Thoughts on Michael Sam

[biggunsbob]

Missouri DE Michael Sam Says He's Gay

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay

I guess is draft stock has dropped.. I think it takes a lot of courage to do what this kid did. Hopefully he will succeed in the NFL... I wonder what team he ends up with?

The kid was good in the sec last year...

 

[tomdalton22]

I think it will be a good organization with strong front office and coaching staff that will take him. Probably a team in a more liberal city as well. SF might be a good fit. They have a large gay population, a liberal city, strong front office and good coaching staff. They are likely looking for a pass rush specialist as well as they may be looking for a relacement for Aldon Smith.

 

[biggunsbob]

Jesus SF.... That defense is already super good...LOL

 

[grandy]

If he has the talent and the skills to succeed, then he should play. Period.

I know it's not always that simple, but I feel any team passing on him for the sole reason that he's openly gay would be doing themselves a disservice. It sounds like his teammates at Mizzou already knew (or suspected) and accepted it, and they went on to have a good season. Why can't that happen in the NFL?

 

[grandy]

Donte Stallworth was on twitter today talking about this, brought up some good points

http://q.usatoday.com/2014/02/10/do...chael-sam-gay-player-nfl-locker-room-culture/

Herm Edwards posed a hypothetical question on epsn re: drafting Michael Sam, "can (GM/owner/coach) handle the media... with this situation?"

If any NFL team can't "handle the media coverage" of drafting Sam, then your team is already a loser on the field... let me tell you why...

There are a multitude of issues that can arise in the long duration of an NFL season... some on the field, some off the field.

You won't have any idea what that on the field/off the field situation is until it's already upon you and the entire organization...

Which means that with drafting Michael Sam, you get a jump start on controlling the "media coverage" right from the onset.

If an organization is inept to the magnitude of not being able to control things with prior knowledge, how will you handle the unexpected?

Case Study 1: The Miami Dolphins and the bullying scandal... players talked more about THAT than they did football... for weeks!

During that time I questioned (tweeted) why the Dolphins players were talking more about the scandal than their next opponent....

Since the bullying story broke, the Dolphins finished the season 4-4...w/playoff hopes still alive, got spanked by division opp Jets, 20-7

Case Study 2: The New England Patriots and Aaron Hernandez AND Tim Tebow situations...

Beyond the state of shock I endured after the revelations of Hernandez, I knew that if ANY organization could handle this, it was the Pats.

This all happened right before training camp where players are supposed to come in w/clear minds in preparation for a long, rigorous season.

Not only were there questions about Aaron, but also about the health of Gronkowski and how those two combined affected the team as a whole.

Aaron is still awaiting trial & Gronk played in only 7 games this season...but yet the Pats seemed to avoid those "distractions" altogether.

Despite many season ending injuries to key pieces, the Pats finished 12-4 and lost to the Broncos in the AFC title with... ZERO distractions

Not to mention the whole Tebow signing and (alleged subsequent) distraction wasn't even a blip on most radars... Why?

Because Mr. Kraft and Bill Belichick would not allow ANY of that to be a "distraction" to ANYONE in the entire organization...

In my 10 years as an NFL player, I've played for 6 different teams & have been in every kind of locker room. Vet, young, mature, immature...

The leaders of an NFL organization AND the locker room better be able to handle adversity that is certain to emerge during a long NFL season

In my experience, if your organization can't "handle media coverage", they will suck on the field anyway... but hey, there's always 2015...

 

[manchild98]

I would like to see him go on to have a nice career. It would be nice if this guy makes it and is an integral part of the success of the team. And I say that because I think that's what it's going to take for everyone to finally get past this issue. We need a known gay football player (not a back up who never plays) to make it on a team, be a successful player, stay out of any major off field trouble so people can get past the fact that he's not going to try and hump every guy in the locker room...that he's just like everyone else who puts on that uniform

I think he has a tough hill to climb. Many players are very religious and won't be changing their beliefs now that they have a gay teammate. Hopefully the captains and the leaders of whichever team he goes to handles the locker room situation.

And last, if I were him, I would have one more "presser/interview" before the draft and tell people I will no longer be discussing anything about being gay. I'd say I told everyone I'm gay and that I'm proud of it....and I'll always be proud of it. But now I'd be doing my team and teammates a disservice if I continue to talk about it and you continue to ask them about it. The only thing that matters is how good of a football player am I and if can I help us win.

You now have to bore the media and make it as much of a non-story as possible. Don't give them anything extra and they'll go away. If they ask you any question about being gay just answer everything with....I appreciate the interest but I'm not going to discuss non-football topics. Then as long as his teammates don't give the media any ammo it will go away. Hopefully the coaches tell everyone to just shut the fuck up about it. But as soon as someone spouts off and says the stupid...god made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve then this shit will stay in the news.

 

[mhughes0021]

Missouri DE Michael Sam Says He's Gay

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay

I guess is draft stock has dropped.. I think it takes a lot of courage to do what this kid did. Hopefully he will succeed in the NFL... I wonder what team he ends up with?

The kid was good in the sec last year...

