On... Man Love?

"...But a man love."

Samuel L. Jackson felt the need to use this term to qualify his love for T.I. and Justin Timberlake when announcing their joint performance on the Grammys tonight. You know, make sure us viewers, fans and fellow Hollywood-ites would know that the love he felt for these two was of the burly, masculine persuasion, you know not all sissy and feminine and queer.

So what exactly is "man love"? Does it mean that you give burly chest bangs and intricate handshakes and growls of saluation instead of hugs and kisses or just hellos? Or maybe it means, you know you talk about real manly stuff like, football and ... er, football as opposed to I don't know baking and uh, child rearing (those are feminine topics right)? Perhaps it means that you know, you enjoy fucking as opposed to making love?

Because I'm a woman, am I somehow inhibited from understanding and prohibited from experiencing, "man love"? Is the love between me and my friends different than this grizzly love of which Mr. Jackson speaks? Does man love fall under the category of philia or agape or eros love?

Another question, is the love between gay men "man love"? If not, can gay men experience "man love" with their male friends? Or does this term refer to strictly, platonic love between heterosexual men? Is it that, "Aw man you know I love you!" (insert manly chuckle and perhaps a handshake half hug). Perhaps followed up with a, "You my nigga!" (NOTE: nigga in this sense can be interchanged with dawg, homie, buddy, pal, ace, or any term that affectionately and appropriately describes a favorable male aquaintance).

I'm just trying to get it straight, you know. I don't want to use the wrong term or get it twisted or whatever.

So, inquiring minds want to know, what is this