As many of you may know, Michael Sam is the University of Missouri football player drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the recent NFL draft. Most seventh-round draft choices don't get as much coverage as Sam, but that's because no other player drafted is openly gay. Sam announced that he was gay back in February, to great fanfare. While there have been gay football players, none have acknowledged it while they were still playing. The announcement by Sam, the reigning defensive player of the year in the SEC, brought forth the possibility that the NFL could soon have its first openly gay player. In the hyper-masculine world of football, this was nothing short of shocking.
Then came the scrutiny that accompanies the period between the end of the NFL season and the draft. Shortly after coming out, football writer Peter King published an article with unnamed league sources stating that Sam would be a "distraction," shorthand for "we don't care that he's gay but this is not a problem we want to deal with." Then, according to some reports, he didn't perform well in the NFL Combine, the annual cattle call where league executives evaluate the athletic abilities of potential draftees. Some scouts were concerned that he was a "tweener," football lingo for a defensive player not big enough to play on the defensive line and not fast or athletic enough to play linebacker.
All of which helps account for why Sam wasn't drafted until the seventh round, which is generally where teams take a chance on players who likely won't make the team. I don't think most die-hard NFL fans could name a starting NFL player drafted in the 7th round. Sam's fall in the draft is worth questioning. Were NFL teams unsure if he was really an NFL-caliber player, or unsure of how his presence would affect the team? Did the Rams ultimately pick Michael Sam for good PR, or because they think he can make an impact on the field? And if the Rams like him as much as they say they do, why didn't they take him earlier?
Here's the reality: Michael Sam's sexual preference might be a problem for some players, coaches, and fans. For most, if the reaction of his teammates at Missouri is any indication, it won't be a big deal. But let's not pretend he won't be a distraction. From day one of training camp, his sexuality, and what all his teammates think about it, will be the story. Michael Sam has already done the hardest part by publicly coming out. But how he handles the rest of his career could be a trickier turn. Does he constantly wear the hat of "the first openly gay NFL player," or does he just go about his business as a football player who happens to be gay? I'm not sure he can be both.
The intense scrutiny of Michael Sam's every move began as soon as he was drafted, and will continue. After receiving the news that he had been drafted by the Rams, Sam embraced and kissed his boyfriend in front of television cameras. The kiss overjoyed some, repulsed others, and made the internet blow up. And soon after the initial reaction, the meta-analysis began. Was he trying to make a statement? Was it staged? Why did the kissing go on so long? For me, it was simply an emotional reaction to an emotional moment. We often see drafted players hug their moms or kiss their girlfriends. It's become part of the whole draft spectacle. These guys have worked really hard to achieve their dream. Why shouldn't they share their emotion with the one they love?
Sam said in his introductory press conference that his focus is on playing and making the team. But his decision to allow the Oprah Winfrey Network to do a reality series on his attempt to make the team immediately provides fodder for those who argue he's more interested in being a gay icon than being a football player.
The intense scrutiny of Michael Sam's every move began as soon as he was drafted, and will continue. After receiving the news that he had been drafted by the Rams, Sam embraced and kissed his boyfriend in front of television cameras. The kiss overjoyed some, repulsed others, and made the internet blow up. And soon after the initial reaction, the meta-analysis began. Was he trying to make a statement? Was it staged? Why did the kissing go on so long? For me, it was simply an emotional reaction to an emotional moment. We often see drafted players hug their moms or kiss their girlfriends. It's become part of the whole draft spectacle. These guys have worked really hard to achieve their dream. Why shouldn't they share their emotion with the one they love?
Sam said in his introductory press conference that his focus is on playing and making the team. But his decision to allow the Oprah Winfrey Network to do a reality series on his attempt to make the team immediately provides fodder for those who argue he's more interested in being a gay icon than being a football player.
If Michael Sam becomes an NFL star, it will be huge for a league that, despite its popularity, has many problems. Let's review some of the challenges the NFL is facing: a growing list of players on the police blotter, a very public case of player harassment with racial overtones, and, most significantly, mounting evidence that the game itself is destroying the brains of its players. Yes, football is the most popular sport in this country, but it won't continue to be if these stories go on. Having an openly gay star will be a boon for the league, and for society. While I tend to think the role of sports in fomenting social change can be overblown, Sam's success will go a long way to shooting down a host of stereotypes about gay men. It will also show that the NFL might be more enlightened and open-minded than most people think.
So as uncomfortable as some of its players, coaches, executives, and fans might be, the NFL needs Michael Sam, and it needs Michael Sam in a big way.
So as uncomfortable as some of its players, coaches, executives, and fans might be, the NFL needs Michael Sam, and it needs Michael Sam in a big way.
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