Mizzou's Michael Sam comes out

[-kj]

Just to clarify: discussing nuordr's sexuality--or anyone else on these boards--is off-topic, especially when used to shame them.

(Unless you want to talk about mine. I will tell if you ask, which will probably leave you wishing you hadn't. )

[wonderbread]

I'm sorry but it just seems he wants attention now. Why would he want his life documented if it was his "own personal business." None of this is adding up. You dont go to the New York Times to announce you are gay, and then have what sounds like a reality TV show if you dont just want attention. This sounds like something TO or chad Ocho-cinco would do not someone who just wants to be accepted.

Maybe he's willing to take the cries of "attention whore" (and surely) worse if it means showing others it's okay to be who they are.

There are lots more tasteful ways of doing it. Like if he really wanted it to be his "own personal business" he could have just told the teams he was interviewing with during the drafting process he was gay so their players and staff would know ahead if time, and if its found out later by the media that he gay he can then say that he's gay. I'm not saying hide it, hell he should show PDA with his boyfriend when they are together. The fact that he went to a major news outlet to announce he's gay before the draft, and then you have the kiss during the draft, and now this reality tv show, everything shows a "look at me" attitude not one of someone who wants to keep his "own personal business"

[TalktoChuck]

You're missing the fact that this needs to be public if it is going to make any difference at all. The more public this is, the better the outcome for the LGBT community (Within reason, of course).

The point of this is to show that Michael Sam is absolutely no different than the other straight players on the Rams. And the only way some people will realize that is if they see him living his life like anybody else would. A documentary produced by Oprah's company will definitely get that message out to the public.

And I doubt that he approached ESPN and said "Televise me kissing my boyfriend" or that he went to TV networks and begged them to film a documentary. They most likely approached him and begged him to do it.

[wonderbread]

But with all this media attention is he really "no different than the other straight players?" No he is not, he is the most talked about 7th round draft pick in history

[Sport]

and it's another way for Michael Sam to make a little extra scratch. He's a 7th round pick and his football career has a shelf life. Can't blame him for trying to capitalize while he can.

[TalktoChuck]

But with all this media attention is he really "no different than the other straight players?" No he is not, he is the most talked about 7th round draft pick in history

All this media attention is to be expected when someone is the first to do something. It comes with the territory.

I understand where you're coming from, but you have to think long term with something like this. Pretty soon, the only reaction scenarios like this will get is a "Oh, ok." And that's the hopeful reaction.

[rams80]

I'm sorry but it just seems he wants attention now. Why would he want his life documented if it was his "own personal business." None of this is adding up. You dont go to the New York Times to announce you are gay, and then have what sounds like a reality TV show if you dont just want attention. This sounds like something TO or chad Ocho-cinco would do not someone who just wants to be accepted.

Maybe he's willing to take the cries of "attention whore" (and surely) worse if it means showing others it's okay to be who they are.

There are lots more tasteful ways of doing it. Like if he really wanted it to be his "own personal business" he could have just told the teams he was interviewing with during the drafting process he was gay so their players and staff would know ahead if time, and if its found out later by the media that he gay he can then say that he's gay. I'm not saying hide it, hell he should show PDA with his boyfriend when they are together. The fact that he went to a major news outlet to announce he's gay before the draft, and then you have the kiss during the draft, and now this reality tv show, everything shows a "look at me" attitude not one of someone who wants to keep his "own personal business"

Why do you object to the Rams getting offseason media coverage? I gave up on Hard Knocks years ago.

[STL FANATIC]

Like if he really wanted it to be his "own personal business" he could have just told the teams he was interviewing with during the drafting process he was gay so their players and staff would know ahead if time, and if its found out later by the media that he gay he can then say that he's gay.

He actually intended to come out sometime after the draft, but the media already knew and were asking him if they could break the story. At that point he decided to craft an announcement because like it or not, this was going to be a big deal and it makes sense to prepare for that.

[Jonathan Franzen]

At first, I was hopeful that this would cause well-off conservative white families in Chesterfield to engage in deep soul-searching, perhaps culminating in a misunderstood son leaving flyover country for one of the coasts. I love when life imitates art, especially my art.

But when I found out that Oprah had given him her seal of approval, I felt sick to my stomach. A sworn enemy, reemerging from the relative calm of a suburban milieu, wreaking havoc from within and without until not even gentrifying baby boomers could rehabilitate the dilapidated Victorian mansion of my soul. It was as if, all over again, I was tasting the sleek warm neatness of her turds as they slid from her anus and fell into my open mouth, and this time, they tasted like anything but excellent dark chocolate, believe me.

Fortunately, I remembered that I don't even own a television.

[LAWeaver]

Figure I'd make my (partial) comeback here before the thread gets shut down.

I find it odd how tonight at our church youth meeting, we discussed this topic. We basically learned that, even though we may not "agree" (can't think of a better word TBH) with people being homosexual or bisexuals, we must love and respect them. My youth pastor explained that even he has friends, family, and coworkers who are gay, yet at the same time, as a Methodist, loves and respects them.

Where am I getting with this? Nuordr, as the Christian you claim to be, you should realize this. I remember seeing a post by Griffinmarlins in which I feel the same way.

Now, back to the main topic in Michael Sam. Congrats to him being drafted, I wish him luck, and give him as much respect as it would for any other human being

Ugh. This whole thing gives me a migraine *pops a couple ibuprofen *

[Gothamite]

With thoughtful posts like yours, there's no reason to worry this thread will be shut down. Thanks.

[infrared41]

Just to clarify: discussing nuordr's sexuality--or anyone else on these boards--is off-topic, especially when used to shame them.

