NFL spokespeople: Michael Sam’s NFL Draft Stock Will Drop After Announcing He Is Gay

[kpete]

Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2014, 11:53 AM - Edit history (2)

Report: Michael Sam’s NFL Draft Stock Will Drop After Announcing He Is Gay

Sam, a University of Missouri defensive end who came out on Sunday night, will drop in the draft, according to Sports Illustrated. The magazine spoke to eight NFL executives, all of whom said Sam’s announcement will drop him in May’s draft.

“I don’t think football is ready for (an openly gay player) just yet,” an NFL player personnel assistant told Sports Illustrated. “In the coming decade or two, it’s going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it’s still a man’s-man game. To call somebody a (gay slur) is still so commonplace. It’d chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”

...........

Sam already wasn’t going to be a first-round pick, despite his gaudy stats in the talented SEC. Now, he’s expected to drop even further than his initial projection.

“I just know with this going on this is going to drop him down,”an NFL scout told Sports Illustrated. “There’s no question about it. It’s human nature. Do you want to be the team to quote-unquote ‘break that barrier?’”


http://nesn.com/2014/02/report-michael-sams-nfl-draft-stock-will-drop-after-announcing-he-is-gay/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/10/1276445/-NFL-spokespeople-admit-publicly-the-NFL-will-pay-Sam-LESS-for-being-Gay


***********

UPDATE TO ADD:

Very brave and macho.

But while initial reaction from players has been almost universally welcoming, the executives who will actual making decisions on drafting Sam have been disappointingly retrograde. Sports Illustrated has two separate articles speaking with 12 different NFL GMs, coaches, and scouts, and to a man, they say that being gay will either hurt Sam's draft stock, or cause him to not be drafted at all.

Also to a man, they refuse to put their names behind their comments.

http://deadspin.com/nfl-executives-say-the-league-isnt-ready-for-michael-s-1519784781?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[dembotoz]

1. would not be shocked at all--if he falls in the draft i hope he falls to the packers

we need the help

[Scuba]

4. +1

[Chisox08]

19. -100000

The Packers can have him if the agree to trade Rodgers for Cutler and move to Alaska.

I wonder if his middle name is Will, if it is he will be a perfect linebacker because his name would be all three positions.

[LondonReign2]

37. The Packers will trade Seneca Wallace for Cutler, but the Bears have to throw

in a 6th rounder as well.

Signing Cutler to a long-term deal seemed like a panic move, but as a Packers fan I'm OK with that

[AAO]

61. Yeah, we already have Clay.

[SCVDem]

62. I don't have a problem with that.

The Packers are fine with their players unless they end up on the Police blotter.

Then they have one foot out the door.

Johnny Jolly paid his dues and I hope he returns, btw.

[Brickbat]

2. I find it hilarious that college kids -- not always known for their sensitivity, discretion and

Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2014, 01:10 PM - Edit history (1)

fair-mindedness -- are fine with an openly gay teammate, while grown-ass men in management are going to pieces over this.

Domonique Foxworth -- president of the NFLPA -- said it best: "I think we learned a lot about football players. And we will soon learn something about the NFL."

[Cha]

3. Really.

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. From an ex-NFL player:

@DonteStallworth:
It takes more than courage what Michael Sam is doing. Best of luck to you brother. You have my support!
http://m.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/missouris-michael-sam-announces-he-is-gay-may-be-first-openly-gay-player-in-nfl/2014/02/09/0dd2fd4c-91ff-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html

Stallworth has changed a lot.
He killed a man when DUI. He learned a lot about himself and others.

[Boom Sound 416]

11. All it took was a little vehicular homicide to find his inner evolution

[Are_grits_groceries]

21. True.

But some don't ever evolve no matter what happens.

[mythology]

86. To be fair

the person he hit wasn't blameless. Running across the middle of the street with the sun behind you isn't the smartest way to cross the street in traffic.

[Boom Sound 416]

87. Had the driver not been drunk

The pedestrian might be here today to argue his defense of such an egregious act as jaywalking in the sun.

But he's dead. So he can't.

[musselmanm]

97. conservative

The perpatrator of running across the street must have been a tea bagger, it comes with the stupid attached.

[Blue_Tires]

24. To be fair, it's easy to be ok with it now that his college career is over...

Columbia (and central MO as a whole) aren't known for being the most progressive types... If it was known during his playing days it could have been unpleasant at home and on the road...

