Michael Sam, a standout defensive end for Missouri, publicly announced that he is gay, and it is causing a firestorm. The timing of this announcement is curious, as he is expected to be selected in the upcoming NFL draft.
Sam was already on most teams’ radar for the draft as a lower-round pick before he came out as being gay. In all probability, he has done nothing but damage his draft stock, and now he may not be selected at all. In a perfect world, he would not have to worry about discrimination from other players and NFL front offices. In reality, teams will probably look at him as a disruption. If you’re an NFL GM, do you want to draft someone who may be a distraction? It’s safe to say that not everyone is a supporter of LGBT rights, especially in a hyper-masculine environment such as the NFL.
NFL policy forbids teams asking about a player’s sexual orientation, but Sam basically nullified that rule with his announcement. If teams look at only his ability to play the game, he’s a no-brainer to be selected in the draft. If they take into account his sexual orientation, he may have done nothing except hurt his career prospects.
If gay athletes want to find true acceptance, then they should keep their orientation to themselves. People who play sports could care less whether someone is gay or straight, and don’t really want to know. No one should look down on anyone else because of their sexual orientation, yet when someone goes out of their way to announce to the world that they’re gay, it makes many straight people uncomfortable; they are made aware of something that they had no interest in knowing in the first place.
This sort of announcement serves no purpose, except for giving Michael Sam a reason to sue for “discrimination” if he’s not selected in the draft.
Remember Jason Collins? He came out last year, and since that time, cannot find a team to play for. Perhaps it’s because he announced he was gay, perhaps not. However, on some level, he may feel that if he hadn’t made that decision, he’d still be playing in the NBA somewhere.
The timing for Sam’s announcement came three months before the draft. In my opinion, it’s nothing more than posturing. If he isn’t selected in the draft, he may point to this announcement, and cry “discrimination.” It’s a built-in excuse if his career is a failure. It makes absolutely no difference whether someone is gay or not; true talent shows itself on the field.
Many are calling Sam’s decision “courageous.” It is not courageous. It’s a narcissistic gesture. It’s him basically saying, “Hey everyone, look at me.” It simply won’t do for him to keep it to himself; he has to basically create an issue where none existed before.
I sincerely hope that Michael Sam is selected in the NFL draft and has a long and distinguished career in professional football. However, if this announcement backfires, it will not be due to the NFL’s “bigotry” or “discrimination”; it will be due to his own attention-seeking behavior.
I don’t think that the NFL (or society in general) has a problem with accepting the fact that Michael Sam is gay. I do think that Michael Sam does.
Allie • Feb 20, 2014 at 1:26 pm
“If gay athletes want to find true acceptance, then they should keep their orientation to themselves.”
Mr. Champlin, I respectfully disagree. When acceptance is contingent upon keeping parts of yourself or personality a secret, I think you’ve voided the very definition of the term. In fact, perhaps Sam has increased that chance that he will be drafted by a front office that is more likely to fully accept him, and carry that message throughout the organization, lest Sam turn victim to Incognito-like bullying.
“No one should look down on anyone else because of their sexual orientation, yet when someone goes out of their way to announce to the world that they’re gay, it makes many straight people uncomfortable”
It’s been reported that Sam came out to his college teammates and actually played better after allowing himself to stop hiding to his friends. His team did not suffer. They played well, they accepted him, and they moved on. When a minority makes itself known, of course that upsets the majority that hasn’t accepted the presence of others yet (in this case the uncomfortable minority is homophobic straight people). That doesn’t mean the minority should keep hiding. Being uncomfortable is part of change, and paving the way for a more accepting future.
“If you’re an NFL GM, do you want to draft someone who may be a distraction?”
If this was truly a concern on a GM’s part, they would never draft a single athlete. By my count there are NFL players under investigation for sexual harassment, domestic violence, MURDER, drunk driving, and every violation under the sun. The majority of those players are still active.
Reggie Bush’s NCAA investigation didn’t stop his entry into the NFL, and Michael Sam’s trivial announcement won’t either.