(Unless you want to talk about mine. I will tell if you ask, which will probably leave you wishing you hadn't. )

It wasn't meant to "shame him." (I thought I made that pretty clear in the post.) It was a misguided attempt on my part to try to determine why he feels the way he does. It was a bad idea and I shouldn't have brought it up.

[Soarindude]

No offense to the other posters, as I have agreed with them up until this post, but we have no right to declare that this man is a "hidden homosexual" from a couple posts he's made on a sports forum. Nor is it any of our business.

First off, no one "declared" anything. Second, don't lump everyone else, including yourself, (and when it involves something I said, especially yourself) into something that I said. I was the one said it. It was me and me alone. It wasn't a declaration, it was simply my theory based on his statements. It wasn't meant as an attack, insult, etc. And lastly, whatever.

Well, excuse me, didn't mean to make you upset buddy. Calm your horses. You really took my post really personal, huh bro?

As much as you'd like me to be, I'm not upset at all. Sorry to disappoint you again, but I didn't take it personally either. You tagged everyone with something that I said. I didn't think it was fair to do that. Just wanted to make it clear that I was the only one who said it. Nice try though.

You were involved on the post, so I quoted the most recent post related to that. Your views reflected most, as the posters all seem to agree with you or indicate that the as well felt the same way. In no way did I mean to insult you, it was just a slight form of criticism as I don't believe it's appropriate to question a man who believes a certain way and believe he is lying about something on an Internet forum that is a significant part in his life.

That's what a forum is for, communicating and constructive criticism. I constructively criticized your, somewhat inappropriate, assumption.

[IceCap]

That's what a forum is for, communicating and constructive criticism. I constructively criticized your, somewhat inappropriate, assumption.

No you didn't. You pulled an internet tough guy act.

[infrared41]

No offense to the other posters, as I have agreed with them up until this post, but we have no right to declare that this man is a "hidden homosexual" from a couple posts he's made on a sports forum. Nor is it any of our business.

First off, no one "declared" anything. Second, don't lump everyone else, including yourself, (and when it involves something I said, especially yourself) into something that I said. I was the one said it. It was me and me alone. It wasn't a declaration, it was simply my theory based on his statements. It wasn't meant as an attack, insult, etc. And lastly, whatever.

Well, excuse me, didn't mean to make you upset buddy. Calm your horses. You really took my post really personal, huh bro?

As much as you'd like me to be, I'm not upset at all. Sorry to disappoint you again, but I didn't take it personally either. You tagged everyone with something that I said. I didn't think it was fair to do that. Just wanted to make it clear that I was the only one who said it. Nice try though.

You were involved on the post, so I quoted the most recent post related to that. Your views reflected most, as the posters all seem to agree with you or indicate that the as well felt the same way. In no way did I mean to insult you, it was just a slight form of criticism as I don't believe it's appropriate to question a man who believes a certain way and believe he is lying about something on an Internet forum that is a significant part in his life.

That's what a forum is for, communicating and constructive criticism. I constructively criticized your, somewhat inappropriate, assumption.

Are we talking about the same post here? I ask because what you're claiming simply did not happen. Go back and look at the past 3-4 pages of this thread. At no point did anyone even remotely indicate that they agreed with my assumption nor did they indicate that they felt the same way. If anything, the response to my post was silence. Fortunately, the only person to respond to it was the person about whom I made the assumption. My issue with you was the fact that you tried to tag everyone with my mistake. As I said before, that wasn't fair.

That aside, your response telling me how upset I was was a lot of things. "Constructive criticism" wasn't any of them. You were looking for a fight. You didn't get one, so now you're backpedaling.

[NJTank]

I wont be shocked if Hbo picks the Rams for hard knocks

[dbadefense1990]

I wont be shocked if Hbo picks the Rams for hard knocks

It's really a hard-sell between the Rams (Sam) and the Browns (Johnny Football). Then again, the way the NFL picked on Manziel during the draft makes me thinks they'll snub Cleveland.

[oldschoolvikings]

I wont be shocked if Hbo picks the Rams for hard knocks

It's really a hard-sell between the Rams (Sam) and the Browns (Johnny Football). Then again, the way the NFL picked on Manziel during the draft makes me thinks they'll snub Cleveland.

Did I miss something?

[Raysfan12]

Figure I'd make my (partial) comeback here before the thread gets shut down.

I find it odd how tonight at our church youth meeting, we discussed this topic. We basically learned that, even though we may not "agree" (can't think of a better word TBH) with people being homosexual or bisexuals, we must love and respect them. My youth pastor explained that even he has friends, family, and coworkers who are gay, yet at the same time, as a Methodist, loves and respects them.

Where am I getting with this? Nuordr, as the Christian you claim to be, you should realize this. I remember seeing a post by Griffinmarlins in which I feel the same way.

Now, back to the main topic in Michael Sam. Congrats to him being drafted, I wish him luck, and give him as much respect as it would for any other human being

Ugh. This whole thing gives me a migraine *pops a couple ibuprofen *

That's my thoughts about this thread as well. It doesn't matter if people want to be straight or gay, to me, we're all human beings and all of us must be treated with respect. For Michael Sam, I wish him the best of luck in the NFL and beyond. If he has a great career (just saying), he could be the LGBT equivalent to Jackie Robinson.

[crashcarson15]

I wont be shocked if Hbo picks the Rams for hard knocks

It's really a hard-sell between the Rams (Sam) and the Browns (Johnny Football). Then again, the way the NFL picked on Manziel during the draft makes me thinks they'll snub Cleveland.

Browns won't want it with a first-year head coach. Maybe next year though.