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

[fnordcircle]

Guys will it be sexual harassment if he pats a straight player on the butt?!

 

[upstater1]

Because by coming out via public announcement, a gay person presumes the "news" matters to strangers. It shouldn't. It matters to two kinds of people: gays who see themselves as social crusaders, and homophobes. I'm neither and consider this a personal matter to be dealt with on a personal level by all concerned.

I think you need to read about why he is coming forward: 'The eagle has landed': The exclusive behind-the-scenes story of how NFL prospect Michael Sam came out - Outsports

This is/was impacting his professional livelihood. He had to do it. The rumor mill was going to be a killer.

 

[varjao]

Sandra Bullock already signed the contract for The Blind Hole.

 

[fnordcircle]

Because by coming out via public announcement, a gay person presumes the "news" matters to strangers. It shouldn't. It matters to two kinds of people: gays who see themselves as social crusaders, and homophobes. I'm neither and consider this a personal matter to be dealt with on a personal level by all concerned.

Like it or not this is news because it represents a social boundary being crossed. The NFL was one of those last bastions of homophobia and the parallels here between Jackie Robinson and Sam are fairly obvious.

Frankly I don't give a **** what someone does in their sex life and I'm excited for the point in time when it is no longer news. But to deny that this is a news-worthy event is to deny reality.

If it wasn't newsworthy people wouldn't be talking about it on every NFL board I frequent, facebook, etc.

 

[Tunescribe]

I think you need to read about why he is coming forward: 'The eagle has landed': The exclusive behind-the-scenes story of how NFL prospect Michael Sam came out - Outsports

This is/was impacting his professional livelihood. He had to do it. The rumor mill was going to be a killer.

My post was in response to a question regarding the broader matter of current NFL players coming out publicly.

 

[patchick]

Because by coming out via public announcement, a gay person presumes the "news" matters to strangers. It shouldn't. It matters to two kinds of people: gays who see themselves as social crusaders, and homophobes. I'm neither and consider this a personal matter to be dealt with on a personal level by all concerned.

It sure beats the way Manti Te'o publicly announced his straightness by giving interview after interview talking about his fake girlfriend, huh? Or how about Gronk posing shirtless with porn stars?

We straight people make big public statements about our sexual orientation ALL THE TIME, in good ways and bad. (Heck, I even married a man!) We just never have to label it an annoucement of orientation because being straight is the default. It's what people assume unless informed otherwise. So gay people, including gay football players, have to inform them otherwise. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[kennyb]

Didn't seem to bother Mizzou players. I guarantee you have been somewhere with a gay man before. I hope you weren't uncomfortable - he almost certainly was not ogling you.

Different-sex locker rooms are largely a product of outdated gender stereotypes anyways. There's also nothing wrong with gender neutral locker rooms or bathrooms, unless you think everyone just wants to have sex with everyone all the time. Adults of any gender who can't control their urges are probably mentally ill.

I'm sorry that's one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Go tell women in a gym that "we're doing away with gender specific locker rooms...you'll be changing your clothes with men...but don't worry, if they can't "conrol their urges", they must be mentally ill!".

It has nothing to do with "controlling urges", women especially don't like to be unclothed in front of the opposite sex...is this one of the things that will have to be overcome in the brave new world you're designing for us?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I think coming out is actually going to help him. Think about is this way, how much would MLB teams pay if they could go back in time and draft Jackie Robinson?

NFL Team owners already have tons of money, they don’t really care about that, what they really want is prestige among their other billionaire friends, how many will pass up their opportunity to have this place in history? Even if it doesn’t work out with the player they’re going to get a ton of hype. You just know that in a few years Hollywood is going to make a movie about the whole thing, it’ll be a modern day version of “The Express”: Spielberg will direct with John Williams doing the soundtrack, Matt Damon will play the GM and George Clooney will be the owner, all the Hollywood heavyweights will have a cameo. If they're smart they'll even sign Ritchie Incognito so there's an out of the box bad guy in the movie.

The team owner, GM, and Sam will be invited to have dinner at the White House and get pics with Obama to put on their Facebook pages. They’ll be interview for decades on scores of documentaries and might even do tours on the lecture circuit.

 

[JackBauer]

Well Herm Edwards thinks this guy is going to bring "baggage" to the locker room.

I'd say that's another feather in Sam's draft cap.

 

[PP2]

It has nothing to do with "controlling urges", women especially don't like to be unclothed in front of the opposite sex...is this one of the things that will have to be overcome in the brave new world you're designing for us?

You must be speaking from personal experience.

 

[primetime]

LOL at "mentality ill," like sexual urges are a rational thing...they are exactly the opposite.

So are urges to kick puppies and kill people. Everyone has irrational urges. One hallmark of mental illness is in the ability to control your urges that do harm to other people or things.

I'm sorry that's one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Go tell women in a gym that "we're doing away with gender specific locker rooms...you'll be changing your clothes with men...but don't worry, if they can't "conrol their urges", they must be mentally ill!".