Like that women's basketball star who only came out after leaving Baylor...

[HERVEPA]

28. Uh, his teammates knew about it.

[Blue_Tires]

30. And gay female athletes at Baylor are evidently the worst-kept-secret

Doesn't mean everyone is "officially" okay with it while the athlete is still associated with the program: http://tracking.si.com/2013/05/18/brittney-griner-gay-baylor/

[Sgent]

63. He came out to his team

before the season started.

[frylock]

38. he came out to his team last august

[aggiesal]

53. The Missouri football stadium . . .

[loyalsister]

31. Cheers erupted in the bars in Columbia

Students and fans in Mizzou territory are happy about this. I'm sure that there are some heads exploding in other parts of the state.

[exboyfil]

32. If the GOP continues to resist

gay rights, they will be crushed in the future. I live in a pretty conservative community, but most of the kids in my 10th grade daughter's classes are for gay marriage. I can believe that it has gotten a whole lot better on campus as well. Missouri could very easily go as Blue as Iowa in a few years and Iowa will become Massachusetts.

[pnwmom]

52. I'm not at all surprised, though. None of my young relatives in a red state, or their friends,

are homophobic -- even though they're often conservative in other ways.

I credit TV for making a huge difference. Growing up with Ellen, and Will and Grace, Modern Family, etc., has made a huge difference -- even when you live in a red state.

[Vashta Nerada]

5. "but at this point in time it’s still a man’s-man game."

Thank you, NFL executive, for saying that. Now I'll never watch your shitty sport.

[Mike Daniels]

15. If it's a man's-man game I guess they'll consider switching back to leather helmets (sarcasm)

After all, if you can't withstand a little bit of head butting what type of man are you?

[awoke_in_2003]

42. Off topic...

but returning to leather helmets might reduce the concussion problem. People would stop using their heads as a weapon.

[Mike Daniels]

96. I actually think it would improve the fundamentals of tackling as well

It looks like tackling is a lost art since people now seem to launch their body to take someone down vs. trying to wrap them up. Perhaps that's a by-product of helmets that technically allow more protection to the head.

[Jenoch]

82. When I was in the 9th grade playing football

in 1976, we wore leather helmets with face guards. I don't know when they quit using them. The school should have sold them to the public. I would have bought one, sort of like when a city sells parking meters.

[hibbing]

46. Man's man...ugh

What an idiotic comment. Like someone who happens to be gay can't play a violent and brutal sport on the level of the NFL...please.

Peace

[justiceischeap]

56. This always gets me...

I think Sam has already proven that he's "man" enough to play the game.

[LibertyLover]

95. As one of my favorite ads

for the Ravens, my favorite team [GO RAVENS!] says: Sometimes the 12th man is a woman. The Ravens organization knows that women make up a large percentage of their fan base and act accordingly, with special events geared around the team and the sport just for women. But they don't talk down to their women fans either, something I appreciate. This NFL executive is way behind the times as far as women and football go.

[Lint Head]

7. Nothing like a good old American testosterone filled bigot.

[Are_grits_groceries]

8. Roger Goodell's brother is gay.

In addition, many connected to the NFL have been claiming that they are not against a gay player. We will find out who walk 's the wlk.

If every NFL team, or a majority of them, announce they are interested, it would be epic.

[libdem4life]

9. Maybe they can just give him his own shower stall...so all the "he men" won't get excited and can

feel safe from harm. What do they think? He's going to hit on a straight guy? Methinks it's the "straights" who fear they may have some "tendencies", know what I mean?

We've just gone through this with the Olympics, time to update the NFL.

[JRLeft]

10. Sam's combine numbers will matter, because he is an undersized defensive end,

his arms will need to be long. He is too slow to play lb in the 3-4, so Packers fans he will not be selected by your team unless they switch defenses. Remember you Clay Matthews.

[kpete]

13. Boom Sound 416

I think you are right
so I changed it
sometimes when I cut & paste (which is what i do here) I ignore better judgement,
thanks for the h/t


peace to you
kp

[Boom Sound 416]

14. Cheers

I thought it was me. Just went back and re-read, thought I made a mitake.

Good on you K!

Boom

[Boom Sound 416]

16. One thing about the nfl good or bad

If you can play, they will pay

[Sheepshank]

17. “In the coming decade or two, it’s going to be acceptable,....:

hey fuckwit.....the tsumani is moving much much faster than that. If the NFL waits a decade or two to realize their bigotry, they may as well start selling off the fields and equipment right now, it won't be a viable institution in a decade with that type of mentality.

