Yes! Michael Sam is on the new "Sports Illustrated" cover:

[Are_grits_groceries]

@SI

[alsame]

1. Awesome! nt

[malthaussen]

2. Career death already?

Poor kid.

-- Mal

[Blue_Tires]

4. His career was cursed the moment he decided to attend Mizzou

[amuse bouche]

17. There is a video out of him dancing at a Club

So he can always do DWTS. He is clearly ready for that

[Initech]

28. As someone who watches a lot of college football I have to say:

[missingfink]

29. I seem to recall .....

the Missouri Tigers playing in the championship game of the SEC after winning the SEC East title (in their 2nd year in that conference), going 12 - 2 on the season, winning the Cotton Bowl while Michael Sam was named the SEC defensive player of the year. Give credit where it is due.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. I will not write off Michael Sam the way you are. He has character & that will take him far. nt

[malthaussen]

11. Er, Prof de La Paz?

Are you familiar with the "Sports Illustrated Jinx?"

-- Mal

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. No. I don't follow football. Is that the one with the puck or the ponies?

Perhaps you should have been clearer that you were referring to some mythological jinx (all jinxes are mythological) rather than what seemed to be a lack of belief you might have about his ability to overcome adversity with strength of character.

[malthaussen]

18. Ah. The legend goes...

... if you appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, you will be jinxed.

I was making a joke based on that.

To answer your objection: I believe gays are discriminated against. I believe Mr Sam will be discriminated against. That is not to wish him ill. That is to cynically acknowledge reality.

-- Mal

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Thanks.

I still don't understand how we are to get from your title about "Mizzou" to some kind of jinx. What's the connection.

I think Sam will overcome the adversity and triumph in life regardless of a twist or turn here or there. Football is unlikely to be the entirety of his career.

[malthaussen]

22. You're confusing posts.

Blue_Tires made the crack about Mizzou. Another football inside joke.

As for Mr Sam, I agree with you. To say he will be discriminated against does not constitute doubting his character, indeed it is not even about him at all.

-- Mal

[Bernardo de La Paz]

35. You are right, I'm confusing posts. Thanks. nt

[LynneSin]

42. To be fair there is a Jinx for those who get on the SI cover

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Illustrated_cover_jinx

So comments about Sam's career 'doom' is only about the jinx. As I posted below, Philadelphia Eagles' new QB Nick Foles had the most amazing game last december where not only did he bring the Eagles back from like a 3 touchdown deficit but he did it during a massive blizzard that dumped about 8 inches of snow during the game. So it wasn't surprising that the next issue of SI they had Foles on the cover making a pass thru the heavy snow.

Sure enough the next week we played a team with a really crappy record and we lost.

So the Sports Illustrated Jinx is some serious stuff but I do hope that Sam manages to overcome them.

But then again...

December 14, 2011: The Denver Broncos (specifically Tim Tebow) appear on the cover after a six game win streak. They would go on to lose the next three games of the regular season and ultimately the playoffs.

[Loaded Liberal Dem]

37. Yep

The SI Cover Curse remains lethal.

[hootinholler]

3. He looks good in black and gold. n/t

[loyalsister]

13. MIZ

ZOU
I am so happy to see how so many people are celebrating this guy! My city has been abuzz with sheer joy. Meantime, I bet that the RWers in Jeff City are scrambling to try to figure out if they can respond with legislation.

[hootinholler]

36. Also the Steeler colors ;)

I hope Mr Rooney gets to choose him.

[uponit7771]

5. His team mates have always know and could care less. Bottom line on the field if the person lays

... leather you don't care if they have 3 arms and are polkadot

[Are_grits_groceries]

7. It's the GMs

and the other entrenched jackasses that are the problem.
They have set beliefs and they don't want to change.

Some players are like that but that is changing with the times. Front offices? Not so much.

[uponit7771]

12. +1, Roony Rule was implemented because of GMs

[joeybee12]

6. It's a very accurate cover, IMHO...America is ready...

As for the NFL, I say no...the assholes.

[malthaussen]

23. Precisely.

There may be a team management or two that will not discriminate against him because of whom he dreams of at night, but I think they will be the exceptions.

