Michael Sam: I'd Still Be In the NFL if I Hadn't Come Out
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HometownBoy
Hall of Fame
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- Sep 17, 2013
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- 3,527
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- Aaron
I really doubt it. Sam's problem is he brought himself a media circus when he wasn't all that good to begin with. No team wants to deal with the media headache just to try to develop a guy who may have some potential who'll more likely bring more media storylines than stats. Guys with potential get thrown to the wayside all the time and they don't bring trouble and talks of homophobia every time they get cut. I have very high doubts that even half of the teams are against him because he's gay.
The same thing happened to Tebow, and I doubt that the NFL is anti-Christian. If you suck and your more trouble than you're worth you'll get dropped, every time. Teams dropped better guys for being media headaches ala T.O. Why wouldn't guys like Tebow and Sam fall to the wayside? I mean Sam out and out just quit on his CFL team of his own accord, how can he talk about how and what he'd be doing in the NFL when he couldn't even keep it together enough to stay on a CFL team?
Sam's problem is he wanted the fame and now he can't handle it and now it's everyone else's fault for it.
Mackeyser
Supernovas are where gold forms; the only place.
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- Apr 26, 2013
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- Mack
Not sure that there was a bigger booster for Michael Sam than me.
That said, I value production, dedication and hard work, ESPECIALLY in the face of any discrimination, real or perceived.
If Michael Sam wanted to be a working professional football player, he would have stayed in Canada and gone the Cameron Wake route and proved to the NFL that he belonged in the NFL.
Instead, he made the journey for the next openly gay athlete attempting to make it in the NFL that much harder because now there will be questions of heart, dedication, focus, priorities, determination and resilience.
As to his point, might he have gotten slightly more benefit of the doubt if he were drafted higher and maybe made a roster? All we can say is...maybe. But also, maybe not. He has no right to make claims based on uncertainty.
I have no problem saying the NFL as an institution has an issue with gay athletes. Kerry Rhodes is a perfect example. Two outspoken advocates for gay rights were out of the league the next year.
So, while the NFL certainly has issues to address, what Michael Sam always had to do was work harder than everyone else and persevere. Being first is more than an opportunity, like it or not, it's a responsibility. Unfortunately, he squandered it and for that he has no one to blame, but himself.
That said, I value production, dedication and hard work, ESPECIALLY in the face of any discrimination, real or perceived.
If Michael Sam wanted to be a working professional football player, he would have stayed in Canada and gone the Cameron Wake route and proved to the NFL that he belonged in the NFL.
Instead, he made the journey for the next openly gay athlete attempting to make it in the NFL that much harder because now there will be questions of heart, dedication, focus, priorities, determination and resilience.
As to his point, might he have gotten slightly more benefit of the doubt if he were drafted higher and maybe made a roster? All we can say is...maybe. But also, maybe not. He has no right to make claims based on uncertainty.
I have no problem saying the NFL as an institution has an issue with gay athletes. Kerry Rhodes is a perfect example. Two outspoken advocates for gay rights were out of the league the next year.
So, while the NFL certainly has issues to address, what Michael Sam always had to do was work harder than everyone else and persevere. Being first is more than an opportunity, like it or not, it's a responsibility. Unfortunately, he squandered it and for that he has no one to blame, but himself.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2013
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- 24,028
If he hadn't have come out...... of college and proved he didn't belong in the NFL, he'd have made it.
Just finishing the quote
Just finishing the quote