I can't wait for the day when a gay athlete coming out is just another day in the news. too many people care about this which is way its all over the place and such a big deal. And I don't mean just the Pro Gay folks, but the Anti folks are just as big a reason why this story is huge.
I'm unbiased on the issue because I don't care one way or the other. I see Micheal Sam as just another prospect....another prospect with bad measurables that looked awful at the combine and only marginally better at pro day. There were plenty of prospects that I was high on that didn't get drafted for one reason or another and IMO a lot of them had more upside than Sam. His motor got him really far in college, I just don't think he's got the physical attributes to make it in the NFL. That doesn't mean people like you who were fans of his in college can't still pull for him, hell Vince Young still has people pulling for him after he got cut by yet another NFL team.
If you think Michael Sam and Jason Collins came out to help their careers and were only signed/drafted because of it, there's a fairly obvious bias at play.
It's really not that far fetched. They are both players who didn't really have anything to help them stand apart from their peers and give teams a reason to pick them. They needed a gimmick to help ensure a roster spot....that gimmick was that they were the "first openly gay ____" fill in the blank players, the fact that you choose not to see that is telling.
I felt Collins helped extend his basketball/post basketball career more than Mack . . . i.e. was more self serving. Mack came out because it was coming out anyway . . .so he got ahead of it [TMZ had the Club scene stuff] In either case it is irrelevent why they came out . . . they did its out there. . . . they living . .. other folx continuing to live In this world .. . if something gets you an advantage . .. folx will take it . Sam has his shot . .. . he takes it . .. he hits or miss . . .. on him. I doubt he will be a mascot . . . someone to trout out there for the NFL to say "See we like da gays" He will be .. . or he will not be . ... a football player I wish him luck .. . . . for late rounders it is a hard road to hoe. Rocket River
Again, Michael Sam was projected as a 3rd-round pick by one of the most reputable draft sites out there (prior to his coming out). Even after his bad Combine, quite a few football analysts projected him as a 3rd/4th/5th-round pick for football reasons. http://www.outsports.com/2014/5/4/5675960/michael-sam-nfl-draft-gay-football-player In case you weren't aware, Sam already had something that helps him stand apart from his peers. It's called film. You know, the one that shows him consistently making plays that helped him become the Defensive POY in the greatest football conference in the world. Sam came out for one reason, which he said from the outset: NFL scouts were already hearing rumors and he wanted to control the story on his own terms, rather than via TMZ gossip. Something is definitely telling, alright. These were major life decisions for Sam and Collins -- notably, ones influenced by non-athletic factors, including the continued evolution of tolerance and acceptance in America. Yet you can't accept this and continue to search for a smoking gun and concoct conspiracy theories (ones that fly in the face of reality) on ulterior motives, all while simultaneously degrading their accomplishments as players. It's funny -- I'm taking Michael Sam's words and prior case histories at face value, you're throwing out wild conspiracy theories, and somehow I'm the only biased one here?
I still cant understand how the ESPN camera crews were perfectly available, capturing the moments of this particular 7th rounder(not even Mr. Irrelevant)... I havent seen the "cake" makeout session on national tv and probably wont keep my channel tuned on if Michael Sam info is on blast. What better way to get the entire nation talking about a 7th round draft pick...Heck Michael Sam and Johnny Manziel had more airplay than the Texans drafting the best player in the draft...ESPN should just rename itself TMZ sports...
I'm not going to argue the football side of it with you because it's pointless to argue with an SEC homer about an SEC player....even more pointless when you are arguing about an SEC player that was from the SEC school the SEC homer went to. The disconnect here is that you see coming out as a "major life decision" and I really don't. It's 2014....it's just not a big deal anymore. Now, that's not the case with everyone, but those who do have a problem with it are a persecuted minority, not the other way around. Furthermore, I think it's harmful to view being true to yourself as a "major life decision".