[joeybee12]

18. It's NOT human nature as this asshat scout says...

It's homophobia. This is not a surprise...and anyone who thinks Sam will have an easy time of this is delusional.

[Lost_Count]

20. There's no real incentive to take him on...

... when there is someone just as good or almost as good and they don't carry that extra pressure.

Would it be nice to see them take it on? Sure. Is it realistic? I don't think so.

Guess we will see.

[pnwmom]

78. There is exactly the same incentive that would exist if he were straight: his particular skills.

I have no idea what "extra pressure" you're talking about, because the players -- in a different generation than their idiot managers -- couldn't care less.

[Lost_Count]

84. I would suggest that some of the players do care...

... as seen in the variety of interviews already posted.

[Laxman]

22. The Guy Is A Talented Player....

he'll do just fine. Performance and ability will speak the loudest. If his "draft stock" really does drop, some team will get themselves a great player at a lower draft position.

When he is successful (and I believe he will be) the interesting thing to see will be how many players will feel its safe to come out. You know that, just statistically speaking, there currently should be one or more gay athletes in the NFL. Mr. Sam's courage and honesty should make a difference. I am a firm believer that all forms of prejudice are most susceptible to personal experience. The more diverse your circle of "normal" contacts become, the more prejudice of any nature tends to fade away-except for the most hard core of the hard core-who will eventually find themselves isolated in their bigotry.

We need to add a soap box smilie here-for some reason I woke up feeling self righteous this morning.

[LynneSin]

23. Why would an NFL player personnel assistant have any weight on the draft status of someone

Person isn't even a named person - just some random person out there that has some sort of association to the NFL but we don't know exactly what that may be.

[Sgent]

64. I would assume

based on the article that he's an assistant in a Player Personnel office of an NFL team, not a personal assistant to the front office manager or similar. The office of player personnel on most football teams is in charge of scouting, selecting, drafting, and otherwise dealing with football players, and reports to either the head coach or the general manager who make the ultimate decision.

[LynneSin]

67. The article says "an NFL player personnel assistant"

which is a far cry from an assistant in Player Personnel office. However the fact that this person is anonymous we'll never know and personally I think is irrelevant.

[dionysus]

25. hey, maybe the bills can snap him up then...

[DallasNE]

26. to a man, they refuse to put their names behind their comments

Compare and contrast that to Mr. Sam. Talk about manning up!

Sam already wasn’t going to be a first-round pick, despite his gaudy stats in the talented SEC

Somehow I think there was already some kind of whisper campaign underway as something probably leaked from the Missouri locker room leading up to this.

[Octafish]

27. Hope my team drafts him.

Guy's got more guts than the anonymous GMs bad mouthing him. As for integrity, the GMs haven't a clue.

[awoke_in_2003]

43. Exactly...

and I hope the Steelers get him.

[7962]

44. NO! Falcons need a good DE. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

45. I think he gets switched...

to linebacker or safety. His height and size won't cut it at DE.

[abelenkpe]

29. "Also to a man, they refuse to put their names behind their comments"

Of course


Cowards.

[Timez Squarez]

33. Denver should pick him up

and make the NFL look bad when he gets an All-Pro selection but can't go because they're back in the Super Bowl and ready to remove another bad memory.

[LittleBlue]

34. I don't think it will matter

Mid-round picks are typically expected to wash out. Even if he falls to being undrafted, he will get plenty of opportunities in the NFL. We just won the Super Bowl on the talents of lower round and undrafted players.

If he's good enough, he's good enough and will play. The bottom 10 coaches in the league live in constant fear of being fired, and d-line is one of the top 3 most critical positions in the NFL. The margins between being fired and winning are so thin that any talent must be utilized for the sake of their jobs. Someone will give him his chance, gay or not.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

35. The young man is brave and will make it up in endorsements you shitstain NFL owners

You have no problem continuing to perpetuate racist logos of your Washington DC franchise and are generally a league that needs to be taken down in an antitrust lawsuit.

FUCK THE NFL!!

[madrchsod]

36. so there are no gay football fans?

"man`s-man game" ? it would seem those executives should look that up in the dictionary.

