NO HOMO - Homophobic Backlash After Toronto Raptors' Leandro Barbosa and Reggie Evans Hold Hands

Leandro Barbosa and Reggie Evans hold hands.. so!

By Rod2.0

The Toronto Raptors snapped a six-game losing streak with a 102-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Guard Leandro Barbosa had some 14 points ... should be reason to celebrate, right?

In a light-hearted moment, Barbosa took the hand of teammate Reggie Evans enroute to the locker room. The innoucous image has caused a "no homo" gay panic backlash across the 'net.

Hundreds of gay-baiting comments were left on YouTube and othersites. YouTube commenting is now disabled but OutSportscaptured some of the flavor: "How romantic…ha, faggs." "Reggie Evans is GAY" "Not only does [head coach] jay triano have to deal with barnani and calderon but these fags has well! its a miracle they even won 21 games!"

The backlash against the ballers is reminiscent of the January 2008 University of Louisville incident. The image of two Louisvile players embracing produced hundreds of gay panic comments.

Sad. The intense homophobic culture surrounding American sports is exactly why few athletes are willing to come out.

Cool: Puma Ditches Boxes for 'Clever Little Bag'

By Kiran Aditham

It took 21 months, 2000 ideas and 40-plus packaging prototypes to pore over, but Puma along with designer Yves Behar and his team at Fuseproject have come up with a new sustainable packaging system for Puma sneakers: Clever Little Bag. The product, which will begin rolling out next year, marks the next phase of the brand's social and green-themed initiative PumaVision.

While Puma chief exec Jochen Zeitz said that the brand would not necessarily save money with the new packaging, he adds, "Sustainability is not only absolutely necessary considering the situation our planet is in, we as companies are also overdue to take responsibility. We can't wait for governments. Companies have to lead the way and we want to be among the leaders." Behar meanwhile offers his two cents about the project to Fast Company, which also posts Puma's estimates on Clever Little Bag's impact.