Typical debate tactic: attack the messenger, rather than the message, when you know you're whipped. Even better when you do so with a sweeping generalization. Well done. By the way, what part of my discussion of Sam's draft stock had anything to do with my own opinion? I was simply sharing information from outside, neutral analysts. If coming out isn't a big deal, why hadn't anyone done it (come out as a current professional athlete) prior to this time a year ago? Especially if, as you claim, it would benefit their careers? And it's not like they're ashamed of it; many athletes have come out as gay after their careers concluded. The conclusion is rather obvious: players didn't come out prior to Sam/Collins because they were afraid it would be a terrible career move. And it wasn't out of paranoia... it would have been a disastrous move because of the views of society at the time. Yes, even just a few years ago. If no one in your sport has ever come out as a professional, then yes, choosing to do so is very much a "major life decision" with significant risk. To trivialize that either shows an ulterior motive on your part or an incredible lack of awareness.
Watch Clowney's tape against Tennessee. That is JJ Watt 2.0...... Holy cow..... No way this kid bust, complete game changer.
I wouldn't draft a player who is ineligible to donate blood. That speaks to self-harmful nature of the inherent behavior of those who practice sodomy and the "gay lifestyle." I'm sad that the homosexualist agenda has pushed society to act as enabler for behavior that is harmful to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the participants. Those suffering from same sex attractions (when not a deliberate perversion) need therapy and counseling, not celebration of behavior that is ultimately self destructive. That ESPN would orchestrate the theater of this person not just being drafted, but celebrating his perversion at the same time, is really no surprise to me.
Well at least you didn't go around throwing out Latin phrases, you just alluded to it instead. I did attack your message, it was only after that I found out that your personal connection to Sam and your loyalty to a college conference would make further debate pointless and I merely pointed that out. You have a fun mix of confirmation bias and expectation bias that make any further debate pointless. The knowledge that it would help your career hasn't been around for long enough. Without Jason Collins managing to get another NBA contract after his career was dead due to coming out I highly doubt Sam would have. There always has to be a first, but that doesn't make it a big deal. I'm sure someone was the first Australian or Chinese NFL player, but I doubt they made a big deal about it.
Michael Sam filled up the radio today...Im really tired from all the press it's getting. As far as the story itself, it's fine if he wants to kiss his bf. No issues with that. The tossing cake on each other and licking it off shenanigans is disgusting. Absolutely no reason for that. I dont care if its a guy and girl doing that, 50 yr old woman and 18 year old doing that, two aliens doing that...it was ridiculous. At that moment, Sam needed to get slapped. What a clown. Glad the Texans arent a part of that circus act.
Yeah that really was ridiculous, if Manziel or McCarron had reacted that way to getting picked EVERYONE would be all over them for it. Sam has a lot of Royce White in him.
By this logic, why does this website exist? Dave loves the Rockets, and most of us here have at least some affinity for the Rockets, Texans and Astros. If being a fan inherently makes someone incapable of rational debate and analysis, as you seem to suggest, then this entire BBS should shut down ASAP. In the real world, you "attacked" my message by asking for neutral sources who viewed Sam as a worthy draftee based on football reasons. I am providing those sources. You're simply looking for a reason to discount the information, since it doesn't fit your agenda. Michael Sam came out on Sunday, February 9. http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay Jason Collins received his contract from the Nets -- his first one after coming out -- on Sunday, February 23. http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/10506550/jason-collins-sign-brooklyn-nets Yet you're claiming the latter was a case study for the former? Interesting. It must mean that Michael Sam can see the future. We'll add that to your long list of alleged conspiracies. P.S. If you're really comparing being Australian or Chinese and the potential impact in an NFL locker room to being openly gay, you're one of the most unaware people I've ever come across. That's incredible.
I agree. What would all of us have thought if that were a hetrosexual player and his girlfriend sticking their tongues in each other's mouths and licking cake off each other on national TV? I'd have thought that hetrosexual player was messed up in the head.
