NFL draft prospect Michael Sam comes out as gay--UPDATE: signed by Dallas?

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Sports is so important to American culture that events like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and Magic Johnson announcing his HIV diagnosis actually matter to how many people see the world.

No... not even close to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.  Gay hyperbole is really getting out of hand.

Explain please?

[Napoleon]

Sports is so important to American culture that events like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and Magic Johnson announcing his HIV diagnosis actually matter to how many people see the world.

No... not even close to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.  Gay hyperbole is really getting out of hand.

Explain please?

I would like to see his rationale for that statement as well.

The most obvious difference being that gay people weren't forced into an isolated league.

[Link]

Sports is so important to American culture that events like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and Magic Johnson announcing his HIV diagnosis actually matter to how many people see the world.

No... not even close to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.  Gay hyperbole is really getting out of hand.

Explain please?

I would like to see his rationale for that statement as well.

It's all a matter of degree.  The discrimination that Jackie Robinson faced was far worse and the climate in the country was far worse.  The NFL has a written rule against discriminating based on sexual orientation.

It's black history month so going back and reviewing what Jacki Robinson actually went through seems like a good idea.

Besides if you read what he said it sound like he was fine being in the closet.  The impression I got was he felt he had to say something to get out in front of rumors and define his own story.  I can understand that.   I don't discuss my sex life at work either.

Total off topic here, why do they call him "Mr. Sam" throughout the article?

[Paul Kemp]

"Why Is ESPN Being So Weird About Michael Sam?"

[Link]

"Why Is ESPN Being So Weird About Michael Sam?"

A bunch of jocks aren't the best sociologist/psychologists!  Wow.  Who knew?

I don't watch Sports Center unless I am stuck in a hotel on a business trip and I certainly don't watch it to guide my moral compass.  The NFL is an organization brimming with malcontents and felons.  I don't understand who in their right mind thought its players would be at the forefront of an enlightenment movement.

And as far as baggage is concerned that statement is 100% true.  Tebow brought baggage.  Terrell Owens brought baggage.  I honestly read the first article to see why this guy came out of the closet.  And it seems, at least according to my reading of the facts, it was because he felt he was forced to.  Given a choice I don't see the management of any football team picking this guy if there is someone equal or better sans media circus and dealing with idiots in the locker room.

It's sad really.  Everyone is overlooking the fact that this poor guy can't even control his own destiny.  Everyone cheering that he came out is ignoring the fact it may have done real damage to his draft prospects and it doesn't seem to have been voluntary.

[Mr. Morden]

Sam's father isn't happy about his son's sexuality:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/other-colleges/20140211-michael-sam-s-father-lives-in-dallas-and-is-upset-over-son-s-gay-revelation.ece

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[bedstuy]

Sports is so important to American culture that events like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and Magic Johnson announcing his HIV diagnosis actually matter to how many people see the world.

No... not even close to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.  Gay hyperbole is really getting out of hand.

Explain please?

I would like to see his rationale for that statement as well.

The most obvious difference being that gay people weren't forced into an isolated league.

I said those were political sports events that changed how people saw cultural and political issues.  This is also a political and culturally important sports event.  If you think I said this was as important as Jackie Robinson you didn't read what I wrote. 

Besides if you read what he said it sound like he was fine being in the closet.  The impression I got was he felt he had to say something to get out in front of rumors and define his own story.  I can understand that.   I don't discuss my sex life at work either.

You're not being very understanding of gay people.  It's not his sex life, it's his sexual orientation.  You can't be a fully realized person as a closeted gay man and he eventually needed to make this statement.  It's entirely his decision when he chose to, but it's nothing like talking about your sex life at work. 

Given a choice I don't see the management of any football team picking this guy if there is someone equal or better sans media circus and dealing with idiots in the locker room.

It's sad really.  Everyone is overlooking the fact that this poor guy can't even control his own destiny.  Everyone cheering that he came out is ignoring the fact it may have done real damage to his draft prospects and it doesn't seem to have been voluntary.

I hope you agree that taking into account his sexuality orientation in hiring him is fundamentally wrong, discriminatory and should be illegal.

[Link]

Sam's father isn't happy about his son's sexuality:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/other-colleges/20140211-michael-sam-s-father-lives-in-dallas-and-is-upset-over-son-s-gay-revelation.ece

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From the original article you posted...

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Not really sure pops has much of a say in this matter.

[Link]

You're not being very understanding of gay people.  It's not his sex life, it's his sexual orientation.  You can't be a fully realized person as a closeted gay man and he eventually needed to make this statement.  It's entirely his decision when he chose to, but it's nothing like talking about your sex life at work. 

