LA Dodgers' 'It Gets Better' Video: It Doesn't Matter Which Team You Cheer For

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the latest sports team to lend their support to the It Gets Better Project against gay teen bullying and suicide.

The 'It Gets Better' video features coach Don Mattingly, James Loney, Matt Guerrier, Jamey Carroll, A.J. Ellis, Rod Barajas and Hiroki Kuroda saying, "you are worthy," and "you're not alone, we're on your side" in English, Spanish and Japanese. For an industry where gay role models are few and far between, that's saying a lot.

LAist also brings up an interesting point:

In declaring "It doesn't matter which team you cheer for," the Dodgers video also doubles as a somber follow-up to the opening game day tragedy in the stadium parking lot that found San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow the victim of a brutal beating handed down by a Dodgers fan.

Kudos to Melissa Prowant of Lakewood, California, for coming up with the idea. On August 10, Prowant created this petition on Change.org directed at owner Frank McCourt and three other team stakeholders asking them to create an "It Gets Better" video. The petition collected 1,500 signatures.

Comments

[IndependentAndProud]

03:33 AM on 09/30/2011

Good on ya, Dodgers!

[keemia]

02:59 AM on 09/30/2011

It's amazing to see these macho dudes do this. This is a great sign that our society is finally opening its eyes to people of all types. I loved watching this.

[SeaMikeC]

12:19 PM on 09/29/2011

Bravo

[drfast]

09:36 AM on 09/28/2011

Great job Dodgers!!!

[Ngata2011]

07:15 AM on 09/28/2011

At first I thought this was a joke about the Dodgers

[bgofca]

04:28 AM on 09/28/2011

that was a very well done video. thank you.

[1logicalthinker]

01:21 AM on 09/28/2011

Well, I haven't really followed the Dodgers much since I watched them (on TV) play in front of 90,000 fans at the Coliseum for the World Series, with Drysdale, Koufax, and that young TV announcer Vin Scully, but I'm really impressed by this "It Gets Better Video." Thanks for a great message, guys.

P.S. Whatever happened to Scully, anyway? :)

[minlshaw]

01:01 PM on 09/28/2011

Vin Scully signed a contract extension earlier this year. I believe the new terms call for the Dodgers to build him a robot body so he can continue to broadcast their games until the end of time. (I, for one, think it's terrific that he's *still* calling every game by himself, simulcast on radio and TV.)

[1logicalthinker]

08:52 PM on 09/28/2011

LOL! My comment about Vin was tongue-in-cheek, but I was suprised to find out that he holds the record for being the youngest announcer to broadcast the World Series at 25 years old.

[IndependentAndProud]

03:30 AM on 09/30/2011

Vinny is the King! But, I believe that others handle the radio side. Rick Monday and a guy whose name I always forget. What does that tell ya?

[FogBelter]

10:14 PM on 09/27/2011

Right on Dodgers! (and that is likely the last time you will ever see this Giants fan say that.)

[IndependentAndProud]

03:31 AM on 09/30/2011

Cheers to you!