It has nothing to do with "controlling urges", women especially don't like to be unclothed in front of the opposite sex...is this one of the things that will have to be overcome in the brave new world you're designing for us?

I'm assuming you're a man, which means you should stop speaking for women. And as upstater1 mentioned, co-ed dorms and bathrooms aren't exactly part of a 'brave new world.'

 

[Uncle Meat]

Guys will it be sexual harassment if he pats a straight player on the butt?!

Illegal use of the hands.

 

[primetime]

I think coming out is actually going to help him. Think about is this way, how much would MLB teams pay if they could go back in time and draft Jackie Robinson?

I get what you're going for here, but I don't really agree. Michael Sam, as a football player, is a great college defensive end but a middling draft prospect because of lack of ideal size and athleticism. On the other hand, Jackie Robinson was, at the time he signed with the Dodgers, was proven as one of the best players in professional baseball who happened to be playing at a time when the professional baseball leagues were segregated based on skin color.

So the comparison isn't really fair - Sam may or may not be a good NFL player, but Jackie Robinson was one of the best baseball players in the world at the time.

 

[kennyb]

So are urges to kick puppies and kill people. Everyone has irrational urges. One hallmark of mental illness is in the ability to control your urges that do harm to other people or things.



I'm assuming you're a man, which means you should stop speaking for women. And as upstater1 mentioned, co-ed dorms and bathrooms aren't exactly part of a 'brave new world.'

Co-ed dorm is not exactly having women changing clothes in front of the opposite sex.

Maybe it makes sense to "smash inhibitions" in the ivory tower you're from, but in the real world, it's ridiculous. I know women who don't change clothes in the locker room when it's all WOMEN. And it doesn't mean they think they're being ogled...just don't like getting naked in semi-public.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I get what you're going for here, but I don't really agree. Michael Sam, as a football player, is a great college defensive end but a middling draft prospect because of lack of ideal size and athleticism. On the other hand, Jackie Robinson was, at the time he signed with the Dodgers, was proven as one of the best players in professional baseball who happened to be playing at a time when the professional baseball leagues were segregated based on skin color.

So the comparison isn't really fair - Sam may or may not be a good NFL player, but Jackie Robinson was one of the best baseball players in the world at the time.

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but I think most people today remember Jackie Robinson because he was the first black player in MLB as opposed to him being a great baseball player.

 

[kennyb]

Co-ed dorm is not exactly having women changing clothes in front of the opposite sex.

Maybe it makes sense to "smash inhibitions" in the ivory tower you're from, but in the real world, it's ridiculous. I know women who don't change clothes in the locker room when it's all WOMEN. And it doesn't mean they think they're being ogled...just don't like getting naked in semi-public.

You must be speaking from personal experience.

Har har! I'm speaking from having life experience and knowing women in general. I've never met any who'd think it'd be "no big deal" to get naked in a co-ed locker room. You must have no experience with women at all. Loser.

 

[Tunescribe]

It sure beats the way Manti Te'o publicly announced his straightness by giving interview after interview talking about his fake girlfriend, huh? Or how about Gronk posing shirtless with porn stars?

We straight people make big public statements about our sexual orientation ALL THE TIME, in good ways and bad. (Heck, I even married a man!) We just never have to label it an annoucement of orientation because being straight is the default. It's what people assume unless informed otherwise. So gay people, including gay football players, have to inform them otherwise. Seems reasonable to me.

They don't "have to" inform anyone about their sexual orientation. I understand the reasoning behind Sam's public announcement, but this potentially can hurt as much as help him.

One thing we forget while considering this as a "society at large" issue is that homosexuality carries greater stigma in the black community. I assume Sam could face difficulties in some NFL locker rooms. And unfortunately because of that GMs have a potentially complicated matter on their hands.

 

[primetime]

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but I think most people today remember Jackie Robinson because he was the first black player in MLB as opposed to him being a great baseball player.

You're right that posterity remembers him as a civil rights figure moreso than a baseball player, so I guess I was just misread your post.

 

[patchick]

I know women who don't change clothes in the locker room when it's all WOMEN. And it doesn't mean they think they're being ogled...just don't like getting naked in semi-public.

I think this is a changing norm, for both sexes. My father-in-law casually mentioned that when he was a kid, his public school swimming classes were sex-segregated...and naked. No fussing with swimsuits. When my husband and I were in public school that would have been unimaginable, but everybody took it for granted that we'd strip down in a locker room, use group showers, etc. Now my own kids are in middle school and they're appalled at that idea -- everybody huddles alone in little booths in the locker room.

 

[primetime]

Co-ed dorm is not exactly having women changing clothes in front of the opposite sex.

Maybe it makes sense to "smash inhibitions" in the ivory tower you're from, but in the real world, it's ridiculous. I know women who don't change clothes in the locker room when it's all WOMEN. And it doesn't mean they think they're being ogled...just don't like getting naked in semi-public.

This isn't some inherent natural order but the result of cultural norms, i.e. 50 years ago many white people refused to share a bathroom or locker room with black people.