Michael Sam "stepping away from the game"

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/22/montreal-alouettes-sign-michael-sam/

Montreal Alouettes sign Michael Sam
Posted by Mike Wilkening on May 22, 2015

c397e425d3b661e17c4c0dce58892695.jpeg
AP

Michael Sam is bound for the Canadian Football League.

Sam, the former Rams and Cowboys defensive end, has signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes, the club announced Friday.

“With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today,” Alouettes General Manager Jim Popp said in a team issued-statement Friday. “Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team.”

Joining Montreal gives the 25-year-old Sam a chance to jump-start his career in a professional league that occasionally serves as a launching pad back to the United States, with Miami’s Cameron Wake and Cleveland’s Andrew Hawkins among the CFL alumni currently in the NFL. Sam’s pass rush ability — he notched three sacks in four preseason games in 2014 — should serve him well in a fast-paced league.

Sam, who became internationally known after announcing he was gay in February 2014, has not been with an NFL club since being released from the Cowboys’ practice squad in October.
 

ChrisW

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/22/montreal-alouettes-sign-michael-sam/

Montreal Alouettes sign Michael Sam
Posted by Mike Wilkening on May 22, 2015

c397e425d3b661e17c4c0dce58892695.jpeg
AP

Michael Sam is bound for the Canadian Football League.

Sam, the former Rams and Cowboys defensive end, has signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes, the club announced Friday.

“With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today,” Alouettes General Manager Jim Popp said in a team issued-statement Friday. “Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team.”

Joining Montreal gives the 25-year-old Sam a chance to jump-start his career in a professional league that occasionally serves as a launching pad back to the United States, with Miami’s Cameron Wake and Cleveland’s Andrew Hawkins among the CFL alumni currently in the NFL. Sam’s pass rush ability — he notched three sacks in four preseason games in 2014 — should serve him well in a fast-paced league.

Sam, who became internationally known after announcing he was gay in February 2014, has not been with an NFL club since being released from the Cowboys’ practice squad in October.

Now we see if he can take the Cameron Wake path to the NFL.
 

Rabid Ram

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So he's finally stopped screaming discrimination and is attempting to better himself and make it the right way good for him
 

Memento

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Good for Sam. Hope he makes it big somewhere.
 

BadCompany

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As an Alouettes fan I certainly hope he seizes this opportunity. The CFL game is built on speed, and passing, so he if he plays as fast as he says he can he should get a lot of opportunities to chase down some QBs. Especially since the CFL seems to be in a bit of a dead-QB era at the moment, with few elite talents.

Having said that, a lot of people (including most Canadians I might add) underestimate just how good the CFL is. There is a LONG list of quasi/former/wannabe NFLers who show up north of the border thinking that all they have to do is throw their passport and helmet on the field and they'll be instant stars. Doesn't work that way. Popp and Alouettes actually seem to make it a policy to bring these guys in and cut them in the first week, juste pour encourager les autres. Ahmed Green didn't even make it through the first day. So Sam had better show up in shape, or he's going to find himself looking pretty silly.

As for that other stuff, as Michael Farber points out that shouldn't be an issue here.
 

den-the-coach

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Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
Je te plumerai la tête
Et la tête, et la tête
Alouette, Alouette
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
 

Dieter the Brock

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Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
Je te plumerai la tête
Et la tête, et la tête
Alouette, Alouette
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Hey you can dance to that!!

image.jpg
 

JackDRams

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I looked at the roster. Montreal loves them some washed up NFL players. Mardy Gilyard, John Skelton, Chad Johnson, etc. Damn. I hope Sam dominates for them.
 

LesBaker

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As an Alouettes fan I certainly hope he seizes this opportunity. The CFL game is built on speed, and passing, so he if he plays as fast as he says he can he should get a lot of opportunities to chase down some QBs. Especially since the CFL seems to be in a bit of a dead-QB era at the moment, with few elite talents.

Having said that, a lot of people (including most Canadians I might add) underestimate just how good the CFL is. There is a LONG list of quasi/former/wannabe NFLers who show up north of the border thinking that all they have to do is throw their passport and helmet on the field and they'll be instant stars. Doesn't work that way. Popp and Alouettes actually seem to make it a policy to bring these guys in and cut them in the first week, juste pour encourager les autres. Ahmed Green didn't even make it through the first day. So Sam had better show up in shape, or he's going to find himself looking pretty silly.

As for that other stuff, as Michael Farber points out that shouldn't be an issue here.

It's alswo a good city for him as a person too.

I love Montreal, out of all the places I have visited in the US or Canada it's my fave.
 

den-the-coach

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I love Montreal, out of all the places I have visited in the US or Canada it's my fave.

I'll take Maui every time Les, however, when it comes to Oh Canada, I'm Vancouver all the way!
 

HometownBoy

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I looked at the roster. Montreal loves them some washed up NFL players. Mardy Gilyard, John Skelton, Chad Johnson, etc. Damn. I hope Sam dominates for them.
The worst NFL players often tend to be Gods in the CFL. It's a good strategy.