So much has happened since the last time I had the chance to speak to you, but I want to touch upon the new that veteran NBA center Jason Collins became the first man in major American professional sports to come out as a gay.

For that, I have but one question. What took so long?

For as advanced a society as we all would like to think we are, the thought that it took this long for a player from MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL just boggles my mind. The sexual orientation of an athlete should be the farthest thing from anybody's mind.

I know as a fan, I have never once cared the least about any aspect of my favorite players' personal life. Just hit a game-winning home run, throw a touchdown pass on the game's final play, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, or score the winning goal in the shootout and I am a happy person.

Right now there's a lot of positive vibes coming from Collins' declaration. I hope those vibes don't fade away with time. I know there are many out there, straight or gay, that will look at Collins as a role model. I only hope we'll get to a place where Collins' story won't be a big deal anymore.

We've waited far too long to get this far.