Michael Sam Discussion

[Thordaddy]

When you bring Cogs in,,, you also need to make sure he is required to room with Michael $am.

That's the plan

 

[Stranger]

I think people need to learn the difference between a documentary and a reality show.

Documentary = Restrepo
Reality TV = Survivor/Kardashians/whatever

If anyone thinks that Restrepo is not real, or staged in anyway, please PM me so I may set you straight.

If the Oprah network treats it like a real documentary then I think there is nothing We have to worry about. The Rams aren't giving them special access, it's on his free time. Media doesn't automatically mean manufactured drama.

I agree that people are making a mountain out of a mole hill here.

I guess that's where we have a vastly different opinion on things. Media is meant to pursuade, and they have all sorts of ways of doing this that are not necessarily transparent. OWN has an agenda here, I just don't know what it is and it will be unstated, and that's what conerns me.

PS. Never heard of Restrepo, but just watched trailer. Will put it on my watch list as next film I see.

 

[-X-]

I guess that's where we have a vastly different opinion on things. Media is meant to pursuade, and they have all sorts of ways of doing this that are not necessarily transparent. OWN has an agenda here, I just don't know what it is and it will be unstated, and that's what conerns me.

Agendas don't have be hidden. It's for money, exposure, and her desire to be on the front lines of historic events centered around the advancement of minority groups. She just wants to be the one who tells his tale to the world. Nothing else. I won't watch it because I don't care ... at all. If it was just about a 7th rounder's struggle to make a Professional Football Team, I might tune in because it's the Rams. But I don't care about his personal story anymore than I care about Brad and Angelina's.

 

[Rambitious1]

Maybe I should have used blue font. I could not have been less serious with that comment, haha.

Sorry.
My sarcasm meter was turned off at the time.

Haha..

 

[ZigZagRam]

While i think that all the teams should have known if the Nfl office knew. I don't see this as a big deal at all. Rams control access to Rams park. And what ever Sam does with his free time is his business same as any other player. If a film crew was following Donald around off Rams campus would anyone give a crap.

Very true. Many rookies have done documentaries whether they're mainstream or not, but when Sam does it, all of the sudden it's 'cut his ass.'

Disappointing, but not surprising.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I guess that's where we have a vastly different opinion on things. Media is meant to pursuade, and they have all sorts of ways of doing this that are not necessarily transparent. OWN has an agenda here, I just don't know what it is and it will be unstated, and that's what conerns me.

PS. Never heard of Restrepo, but just watched trailer. Will put it on my watch list as next film I see.

Sometimes it can be meant to expose or persuade without manufacturing drama or anything like that. True documentaries are this way.

I would highly suggest you do. I fought in that valley and knew some of those guys. I watched once and only once, but I think everyone should see it, get a better understanding of what is going on.

 

[-X-]

Very true. Many rookies have done documentaries whether they're mainstream or not, but when Sam does it, all of the sudden it's 'cut his ass.'

Disappointing, but not surprising.

I don't think it's disappointing or surprising. While I'm not aware of many documentaries about other 7th round rookies, I'll take your word for it that there have been. Were they produced by the Oprah Winfrey Network too? (just pulling your chain). Let me put it another way. Say the Rams signed a UDFA from Iran (let's call him Masood Mohammed) who was their best Rugby player ever, but he defected because he disagreed with the Politics of his Country, and now there's a fatwa on him for speaking out against what he called "The Radical Extremists". Pretty big story. And what if Masood held a small presser and said he didn't want to discuss his life in Iran, but only wanted to become the first Iranian-born-Rugby-Champion-turned-Football-Player ever, so leave him alone about that other stuff. But wait. The whole time Barbara Walters was in his hip pocket has already signed with him to do a whole expose' on his life in Iran and the threats upon him and his family for speaking out against those who fundamentally disapproved of his views, and blah blah blah.