Parse it however you want.  If you went into my work and told a bunch of people I was gay they wouldn't be able to objectively tell you I'm not.  I have presented them no evidence to the contrary.  I do not go to work as Mr. Heterosexual Man.  I go in, get my work done, and jet.  At a couple of places I've worked people have come out of the closet and told me they were gay or bi.  Our coworkers didn't know.  And I sure as heck wasn't going to say anything.

I think this guy has a right to discuss his sexuality if he wants.  What I think a lot of people are glossing over is it doesn't really sound like this was the time he wanted to do it.

Given a choice I don't see the management of any football team picking this guy if there is someone equal or better sans media circus and dealing with idiots in the locker room.

It's sad really.  Everyone is overlooking the fact that this poor guy can't even control his own destiny.  Everyone cheering that he came out is ignoring the fact it may have done real damage to his draft prospects and it doesn't seem to have been voluntary.

I hope you agree that taking into account his sexuality orientation in hiring him is fundamentally wrong, discriminatory and should be illegal.

I don't own an NFL team so why does my opinion matter?  That's like me saying there is a hurricane coming and you saying I hope you agree hurricanes are a bad thing.  I'm just telling you what the situation is on the ground.  I thought it was very odd for someone to come out of the closet at this juncture.  It doesn't seem like the best career move.  But it doesn't seem like it was his choice.  I think people really need to slow down and contemplate that.  We can all sit on the internet and talk about the fantasy world we wish we could live in but this young man has to deal with the real world.  And you all know you aren't going to buy $400 NFL tickets to support this guy.  At least in that one aspect Jackie Robinson had it better.  At least black folks turned up as an economic force to see him play.

[RosettaStoned]

 Hopefully a lot of other closeted NFL players will now come out!

[Хahar 🤔]

There have been lots of gay players, but I guess no one knew about it.

Kwame Harris's outing was particularly amusing.

[bedstuy]

You're not being very understanding of gay people.  It's not his sex life, it's his sexual orientation.  You can't be a fully realized person as a closeted gay man and he eventually needed to make this statement.  It's entirely his decision when he chose to, but it's nothing like talking about your sex life at work. 

Parse it however you want.  If you went into my work and told a bunch of people I was gay they wouldn't be able to objectively tell you I'm not.  I have presented them no evidence to the contrary.  I do not go to work as Mr. Heterosexual Man.  I go in, get my work done, and jet.  At a couple of places I've worked people have come out of the closet and told me they were gay or bi.  Our coworkers didn't know.  And I sure as heck wasn't going to say anything.

I think this guy has a right to discuss his sexuality if he wants.  What I think a lot of people are glossing over is it doesn't really sound like this was the time he wanted to do it.

But, you're not gay so you're not in the closet.  Your experience isn't really relevant at all.  Are you saying gay people can just never tell anyone they're gay and that would solve the problem?  I'm not really understanding.

I don't own an NFL team so why does my opinion matter?  That's like me saying there is a hurricane coming and you saying I hope you agree hurricanes are a bad thing.  I'm just telling you what the situation is on the ground.

That's just sort of a lame argument.  We're allowed to have opinions and beliefs about things we don't directly control.  Would you say the same thing if a baseball team refused to hire black players?

I thought it was very odd for someone to come out of the closet at this juncture.  It doesn't seem like the best career move.  But it doesn't seem like it was his choice.  I think people really need to slow down and contemplate that.  We can all sit on the internet and talk about the fantasy world we wish we could live in but this young man has to deal with the real world.  And you all know you aren't going to buy $400 NFL tickets to support this guy.  At least in that one aspect Jackie Robinson had it better.  At least black folks turned up as an economic force to see him play.

That's why he's being brave and doing something good for society.  So, the current and future gay NFL players might be comfortable being honest about their lives with their friends and family.  That's the idea.  We don't have to be complacent with homophobia, we can create a more tolerant world where sexual orientation isn't cause for hatred and fear.

And, by the way, I went to several NFL games this year. 

[Link]

Hopefully a lot of other closeted NFL players will now come out!

Well it would certainly give this guy a lot more support and take the spotlight off of him.  I just think it would be a lot easier to come out once you've established yourself and built up rapport and respect in the locker room.  Hopefully someone will bail this guy out.

[Link]

I think this guy has a right to discuss his sexuality if he wants.  What I think a lot of people are glossing over is it doesn't really sound like this was the time he wanted to do it.

Are you saying gay people can just never tell anyone they're gay and that would solve the problem?  I'm not really understanding.

And I don't really understand how you came to that conclusion after reading what I wrote.

I don't own an NFL team so why does my opinion matter?  That's like me saying there is a hurricane coming and you saying I hope you agree hurricanes are a bad thing.  I'm just telling you what the situation is on the ground.

That's just sort of a lame argument.  We're allowed to have opinions and beliefs about things we don't directly control.  Would you say the same thing if a baseball team refused to hire black players?

Ummm... and how would a baseball team hiring a black player be a media circus in 2014?  Also what you fail to realize is we are allowed to not have opinions on things we don't control.

