Michael Sam - NFL's first openly gay prospect

[Socnorb11]

There are hundreds of players on draft boards that are on the fence with on-field potential, and the off-field factors, whatever they may be, are enough to choose not to draft them. This all goes without saying, draft boards don't have to explain what the off-field factors were.

I wouldn't doubt some NFL teams shared Dungy's view that Sam's homosexuality is a problem or the media circus around outweighs his potential - but none of them that I recall were dumb enough to single Sam out for elaboration as to why they didn't draft him, other than they viewed he wasn't good enough to draft.

Is there a precedent for a Defensive Player of the Year in the best conference in the country dropping to the 7th round of the draft?

I guarantee you that every team in the NFL considered Sam's homosexuality when putting together their draft board. I can't prove it.

[Socnorb11]

The "baggage" thing doesn't offend me, by the way. I think it's pretty safe to say though that if Dungy (or any NFL commentator) used the word "baggage" with regard to Sams, he'd get called out.

[lukethedrifter]

Now that makes you a baggageist thus worse than Dungy as well.


#Bancowbell

[Jocephus]

but the distraction angle just doesn't work. players are drafted, signed, with all sorts of baggage (distractions).

What other players had enough side issues to create a 15 page thread here, before Dungy said a word?


By the way, you using the word "baggage" is far worse than what Dungy said about Sams, in my opinion.

what do our discussions have to do with anything? so we can only comment if theres been a 15 page thread prior? people talked plenty about incognito, cooper, vick in this forum (it doesn't have to have its own thread to be valid).

and, you saying my word baggage is worse tells me you are running on fumes.

agree to disagree i guess.

[Jocephus]

you can't have it both ways man! you cant say baggage is worse then say it doesn't bother you. you cant say "i guarantee his sexuality played a part" then say "i cant prove it".

[Schlich]

Pointing out that GMs might not want to draft a player because they might be homophobic (what joce did) is not the same thing as saying that that person would be a distraction (what you're saying joce said, as well as what Dungy said)


What's your point in all this? That we all just need to lighten up? That we're imagining problems that don't exist? That we should just let people like Dungy have their toxic opinions?

[Socnorb11]

but the distraction angle just doesn't work. players are drafted, signed, with all sorts of baggage (distractions).

What other players had enough side issues to create a 15 page thread here, before Dungy said a word?


By the way, you using the word "baggage" is far worse than what Dungy said about Sams, in my opinion.

what do our discussions have to do with anything? so we can only comment if theres been a 15 page thread prior? people talked plenty about incognito, cooper, vick in this forum (it doesn't have to have its own thread to be valid).

and, you saying my word baggage is worse tells me you are running on fumes.

agree to disagree i guess.

So Sam is comparable to Incognito, Vick, and Cooper now?

If Dungy had said THAT, he almost certainly WOULD be fired.

[Jocephus]

weren't vick, cooper, incognito situations distractions? or do those not count since it didn't involve penis on penis?

i apologize that i wrote baggage and then in parenthesis put (distractions).

you are PC'ing the people you are accusing of being PC.

[Socnorb11]

Pointing out that GMs might not want to draft a player because they might be homophobic (what joce did) is not the same thing as saying that that person would be a distraction (what you're saying joce said, as well as what Dungy said)


What's your point in all this? That we all just need to lighten up? That we're imagining problems that don't exist? That we should just let people like Dungy have their toxic opinions?

I think that Dungy has every right to say what he said. He knows more about locker room culture than anybody here, or any of the media who are writing scathing articles today. He thinks that the circus surrounding Sam would cause distractions. More than likely, he's correct. It's more of a condemnation of the media than it is of Sam.

At the same time, he shouldn't take that stance unless he's willing to take the same stance with Michael Vick. He also shouldn't take that stance, in light of the fact that he was a black coach who would have never gotten an opportunity if people of his mindset had prevailed. Personally, THOSE are the questions that I'd like to see him answer. The Sam stuff is old news.

[Socnorb11]

weren't vick, cooper, incognito situations distractions? or do those not count since it didn't involve penis on penis?

i apologize that i wrote baggage and then in parenthesis put (distractions).

you are PC'ing the people you are accusing of being PC.

All I'm saying is that the media would blow you up for saying stuff like that.............. if you were anybody that the media cared about (like Dungy is).

Personally, I don't care if you're PC or not.