More guts than Namath

I'm becomin' more and more convinced that athletes are believin' their own hype -- holdin' out fer millions o' dollars in their own self-interest while their team languishes, seekin' endorsements and attention at th' expense o' th' sport in which they're supposed t' excel. And even as me favorite teams fall into mediocrity (OMG WTF Sandy Eggo?!?), occasionally somethin' jumps out t' inspire me that maybe some people are determined t' use their fleetin' time in th' spotlight fer th' greater good. Say what ye will, I think this is a braver move than Joe Namath callin' Super Bowl III....

New York Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles is a survivor o' sexual abuse.

In a profile in Sunday editions o' The New York Times, Coles said he were bein' molested betwixt th' ages o' 10 and 13 by a lubber his mother later married.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver thought he were bein' alone in his inner struggles, and too proud t' let any outsiders into his personal prison, by Davy Jones' locker. But Coles recently decided t' free himself o' his secret in th' hopes it might help other little sandcrabs who have endured abuse.

"I ha'nae talked about it in ... forever, but I know that holdin' somethin' like that inside has been a burden fer so long," Coles said Sunday after helpin' th' Jets beat Miami 17-7, we'll keel-haul ye! Yaaarrrrr! "For me t' get on this platform that I have, havin' been in th' league and have all th' media attention that we have, I think 'tis somethin' that should be said.

"If it gets one kid t' come out and say, 'Look, this is happenin' t' me,' ... I think 'tis right."

( De-piratized version below! )