But Sam's ability to make the roster is a story for another day. Would I want to do interviews every day, where people are asking: ‘So you’re taking showers with guys – how’s that? Those stories will continue to play out for years. Hat tip to Deadspin, which wrote about the Michael Sam tweet: "Good one, Steve. First, the acceptance of an openly gay athlete inside a locker room is a generational issue. By then, we’ve lost sight of an important question: can Michael Sam actually play? You're really good at being an old asshole on Twitter." Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld was one of many who found the players—in his case, quarterback Garrett Gilbert—selected before Sam frustrating. Coming out is a difficult thing to do. Michael Sam Comes Out, Twitter Reacts In Support. ESPN Scouts Inc. (subscription required) ranked him the 224th overall prospect, while he received a fifth-round grade from CBS Sports evaluators. But none of those concerns could take away from the moment Sam heard his name called at Radio City Music Hall. While there have been numerous past instances of homosexual players spread across league history, Sam will become the first openly gay NFL player should he make the roster. King offered Sam her support and congratulations on Twitter: Collins, whose coming-out story provided inspiration and a blueprint for Sam to handle the spotlight, has also been part of Sam's support system. Kluwe continued, saying that it’s the “general managers and coaches who are going to say it’s a distraction”. As part of a long, mostly NSFW tirade against the alleged fear of NFL teams to take a homosexual player, Kluwe provided anecdotal evidence to support his claims Sam should have been drafted earlier: Former NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels seemed to agree, citing the myriad experts who had Sam as a mid-round prospect: One of the many reasons some have cited for Sam's drop is the possibility his presence—and the media scrum that will come with it—would be a "distraction." The Rams selected Sam in the seventh round (No. And that brings up a larger issue. A potential 2014 NFL draft choice, Sam could make history by becoming the first openly gay player in the NFL. Sam came out to his teammates last August, and while it was an open secret among the campus, neither his teammates nor media prematurely broke the news. Half of the most feared defensive end duo in the SEC, Sam had 11.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss en route to winning the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award. Sam's drop to No. TV HOST | SPORTS RADIO | MEDIA PERSONALITY. A former GM asked “why are we going to do that to ourselves?”. A mid-round projection was the general consensus. Michael Sam will make history in St. Louis. 2009: Rolando McClain, 1st Round/8th pick And before we know it, the story is no longer just about Sam coming out of the closet, but our response to Sam coming out of the closet – all filtered through a screen name and avatar. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. A lack of ideal size (6'2" and 261 pounds) and speed (4.91-second 40 time at the NFL combine) left legitimate concerns about whether Sam's ability would translate to the next level. And that brings up a larger issue. Michael Sam Sr. was celebrating his birthday at Denny’s when Sam texted him the news that he was gay. 38 talking about this. He continued, saying he didn’t want his grandkids “raised in that kind of environment”. This back and forth becomes another piece of our carefully constructed Twitter personas. First, the acceptance of an openly gay athlete inside a locker room is a generational issue. He would be the second gay athlete in the United States' four major professional sports leagues, joining NBA center Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets. A former GM asked “why are we going to do that to ourselves?” Michael Sam first openly gay player drafted i ... see how people react when others say things or act a certain way against another group of people," Henderson added via Twitter. 2010: Patrick Peterson, 1st Round/5th pick Visa has partnered with Michael Sam, who could become the first active openly gay NFL player, ahead of the NFL Draft. As outspoken punter Chris Kluwe told Sam, his peers mostly wouldn’t care – after all, Sam was voted MVP of Missouri last season as they won 12 games. ESPN had a camera crew on the Missouri defensive end throughout the day, occasionally checking in to capture his emotions. Here’s a list of previous SEC defensive players of the year, and where they were drafted: 2011: Morris Claibor He was considered a dreaded tweener—not big enough to play defensive end nor quick enough to move to outside linebacker. Let’s take a moment for now. 249 overall) Saturday, ending a precipitous fall that made many wonder whether the Missouri defensive end would come off the board at all. The 10 best NFL players who could be wearing a new uniform this season, Super Bowl champs lock up TB12 through 2022 with a one-year extension (Rapoport), The realistic deals that these 10 NFL veterans could sign, Tom Brady’s new contract saves the Bucs $19M against the cap as they try to re-sign some big names (Schefter), . When Sam received the call from the Rams, he was seen sobbing with joy in one of the more touching moments in recent memory. As a seventh-round pick, there is no guarantee he makes the Rams' roster. I’m old school. As ESPN's Adam Schefter pointed out, the Radio City Music Hall crowd erupted when they heard Sam's name called: As for Sam's future teammates, they don't seem all that concerned about his presence in the locker room either. 