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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/09/draft-prospect-michael-sam-comes-out-as-gay/ (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/09/draft-prospect-michael-sam-comes-out-as-gay/)

Was co-winner of the defensive player of the year in the SEC and a projected third rounder.  It was only a matter of time before a gay athlete came out in football, and not after they retired either.

His draft grade seems to be all over the place. Everything from 3rd to 7th round.

Modified to add:

SI.com is reporting that it talked to "eight NFL executives and coaches", who all said that his coming out will hurt his draft position.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20140209/michael-sam-draft-stock

^^^^ I would think it would. Not because most people care if he is gay or not but why risk the distraction? It's hard enough trying to play in this league without having to deal with added stress and publicity.

Besides it doesn't look like he was an obvious choice coming in.

Before his announcement, Sam had already emerged as a divisive prospect. Some look at his SEC-best 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss and see a high-motor pass rusher who could go as high as the third round. Others see Sam, who is 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, as an undersized defensive end without a true position in the NFL. Of his 11.5 sacks, nine came in three games against what one scout called "garbage competition" -- Vanderbilt, Arkansas State and Florida. "His numbers are inflated," a scout said. "You've got to see through that."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20140209/michael-sam-draft-stock/#ixzz2svn2JGYs

By coming out now, he puts himself in the spotlight and forces teams to consider him.  If he doesn't get drafted, chances are he'll file suit for discrimination.

A brilliant move on his part

^^^

Bullshit.  As a purported professor, you should be aware that employers can't ask questions regarding sexuality.  But an applicant unsolicited volunteering information that would be an otherwise illegal question does not give rise to a discrimination case if the employee is not hired.

Absent a GM/owner/coach publicly stating, "we decided not to go with Michael Sam because he is gay" he has no lawsuit.

I'm very aware of this. I'm also aware of the court of public opinion.  Let's assume he doesn't get drafted then sues the league for discrimination.  The public and the media will eat the NFL alive and the NFL may just settle the case.

^

Also, he absolutely is going to get drafted unless he bombs his combine and pro day.

I think the most remarkable thing with this whole situation is that he told is teammates in August and: 1) doesn't look like it caused a problem in the locker room. 2) it didn't make news of any kind during the season.

Seriously, if this wasn't a huge issue in college, why would it be a problem in the NFL where the players are, all things considered, more mature?

Because he didn't just tell his teammates. He told the whole world which makes it prime for media and public opinion. Like I said ...  now he comes with distraction and is he good enough to have to deal with it? Considering he was questionable before it surely only adds to that question.

how can he sue anybody if he doesn't get drafted? That's beyond silly

People sue all the time for petty reasons

ha ha ha, boy they say one is born every minute and you are living proof. He was a mid round pick to not being drafted by all of the "experts" BEFORE this news came out. So if he doesn't get drafted he can sue the league? That just opens up a can of worms that EVERY player that goes undrafted can say they are "gay" or "bi-sexual" and were discriminated against which is why they went undrafted.

Good lord if he goes undrafted he isn't going to sue. He has no case at all and it would be laughed at by everyone.

He can file a suit.  It will either be dismissed on a 12b(6) motion (failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted) or if it survives that on summary judgment for the defendant after discovery unless discovery finds evidence that in fact that was why he was not drafted which would require a statement by GM/Coach/owner that he was not drafted for that reason.  

Plus filing suit or even hinting he might would make him considerably more toxic to pickup as an UDFA than the chances of a team trading for J Martin.  

I predict the Patriots draft him in the 7th round, and Belichek never mentions him at a single news conference the entire season; unless he scores a TD.

A DE scoring a TD is worthy of a coach's comment.

If he falls to the 7th round I would not be surprised if the Pats draft him. And no, BB would never bring up MS's sexuality.  I am sure the press would ask about it, and BB would respond with a non-answer.  For two reasons:  1) the only smart response to a question about a players sexuality is a non-answer and 2) BB is a master a the non-answer. 

This pretty much clinches that there is going to have to be a clarified and clear non-hazing policy throughout the NFL this off-season.

Even if you take the facts in the light most favorable to Richie Incognito, the facts that have come out make it clear that there is persuasive locker room behavior through the NFL that violates federal labor laws.  (Even if Martin was not a victim of that, what came out in defense of Richie, makes it clear that others are very frequently a victim of workplace harassment and that workplace harassment is the norm)

Add in a openly gay player and the potential for even worse harassment and a complete removal of any defense by the league to claim they didn't know that locker room harassment exists.

He's an undersized DE who looks like he'll have a hard time transitioning to an OLB...I'd really prefer that some other team drafts him.


Purported means the same as fictitious?

Thanks for dumbing down my post so others could understand it.   ;D

I think this is not going to be a big deal at all.

There will be a vocal minority of idiots, but that will be squashed by the players' agents, their prospective teams, and the league relatively quickly.  Any national media commentators who speak ill on the issue will likely get public push-back and have to issue apologies or be canned.

There will be 3 camps of players: Those that are immediately supportive, those that are weirded out at first until they see it's no big deal, and those that speak out and face social backlash.

