WOW .. All-American player says "I am gay." This is huge ...

[cto]

First active player in big four team sports to say that. (Collins really didn't count... because he was essentially retired). http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/s...d-of-nfl-draft.html?emc=edit_na_20140209&_r=0

 

[jekelish]

We will finally answer the question of what happens when a player in a major sport comes out at the start of his pro career.

SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Good for him, hopefully it doesn't change how he's treated.

 

[Whitey23]

First active player in big four team sports to say that. (Collins really didn't count... because he was essentially retired). http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/s...d-of-nfl-draft.html?emc=edit_na_20140209&_r=0

Collins didn't want to be retired. Still working out looking for a shot.

 

[Libero2]

Good for Sam. hopefully he becomes a good enough player that he can become a long-time player in the league that makes other guys comfortable enough to come out.

Apparently his Mizzou team knew about it, as Sam told them in the past, and they didn't care. Hopefully his NFL teammates follow suit, whoever they may be.

 

[Orangejet]

Good for him and I wish Michael the best of luck. One heck of a player for Mizzou...

 

[orange79]

Congratulations to Michael Sam for his courage. Hopefully this will begin a sea change in how the league views gay athletes. Unfortunately, I am not holding my breath.

 

[The General]

No doubt there are teams that will pass on him because of it. Put his principles over $. Good for him

 

[jekelish]

Have to wonder if his announcement give the currently closeted gay players in the NFL the courage to follow his lead?

 

[NKR1978]

SEC Defensive Player of the Year. A lot of people in that region of the country are going to have a really hard time wrapping their heads around that. Glad to hear that Mizzou players and coaches support him.

 

[Crusty]

I am pleased to say that I think this will be the biggest non-story of next season.

 

[Tobias Funke]

We will finally answer the question of what happens when a player in a major sport comes out at the start of his pro career.

SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Good for him, hopefully it doesn't change how he's treated.

Good for him. I am sure it will change how he is treated by some, hopefully the positive impact this may have will out weight the negative.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

My Mizzou buddy told me about this a month or so ago. Apparently, nothing but support from the team. Good for him.

 

[goodroc]

His entire team and coaching staff have known about this for 5 yrs and no one talked. Amazing. Good for mizzou. !!! Love that he plays in a conf primarily in he south.

 

[goodroc]

I am pleased to say that I think this will be the biggest non-story of next season.

I hope is so it shouldn't be a story but unfortunately it is

 

[Libero2]

Good for him. I am sure it will change how he is treated by some, hopefully the positive impact this may have will out weight the negative.

This is going to sound horrible...

But the better player Sam becomes, the better it will be for gays in all sports, not just football. If he becomes a kick-ass player in the league, his teammates will accept him, and no longer will their be thoughts and voices saying "gay people can't make it in the NFL, they don't have the mentality"

If Jackie Robinson hadn't been as good a baseball player as he was, how long would it have been before another African American player would have been allowed in the MLB?

Here's to hoping Sam gets drafted by a good organization (with limited media coverage, AKA anywhere but NY) who has a plan for Sam and he develops quickly into one of the leagues better pass-rush specialists.

 

[jekelish]

My Mizzou buddy told me about this a month or so ago. Apparently, nothing but support from the team. Good for him.

Yeah one of his teammates just went on Twitter saying they've all known for 5 years and no one ever said a word or treated him differently. Considering how Sam is responding and talking about Mizzou, that's clearly the case. Good for them.

 

[Stern]

I am pleased to say that I think this will be the biggest non-story of next season.

This story is up there with Manti Teo's fake girlfriend in that it will get some press coverage for a bit then just die away.

This really isn't big news in the year 2014. Lots of gay athletes.

 

[dasher]

This story is up there with Manti Teo's fake girlfriend in that it will get some press coverage for a bit then just die away.

This really isn't big news in the year 2014. Lots of gay athletes.

there always have been. A football life had a show on Jerry smith a tight end ( no pun) from the Redskins. There might have been as many as 11 gay players on the redskins back then.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

This is going to sound horrible...

But the better player Sam becomes, the better it will be for gays in all sports, not just football. If he becomes a kick-ass player in the league, his teammates will accept him, and no longer will their be thoughts and voices saying "gay people can't make it in the NFL, they don't have the mentality"

If Jackie Robinson hadn't been as good a baseball player as he was, how long would it have been before another African American player would have been allowed in the MLB?

Here's to hoping Sam gets drafted by a good organization (with limited media coverage, AKA anywhere but NY) who has a plan for Sam and he develops quickly into one of the leagues better pass-rush specialists.

Who's to say he needs to do this alone, though? Maybe there's another gay player in this draft class willing to make that known, or Sam goes to a team with a player that comes out after this.

 

[Libero2]

Who's to say he needs to do this alone, though? Maybe there's another gay player in this draft class willing to make that known, or Sam goes to a team with a player that comes out after this.

Sure that is possible, but I think that any other gay NFLers (and make no mistake they are out there somewhere) will see what happens with Sam first, otherwise they would have announced themselves prior to this.

Hopefully it does happen though and Sam doesn't need to go through it alone.

 

[CusefanATL]

This is going to sound horrible...

But the better player Sam becomes, the better it will be for gays in all sports, not just football. If he becomes a kick-ass player in the league, his teammates will accept him, and no longer will their be thoughts and voices saying "gay people can't make it in the NFL, they don't have the mentality"

If Jackie Robinson hadn't been as good a baseball player as he was, how long would it have been before another African American player would have been allowed in the MLB?

Here's to hoping Sam gets drafted by a good organization (with limited media coverage, AKA anywhere but NY) who has a plan for Sam and he develops quickly into one of the leagues better pass-rush specialists.

that doesnt sound horrible.

Its true.

 

[CanadianSU]

Good for him. This should get interesting

 

[orange79]

He says he came out to his team before this season, and many teammates knew for years. The NFL could learn a lot from this team. Sure, there will always be those with hairy knuckles, but the more stories like this, the less of an 'event' it becomes.

 

[Orangepace]

If I were the owner of the Dolphins, I'd have my Gm on the phone right now.

 

[Toga]

Who's to say he needs to do this alone, though? Maybe there's another gay player in this draft class willing to make that known, or Sam goes to a team with a player that comes out after this.

I am Spartacus