Now he's bigger than the Rams. Now he's the story. And he held back that information until he was signed by a team. I don't care about his life in Iran, and I don't really care to hear about his struggles. I'd rather know about Aaron Donald and Greg Robinson, or hear about Quinn's plan to shatter the sack record, or how Bradford's rehab is coming along. I don't want to be in another room, hear the words "St Louis Rams", come walking out to see what the story is about, and have to hear about Masood's life. Again. For the 90th time. The Rams knew what they were getting (as a story) when they signed him, but they didn't know his proclamations were shallow when he said it was going to be all about football and nothing else. And if I'm the Rams, I'm probably not pleased that the team is becoming a platform for someone else's ambitions.

Or maybe none of that is applicable. I just felt like following my train of thought down the tracks to see where it took me.

 

[ZigZagRam]

So it's not OK because he's a 7th rounder. What round makes that acceptable then?

Keep in mind that I have no problem with people questioning Sam's decision as someone who's trying to make the team. It's the 'cut him now' crowd that I think has very transparent motives.

I'd rather know about Aaron Donald and Greg Robinson, or hear about Quinn's plan to shatter the sack record, or how Bradford's rehab is coming along.

You don't think there's going to be any other coverage on the team? I can't imagine all we're going to hear once camp gets going is Michael Sam, Michael Sam, Michael Sam.

 

[-X-]

So it's not OK because he's a 7th rounder. What round makes that acceptable then?

You don't think there's going to be any other coverage on the team? I can't imagine all we're going to hear once camp gets going is Michael Sam, Michael Sam, Michael Sam.

I didn't say it's not okay because he's a 7th rounder. I didn't even say it's not okay to do a documentary. But if he was 'just a 7th round rookie', would there be any documentary? And yeah, I'm sure there's going to be other coverage of the team. I didn't say there wouldn't be ANY. I do believe that the Rams are going to get more National focus because of Sam, and once this documentary with OWN commences and airs, there will be even more. But don't delude yourself into thinking that there's going to be equal distribution of coverage between the rest of the team and Sam. Oprah doesn't care about Chris Long or Trumaine Johnson. Neither does FOX, MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC or any other Network that will piggy-back Oprah's coverage of "The Rams." That's what I care about. The Rams. I don't care one bit about Sam's life off the field anymore than I care about Scott Wells and his adoption of kids from Uganda (which got only an obligatory nod when it happened). I got it the first time and acknowledged it was cool. At what point would you tire of reading about, and seeing on television, the story of Wells and his kids? I got it the first time. Along those lines and relative to Sam, I don't have that short a memory that from one day to the next I'll forget Sam is gay.

 

[Thordaddy]

Very true. Many rookies have done documentaries whether they're mainstream or not, but when Sam does it, all of the sudden it's 'cut his ass.'

Disappointing, but not surprising.

Ya know Zig seems your posts are more about posters and the disdain you hold for their opinions than respecting we all come from different points of view and being tolerant really is about allowing others to be tolerant in their own ways ,not lock step political correctness,which FWIW is the greatest objection I have towards Oprah, she's the Queen of lock step PC.

I'd also advise you that mind reading is not your forte,and portending to read the minds of others is a good way to get cross ways fast around here.

 

[RamFan503]

Very true. Many rookies have done documentaries whether they're mainstream or not, but when Sam does it, all of the sudden it's 'cut his ass.'

Disappointing, but not surprising.

Geeze dude - let it go already. What's your end goal here? To wag your finger and feel superior? Your phobia for homophobes is quite astounding and out of place here.

 

[ZigZagRam]

Ya know Zig seems your posts are more about posters and the disdain you hold for their opinions than respecting we all come from different points of view and being tolerant really is about allowing others to be tolerant in their own ways ,not lock step political correctness,which FWIW is the greatest objection I have towards Oprah, she's the Queen of lock step PC.

I'd also advise you that mind reading is not your forte,and portending to read the minds of others is a good way to get cross ways fast around here.

What have I said to warrant this post?

How am I being intolerant by saying I'm disappointed, but unsurprised by some of the reactions?

 

[ZigZagRam]

Geeze dude - let it go already. What's your end goal here? To wag your finger and feel superior? Your phobia for homophobes is quite astounding and out of place here.