-- Mal

[joeybee12]

24. Yup...they're speaking in code already...distraction...activist...

Trying to make it sound like it's Sam;'s fault, the fuckers.

[malthaussen]

25. The annoying thing is...

... he has just enough question marks (size, speed, etc) that they can say they are ignoring him because he "lacks ability," and not have to acknowledge their real reason for not considering him.

-- Mal

[joeybee12]

27. Yeah, I wish he was always considered a higher round draft pick than "mid-level"

Because that puts him in a very iffy group, so if they pass, they can always say, well, it wasn't because he was gay, it's because of yada, yada, yada...almost makes me wish he had said something AFTER being drafted.

[Aldo Leopold]

8. Nice!

[rurallib]

9. funny thing is - every player has or does play with a gay player

they just don't know it.

[Scuba]

21. +1

[malthaussen]

26. Good one! n/t

[WillyT]

14. HUGE K & R !!!

[Playinghardball]

16. The Raiders could really use him!!

In fact they could use a lot of new players...

[SamKnause]

19. I am not a sports fan.

I only watch boxing.

I hope Michael Sam goes on to become the best football player of all time.

This 60 year old white female is sick of gay people and black people being discriminated against.

I believe in equally for ALL !!!!

Best of luck to you Michael Sam !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[calimary]

38. Sam!

You and I could be sisters! I'm another 60-year-old female who's sick of seeing all the discrimination against gays and non-whites - AND against women as well! And I'm not a sports fan, either. I only watch a few of the Olympic events from time to time, and Super Bowl day for me is a great day to be on the freeway (just as the day of the Oscars is a great day to find parking places in some neighborhoods in L.A.!)

I hope Michael Sam advances to the NFL and goes even farther and to even greater success than that! He's young and courageous and those two things could take him pretty doggone far!

[SamKnause]

43. Hello sister

I wish all the hateful white people in this country would magically turn into decent human beings and be kind to everyone.

If they are not bashing gays, they are bashing blacks, if they are not bashing blacks, they are bashing Mexicans, if they are not bashing Mexicans, they are bashing Muslims, if they are not bashing Muslims, they are bashing women. It never ends with them. The majority seem to hide behind their "religion" and their feeling of supremacy.

The mainstream media propaganda machine teaches and enforces all of this hate. It has since the very beginning in this country.

It started with the Native Americans and it has never stopped.

Hope you have a great evening sister.

[big_dog]

30. Farout Field, Columbia Missouri this morning :) k&r

?3

[calimary]

39. This was great! And I saw it first here on DU!

Makes me wonder if Rachel or some of her colleagues keep an eye on DU.

[Sissyk]

31. BIG K&R

This is wonderful. I think he will be the one to break the SI curse!!

[big_dog]

32. SEC football loyalty is pretty strong, not even the Bubba crowd would dare trash him in public

something about the South and its foosball games!

[Sissyk]

33. Yeah, I know.

I'm a Tennessee Volunteer fan. I know how we are. hehe

One thing for sure in the SEC. The majority is God, College Football, and hunting in Tennessee. You "come out" with one of those common goals, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

As a big supporter of our LGBT, I've said for a long time that that would be the turning point for all the bigots in my state. This really really broke the ice. I overheard a conversation today at work from someone that I know has bigoted tendencies. He stated there was absolutely no reason the NFL shouldn't accept Sam into "the fold". 99 percent of that reason is because Sam played at Missouri.

That's not right, I know. But I'm at the point where I'll take it any way we can get it.

[Horse with no Name]

34. Just because the minority is loud still doesn't make them the majority

[calimary]

40. Dayum! One for my quotes file!

GREAT, Horse with no Name!

"Just because the minority is loud still doesn't make them the majority."

[Horse with no Name]

45. Thank you Calimary!

<3

[LynneSin]

41. Well it's official - Sam's career could be done before it even started......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Illustrated_cover_jinx

Hell they put Nick Foles on the cover after that amazing Snow Bowl comeback and next week we lost to the crappy Vikings.

BTW Tim Tebow never recovered his career after he was on the cover.

[SunSeeker]

44. It doesn't seem the curse extents to supermodels appearing on SI's cover...

Or does it?

shrug: