Fennelly: Acceptance of Michael Sam should not be questioned 
Michael Sam, an All-America linebacker for Missouri and SEC defensive player of the year, has come out as “an openly proud gay man." THE ASSOCIATED PRESS By Martin Fennelly | Tribune Staff Published: February 10, 2014TAMPA — Maybe the next time this happens, it won’t be a story.Maybe it will happen so often we won’t need to admire someone’s courage, because it won’t require any.Wouldn’t it be great if we’re moving that way, no stopping it?Michael Sam, an All-America linebacker for Missouri and SEC defensive player of the year as a senior in 2013, has come out as “an openly proud gay man,” in advance of the NFL scouting combine, draft and a possible pro career.“I just want to own my truth,” Sam told The New York Times.Another first: He aims to be the first publicly gay NFL player.When NBA veteran Jason Collins revealed his orientation last year, some wondered if Collins was merely trying to stay relevant. I didn’t see it that way. I admired Collins.Now we have an athlete just beginning his professional journey — putting it on the line before it even begins. I admire Michael Sam. I don’t think he’s trying to be the show here, though he will be wherever he goes. He said rumors about his life began to leak while he was at the Senior Bowl, and he wanted to tell his own story, own it. I don’t blame him.Sam has received amazing public support. I just don’t know how many of those people will be in NFL draft rooms later this year.Already we’re wondering if the NFL macho culture will accept him. It’s a real question. It shouldn’t be, not this century, but it is.Ah, yes, chemistry. They’ll mention that, some of the rock heads on NFL teams or in front offices. Distraction, that’s another word.Maybe we’ve moved on as a society, only sports locker rooms aren’t society.This is a major test.There are some cave people in locker rooms, just as there are in society. But I want to think today’s younger athletes have grown up in a different world, a more tolerant one.Also, they want to win. If Michael Sam helps them do that, he’ll be a good teammate. My guess is he’ll be a good teammate even if they lose.There have been gays in the NFL for decades, just not front and center. There was fear. But there was tolerance, too. In David Maraniss’ remarkable biography of Vince Lombardi, “When Pride Still Mattered,” Maraniss wrote that Lombardi, America’s coach, winning is the only thing, rock-ribbed values … quietly pulled for gay players who tried to make his teams. Lombardi had a brother who was gay and wouldn’t allow any discrimination on his teams. A lesson more than 40 years ago: It simply takes leadership.Sam told his Missouri teammates and coaches he was gay before the 2013 season. Here’s how badly it ruined team chemistry and distracted things: Mizzou, picked for last in the SEC East, won the division title, and the Cotton Bowl, finishing 12-2 and fifth in the national rankings. Sam’s disclosure just tore that team apart, didn’t it?True, it wasn’t publicly known, and that changes everything. Sam will be followed everywhere if he is drafted, and maybe if he is not. There will be those who say he asked for this attention. Yeah, nothing sells a team on you like being openly gay. The man just wants to live his life, no hiding.His story unfolds even as the Olympics are celebrated in Russia, home of a new, draconian anti-gay measure. But there’s this news from Sochi: Monday, Russian kingpin Vladimir Putin reportedly hugged Dutch gold-medal winning speed skater Ireen Wust, who is bisexual. Maybe there’s hope for the world.Athletes just want to do their thing.That includes Michael Sam.First he needed to own his truth.I hope he has a great combine.
After the Saints first came in the NFL, New Orleans was still quite segregated. When the Packers went on the road to play there, their hotel's management told Lombardi his black players could not stay at the hotel. So, Lombardi told everyone if his black players couldn't stay there, then his ENTIRE team & staff would stay at a hotel designated for blacks, and did just that...
After the Saints first came in the NFL, New Orleans was still quite segregated. When the Packers went on the road to play there, their hotel's management told Lombardi his black players could not stay at the hotel. So, Lombardi told everyone if his black players couldn't stay there, then his ENTIRE team & staff would stay at a hotel designated for blacks, and did just that...
Lombardi also went around to establishments in Green Bay, and personal told the owners of all the local businesses that they would accept and serve ALL of his players equally or they would be boycotted by the entire organization. In a time when segregation was still an acceptable norm....that took a lot of balls. Hopefully we still have some men in the NFL with the integrity of Mr. Lombardi, and Sam will be accepted without issue.
One anonymous exec has said that if two players are tied on the draft board , the tie will go to the other player and not Sam. Not because of bigotry , though , but because of the media circus distraction he will now bring . The same thing that keeps Tebow from at least being at the end of someone's bench , for completely different reasons , could end up hurting Sam also.The media is a monster , and unfortunately teams have to account for players who will bring too much of it.
And heaven help the exec/coach/team that drafts him, and in TC or later, he isn't deemed good enough to make the team...
If Manti Teo and his imaginary love triangle with his make believe girlfriend could be handled by the the Chargers, I think a team should be able to get through the media buzz of a having a gay player.
A catfish story is not near as big as 1st openly gay player.
Adam Schefter was on Sirius yesterday and said that he didn't expect a team with a brand new coaching staff to draft Sam. He said an already established staff could handle the media circus, locker room, etc better.
Adam Schefter was on Sirius yesterday and said that he didn't expect a team with a brand new coaching staff to draft Sam. He said an already established staff could handle the media circus, locker room, etc better.
I don't think Lovie falls under that umbrella. Lovie is very Dungy-like so I'm sure we wouldn't stray away from Sam because he was gay if we thought he could help us.
A catfish story is not near as big as 1st openly gay player.
I agree that the first openly gay player is a bigger story from a historic perspective, but I think that it's not nearly that big of a deal amongst the people in Sam's generation. I genuinely don't think most players will care one way or the other.
Adam Schefter was on Sirius yesterday and said that he didn't expect a team with a brand new coaching staff to draft Sam. He said an already established staff could handle the media circus, locker room, etc better.
I don't think Lovie falls under that umbrella. Lovie is very Dungy-like so I'm sure we wouldn't stray away from Sam because he was gay if we thought he could help us.
The way he was saying it wasn't implying they wouldn't take him because he's gay. It was more that new regimes are already behind other organizations for the season because they have to instill everything from scratch they wouldn't have the time to put extra effort toward this new complex situation. Established locker rooms like Patriots, Steelers, etc would be able to better handle it.
Bellichick would turn Sam into a nightmare for offenses.
And heaven help the exec/coach/team that drafts him, and in TC or later, he isn't deemed good enough to make the team...
Where was he projected to go? I think that's what will be watched the most.Say, if he's projected to be 20th, but falls to 30, ...there will be some questions.But, it's not all about someone being gay. It's also about a circus atmosphere, and the fact the IF he has to be cut..will he, or the media, blame the team for it?Fact is, it's much more complex than "he's gay."
Bellichick would turn Sam into a nightmare for offenses.
Except for the fact that Boston is a considerable town of all white people who share homophobic/racist tendencies so I seriously doubt that New Englanders want him on the team.
Bellichick would turn Sam into a nightmare for offenses.
Except for the fact that Boston is a considerable town of all white people who share homophobic/racist tendencies so I seriously doubt that New Englanders want him on the team.
In that case Philly is definitely out.
