Michael Sam - NFL's first openly gay prospect

[sighyoung]

I expect Fisher to be perfectly honest with Sam, and I don't think Sam wants anything different. I'm skeptical that there will be fallout if Sam is cut, and I do expect Sam to land on someone else's practice squad or pursue an athletic career elsewhere if the Rams don't keep him.

[Freed Roger]

All right, there's a ways to go before it is written- but start of casting calls for Michael Sam Lifetime Network Movie:

Sam - Boyce Watkins
Sam's Bf - The Situation
Gary Pinkel -Craig T Nelson (of course)
Jeff Fisher - Peter Gallagher


????

[MrCrowesGarden]

Donal Logue as Les Snead.

[Schlich]

Michael Sam Is Doing a Reality Show, and That Sucks

[thrill]

Robbie Rogers and Jason Collins didn't get a reality show. Maybe that will come, I don't know. This kid seems to be embracing the fame a little bit more than his predecessors though. Most 22 year olds aren't ideal leaders for any causes for a reason.

[Freed Roger]

where is the face palm smiley?

....though the episode where crazy Uncle Gary comes to dinner party will be worth watching.

[stlouie_lipp]

I think he's realizing that he can really cash in with this. Can't say I really blame him. There are no guarantees that he'll make much money playing football.

[Schlich]

I think he's realizing that he can really cash in with this. Can't say I really blame him. There are no guarantees that he'll make much money playing football.

That was more or less my thoughts, too. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he doesn't necessarily want the spotlight but the money is going to be hard to turn down.

[Jocephus]

they were talking about this on mike and mike this morning and they got some source to say that cameras will not be allowed at camps, rams facilities, nfl facilities etc...that it would only be on his private time they were shooting...fwiw

[Socnorb11]

Perhaps as a person who has felt it necessary to hide in the past, he thinks there is value to others in announcing it publicly.

Perhaps he wants to show young kids who may be ashamed of who they are that they don't have to be. Perhaps he wants to be part of the slow destruction of stereotypes that cast gay men as effeminate and not potent athletes. Perhaps he just wants to be famous. Probably not, but it's possible though I don't see why anyone would rush to believe anyone would have wrong intentions for just being themselves.

- Depending on how he lived before that time, it might be disingenuous to just start "living his life" without calling attention to the fact that he's gay. It's not a trivial thing, and making sure everyone in his immediate circle is aware of it might require some sort of formal announcement to best communicate that change. Coming out isn't a thing because it's attention seeking, it's a thing because it's important in people around you understanding why "living your life" now means something very different.

- Athletes at high levels that have come out in any way are extraordinarily rare, for a multitude of reasons that aren't terribly important to this specific point. As a result, a high level athlete being gay is going to garner a lot of attention.

- Because of those two things, it simply makes practical sense to make that announcement and speak to the media hungry for that story in one step. It also allows to better control the story itself, and has the previously discussed side benefits of being an example to others.

I'm sure both Sam and Gordon wish that such an announcement were so trivial that it didn't make sense to publicize it or potentially come off as attention seeking. But until there's many more like them in high level sports, that day isn't here yet.

Or maybe he just wants his own reality TV show?