Michael Sam on the lam

[-X-]

Report: Michael Sam away from CFL team for 'personal reasons'


Michael Sam's CFL career has hit a snag.

The Montreal Gazette is reporting that Sam hasn't practiced with the Montreal Alouettes since Thursday because of a migraine headache. Then, he apparently left the team on Friday and flew to Texas because of "personal reasons." The Alouettes will play their first preseason game on Saturday night.

A Montreal radio host saw Sam at the airport.

"Just bumped into (Sam) at Trudeau. Headed home for personal reasons. Only small Cotton Bowl bag with him," TSN 690's Rick Moffat said on Twitter. "Seemed rushed, mind elsewhere when I introduced myself. Don't think he had enough luggage with him to be bailing or bugging out."

Alouettes head coach Sam Higgis was taken aback by Sam's absence on Friday, especially since the latter had attended team meetings on Thursday night.

"This surprises me right now. I thought he would have been out here," Higgins said.

Jim Popp, the team's general manager, has yet to comment.

Sam made news in 2014 as the first openly gay player in the NFL. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams but was released at the end of the preseason. He spent time on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad before being but loose. He signed a two-year contract with the Alouettes in late May.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/michael-sam-leaves-cfl-team-personal-reasons-061215

 

[DR RAM]

That time of the month?

 

[Loyal]

 

[DR RAM]

You know...migraine season.

 

[Ramhusker]

I have no comment.

 

[CGI_Ram]

The leave might be for serious reason back home. The article doesn't say

But... Then again... You had to wonder if drama would follow this guy.

 

[Prime Time]

My weakening eyeballs picked out Sam I Am in the thread title.

 

[yrba1]

That time of the month?

Being part of the transgender community now?

 

[Mikey Ram]

Serious or not, if this were anybody else, we would never have been aware of it... Why I didn't want him to begin with and was thrilled when he went away...Had nothing to do with his personal life, just everything to do with the circus atmosphere that will follow him wherever he goes...

 

[-X-]

I could care less about the story.
I just wanted to make up the headline. :notsure:

 

[DR RAM]

I could care less about the story.
I just wanted to make up the headline. :notsure:

The headline was hilarious.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/15/alouettes-place-michael-sam-on-their-suspended-list/

Alouettes place Michael Sam on their suspended list
Posted by Darin Gantt on June 15, 2015

AP

We still don’t know why Michael Sam left Montreal Alouettes camp. But it seems he might not be back for a bit.

The Alouettes have announced that Sam has been placed on the team’s suspended list.

While it’s likely just a procedural move while teams there are paring down rosters, its wording is curious given the unexplained nature of Sam’s departure.

The Alouettes said only that his leaving was personal in nature, and would remain confidential.

Hopefully all is well for Sam on the home front, as he seemed energized about the possibility of playing in the CFL when he was working out at the NFL’s veteran combine in Arizona in March.

 

[Prime Time]

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports...as-defensive-ends-departure-remains-a-mystery

Michael Sam ‘wanted to go home and that’s what he did,’ Montreal Alouettes GM says as defensive end’s departure remains a mystery

Herb Zurkowsky, Postmedia News |

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz Michael Sam, a rush-end, has been put on the Als' suspended list.

QUEBEC — With each passing day, more and more conspiracy theories emerge concerning Michael Sam and why he requested permission on Friday to leave the Alouettes’ training camp for personal reasons.

And yet the mystery remains as deep, with no definitive statement emerging from the organization. Sam’s California-based agent, Joe Barkett, also remains mute since claiming in a text message to the Montreal Gazette late Thursday — the player’s first day missing practice — that Sam was suffering from a migraine.

The story will die down eventually, with Sam being nothing more than a footnote in Als history — the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team, signed by Montreal amid unusual fanfare, and then failing to last three weeks with the Canadian Football League club.

