Sam says there are more gay players in NFL; wonders if he is not on team because of sexuality

[Detectacon]

This topic must be of some interest since it's being discussed on 247sports, profootballtalk, cbssports, etc. Also I said it was about loosing the combine and not the merits of the bill.

 

PS, there were several discussions about the tax implications on FA salaries (which is political) and the topic about Sams sexuality and if/how it impacted his being drafted is still up and running. I would assume that's just as divisive.

 

I would really like for one of these star athletes who is gay to come out. That way we can stop debating if Sam has not made a roster because of his sexual orientation. He isn't that good. He was given several shots and more than most people who try for the NFL. Period. 

[Restored]

your seriously going to use combine numbers to defend your position that Sam cant play football? Ill just drop out of the thread on that note

 

Go ahead. The rest of the NFL uses those combine numbers as well to see if they would even give Sam a look.

[bap1331]

Yea but they dont tell the whole world. In sports, they need to keep it to themselves because it makes others uncomfortable.

[Thewholefnshow28]

I would hope the only reason he was not on a NFL team was because of his sexuality, but given the culture that sports can produce in a locker room I would not be surprised in the least bit if his sexuality played a big role in it.

 

Of course there is gay guys in the NFL that has not come out and I am sure there are number of reasons from hurting their brand to seeing some of the negativity that came with Sam being the first openly gay player in the NFL.

[Gavin]

Go ahead. The rest of the NFL uses those combine numbers as well to see if they would even give Sam a look.

Of course they do.....But only a fool would not draft a player or pick him up solely of because combine numbers

[Indeee]

This would've been a better post if we all tried to guess who the gay NFL players we're that came out to Michael Sam

[Gavin]

This would've been a better post if we all tried to guess who the gay NFL players we're that came out to Michael Sam

Meh...Impossible but with 1984 players in the NFL at any given time logic says there is a few gay players, even if its just 2-3

[jvan1973]

Meh...Impossible but with 1984 players in the NFL at any given time logic says there is a few gay players, even if its just 2-3

I'm positive it's more than that

[DougDew]

Constantly talking about your preference, belief, or whatever legal status a person may or may not have, is annoying.

 

I'm tired of the conversation about his play too.  That's becoming irrelevant in my eye.  If I were the NFL, I would say... 

 

"Uh...Michael..we've decided not to hire you because...well...frankly....our fans find you annoying."

[Superman]

I would hope the only reason he was not on a NFL team was because of his sexuality, but given the culture that sports can produce in a locker room I would not be surprised in the least bit if his sexuality played a big role in it.

 

Of course there is gay guys in the NFL that has not come out and I am sure there are number of reasons from hurting their brand to seeing some of the negativity that came with Sam being the first openly gay player in the NFL.

 

The vast majority of players in the NFL don't even have a "brand."

[wig]

In order to make all of this go away, an established star currently in the league will have to come out. Until then, guys like Sam that aren't exceptional talents are signing their death certificate. I disagree with it, but understand why teams don't want what comes along with it.

[Restored]

Of course they do.....But only a fool would not draft a player or pick him up solely of because combine numbers

 

Of course its not the only evaluation tool but don't undermine how much stock teams will put into those numbers, especially if they are VERY poor.

[TKnight24]

To me its hard to believe the guy don't have the talent to play in the NFL, He has a good but not elite first step and has shown in the NFL he can get after the QB...He is a little stiff no doubt...But he did produce. I do find it hard to believe that the only reason he is not in the NFL is because of lack of talent....He has some talent...at least as a rotational pass rusher

Exactly. If Mike McGlynn and Satele can have jobs, why can't Sam?

[Myles]

To me its hard to believe the guy don't have the talent to play in the NFL, He has a good but not elite first step and has shown in the NFL he can get after the QB...He is a little stiff no doubt...But he did produce. I do find it hard to believe that the only reason he is not in the NFL is because of lack of talent....He has some talent...at least as a rotational pass rusher

The Rams were willing to go through the media circus and bring him in.   If he was good enough, he would have stuck.  They went through the troubled part already for crying out loud.    Same with the Cowboys.  Those 2 teams did not cut him because they found out he was gay.

[NFLfan]

1) No team owes him a spot on their roster, regardless of his sexuality. You earn that,

2) He should go to Canada and get himself on a CFL roster for a season or two to prove himself. GM's may take a look at him again at that point.

I agree with both of your points. It is clear that an NFL team will not sign him. The Montreal Alouettes own his rights in the CFL and the GM wants him to play there. He should take that opportunity to show what he can do. Montreal is also a relatively tolerant place.

[ReMeDy]

I agree with both of your points. It is clear that an NFL team will not sign him. The Montreal Alouettes own his rights in the CFL and the GM wants him to play there. He should take that opportunity to show what he can do. Montreal is also a relatively tolerant place.

