After Robbie Rogers came out, soccer has trumped hockeystick ball or whatever as our favorite athletic competition show sport thingymajig. So we were very happy to learn that fans of professional soccer who were attending a recent Portland Timbers match were met with an incredible display of LGBT support ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia on Friday. Go local sports team!

Details follow.

Alan Gordon, a forward for Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes, has received his punishment after hurling a homophobic slur towards Portland Timbers midfielder Will Johnson. 

Details after the jump. 

Robbie Rogers became a homo-hold name in February when he came out as an openly-gay professional soccer play and, in instant succession, retired from the sport.

Today, in an interview published in the Guardian, Rogers explains why he had to leave soccer behind if he wanted to live his true life.

Updated Saturday, 4:00 p.m. PST

Positive reactions poured in for pro soccer player Robbie Rogers following his decision to come out. 

Check out the awesome reactions from people in the soccer world after the jump!

If all professional athletes automatically had to start working part-time as "erotic models" when funds were tight, we'd be advocating for pay cuts across the board!

Until then, Stuart Tomlinson will do just fine!

Huff Po introduced us to Tomlinson, the goalie for British professional soccer team Burton Albion, who works part-time as a model willing to pose nude. He apparently goes by the alias "Rupert Paddington Gomez." 

We'll allow it.

See some of his "portfolio" after the jump!

One of the Liverpool Football Club's star members has to pony up $16,000 after attempting to humiliate a teammate by calling him gay on Twitter. Nineteen-year old Suso got the controversial jab in last month when fellow Red Jose Enrique posted a picture of a teeth-whitening session to the social network. 

This. Is. Awesome.

Hot Chip just debuted our new favorite video for their single, "Don't Deny Your Heart" off of their In Our Heads album.

Concept? Two gay soccer players (okay, footballers) comes out and the whole stadium of men devolves into lustful cockmonsters. 

David Beckham, you've still got time to make this happen before you leave LA Galaxy!!

Watch the video after the jump!

Is Major League Soccer leading the charge in holding professional athletes accountable for homophobic behavior?

The blog Grantland makes the case that the league's swift responses and punishments levied against players that use homophobic slurs sets it apart form other professional sports  leagues.

They also have a theory as to why MLS is so adamant about presenting a pro-gay tone.

More after the jump. 

With gay rights, homophobia, and coming out seemingly becoming a topic of conversation in every professional sport, ESPN magazine took the opportunity to gauge where the four major pro sports in the US individually stand on the issue of marriage equality.

The results may surprise you. Find out what they uncovered after the jump!

Facing reports of an unidentified professional soccer player who wants to come out of the closet but fears his safety, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out on Thursday to let them know they "must not be afraid."

Suffolk, England's Playford Football Club hopes that a silly (but sexy) video showing them play a game of soccer in their underwear will help the team raise $1,178 for uniforms, balls and other sports thingies. 

Unfortunately, in the scripting stage of this stunt, Playford FC failed to realize that seeing a half-naked game of soccer does little to incentivize the gays to help the players find clothing.

Watch the NSFW-ish video after the jump.