Sam, a rush-end, has been put on the Als’ suspended list. While general manager Jim Popp says the door remains open for his return, another source within the organization virtually guaranteed the likelihood of that happening is non-existent. The source also chided Sam for appearing on the reality TV series Dancing With the Stars instead of preparing for the coming season.

“Everything that has been said is done,” head coach Tom Higgins said following Saturday night’s exhibition game against the Ottawa Redblacks. “A lot of things happened and unfolded. That’s not to be discussed. We’re putting that behind us.”

Popp added: “There’s nothing to tell you. He wanted to go home, and that’s what he did. I don’t know why. When a guy wants to go home, they go home. He had some personal things to take care of.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns. I’m surprised he left. I was very surprised. If he doesn’t come back, I would think football’s over for him. He’s the one that has to face that. But I don’t think he doesn’t want to play football. That’s why he came here.”

After playing collegiately at the University of Missouri, being drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams and spending a month on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice roster, it was clear 6-foot-2, 260-pound Sam was having trouble adjusting to Canadian professional football. That included the yard off the ball and the two-point stance.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Just shows my original suspicions, the guy never was a player...pro player, he announced his sexual orientation for press & fame to cash in on later (see O-show) and now doesn't wanna put in the work to really try and make the pros...ala wake, moon, flutie....ect...more like Tebow...

 

[Ky Ram]

Just shows my original suspicions, the guy never was a player...pro player, he announced his sexual orientation for press & fame to cash in on later (see O-show) and now doesn't wanna put in the work to really try and make the pros...ala wake, moon, flutie....ect...more like Tebow...

You're gathering all this from...?

Seriously, say what you will about his lack of a professional career on the football field, but last time I checked he's far from the first NFL player to do dancing with the stars and he gets paid to make those other appearances just like he got paid to do that.

If it turns out that a relative passed away or something like that there is going to be a lot of soul searching on this forum

 

[LACHAMP46]

You're gathering all this from...?

personal opinion bro...and gleaned from the fact he didn't go to the CFL last year...they basically had to beg him to come play some football for $$$$....Bet Oprah didn't have to beg him to film his training camp. The Rams had to tell him to stop all the foolishness. And I'm not talking about DWTS...but that's proof too..Name one player that did DWTS that wasn't a star, pro-bowl type player?

 

[RaminExile]

In my humble opinion I think he made a mistake with how he handled the media. Call him naieve or whatever, but he was way too prominent. He should have made clear that he was a 7th round draft pick and should be treated as one - and then just refused to do any interviews. Instead he was on Oprah, Dancing with the Stars, countless interviews etc. Yes he made an effort to get out of the limelight when training camp came round but the damage was done. It gave too many haters an opportunity to say "the guy's about the publicity" etc.

So he got a chance to go and play in Canada. This is a legitimate route back into the NFL. All he had to do was really work his butt off and keep a low profile. Just do that - in a word - be a professional and realize this is now a job. Make some dough. Earn back some of that respect he originally won by handling all the furore over his sexuality and then lost through looking like he was trying to cash in on it (to some people - I'm not saying he was and I'm not judging him for trying to make some cash if he wanted to).

Regarding whats going on here - no one knows. Its not a great sign that he's "AWOL" and hasn't explained why he's not at work, but in my experience (and I've been there myself) when something like that happens at work you're not in a great place mentally and need to clear your head - or just get home and recconnect to whats important. We know nothing about whats troubled him - family problems or God forbid a bereavement - but its not our place to pry into his private life and say why. You just have to hope for him as a human being that his health and his mental health is ok.

 

[RamzFanz]

Perhaps we wait until we see why he left before trashing him? It's not like he hasn't already played football for a decade.

 

[Boston Ram]

At first he was a great story but I feel like he is turned into a bit of a drama queen

 

[tempests]

If it turns out that a relative passed away or something like that

You'd think the Als GM would know that. Instead he's saying he's very surprised and doesn't know why.

I'm wondering if this isn't a Jonathan Martin situation.