Michael Sam

[rhodyfan3]

This has been a huge topic the past day, wanted to get some peoples thoughts on it. Personally, I think this is great. No one should have to hide who they are because of closed minded people. I don't know much about him as a player. I guess he was a first team All-American, and named top defensive player in the SEC. I am interested to see where he gets drafted and how he performs in the NFL.
Here is an article for anyone who hasn't heard about it or wants to read more about it.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/us/sport- ... comes-out/

[adam914]

Agreed that it really is awesome, and takes a lot of courage for him to come out. It won't be easy for him at the next level now. Will be alot of attention and could be alienated by his teammates. Its unfortunate, but reality. Either way, I think its great that he decided to come out and hopefully it allows others to feel like they don't have to be scared to be who they are.

[Taylor Swift]

Agreed. I think it's great that he did that. His preference has nothing to do with his playing abilities. Too bad people still have to be ignorant. I'm sure there are a lot of other players out there who will end up following suit.

[ATPTourFan]

Yep, great that someone finally did this. NFL's culture NEEDs to deal with this since it's like going back 50 years socially in those locker rooms.

[rodfromcranston]

Sorry, I don't get why people like Moochelle Obama and ESPN are making this guy a hero?
What a person's sexual preference is is their business.
This guy got more attention yesterday, than he's gotten in his entire Missou career.
Who cares? Can he play football in the NFL? That's the only thing anyone should
be concerned with.
After the really whacko, bizarre, Manti Te'o stuff, this is no big deal.
Te'o managed to put it behind him and become a pretty good rookie for SD.

[adam914]

That's exactly the point Rod. It shouldn't be a big deal at all. But the fact that he will be negatively judged for it makes it a big deal and a huge step for someone to actually have the courage to come out and do it.

The fact that there are reports of NFL people saying this will hurt his draft stock, yet they have no problems drafting/signing guys who have literally killed and raped people is baffling.

[TruePoint]

Rod, hopefully eventually it won't be a big deal. We aren't there yet. It is a big deal because nobody has felt comfortable enough to be "out" in major American professional sports up to this time, and there is a sports culture that has traditionally been hostile towards homosexuals. In fact, despite many NFL players and management-types showing their support for Sam yesterday, there were still others anonymously spouting ignorance about how the culture isn't ready to handle it and how he would therefore slip in the draft. So it clearly does still matter to some people. Further, if Sam hadn't made the announcement himself on Sunday, he would have been "outed" by the media, so clearly he didn't have the option to keep his personal life private.

I find it a little telling that all of the people complaining that "nobody should care/what's the big deal" are the same people who would have come out strongly against a homosexual in sports 10 or 15 years ago but understand that it would now be uncouth to do so. I would have been just as suspicious of a white male saying "who cares about race?" when Jackie Robinson broke into baseball. Being post-racial or post-homophobic may be admirable goals, but we clearly aren't there yet. Insisting that we are either means you're ignorant to the realities that people are facing in their lives or hearing about it still makes you uncomfortable but you know you can't openly admit that.

[rodfromcranston]

Not sure what you're digging at, but I've had plenty
of gay friends and/or co-workers. Some who I have
cooked for and dined with in my home.
My favorite Episcopal pastor is gay, and a friend for life. He has two wonderful little girls he and his
partner have adopted. They are great parents.
People are people. However, I don't get some segments patting them on the
back for it. It's a personal choice. It shouldn't be celebrated any more
than Joe Namath sleeping with any woman who was breathing.
Any other wrong assumptions you care to make?

[TruePoint]

Sorry Rod. I was making some rather broad statements that I think generally hold true, although I wouldn't presume to ascribe them to any particular person. I started off my post addressing you, but the entire thing wasn't meant to be addressed to you. My fault for not making that clear.

My point to you is that even though we might want to be at point where it's not a big deal, or it isn't a big deal to us personally, we have to acknowledge that it still matters in our culture because openly gay men in pro sports are susceptible to being ostracized, and they deserve the support of people who think they have a right to play.

My broader point is that I'm generally suspicious of people who want to downplay the significance of this because there are a bunch of people out there who would have demonized this guy a decade ago, and now they're seemingly all in hiding. My perception is that that crowd is now the "who cares" crowd which is trying to minimize the significance of this for their own selfish reasons. Either those who were anti-gay in the past have miraculously all had epiphanies and become so progressive that they don't think it matters at all, or that is a convenient position to take for people who just want the conversation to stop.

[rodfromcranston]

No problemo!

[RhowdyRam02]

Not only was the media close to outing him, but scouts were apparently asking around about his orientation at a recent Senior Bowl game. So between that and the anonymous quotes from NFL sources in Peter King's article, it seems there are some people in NFL front offices that would prefer to avoid having him on their roster. I think by people celebrating the courage it took to come forward it might make those backwards thinking people rethink their position and hopefully he will be drafted on the merits of his talent and not drop due to his personal life.

As a football player it seems like he might almost be a Bruschi type player. Very productive college d-lineman that due to size might have to move to linebacker.