College Football Star Michael Sam Says He Is Gay; May Become First Publicly G...

[DarrylS]

Wonder if this will pave the way for all those, "privately gay" NFL players out there who have wanted to come out??

 

[BritPat]

Well done to Michael Sam.

I want to say I hope this means more football players have the courage to reveal the same, but in reality it shouldn't matter. It's a shame that this story will become so big because he's nothing other than normal.

 

[BritPat]

I think for some teams it will drop the guy entirely out of their draft.

Even though BB CAN deal with it; that doesnt mean he WANTS TO deal with it.

BB is all about minimizing as many distractors / potential problems as he can. So to me, that means this guy has dropped 1 round on that Pats board because of this.

Yes, BB COULD/MIGHT take him if he is DEMONSTRABLY the best talent still left on the board; but if there is another only slightly lesser talent in the same or another area of need; I think BB passes at least another round. I think he will only sign up for the distraction if he is making money (better talent for less draft pick/$$ cost) on the transaction [to offset the distraction quotient].

This is the type of attitude that concerns me.

How do we know there aren't gay players already on the Patriots?

And if any teams took him off their draft board or used this as a reason to downgrade him, they should be named and shamed publicly. Not employing someone based on their sexuality is a criminal offence.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I think for some teams it will drop the guy entirely out of their draft.

Even though BB CAN deal with it; that doesnt mean he WANTS TO deal with it.

BB is all about minimizing as many distractors / potential problems as he can. So to me, that means this guy has dropped 1 round on that Pats board because of this.

Yes, BB COULD/MIGHT take him if he is DEMONSTRABLY the best talent still left on the board; but if there is another only slightly lesser talent in the same or another area of need; I think BB passes at least another round. I think he will only sign up for the distraction if he is making money (better talent for less draft pick/$$ cost) on the transaction [to offset the distraction quotient].

I think we both agree that BB would draft him based on value (if he's a 4th-rounder still available in the 5th or 6th). I don't know if we'd knock him down a round. I don't think we'd take him off the board entirely like some teams will.

I also wonder if a team or two might actually move him UP the board based on his personal character. Some teams add value based on being a captain or exhibiting leadership qualities. This young man has instantly become the most hated football player to half of the United States of America overnight for not hiding from himself. For those who post responses about who cares, well, half your country does, and they care waaaaaaaaay more than they should.

BB is all about what's best for the team. He has proven multiple times he's willing to take on potential distractions/problems if he feels the locker room can handle it. Obviously, there's no comparable player in this situation, but if there's a chance to improve the team, he will take it.

I guess maybe the closest you could say would be Tebow, since his outspoken Christianity seems to offend almost as many people as Sam's sexual orientation might. Again, not a direct comparison since there is none, but they're both scrutinized heavily by the media and general public for making parts of their personal lives very public and more public than they may have to. It's a part of them, they are not ashamed of it. But if we took the chance on Tebow, why not Sam?

 

[1960Pats]

Well done to Michael Sam.

I want to say I hope this means more football players have the courage to reveal the same, but in reality it shouldn't matter. It's a shame that this story will become so big because he's nothing other than normal.

Most people don't care about anyone's sexual orientation.

However, there are many people who don't consider homosexuality to be normal, and in no way natural.

It's a big story because the left wants it to be big, hoping that some day being gay will be considered normal to everyone.

 

[50-yard-line]

Absolutely...but it's unknown. I'm not worried about what I don't know.

Says a lot more about you than about him.

Don't ever join the military.

 

[50-yard-line]

Why is it important to announce that your gay??

Who really cares?

It's one thing if you don't deny it if you're asked...be yourself, sure, but announcing it?? Who cares what type of person you prefer to be romantically involved with.

Look, I'm a vagina man...women do it for me. I think they're fantastic.

I feel better having announced that.

Because in every high school in America, there are gay kids full of self-loathing. Afraid of who they are and afraid others will find out - particularly true in the black community. Suicide is pretty common among gay teens - hence the "it gets better" campaign."

The more notable people who come forward, the better for those young adults, particularly in a "masculine" sport like football.

Larry Bird won championships, Jason Collins saved lives.

 

[1960Pats]

Going by your logic, why do they celebrate Jackie Robinson in baseball or across the United States. "Who really cares if he's black?"

The world is full of racist people of all colors.

 

[MassPats38]

It is a non-issue for me. I don't believe anyone should ever have to lie when asked whether he or she is gay. Not sure I'd recommend offering this story without cause to do so, as he becomes labeled a trailblazer with all the negatives that go with that status, but his N.Y. Times article indicates he did it to address the speculation and conjecture that were likely to precede him to the NFL.

I wish him the best, and hope he is just considered an NFL player after this publicity, whether he succeeds or fails on his talent in that endeavor.

 

[Tunescribe]

Wonder if this will pave the way for all those, "privately gay" NFL players out there who have wanted to come out??

I wonder if they'll be disappointed to find out nobody really cares. It's no one's business but their own except, of course, if they're victim of a hate crime or blatant discrimination.

 

[DarrylS]

I wonder if they'll be disappointed to find out nobody really cares. It's no one's business but their own except, of course, if they're victim of a hate crime or blatant discrimination.

I hope no one cars except the bored, idle press who search each and every day for headlines.. but, of course there will be those in their effort to achieve their moments of fame that will spout their $.02 to make those headlines.

 

[1960Pats]

This young man has instantly become the most hated football player to half of the United States of America overnight for not hiding from himself.

Where do people come up with this crap? Nobody hates the kid. There are people who don't approve of his lifestyle, for sure, but enough with the hate baloney. That's the same as saying that half the USA is heterophobic and hates straight people.

 

[conway]

I think how BB views Sam will depend on how Sam handles things between now and the draft. If Sam goes on the talk show circuit and wants to talk about it in interviews, I could see BB deciding he's a distraction. If Sam responds to questions about it with an "it is what it is, its been addressed, is there a football question" mindset, then I think BB will think it wont be a significant distraction.

I'm curious to hear from team leaders, especially Slater.

 

[borg]

As the world changes at a frenetic pace, I fear mainstay institutions such as the Lingerie Bowl will be marginalized. The horror.

 

[Tunescribe]

As the world changes at a frenetic pace, I fear mainstay institutions such as the Lingerie Bowl will be marginalized. The horror.

Perhaps not if some of them come out as lesbian.

 

[vyrago]

You'd be surprised what GMs and coaches use for criteria. Some of them can be pretty idiotic. At least one coach has admitted to passing over Andy Dalton simply because he had red hair:

Whttp://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/images/smilies/rolleyes.gifell that's a little different. Red hair, as everyone knows, is the mark of Satan

 

[vyrago]

You'd be surprised what GMs and coaches use for criteria. Some of them can be pretty idiotic. At least one coach has admitted to passing over Andy Dalton simply because he had red hair:

Well that's a little different because red hair, as everyone knows is the mark of the devil ;-).

 

[manxman2601]

CBS Sports dropped Sam overnight from their 90th ranked prospect to their 160th ranked prospect.

Edit: Funniest comment I've seen though which is unrelated to this story is that "Mike Sam will no doubt be a linebacker and play the Will" (paraphrasing).

 

[vyrago]

I wonder if they'll be disappointed to find out nobody really cares. It's no one's business but their own except, of course, if they're victim of a hate crime or blatant discrimination.

Why in heck would they be disappointed?? Your post makes no sense.

 

[borg]

Whttp://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/images/smilies/rolleyes.gifell that's a little different. Red hair, as everyone knows, is the mark of Satan

He was right