College football player forced out of the closet, kicked off team

BY MyNorthwest.com  on September 12, 2012 @ 6:02 pm (Updated: 11:14 am - 10/3/12 )

AP: ebe2008e-0cce-4019-832d-5f0764f9bf27
Jamie Kuntz poses for a photograph at a football field in Dickinson, N.D., on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Kuntz says he was kicked of the North Dakota State College of Science football team for being gay. School officials say he was dismissed from the team for lying to a coach. (AP Photo/James MacPherson) | Zoom
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The official letter sent to Jamie Kuntz from his college football team said he was kicked off the team for lying. He thinks he was kicked off because he's gay.

Jamie doesn't think he's the only gay man on the North Dakota State College of Science football team, but the others aren't "out." Jamie wasn't either, at least not until he was spotted kissing his boyfriend in an empty press box during breaks between plays of a football game.

Ordered not to play due to a concussion, Jamie had planned on sitting on the bench for a game against Snow College in Pueblo, Colo. Instead, he was asked to film the game. He did so from a nearly-empty press box joined by just one other: his 65-year-old boyfriend.

"Yeah, there was kissing," admitted Jamie. "But [it was] between plays."

Jamie told The John Curley Show that they snuck a few kisses in between plays. He hadn't messed up the team's footage as some have claimed, though by the end of the game, the battery on the camera died.

After the game, he was pulled off the bus. Jamie initially lied about his boyfriend, saying it was his grandfather and of course, they weren't kissing.

Back at school, Jamie received a letter saying he was kicked off the team because he "lied." Since then he's been battling rumors surrounding the incident. His dreams of one day playing in the NFL appear far-fetched.

Although the letter claims different, Jamie is sure that if he'd been up there with a woman, it would have been different. Even more so, if the woman had been 45 or 65, he would have been congratulated for bagging a 'MILF' or 'Cougar.'

Jamie told Curley that on a podcast the coach pointed to multiple reasons he was let go from the team; many of which he refutes.

For now, Jamie remains off the field, and out of the closet.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (18)


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  • Seattle is a cesspool wrote...
    I'll bet ya...
    September 13, 2012 6:29 am
    Showers after the game were a blast.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Hmmmm
    September 13, 2012 7:18 am
    Not sure if he should be kicked off the team, but l don't think that coming out and kissing another man in the press box (empty or not) around other players is the best idea in the world? I guess he's playing the "gay" card...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • eddiewhite wrote...
    Maybe the dumbbass...
    September 13, 2012 8:06 am
    shouldnt have been showing PDA while at a football game. I dont give an F is he was making out with a 90 year old woman leave that S in private idiot
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cobain501 wrote...
    Disgusting
    September 13, 2012 8:38 am
    Hate my opinion if you want, but this is disgusting. There is something seriously wrong if you are interested in an old dude, and wrong with an old dude who is interested in a college kid. Gross..just gross. Stop.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    So if I read it correctly,
    September 13, 2012 8:47 am
    The "boy"friend is 65. The player is a freshman player, so like what? 20-years old, max? How long have they been together? Was the old dude having relations with a minor just a few years ago? And I agree with Cobain. If it was some 65-year old woman and a 19-year old dude, we'd be all grossed out too. And if it is a 65-year old dude with a 19-year old girl, we would have the Courtney Stodden story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    the Nittany Lions would love to have him
    September 13, 2012 8:38 am
    and he's already sporting the blue and white!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    If it were a 65 year old woman
    September 13, 2012 9:00 am
    It would still be gross. There is something emotionally disturbing about this and it's not because he's gay.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pugwamp wrote...
    I smell a lawsuit!!!
    September 13, 2012 10:48 am
    He's an 18yo dude from North Dakota who just so happens to have a 65yo BF from Colorado. That's some creepy stuff I bet he lied to get clearance for having his Grandpa in the press box. Then he lied about kissing. This won't matter. Some group will take up his cause and he'll probably end up getting a full ride AND become the head coach. Who cares if he's a rump ranger. This is just nasty.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsshirling wrote...
    Mynorthwest writer simply wrong...
    September 13, 2012 11:39 am
    He wasn't "forced out of the closet." He went with the team on a road trip and worked in the press box and started publicly kissing his boyfriend. If this mynorthwest "reporter" went to cover a press conference and started making out with his/her boyfriend or girlfriend, I would expect their boss to throw them out too. Gay people are just that... gay. NOT a protected class of citizens.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BocaBob1 wrote...
    Really?
    September 13, 2012 12:45 pm
    Is that not senior abuse? (I just threw up a little.)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • slaggg wrote...
    He Lied
    September 13, 2012 12:53 pm
    I love how this guy just completely doesn't even register the idea that maybe the reason he was kicked off the team is that he lied. Are we supposed to be OK with lying to the coach, if the liar is gay? College sports are intended to build character: kicking someone off the team for lying seems entirely appropriate to me.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }