When Skip Bayless was working for The Dallas Morning News in the 1990s, he wrote a series of books about the most popular football team in America, the Dallas Cowboys. In the third and final book of his trilogy, Bayless speculated — with no actual evidence — that Troy Aikman is gay.
Aikman hasn’t forgotten about it.
During a lengthy interview with Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated this week, Aikman was asked if he still holds a grudge over Bayless’ “reporting,” which Skip basically admitted was pure speculation.
“I’m upset about it because it was made up and there was nothing accurate about anything that was insinuated,” the three-time Super Bowl champion said. “And he did it, as he does everything, just for attention. I am probably more upset because I probably should have responded to it at the time it was going on. The advice to me was, ‘Hey, just don’t address it. It’s not worth it. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s ridiculous. All it’s going to do is have people continue to talk about his book.’
“So I didn’t. But I probably could have responded differently and maybe that would have changed things. Maybe it wouldn’t have. But it is ridiculous, and, yeah, it bothers me.”
Aikman was married for 12 years and has two daughters. He has also been dating model Tracy Ripsin, who you see in the photo above and can read more about here. We don’t blame him for being angry that someone lied about his personal life — regardless of what the lie entailed. However, he’s probably going to catch some heat for what he said next to Deitsch.
“If that is a lifestyle people choose, so be it,” Aikman said. “It doesn’t affect me one way or another. But it is not my lifestyle.”
Despite a former Washington Redskins player using a homophobic slur to describe Aikman a while back, it seems highly unlikely that Aikman is gay. In addition to having been married and having two children, there was also this embarrassing direct message attempt Aikman had with an actress a couple years back.
Still, calling homosexuality a “lifestyle choice” is never a good idea. Aikman will probably wish he could take that one back.
