizards center, shook the sports world Monday announcing he was gay, becoming the first openly gay athlete playing in a major U.S. professional team sport.

Pro sports has evolved throughout the decades in areas of breaking down cultural barriers most notably Jackie Robinson, Edwards said.

"I think we are at a place now where this is not shocking; I think most players feel that way," said Edwards of Collins and the NBA.

"What worries me now is (whether) he'll be able to play basketball" given his decision to go public with a personal matter, Edwards said. The support of the NBA is there, but it will be up to Collins to step up with his skills as an athlete, he added.

Even with football's brute reputation, players and attitudes are changing with the times. At the end of the day Edwards knows "it comes down to this: Will the guy help us win? Will he do his job?"

Janikowski and Edwards will return to Lake Tahoe for the July tournament, each having played last year. More than 80 of the biggest sports and entertainment stars and celebrities will tee it up at the famed Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course for this year's celebrity golf tournament, vying for the $125,000 winner’s share of the $600,000 purse.

The powerhouse lineup of sports legends includes Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Oscar de la Hoya and Bodie Miller. They will join celebrities Ray Romano, Jack Wagner, Kevin Nealon and others.

With an impressive field that highlights notable returning players and newcomers, the American Century Championship remains the longest-running and most prominent of celebrity golf tournaments. Early commitments have been received for the championship include Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, Olympic gold medalist skier Bode Miller, NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, NHL Hall of Famer Brett Hull, NHL All-Star goalie Martin Brodeur, New York Knicks basketball point guard Jason Kidd and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

First-timers this year include NFL Hall of Famer John Randle; former NFL Pro-Bowl wide receiver Andre Reed; former NBA All-Star Detlef Schrempf and Former MLB All-Star Tim Wakefield.

NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network will televise the tournament live as follows:

Friday, July 19: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. PT (live) on NBC Sports Network
Saturday, July 20: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT (live) on NBC
Sunday, July 21: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT (live) on NBC

A re-air of the broadcast times on the Golf Channel will be announced soon.

Tournament scoring is based on a modified Stableford format with 10 points for a double eagle, 8 for a hole-in-one, 6 for eagle, 3 for birdie, 1 for par, 0 for bogey, and minus 2 for double-bogey or higher. The 54-hole tournament has been played at Edgewood Tahoe’s 6,707-yard lakeside course since its inception in 1990. Returning champions include 2011 winner, Hollywood actor Jack Wagner; 2010 champion, former NFL quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver; and eight-time winner Rick Rhoden.

The arts and entertainment fields are represented by Saturday Night Live alumnus cast member and "Weeds" star Kevin Nealon; Ray Romano of “Men of a Certain Age” and “Everybody Loves Raymond;” and Anthony Anderson of the NBC show "Guys with Kids."

The NFL participants include Hall of Famers’ John Elway and Marcus Allen; Denver Broncos coach John Fox; former All-Pro quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde and Joe Theismann; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer; Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski; Miles Austin, the All-Pro wide receiver with the Dallas Cowboys; former Pro Bowl wide receiver Tim Brown and former NFL coach and ESPN football analyst Herm Edwards.

NBA basketball's stars will be represented by Shane Battier, forward with the world champion Miami Heat, and Schrempf, who played in Dallas, Indiana, Seattle and Portland in his pro career.

Hockey checks in with aforementioned Hull and Brodeur, NHL All-Star Center Jeremy Roenick, and former All-Star Mike Modano; 1980 Olympic Gold Medal winner and team captain Mike Eruzione; and Joe Sakic, the former NHL All-Star and $1 million 2011 tournament hole-in-one winner.

Major league baseball greats scheduled to appear include Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith; All-Star pitchers Bret Saberhagen and Greg Maddux; outfielders Joe Carter and Kenny Lofton; and power-hitter Fred McGriff.

Tournament title sponsor American Century Investments.

Advance tickets are available online at www.TahoeSouth.com, and at retail locations beginning April 1 and daily during the tournament at the gate. Tickets are also being sold at 127 Raley's, Nob Hill and Bel Air locations throughout Northern California and Nevada.

Daily tickets are $15 for the Lake Tahoe Celebrity-Amateur on Tuesday, July 16; practice round on Wednesday, July 17; and the American Century Celebrity-Amateur on Thursday, July 18; and $25 for each tournament round, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A Patron Badge Season Pass, good for admission all six days, will be on sale for $60. Kids 10 and under are free when accompanied with a paid adult.

For the latest details, celebrity tweets, fan contests go to @ACChampionship and facebook.com/LTCelebrityGolf. For tournament information: www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com.