Michael Sam Says He Is Gay; May Become First Publicly Gay Player in N.F.L.

Worst-kept secret is what I am told by my peeps with an ear to the ground in town.

 

His round should and will be determined by his talent. If he goes in the second round, everybody "bypassed" him on some level. Doesn't mean all or any of them did it because of this news.

 

Can you support gay rights, and be an NFL fan?

 

Kind of blows that whole "disruptive to the locker room" theory out of the water.

 

Well, that's disappointing.

But you know what? NFL coaches and executives usually know jack shit about how players feel. They are merely projecting their own old-man prejudices onto others.

That's the mindset that gives the NFL dicks like Mike Priefer.

 

How the decision was made to announce it today.

http://www.outsports.com/2014/2/9/5396036/michael-sam-gay-football-player-missouri-nfl-draft

 

So the NFL locker rooms can't be as mature as the one at Mizzou about this?

 

So if the guy is projected as a 3rd-to-7th round pick as is written here, as long as he's drafted his draft stock didn't "fall" despite what people will say otherwise.

If the guy can play, somebody will give him a look but his size will work against him more than anything else.

 

I'll also add, hats off to the Mizzou players and staff for their support on this.

 

I'd bet the teammates will handle it fine. It's the media everybody should be concerned about.

 

I'd just point out that this kid, NOT Jason Collins, will deserve the real credit for being the first openly gay athlete in one of our major leagues.

It always rubbed me the wrong way how transparently calculated and timed Collins' announcement was. He purposely waited until the very very end of his run when it was obvious he was not likely to get signed again (indeed it's a bit of a mystery how he got a contract his last couple years) but still had a month or two left on his contract to make his announcement, which enabled him to take all the credit for being first without having to subject himself to the actual hardship and risk.

This kid, on the other hand, is GENUINELY laying it on the line at the dawn of his career. Entirely opposite career situation. Takes far more courage and risk to come out this way than how Collins did it. Wish him nothing but the best.

 

Exactly. By that logic, anything short of being the first overall pick means a team passed him over because they're homophobic, and not because they think there's better players or their team has different needs.