Mizzou's Michael Sam says he's gay

 
Michael Sam, an All-American defensive lineman from Missouri and the Associated Press' SEC Defensive Player of the Year, said that he is gay in an interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Sunday.
am stated publicly what his teammates and coaches at Mizzou have known since August: "I am an openly, proud gay man."
Sam is eligible for the NFL draft in May. Assuming that he is drafted, Sam could become the first openly gay player in the history of the NFL.
"I understand how big this is," he said. "It's a big deal. No one has done this before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL."
 

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http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay
 
 

Shouldn't be a big deal

Apparently his stock dropped. I hate the media though

I think the fact that wherever he goes a media circus is going to follow hurt him a lot. Teams don't want that around constantly.

Look, I personally probably wouldn't care if I played with him. But I guarantee there are more NFL players that would care, as opposed to those that wouldn't. There is a reason there is no openly gay players in the league right now. Fact of the matter is, guys would just feel uncomfortable having a gay guy in the locker-room. There isn't going to be many players who will be upset when their team takes a pass on him.

Because all gay guys go around groping other men. I think it's silly. People could make sexual harassment claims if there ever was an issue

Fuhgeddaboudit said:

Because all gay guys go around groping other men. I think it's silly. People could make sexual harassment claims if there ever was an issue

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Doesn't matter if they do or not. It would just make guys uncomfortable. That's the fact of the matter.

I agree there but that's wrong, very wrong at why he shouldn't be considered despite his sexuality.

Look at Teo, with his whole story. Wasn't he a big part of chargers defense?

I agree that it is wrong, but still, can't change that.
All of these teams are coming out with statements to show their acceptance, meanwhile anonymous GMs in sports illustrated said how they couldn't draft him and whatnot. And how the league isn't ready.

Also that's different. Manti's controversy was a joke really. Sam's is real.

RipCity32 said:

Look, I personally probably wouldn't care if I played with him. But I guarantee there are more NFL players that would care, as opposed to those that wouldn't. There is a reason there is no openly gay players in the league right now. Fact of the matter is, guys would just feel uncomfortable having a gay guy in the locker-room. There isn't going to be many players who will be upset when their team takes a pass on him.

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he told his entire team before the season and they went from a mediocre team to a top 10 team, so it clearly didn't effect those guys.

I think it was Jerome Bettis who went on ESPN and said 90-95% of the players wouldn't care

elcheato said:

he told his entire team before the season and they went from a mediocre team to a top 10 team, so it clearly didn't effect those guys.
I think it was Jerome Bettis who went on ESPN and said 90-95% of the players wouldn't care

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He said his team knew he was before he officially came out to them.

I think at first guys would be uncomfortable with it, but once they are around him for an extended period of time they will forget he is gay. Aside from the few guys that are homophobic.

But what I'm saying is, at first a lot would be uncomfortable. And I don't think anyone will be too upset if they pass on him, so they don't have to deal with that distraction.

How is the world and the culture going to change if we keep saying "we're not ready yet". People who think it would be uncomfortable clearly have never been around gay dudes. They're not aliens, and they don't come on to every guy in their vicinity.

It depends entirely though. I've been around gays that were making it uncomfortable and those who weren't.

But I'm sure at this point, it's less uncomfortable

I've been around straight guys who make it uncomfortable to be around. That's how it is with any group of people.

Could care less

It'd make me uncomfortable changing around him.

Reminds me of an issue in the Army right now.

I have a gay friend who told me today they should have separate changing rooms for homosexuals. Mainly because the reason why men and women have separate rooms.

Thomas-Panda-Saxby said:

Could care less

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So how much do you care?

Supposedly it wasnt a secret at MU. Kudos to him for not hiding it & just being himself.

Yup, good for him. Him being gay should have nothing to do with football, as he is a good player and that should be what it's about. It will scare some teams away because of the attention that comes with it, but he will get his shot. It shouldn't be that way, I hate it. Whatever makes people happy, that's what I'm for! It's just sad because of the way society is today, that a guy has to hide it when it should be all about who he is as a person and how well he performs at his position. That has to be uncomfortable for them to have to hold that in, thinking they will be crucified for telling the truth. Just let them be happy and live life like everyone else. 

Brutalis said:

I have a gay friend who told me today they should have separate changing rooms for homosexuals. Mainly because the reason why men and women have separate rooms.

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Well that wouldn't make any sense unless they changed alone.