Your experience isn't really relevant at all.

And you wonder why I didn't offer you my opinion on command.

I thought it was very odd for someone to come out of the closet at this juncture.  It doesn't seem like the best career move.  But it doesn't seem like it was his choice.

That's why he's being brave and doing something good for society.

So because it wasn't his choice it's "brave."  I don't follow.  Read the story.  He quite clearly says he felt he was going to get outed and he wanted to get out and take control of his story.  I read nothing that indicates he did this by choice.  Sounds to me if he had a choice he would have put it off till later.

We don't have to be complacent with homophobia, we can create a more tolerant world where sexual orientation isn't cause for hatred and fear.

I don't know how letting someone pick the time and place when they come out of the closet is being "complacent with homophobia."  Should I have outed my homosexual coworkers just to help the cause?

From the article...

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http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/sports/michael-sam-college-football-star-says-he-is-gay-ahead-of-nfl-draft.html?_r=1

Doesn't sound like right before the draft was when he wanted to do this.

[bedstuy]

I don't own an NFL team so why does my opinion matter?  That's like me saying there is a hurricane coming and you saying I hope you agree hurricanes are a bad thing.  I'm just telling you what the situation is on the ground.

That's just sort of a lame argument.  We're allowed to have opinions and beliefs about things we don't directly control.  Would you say the same thing if a baseball team refused to hire black players?

Ummm... and how would a baseball team hiring a black player be a media circus in 2014?  Also what you fail to realize is we are allowed to not have opinions on things we don't control.

But, what if it was?  There's something called doing what's right, which is not discriminating in the basis of race or sexual orientation.  A business should practice non-discrimination, whether it benefits them or not.  If I'm a business that operates in a really prejudiced, racist town, I can't decide not to hire a black person because I'm worried that people will react badly to their race.  This is the same principle.  So, are you against employment discrimination legislation for race as well as sexual orientation?  Being against any regulation or public condemnation of discrimination isn't having no position.

I thought it was very odd for someone to come out of the closet at this juncture.  It doesn't seem like the best career move.  But it doesn't seem like it was his choice.

That's why he's being brave and doing something good for society.

So because it wasn't his choice it's "brave."  I don't follow.  Read the story.  He quite clearly says he felt he was going to get outed and he wanted to get out and take control of his story.  I read nothing that indicates he did this by choice.  Sounds to me if he had a choice he would have put it off till later.

You're conflating two different things.  He made this decision to come out on his terms.  But, before that he decided to come out to a smaller number of people and to start having sexual relations with men.  Once he did that, he was worried that people would out him.  At every level it was his decision, but once he did the first two things, the public statement was a natural step.  He wanted to have agency in letting the world know.  But, the decision to make a public statement and deal with the scrutiny was brave.  That's not inconsistent with the fact that living as a gay man but being in the closet is risky and he was therefore under some pressure.

We don't have to be complacent with homophobia, we can create a more tolerant world where sexual orientation isn't cause for hatred and fear.

I don't know how letting someone pick the time and place when they come out of the closet is being "complacent with homophobia."  Should I have outed my homosexual coworkers just to help the cause?

From the article...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/sports/michael-sam-college-football-star-says-he-is-gay-ahead-of-nfl-draft.html?_r=1

Doesn't sound like right before the draft was when he wanted to do this.

Let's clarify this:  You're the one saying he should have hid his sexual orientation and kept his life a secret from his friends and family.  My position is that it was totally up to him to decide when to come out, but it was a good thing for him because now he's out of the closet which is a great thing in its own right and he's a role model and a brave person for taking on homophobia and the media circus.  At the same time, it's difficult to date a man, go to gay bars and live as a gay man while you're in the closet, especially as a public figure like a pro athlete.  So, he was under pressure to come out, but it doesn't diminish what he did.

[Mr. Morden]

*bump*

We'll find out if he gets drafted within the next couple of hours.

[badgate]

Here is a screen cap I took of the Drudge Report iPhone app yesterday:

[Badger]

Word is he'll be lucky to get picked at all, and if so only in a very late round.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Him not being drafted is for the best, as his inclusion in the NFL would lead to other players being recruited as gay, practices devolving into giant orgies, and missed games due to the team's inability to stop having sex with itself.

[The Free North]

Wonder if he'll be this years Mr. Irrelevant

[Mr. Morden]

He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 7th round:

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/5/10/5705144/michael-sam-drafted-st-louis-rams-7th-round

[7,052,770]

He kissed his white boyfriend on ESPN. The right wing is currently melting down over it...

[retromike22]

AWWWWW!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW-_fFdkegs

[MurrayBannerman]

He cried more than anyone I've ever seen. Jesus.

[Likely Voter]

is that the first gay kiss broadcast on ESPN? And an interracial one too! They hit the exacta for men to freak out