I haven't heard anything about his draft stock dropping. If any organization came out and said he slid down their boards after the announcement they would be the dumbest organization.....ever lol. Hes projected to go anywhere from rounds 3-6. That's mainly because he played with his hand in the dirt in college and would need to be more of a 3-4 rush olb at the nfl level. a position hes never played before. The change is due to him being way undersized for a 4-3 DE. Kiper compared him to avril and mathis coming out of college...both mid round picks due to their size/positions coming out of college.

 

[jdeb]

I could care less. Being gay is the new normal whether anyone likes it or not. If he is a good player he will be drafted. There is gonna be some team out there that craves the media attention it will bring.

 

[tonyballs]

Bring him in for a look. He's a gamer. Like Hughes said, he's probably switching to OLB or even a situational pass rusher. Reminds me of Cliff Avril really.

As for him being gay? Time to get over it. If he can play football (which he can), go get him. You're going to get idiots who don't like him for his sexual preference but that's too bad. From what i have been reading and watching the reactions on this story, the NFL seems to be supporting this kid 100%. Even Burleson was on tv backing him up. We should too ...

 

[zyxt9]

No issue if he goes to the Lions, but I agree with Herm's comments, he really would be best going to a strong front office that has strong understanding how to turn stuff like this into a non-issue from the moment he is drafted. Niners would be good, as Tom mentioned, another would be the Pats as Herm mentioned. I think a strong possibility though might be the Giants, who have previously had great success with Kiwi. Sam is a little shorter and lighter (for now, but NFL weight will put him closer to Kiwi), but Sam could learn from Kiwi for a few years as backup and then take over when Kiwi is no longer on the team. Could definitely see the Giants grabbing him in R4 or R5.

 

[Mitchrapp]

We might have a 4th round comp. Good spot for him..

 

[tonyballs]

No issue if he goes to the Lions, but I agree with Herm's comments, he really would be best going to a strong front office that has strong understanding how to turn stuff like this into a non-issue from the moment he is drafted. Niners would be good, as Tom mentioned, another would be the Pats as Herm mentioned. I think a strong possibility though might be the Giants, who have previously had great success with Kiwi. Sam is a little shorter and lighter (for now, but NFL weight will put him closer to Kiwi), but Sam could learn from Kiwi for a few years as backup and then take over when Kiwi is no longer on the team. Could definitely see the Giants grabbing him in R4 or R5.

I have him drafted by the Jets. His former Missouri teammate, friend and roommate is there, DROY Sheldon Richardson.

 

[mhughes0021]

Theres always a spot for a guy that can get to the qb in this league. Any organization that takes him off their board shouldn't be an organization anymore.

 

[TheVictors]

I haven't heard anything about his draft stock dropping. If any organization came out and said he slid down their boards after the announcement they would be the dumbest organization.....ever lol. Hes projected to go anywhere from rounds 3-6. That's mainly because he played with his hand in the dirt in college and would need to be more of a 3-4 rush olb at the nfl level. a position hes never played before. The change is due to him being way undersized for a 4-3 DE. Kiper compared him to avril and mathis coming out of college...both mid round picks due to their size/positions coming out of college.

Local sports guy and Broncos SB era player said he heard the reason he came out publicly is because he had a bad senior bowl and his draft stock was sliding.

 

[kalinecountry]

To followup/add to what Grandy posted;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/10/donte-stallworth-michael-sam_n_4761724.html
Retired NFL Receiver Destroys Argument Against Gay Players.
4 1/2 minute Webvideo of what Donte Stallworth said.

 

[inkfreq]

I would be disappointed to see his stock climb or fall.

He should be evaluated strictly on his talent, not his sex life.

 

[food4thought]

It shouldn't be a real big issue, but I have to say it would have to be at least mildly uncomfortable for all involved in the shower.

Kind of like the opposite of a woman in the locker room...

After the revelations concerning the Dolphins situation, though... it makes me wonder.

 

[mhughes0021]

Local sports guy and Broncos SB era player said he heard the reason he came out publicly is because he had a bad senior bowl and his draft stock was sliding.

well ya.....cause he needs to make the switch to LB and that was his first experience at LB....and he wasn't very good at it. My point was I haven't heard about his stock sliding because of the announcement. But on the other hand....he had a bad week then he went out and had a sack in the game. So once again...the man produces on the field.

 

[tigersofjustice]

Weird to see so many NFL 'people' immediately come out and say it was a bad idea. Seems his draft stock immediately took a hit. Hopefully it doesn't affect things too much. If I'm an NFL guy, I would take him, it says a lot about his courage to come out like that, especially before he has any money in the bag from a deal.

 

[tigersofjustice]

It shouldn't be a real big issue, but I have to say it would have to be at least mildly uncomfortable for all involved in the shower.

Kind of like the opposite of a woman in the locker room...

After the revelations concerning the Dolphins situation, though... it makes me wonder.

My god, if I have to hear anymore about the 'shower'. If you feel uncomfortable showering with a gay man, and everyone probably has already done it whether they know it or not, it is time for YOU to get out of the shower, not them. Nobody is trying to pick your mangy a$$ up in the shower.

/end rant