 

I don't know why more players don't play in Canada. Yea, the pay is meager compared to the NFL, but it's a great proving ground. I'm tired of players, like Tebow and Sam, who refuse to play in Canada, as if the mere thought repulses them, yet keep insisting they want to play in the NFL. They need to take a page from Warren Moon and show some grit.

[King Colt]

The guy was not good in college, not good with the Rams and will fail in the CFL. He is S-L-O-W.

The air in Canada is said to be thin and he will be slower because of it. In professional sport today, not 50 years ago.You will get the job if you weight 150 and are 5'7" as long as you are capable of doing the job better than the others trying for the spot..

[rock8591]

I try not to get in too much heated discussions, except to say that I will not dignify any of Michael Sam's theories with a response.

[Vance]

Calling out NFL teams for not signing you because you're gay, while simultaneously trying to get a spot on said teams?
 

[The Old Crow]

Won't this guy go away ? People want to talk football and sports to forget this political nonsense.

[Coffeedrinker]

Michael Sam is not on an NFL team because he's not a good football player.  But he got his wish, he is still being discussed on football forums even though is he NOT A FOOTBALL PLAYER.

Edited April 11, 2015 by 21isSuperman

[Coffeedrinker]

I don't know why more players don't play in Canada. Yea, the pay is meager compared to the NFL, but it's a great proving ground. I'm tired of players, like Tebow and Sam, who refuse to play in Canada, as if the mere thought repulses them, yet keep insisting they want to play in the NFL. They need to take a page from Warren Moon and show some grit.

I'm guessing they don't want to play up there because then they'd have to live in Canada.

 

For all our Canadian fans... I"m just joking.

[Swan Ronson]

Sad to see such intolerance go unchallenged.

[NewColtsFan]

I really don't think him being gay is the issue as to why he aint on a roster...I mean sure some individuals will have an issue with it but I don't see in being a huge deterent from him earning a roster spot, I think the media exploits he obviously has received and could/would likely continue to receive while on a roster is why so many teams are shying away....I mean look at the attention its already received...Teams are damned if they do and damned if they do honestly......If they pick him up and he does well its "Micheal Sam announced he was gay and the gay football player is doing well...imagine if he came in and blew the roof off the joint if he did great....what if that created a Tebowesque movement

 

Ummm....   ahhh.....    ehhhh.....     given the topic of discussion,  that might NOT have been the best choice of words to express yourself with!!

 

Just sayin.....                   

[BlueShoe]

First of all, politics and the NFL do not and should not mix. Which is why NFL players rarely get involved with politics while they are playing. They usually save that for life after football. Sam proved that he cares more about politics than he does about playing in the NFL.

 

Sam says that he wasn't trying to market himself becoming a gay NFL player, but his actions have show otherwise. He cannot have it both ways.

 

Tony Dungy was right. You don't draft or sign a guy, who is not a superstar, and brings the media circus with him. Especially when no one in pro football really wants to talk about this issue anyway. We don't want to talk about players religious beliefs or political affiliations either. Sure the word God is brought up, but more often than not, that is as far as it goes. God can mean several different things to several different people. The NFL does a good job of not basing the business around any particular religion, and they do so because it is the smart move.

 

Personally, I don't care if half of the Colts players are gay, but I do not want professional sports to become the voice of political entertainment. First an foremost, I watch the NFL because I love watching the Colts play. If I want to tune into politics there are other outlets for that type of entertainment.

 

Sam had a choice between CNN and the NFL, and he chose CNN. Had he put all of his effort into playing football in the NFL, then maybe he would be the 53rd guy on a team right now. He didn't want it bad enough. He wanted to be known as a gay football player. 

 

If Andrew Luck or Cam Newton announced tomorrow they were gay, then sure it would get some attention, but it would not have an impact on them making a final 53.

 

So this is not about any discrimination. This is about an NFL prospect choosing politics over playing in the NFL. Because he focused his energy on politics, he has no justification to cry fowl. Two teams gave him a shot. If he was good enough and/or was dedicated enough, then he might be on a 53.

 

Bottom line, as an average athlete, a player cannot multitask the NFL. You are either all in, or nothing. As an average athlete, Sam would have been better off to concentrate on becoming a professional football player for a few years, and then announcing he is gay. If he wants football so much, then why doesn't he go to Canada for a few years. Players with a lot more talent than he has had to take that tough road. What makes him so special? Freeman is 10 times the player as Sam, and he had to make it the tough way. If Sam wants to play in the NFL then there are avenues he can use to get there. Why is he sitting at home?

[Myles]

I agree Blueshoe.  He was given an opportunity with 2 NFL teams.   If they had issues with him being gay, they certainly would not have invited the media circus to begin with. 

[Coffeedrinker]

Michael Sam is not on an NFL team because he's not a good football player.  But he got his wish, he is still being discussed on football forums even though is he NOT A FOOTBALL PLAYER.

I find it funny that people are so intolerant of another view point they feel the need to edit posts of which they disagree even if they don't violate any forum rules.