Again, this sounds like another post that says that we should be in agreement with whatever is said about the subject.

I haven't attacked a poster, nor have I responded in a malicious way.

I'm sorry it bothers you that I'm speaking out in disagreement with some of the more 'extreme' reactions.

 

[RamFan503]

What have I said to warrant this post?

How am I being intolerant by saying I'm disappointed, but unsurprised by some of the reactions?

Again, this sounds like another post that says that we should be in agreement with whatever is said about the subject.

I haven't attacked a poster, nor have I responded in a malicious way.

I'm sorry it bothers you that I'm speaking out in disagreement with some of the more 'extreme' reactions.

Because you are assigning thoughts to posters here. Posters you have absolutely no clue about. If not, there is absolutely no reason for your antics. I'm done with this line of discussion. Quit acting like you have no clue what others are saying and then acting indignant. It's bullshit and it isn't going to fly here.

 

[BeerOClock]

So it's not OK because he's a 7th rounder. What round makes that acceptable then?

Keep in mind that I have no problem with people questioning Sam's decision as someone who's trying to make the team. It's the 'cut him now' crowd that I think has very transparent motives.



You don't think there's going to be any other coverage on the team? I can't imagine all we're going to hear once camp gets going is Michael Sam, Michael Sam, Michael Sam.

Again, it's because of the duplicity involved.

First, the whole story was that Michael Sam should be evaluated, selected and treated like any other NFL prospective player and not unfairly judged because he happens to be gay. This is fair and what has been asked of the team, fans and press.

Now, the whole story is about the fact that Michael Sam IS GAY. Why is Michael Sam getting a documentary about making the team in football? Because he IS GAY. Why is 50% of the articles on the Rams about Michael Sam when normally they would be about Greg Robinson, Aaron Donald, Joyner and Alexander? Because he IS GAY. You don't think that players are now going to walk on eggshells around him because how they interact with him will possibly end up on a documentary specifically designed to accentuate the conflict between macho players and a gay player trying to make the team?

You can't have it both ways.

From my perspective:
If Michael Sam told the press: "listen guys, this is all about the football and, though I appreciate your concern, can we just stayed focused on the football?", I would have the utmost respect for him.
If this hadn't become the circus that it is, I would have completely forgotten about the fact that he's gay. Isn't this what the end result should be?

 

[ZigZagRam]

Again, I haven't been aggressive in my responses. I haven't pointed out individuals. All I've said is that it's disappointing to see the reactions from those who are saying to cut a player for doing a documentary that's not going to take place at Rams Park where it would directly affect the team. I don't feel like he's being held to the same standards as other players.

I have not been aggressive in my posting. I haven't even come close to attacking posters.

It's my opinion. I haven't read the Terms of Use from start to finish, but believe we're able to express those here.

 

[ZigZagRam]

If this hadn't become the circus that it is...

I think 'circus' is overstating what's going on here. Unless I've missed something, all we've over the past few days is that this documentary has nothing to do with the team, nor will they have any access to Rams park. And a quote from a player that says it could become a distraction, but it may not.

If this blows up, it's just another win for the mainstream media.

It sounds like within the walls of Rams Park it will be business as usual. And that, to me, is what the end result should be.

 

[PhxRam]

I am moving this thread to the OT section. When the time comes when we decide that we want to talk about Michael Sam the football player, we can talk about it in the RAMS forum.

 

[ZigZagRam]

I am moving this thread to the OT section. When the time comes when we decide that we want to talk about Michael Sam the football player, we can talk about it in the RAMS forum.

Probably a good idea.

Once they hit the field I think most of the social aspects of this situation will take a back seat. Unless Sam is cut...

 

[Stranger]

Ya know Zig seems your posts are more about posters and the disdain you hold for their opinions than respecting we all come from different points of view and being tolerant really is about allowing others to be tolerant in their own ways ,not lock step political correctness,which FWIW is the greatest objection I have towards Oprah, she's the Queen of lock step PC.

I'd also advise you that mind reading is not your forte,and portending to read the minds of others is a good way to get cross ways fast around here.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.