Also, give some credit to football players.  They are meat-heads, sure -- but they are meatheads that went to 3-5 years of college, where this kind of stuff is very accepted and visible.

Here is the thing though. I don't think his own locker room is where he is going to have the most troubles. We all know the things that get said across the line of scrimmage. That is where the real test will be.

So, people will call him a faggot. ...so what?  He can take it.  I'm sure that the N word gets dropped and a bunch of other terrible, personal things.

In the context of his employment, he should be treated just like everyone else.

Its already a big deal, just because people are talking about it. ESPN has been non-stop for 2+ days already.

I just wonder that, if the goal is really equality, then why bring this up at all?  No one is shocked when a "black" or "white" player gets drafted.  Maybe they did in the 40's but not today.  But today's issue in the NFL isn't necessarily race, but sexuality.  Someone had to "break the ice," so to speak, and be the first.  Now that its out there, the media circus that ensues will be Tebow-esque, with endless stories about how courageous he is and what a brave person.  I bet he doesn't think so, he's just living his life.

So, nice, its a novelty, but he's still a person, and a football player, and let's stop focusing on how different people are, if all people really want is equality for all.

Attention seeking whore if you ask me. I mean really who cares? You don't have to sit in the closet, but then again you don't have to spout off to the whole world,"I'm gay and fabulous, look at me". Most homosexuals that I have known are like that these days. They just have to throw their gayness in your face. It seems to me that these type of gays and the stunts they pull are just for attention, to seek approval, or to just try and bother people. Just keep it to yourself, no one gives a fuck except others like you, a very small minority.

I'm not sure if you're trolling on purpose or you actually think the way you do. And i'm not sure which is worse.  Your entire paragraph is just wrong. It has no redeeming value. Doesn't contribute to the discussion and only serves the purpose to incite arguments.

I won't address all your points, because your premise is fundamentally wrong.
The flaw in your premise is that you don't believe in individual freedom. You are no friend to liberty. You are a pawn of a  totalitarian ideology. Good day to you.

******  Deleted  ********   

Cease and desist.   

I will not allow you to derail this thread, nor am I locking it.  Cease posting in this thread. 

-- The management.

Article on ESPN today about Michael Sam's father having a hard time with the news that his son is gay. Apparently he didn't know until Michael let him know about a week ago in a text message.

Now, I am all for tolerance and all that, but what kind of person drops that kind of bomb on his dad with a text message? That's a face-to-face kind of topic, or at least a phone call.

What are the odds the coverage will burn itself out by the combine? draft? start of training camp? preseason games? week 1?

Sam absolutely had to get out in front of this and just tell his story. No way was it going to stay a secret and it would have come out before the draft and been a HUGE distraction. By telling it now, there's a good chance the distraction will at least be reduced by the time the draft rolls around. Sure, it'll get coverage every time something new happens (like "first openly gay player to be drafted" and a bunch of half-assed speculation about where he got drafted and what, if any, influence his sexual orientation had), but once the "new" bit is reported, it just doesn't seem like there's going to be much more meat on the bone.

That was messed up. He texted his dad and said "Dad ... I'm gay" and left it at that.  Hopefully if the day ever comes and my kids have to tell me something I will not like they will respect me enough to tell me face to face.

I agree to an extent.  The way his father responded, I can see why he chose to do it in a text.  Having said that, it should have been done face to face IMO.

Agreed.  And several years ago.  I can understand the parents not being the first to know, but before he told the entire football team he should have told his parents, he really was running the risk dad would have find out in an even worse way (such as reading about it the newspaper or a reporter asking his parents for a comment)

From what I read it wasn't a very close relationship. Growing up it says the kid lived with a friend for a period of time.

Speculating about the relationship the kid has with his parents, the kind of environment he grew up in (gunshot wounds, deaths, jail -- and that's just siblings) seems incredibly stupid. How could we possibly know anything about it? How could we possibly know the motives of the people involved when they speak with the press about these things?

That aspect just needs to be left the f*ck alone.

Sometimes I really have to wonder.

Curious, how - in the court of law - would any jury be able to prove collusion between all teams in the NFL?  This would have to encompass draft day, free agent signings, owners, general managers and every "decision maker" in the league.

You can't force any league to draft a player, regardless of circumstance.  If he isn't drafted - he has no grounds for a lawsuit (regardless of how much it smells).  The NFL falls under "right to work" laws.  They do not have to employ anyone, nor do you HAVE to work for them.  There have been cases of players drafted who never reported to the team, nor the league.  Did the league sue?

It's not what you know, it's what you can prove. 

Pretty sure I heard that in a movie...

I'm not saying he'd have a provable case. What I'm saying is that public opinion may be so strong on this one that the NFL may settle if he does sue. Again, this is all assiming he doesn't get drafted.

have to settle what? A lawsuit that can't take place to begin with?

Landshark....step away from the keyboard. You are digging this hole deeper and deeper. You are lost on this one

A few good men. 