2010: Patrick Peterson, 1st Round/5th pick, 2009: Rolando McClain, 1st Round/8th pick. February 9th was a milestone for American sports. Former All-American Missouri defensive end Michael Sam revealed he was gay on Sunday, February 9th, at 8 pm through a combination of tweets and articles. I’m old school. Coming out weeks before the NFL Combine is unheard of. Sam is the first openly gay NFL draftee in NFL history. Collins, a 12 year veteran of the NBA, was (and still is) a free agent when he made his announcement, while Rogers was the first openly gay athlete to compete in a U.S. pro sport with the LA Galaxy. Of course, we also have past experience that confirms this is not the case. But May 8th – the start of the NFL Draft – is important. A potential 2014 NFL draft choice, Sam could make history by becoming the first openly gay player in the NFL. Rams defensive end Robert Quinn welcomed Sam to the front four, while coach Jeff Fisher said he was "honored": Billie Jean King is one of the most famous LGBT athletes in history. Hell Yes. In a world where teams so often emphasize measurable size and speed over collegiate production, Sam, a mid-round pick after exhausting his eligibility, began falling down boards. Those opinions get retweeted, and people respond to the tweets that get retweeted (and someone always steps out of line with a tweet and gets their account suspended). For every John Elway quote about only judging on field talent, there’s anonymous personnel assistants saying that having a gay player would “chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room”. It’s easy to fall into a Twitter bubble where we congratulate Sam for being brave and wish him the best (and pat ourselves on the back for being open minded). There’s a shape that breaking news takes once it hits Twitter. There may be some who wonder whether Sam's sexuality caused him to drop almost out of the draft entirely—and, as Kluwe pointed out, they may have a fair point. That was pre-announcement. As is mid-July, when rookies first report to training camp, and 2018, when Sam, if drafted as projected, is eligible to sign his second contract. Twitter reaction was swift and mixed. Required fields are marked *. 2008: Eric Berry, 1st Round/5th pick 33 talking about this. Sam Sr. “couldn’t eat no more” and went to have drinks at Applebee’s. News of Sam's drafting even invaded the R&B community, with singer John Legend tweeting out his support: While the mood was mostly ecstatic after the Rams took Sam, the mood was far different as the day stretched on and it looked increasingly likely he'd go undrafted. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MichaelSamNFL February 9th was a milestone for American sports. Although the article points out that Sam and his father aren’t particularly close, Sam Sr.’s comments, along with the anonymous NFL execs, illustrates some wider points. Sam’s announcement was carefully orchestrated through the NY Times, ESPN, and Outsports.com. Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld was one of many who found the players—in his case, quarterback Garrett Gilbert—selected before Sam frustrating: Most couched their disappointment with an acknowledgement that Sam was an imperfect talent, but former NFL punter Chris Kluwe is decidedly not most people. I wouldn’t want to deal with the circus. The Rams selected Sam in the seventh round (No. For those with a modicum of experience covering the NFL, "distractions" are about as taboo as they come. Make no mistake, though: We all witnessed history—glorious, awesome, heartwarming history—on Saturday. While this Deadspin article questions the use of “anonymous front office sources” used in draft projections after Sam revealed his was gay, his stock appears to be somewhere between static to falling. Kluwe is among the most outspoken athletes in fighting for LGBT rights and has been an active supporter of Sam since his announcement. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MichaelSamNFL – Michael Sam Sr. Former All-American Missouri defensive end Michael Sam revealed he was gay on Sunday, February 9th, at 8 pm through a combination of tweets and articles. Although the article points out that Sam and his father aren’t particularly close, Sam Sr.’s comments, along with the anonymous NFL execs, illustrates some wider points. For most of Saturday afternoon, speculation rested on whether a team would match Sam's bravery and fortitude by taking a chance on the 24-year-old consensus All-American. A mid-round projection was the general consensus. (This control is in contrast to the recent Dr. V story on Grantland. As a 6-2 defensive end, Sam is tagged with the dreaded “tweener” label. Michael Sam will make history in St. Louis. You're really good at being an old asshole on Twitter." People chime in. He offered his acknowledgement of the moment, via SportsCenter's Twitter feed: Collins and King were far from the only people not associated with the NFL in a celebratory mood Saturday. Your email address will not be published. Social issues give Twitter its depth – after all, it came of age during the 2009 Iran elections. Michael Sam Sr. was celebrating his birthday at Denny’s when Sam texted him the news that he was gay. But May 8th – the start of the NFL Draft – is important. As outspoken punter Chris Kluwe told Sam, his peers mostly wouldn’t care – after all, Sam was voted MVP of Missouri last season as they won 12 games. Jason Collins and Robbie Rogers were the two most prominent current athletes to come out of the closet in the past year. I’m a man-and-a-woman type of guy Each of the last seven players to earn that honor were first-round picks, and none in the award's history were taken lower than the fifth round. And while retweets can reach the world, and NFL contracts speak for themselves, true acceptance starts with something much less ambitious, and much less far reaching – it starts at home, with family. Her fight for equality began on a tennis court, pushing for equal rights for men's and women's sports, and has continued with her inspiring