[Laxman]

39. It Is Highly Unlikely.....

that our of 1,700 professional football players currently on NFL rosters that there are not at least several gay players. Setting aside the fact that there are also likely a significant number of NFL fans who are gay (and around double the likelihood because men and women are NFL fans) what will happen when the guy who won the big game, or made the very nice charitable appearance or whose jersey is being worn in the stands comes out?

Stubbornly ignorant statements from the NFL players and leadership just makes bad business sense. Let alone what it really says for a league that already faces moral challenges amongst its ranks. I guess its no big deal to add overt homophobia to its list of common failings.

[jeff47]

51. It should be noted that the story says the players don't care.

It's the management that does.

[Botany]

40. Sam's problem of making it in the NFL has a lot more to do w/ his size then his sexuality

@ 6'2" and 255 lbs* he is too small to play defensive line in the league every down ....
his future is @ linebacker or as a designated pass rusher.

Offensive lineman in the NFL are almost always 6'5" or taller and @ or above 300 lbs.

If the man can play and help a team he will be picked up w/out a doubt. Although, I don't know
if he will be picked in the first round.

[Elwood P Dowd]

47. He is not close to 1st round talent but might go in the 3-5 range.

That is what is grade has been with most NFL scouts since last fall. He could move up or down a little based on his performance at the Indy Combine or during Mizzou Pro Day.

[awoke_in_2003]

41. Before this, he was a fifth round pick...

I think this will raise his stock. Someone is going to want to get the pub for this, and I hope it is the Steelers. They are the folks that brought us the Rooney Rule.

[JDPriestly]

48. The NFL and that out of touch with America?

How backward.

[Jenoch]

49. NFL teams do not like distractions that take the focus off the field.

Chris Kluwe is an example of that. There will be reporters at Sam's locker at every game. The other players will likely resent the attention a rookie gets because he will likely be only on special teams if he plays at all.

[Hippo_Tron]

71. Distractions that take focus off the field are a routine part of life in the NFL...

The media spends two fucking weeks covering the Superbowl (and that's just before the game is played). Marshawn Lynch didn't want to talk to the press and there was talk that the league would force him to do it. Superstar players have reporters camped out at their locker every game, and rookies that get drafted early on often get media attention even if they haven't done anything in the NFL yet.

Not to mention that this intense media scrutiny isn't a given. A year ago I would've predicted to hear a weekly update about Manti T'eo's NFL career on Sportscenter. I haven't heard a damn thing about him since he went to the NFL, even though his team got pretty far this year.

[RB TexLa]

79. Excatly, a team can get the same talent without the distraction. At some point in the draft

his talent will outweigh the price and someone will take him.

[NewJeffCT]

50. I hope this guy becomes an All Pro in the NFL

and, anybody that passed him over for being gay is fired, or at least humiliated for their homophobia in public.

[davidn3600]

54. The issue is the media... teams will shy away from him because they dont want the distraction

Every time that team plays the media will make note of the "first openly gay player in the league." Every broadcast and every news conference will be centered around that. And the fear is that the media attention will cause a distraction for the rest of the team.

[KamaAina]

55. But should it?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/michael-sam-supposedly-going-distraction-doesn-t-sense-163928399--nfl.html

Michael Sam's story itself is much different. This isn't a weird scandal about a girlfriend that was a hoax, it's about a young man coming out as gay, something that no NFL player has done during his career. I'm not equating the two situations, just the false narratives surrounding them. Since Sam made his announcement on Sunday, I keep hearing that drafting Sam would somehow be a daily circus that would wreck an NFL team. That's not realistic.

Sam will face a lot of questions at the NFL scouting combine next week. For the team that drafts him, the media in that city will revisit the story for its fans. In training camp, the local and national media will check in to see how he's being accepted and all of that....

Anyone who thinks that Sam will be the focus of attention every day isn't thinking about this clearly (and that includes some media members who should know better). There's only so many ways to say, "Michael Sam, the NFL's first openly gay player." Even if Sam decided to talk about being gay every day during the season (and he won't), it would get old by about Day 3. Maybe sooner. Beat writers will go write about the quarterback's accuracy issues or the cornerback's hamstring injury.

His teammates' acceptance of him will be a story, but they won't be dumb enough to harass Sam. They are aware how San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver was criticized for anti-gay statements at the Super Bowl a year ago. They saw through Richie Incognito how acting unprofessionally around a teammate in the locker room can end up. NFL players have already shown plenty of support for Sam. The general attitude is they don't care about a guy's sexual preference as long as he can play. The ones that don't agree with him being gay aren't going to ruin their careers over it. Presumably, there won't be any angle there.

[Hippo_Tron]

57. Some bigot's loss will be another team's gain...

As Leo Durocher put it... "I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a fuckin' zebra. I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays." That's the mentality of a franchise that's serious about winning.

[treestar]

58. +1

I thought they only cared about winning. This announcement is silly. Why drop a player if he otherwise was considered a good enough player to be at whatever place on the list? Inane.

[alarimer]

59. These people don't have the guts to say what they really mean.

They try to blame it on the players' potential reactions, but I think the front office and coaches are where the problem will lie.

Chris Kluwe already knows this. The Minnesota Viking have retained their bigoted asshole, Mike Priefer. I can just imagine what he might say to Sam.

I wish bigots and racists would go ahead and use those words: the "n" word and the "f" word (not fuck, in case you thought I meant that). They're just dying to.

[beac]

60. "Do you want to be the team to quote-unquote ‘break that barrier?’"

Um, yes? I think you WOULD want to be that team.

And if it's just "human nature" how come not of you cowardly turds are willing to put your name to your quotes?

But please proceed, NFL. Just one more reason that your tax-exempt status should be revoked STAT:

http://www.change.org/petitions/congress-revoke-the-tax-exempt-status-of-the-national-football-league

[MannyGoldstein]

65. But certain teams may badly want to sign him, in part, for being the first gay player

I think the Pats are suddenly making noises - it'd work out well for them her in the land of Gerry Studds, Barney Frank, and the first legal gay marriages.

[OmahaBlueDog]

66. Truth: Coaches will not want the distraction he will create.

He's the first. Being first will create a media firestorm at camp that will be a distraction that the coaches won't want to deal with. So coaches will ask GMs not to draft him. However, like water, draft picks tend to find their own level. If he drops well below where most scouts have him slotted, he'll get picked. GMs like value.

He'll be hazed. It's not bigotry; it's a tactic other players use to see if they can break you mentally. To do this, they use whatever is handy -- your color, your faith, your girlfriend's looks, your crappy car -- whatever they think will work, they'll use.

If I were a betting man, I'd bet Roger Goodell wants him drafted. Why? He wants to get this over with. After the first player comes out, it'll hardly be an issue for players 2-thru-infinity.

Note: there have been gay players in the NFL since there has been an NFL. Google "Jerry Smith". HOFer Charlie Taylor (who, AFAIK is straight) said that Washington was a comparatively gay-friendly team in those days, so Smith wasn't a complete secret.

[grahamhgreen]

75. Also truth: Some smart owner will want him for the controversy and publicity, as will a sponsor:)

[Loaded Liberal Dem]

68. "Also to a man, they refuse to put their names behind their comments."

Therefore, the word "man" isn't operative in the context, is it?

[3catwoman3]

72. Very manly...

...men, dontcha know. Chicken$h!t wussies is more like it if they won't even put thier names with their words.

[iandhr]

69. Shmucks

[Wolf Frankula]

70. I Don't Care if he likes Screwing Goats

Can He Play Football?

Wolf

[Aquavit]

73. ...and this is the reason...

well, ONE of the reasons anyway, that I can't be bothered to waste any time on the NFL.

[grahamhgreen]

74. Which makes him a steal as he will be an even bigger fan draw.

[AnnieBW]

76. Some team is gonna get a great player

for a bargain price.

[workinclasszero]

77. "This is going to drop him down"

Isn't that employment discrimination based on sexual preference?

Is that legal? I work with lots of gay people. They sure don't get treated that way at work, how the hell does the NFL get away with it?

[Rhythm]

98. Unfortunately, ENDA has never become federal law

ENDA has never passed (not even brought for a vote in the HoR), so it's on a state-by-state level at this point.

[nobodyspecial]

80. A man's man bravely states who he is and how he feels

A bunch of cowards wrap themselves in bigotry under the cloak of anonymity.

[Jenoch]

81. Sam is too small for an NFL DE.

He is too slow for an NFL LB. His best chance at an NFL career is as a special team player. Heath Farwell has done well for himself. He has a Super Bowl ring and more than $10 million in salary as an NFL special teams player specialist.

[Jenoch]

83. The real test of having a homosexual

college football player eligible for the NFL draft will be a projected high 1st round choice (01 - 05). I do not think that player's status as either heterosexual or homosexual will be relavant to the team's with thos picks. We can only hope.

[Heywood J]

85. A "man's man" game?

It always seemed more like the NFL made news for its dog-fighting ring owners and wife-beaters. It seems that's the kind of "man's man" those GMs want - after all, didn't they let Michael Vick back in? But I guess there are lines that must not be crossed...

[DallasNE]

88. If Not Now, When?

Can't kick that can down the road forever. And as for the player that doesn't think he can shower at the same time as Sam, apparently for fear of being raped ala Sandusky, that is his problem not Sam's. Hate is a sickness and these people are just showing how sick they are.

[TBF]

89. "it’s still a man’s-man game" --

I am a big football fan but I am having a hard time understanding why someone like Sam is undesirable while a hoodlum like Aaron Hernandez (with his gang tats not to mention the gang murders) is worth $40M.

This is mind-boggling.

[TRoN33]

90. It will be a huge steal for the...

Super Bowl Champions, Seattle, to draft the rated #2 defensive lineman.

[VA_Jill]

91. Funny as hell

how all the NFL "spokesdudes" and the "agents" and whatever are insisting on remaining anonymous, but the players and former players are coming right on out and saying what they think. I also read somewhere that both Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin tweeted support for Sam, which is probably the first time they've agreed on anything in awhile. (Of course Incognito probably sees him as a new target, but WTF, he said something positive)

[defacto7]

92. "It’d chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”

Oh my God! The disease will spread!!!

Did some guy actually say "chemically imbalance"? a man's-man game?

Their fear of gayness is probably a fear of their own feelings for men, a suppressed self hatred of the possibility that they might loose control of their man's-man manliness to their suppressed desires. The idea that evolving away from a common place bigoted slur in the locker room will cause severe distress of some sort is absurd. What a poor little paradigm to muss up.

[drynberg]

93. NFL CHICKENSHIT NO NAME SAYS THE NFL ISN'T READY FOR A HOMOSEXUAL...

I say, bring on the draft and let's see who is ready...there may be a huge crow sandwitch for Mr. NoName to chew on, let's see. I believe it boils down to Sam's performance and scouting on the field, not in the bedroom. This is a very dark day for the NFL (or the brain bashers league).

[sofa king]

94. I think that's bullshit.

I think that twelve old homophobes can have whatever opinion they want, but if just two owners realize that this kid's potential on the field outweighs any disruption he can create off of it, there will be a bidding war for him (yes, there are still bidding wars, they just occur behind closed doors before the draft takes place).

The first team to take the first openly gay player will also carry that prestige forward, and this pick might give that team first dibs on all of the best openly gay players who will follow for some time to come. At least one in twenty of the very best will be gay, meaning that the team that picks the first openly gay player might win a gay first-round draft pick every year. Another advantage that far outweighs any disruption.

For a very short time--a season or less--the player himself will have a small advantage over certain other players--those homophobes whose stupid beliefs cause them to underestimate the abilities of Mr. Sam.

And finally, in a league where the best four defenses go deep in the playoffs every year and very often to the Super Bowl (see e.g. Seattle, Baltimore), the team that can see beyond the homophobia and snap up the Defensive Player of the Year in the draft is going to be the team with the clearest vision of success.

That has a chance to work out well for this lad, rather than merely the team that picks him. The shitty teams with the high draft packs might be shitty for a reason: stupid people with stupid beliefs might well be behind those teams' shitty records, and those stupid teams might just be stupid enough to overlook this fellow because he's gay, which is very stupid indeed. That give Mr. Sam half a chance of landing on a good team, instead of the shittiest teams with the highest draft picks. Some of the greatest players in the game felt willing to risk their entire careers rather than go to the graveyard of a bad team--John Elway, for example. This kid might avoid that simply because of his announcement, which would be great for him and which would make his courage pay off for him nearly at once.

I hope it works out for him. It's not enough to be the greatest in the NFL, one also has to survive long enough to stay great. No telling which way this guy is going to go, but he's starting off like the greatest. (I wonder what Ray Lewis thinks of this fellow?)

[rocktivity]

99. "...(T)o a man,

Last edited Fri Feb 14, 2014, 12:47 AM - Edit history (1)

...the...NFL GMs, coaches, and scouts...who will actually make decisions on drafting Sam...refuse to put their names behind their comments."

Can't get more manly than that. Yet the problem is that they consider Sam to be the unmanly one.


rocktivity