More like Training Day

That was also Michael Sam's response to the question, "What are your favorite hobbies?"  (rimshot)   ;D

And the thread just keeps going downhill  :o

haha, I wondered if anyone else would catch that.  ;)

And now, the response from the Flying Spaghetti Monster Coalition...a bill to ban gays from playing in the NFL.

https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/199057-lobbyist-drafting-bill-to-ban-gays-from-nfl (https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/199057-lobbyist-drafting-bill-to-ban-gays-from-nfl)

You just can't make this shit up.

Obvious just an attention grabbing stunt. This law has no chance of passing and is unlikely to even make it to a vote. 

^^^ I know, but it still made me laugh.

Obviously it's just an attention grabbing stunt. Only it's Michael Sam that's looking for attention when in reality the majority of the public doesn't give a shit.

Looks like he fell all the way to the bottom of the seventh round despite being the SEC defensive player of the year

Except for the massive hang up over homosexuality that manypeople have in this country, and passnlaws specifically targeting homosexuals...that flies in the face of your assertion the public dos not give a shit.

He fell because he is undersized, not that athletic for an NFL player and probably can't turn into one. Tebow was amazing in college too.

Tebow was still drafted in the first round anyway, so that may not be the best example to cite.

Gino Torretta might be a better example.

I think there is a lot of parallels between Tebow and Sam.  Yes, Tebow was drafted much higher.  But both gathered a hell of a lot more media attention then their play suggested they deserve. 

Sam was the second best selling jersey from the draft.  Are there any other 7th rounder whose jersey is even for sale? 

The guy doesn't have a number yet. How does he have a jersey for sale?

You can order a jersey for a newly drafted player.  It won't be shipped until several weeks after the player is assigned his team number, but NFL.com will cheerfully take your credit card number.


Now this is getting insane.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/14/michael-sam-gets-a-reality-show-on-oprahs-network/

Granted Tebow got a hell of a lot more attention than his football skills warranted.  There are multiple differences: 1) Tebow was drafted in the first round not one spot up from Mr. Irrelevant.  2) Tebow won a Heisman and while such honors doesn't always translate to NFL success, it is actually a honor worthy of attention unlike SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year.  3) And most importantly Tebow didn't self promote.  Most of his attention was driven by fans or people around him, while I am sure CBN would have been more than willing to do a reality show around him, Tebow didn't have his own TV show. 

Interesting. In a case like this where there is a chance the player does not make the roster, I wonder how the NFL would handle that. I bet refunds are out of the question so it is probably credit.

You can't buy every player.  It is mostly first and second rounders. 

...and one single 7th rounder, for some reason.

Michael Sam just signed a deal for a REALITY TV SHOW on the Oprah Network.

............................. .................

Hey, remember that time that Tim Tebow was doing missionary work in the Philippines and a camera crew just randomly showed up out of nowhere and taped him?  Or that time he just started talking about not aborting babies and a camera crew just happened to tape it and make it into a Super Bowl commercial?  Or the many times this happened:

(http://compassiondave.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/tebow-eye-black-e1319124633239.jpg)

Are you saying that it's not self-promotion if it's in service to his preferred causes?  In that case, that complaint about Michael Sam can be easily resolved: he's not self-promoting, he's promoting awareness about homosexuality among athletes.  Problem solved!

Oprah network just put the Michael Sam reality show on hold. Looks like the NFL and the Rams restricted access and now the show might be dead

I heard this morning that the Rams smashed it, citing it as a distraction.  Its not on hold, its "postponed indefinitely."  The media circus continues.

And the NFL team selected to participate in Hard Knocks for the 2014 season will be.....

envelope please.....

(drum roll)

The Saint Louis Rams.

You heard it here first.

You are probably right.

I'll take that bet as well.  This season's show could have the most successful TV ratings in its history.

HBO must be going nuts right now thinking they are gonna get this exclusive.

I read today that the Oprah network might do the series with Sam but have it be away from the football field and his regular life and how he is dealing with everything.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/20/jeff-fisher-rams-on-hard-knocks-is-highly-unlikely/

Jeff Fisher says its highly unlikely the Rams will be on Hard Knocks. Given the fact Fisher is tight with the league and has run the competition committee seemingly forever he might have enough pull to keep his team off the show

^^ I hate that.  Sorry but there is a clearly established set of rules to "force" teams into being on Hard Knocks.  Jeff Fisher isn't special and above these rules, just because he has some extracurricular activities. 

I'm sorry I just don't like when people get special treatment.

I hope the NFL throws it in his face and makes him do it. But I doubt they will after hearing what he said

If no one else volunteers, I hope so as well

This whole situation is special treatment clusterphuck.

Special treatment for a very average 7th round homo player
Special treatment for Jeff Fisher
An extra special kind of special treatment for a player who expressed a non popular opinion.

I still think Steelers or Giants for Hard Knocks, gotta be top choices. Bills would be my wildcard team. Just because the owner died, Jim Kelly is ill, team is going through a sale....they can build storylines around a lot of stuff going on off the field with the organization.