If you’ve been living under a rock you know that this draft pick was more than just another Defensive End joining the league. Michael Sam has now become the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS… etc. ever.
Note: 2013 WBNA 1st overall pick Brittney Griner told Sports Illustrated 2 days after the draft that she was already out of the closet, but had never made the information public until that point.
Sam’s draft slot had been debated since the day he came out of the closet. People wondered if teams would be scared to bring a gay athlete into the locker room. Fans and media wondered if the old boys club of GMs and owners would draft a gay player. Everyone wondered how the stereotypical macho Alpha male players of the NFL would respond to a gay player in their midst.
And for 6+ rounds and 248 picks, everyone kept wondering.
Among casual football fans there was probably an overhype of Sam’s draft stock after he came out. Yes, he earned and deserved the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year award. However, as a pro he may be undersized and his combine stats showed him to be a player that doesn’t fit the standard definition of a defensive lineman. Experts talked about Sam’s football ability keeping him on draft boards, but not in high rounds.
And on Saturday that’s what we saw.
If you haven’t seen the video of Michael Sam being told on the phone that he is being drafted, watch it now. And if you haven’t seen the video of St. Louis Rams Head Coach, Jeff Fisher talking about the pick, watch that too.
Lastly, I’d like to wish Michael good luck in his pro career. No matter what position he plays, what team he plays for, or what his stats are. Go show the world that you’re a football player. That’s all we care about now.
Related Links:
GAY SOCCER PLAYER DAVID TESTO TALKS COMING OUT & MALECALL.CA – photojunkie.ca
PHJOSHUA ON SPORTS – I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU CAN PLAY! – photojunkie.ca