It had to happen at some point. There have always been gay athletes playing on college and professional teams, they just didn’t talk openly about it. Team mates knew about it it just was not worth discussing. After all, it’s what happens when a player puts on his or her uniform that counts… not when they take it off.
When you look at the film clips of Michael Sam in action on the football field, and there are quite a few of them, you see a big tough defensive back who is quick as lightening when running down the opposing quarterback. He certainly doesn’t look like someone that you would want to have angry at you.
So when Michael Sam announced that he was gay, it sent mild shockwaves throughout the college and pro football community. The announcement was not news to Sam’s teammates, whom he had already told, nor, I’ll wager, was it a secret from the NFL scouts who are accessing Michael Sam as a future NFL star.
What is different now is that one player has had the gumption to stand up and say it in front of the whole world. Before now, no gay player had ever come out with a statement like that. So, now what will they do? The cat is out of the bag. Pandora’s Box has had its lid blown completely off the hinges.
Now the NCAA, the NFL and everyone else concerned are going to have to deal with the issue out in front while the whole world watches to see how they will react. So far Michael Sam has received support from some pretty high places.
The University of Missouri posted on Twitter. ‘We support Tigers of all stripes at Mizzou’. ‘Proud of you’.
And then from a lady named FLOTUS came this, “You’re an inspiration to all of us. We couldn’t be prouder of your courage both on and off the field.” That must have been very nice to hear.
Always a class act, Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, came out right away saying that Michael Sam would be welcomed on the Patriots squad if he could help them win football games.
Sam is the 90th ranked player in the upcoming NFL Drafts and the 9th ranked defensive end on the big board. He is not projected to go in the first round, but he will go. Michael Sam is too good a football player to pass up.
