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

That one slipped me but I did know his middle name is Pastell.

 

And God help us even more if his first endorsement deal is with Hershey's.

 

What you know about the ol' Hershey Highway? LOL

 

Interesting, though, that it looks like he completely bypassed the local media on this?

Went to the Columbia Daily Tribune and story said he'd avoided the press in town all season. The article itself quoted liberally from the Times.

 

The announcement was choreographed by the publicist who handled the announcements from John Amaechi and Sheryl Swoopes. The strategy is to go national, and that usually means promising exclusives or at least semi-exclusives.

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

 

A fantastic get for John Branch, getting chosen to break the story in the NYT.

I wonder if the publicist retained to handle the story did the work pro bono
or charged Sam for his time.

 

I can't wait til Aikman has to say "Sam gets caught covering the tight end on an out pattern..."

 

Still is nice that even though it was known, no one publicly outed him. Let it happen on his terms.

 

SI or espn had the historical draft position of the last 12 SEC Def POYs (Sam was the 2013 Def POY); 7 of last 12 went 1st rd.

I've got to believe that Sam is as good as Jarvis Jones (2012 POY, 1st rd Steelers) who was considered "undersized"

 

Likely to be a Mike or Sam in the NFL.

Some nfl teams definitely better than others as far as fit. The
49ers always seem to come to the top of the list whenever there is
speculation of this type.

 

That analysis seriously overrates him, imo.

 

Well played.