work in the gay rights community. And third, Jason Collins still doesn’t have a job in the NBA. Sam Sr. “couldn’t eat no more” and went to have drinks at Applebee’s. 249 was still mildly surprising given his senior-year production. All three athletes controlled the timing and dissemination of their announcement. Are people coming to see you because you’re gay? Those stories will continue to play out for years. Let’s take a moment for now. As a 6-2 defensive end, Sam is tagged with the dreaded “tweener” label. Mel Kiper Jr. considers Sam a fourth or fifth round pick based on “football ability”, with favorable comparisons to undersized pass rushers Elvis Dumervil, Robert Mathis, and Cliff Avril. Sam lead the SEC with 11.5 sacks in 2013, was an unanimous first team All-American, and the SEC defensive player of the year. Michael Sam will step away from professional football, he announced via Twitter on Friday night. Second, not everyone is on Twitter. That said, Sam being drafted in and of itself is nothing short of a win for the NFL, the Rams, Sam and the acceptance of LGBT athletes into sports. St. Louis Rams make history when they draft the openly gay football player. Sam will attempt to do that, but in a league with exponentially more media and cultural influence, one that is described as America’s Game. And while retweets can reach the world, and NFL contracts speak for themselves, true acceptance starts with something much less ambitious, and much less far reaching – it starts at home, with family. Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick pointed to Collins, who signed with the Nets midway through the 2013-14 season, as evidence whatever overwhelming attention exists would be short-lived: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided information on Sam's suitors in the worst possible scenario: In the end, that drop only made Sam's moment in the sun more special. He continued, saying he didn’t want his grandkids “raised in that kind of environment”. An ESPN report on the shower habits of openly gay St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam generated outrage on Twitter Tuesday as fans questioned the need to scrutinize a nonfootball detail. As is mid-July, when rookies first report to training camp, and 2018, when Sam, if drafted as projected, is eligible to sign his second contract. Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post captured a photo of Sam's celebration: Sam himself sent out the first picture of him wearing Rams gear: Sports Illustrated's Peter King pointed out that this wasn't just a landmark moment in the NFL—it will pervade American culture: Media critic and Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch also applauded ESPN for its well-rounded coverage of Sam and his celebration: Watching the draft live, this was one of those special television moments where there wasn't a living room across the country with a little extra "dust." People don't realize that when they tweet "Go kill yourself you fag" at Michael Sam, they are the reason he deserves the Arthur Ashe award — Jay Miller™ (@J_Money5757) July 17, 2014 In This Stream Here's a sample. By Jessica Kleinschmidt . Kluwe continued, saying that it’s the “general managers and coaches who are going to say it’s a distraction”. Dolphins Twitter reactions to Michael Sam announcing he is gay Last night, news broke that SEC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam had announced that he is gay. Michael Sam, the University of Missouri defensive end who was the SEC’s co-defensive player of the year in 2013, has come out publicly as gay. (subscription required) ranked him the 224th overall prospect, while he received a fifth-round grade from. While this Deadspin article questions the use of “anonymous front office sources” used in draft projections after Sam revealed his was gay, his stock appears to be somewhere between static to falling. 2006: Patrick Willis, 1st Round/6th pick It’s easy to fall into a Twitter bubble where we congratulate Sam for being brave and wish him the best (and pat ourselves on the back for being open minded). Michael Sam, the first openly gay NFL football player, was cut by the St. Louis Rams on Saturday. 2007: Glenn Dorsey, 1st Round/5th pick I’d just want to be a footballer. Mel Kiper Jr. considers Sam a fourth or fifth round pick based on “football ability”, with favorable comparisons to undersized pass rushers Elvis Dumervil, Robert Mathis, and Cliff Avril. 111.4k Followers, 920 Following, 337 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Michael Sam (@mikeysam52) Bleacher Report's Dan Levy congratulated Sam on walking to his own beat en route to being drafted: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Darius Fleming perhaps offered some insight into the typical mind of a player in congratulating Sam, and he was joined by numerous others, including Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson: For all the wonderment about how fans would react to having an openly gay player in their sport, Sam got his first taste of reactions on Saturday. This strategy was in contrast to Collins, who came out in Sports Illustrated with an op-ed and a cover. For every John Elway quote about only judging on field talent, there’s anonymous personnel assistants saying that having a gay player would “chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room”. Your email address will not be published. Rogers came out through a blog post in which he also retired, then unretired and was traded to the Galaxy months later. The Generational Gap Second, not everyone is on Twitter. As the owner of a Columbia gay bar that Sam frequented put it, “No one felt the need to out him…he was respected here”.). The initial tweet comes out and spreads through retweets. I’m a man-and-a-woman type of guy. And third, Jason Collins still doesn’t have a job in the NBA.