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| Michael Sam Co-defensive Sec Player of the Year |
On the last day of the 2014 NFL draft, commissioner Roger Goodell stepped to the podium to announce one of the final picks of the draft.
“With the 249th pick of the 2014 NFL draft, the St. Louis Ram select, defensive end Michael Sam from the University of Missouri”.
You might be thinking to yourself, what’s so special of the 249th pick? It’s the last day of the draft. These picks normally don’t even make the final roster. Well, Michael Sam just made history. He’s the co-defensive SEC player of the year as well as an All-American. His senior year Sam collected an impressive 11.5 sacs. But, he’s not making history for his college stats. He’s making history because Michael Sam is the first open gay player to be drafted into the NFL. In February Michael Sam decided to announce to the world that he is gay. Since then the news has been a buzz though out not only traditional media, but also social media. Michael was even on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the caption saying, “American is ready for Michael Sam. Is the NFL ready for Michael Sam?
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| Sports Illustrated Cover |
Unfortunately, a lot of gay player hide the fact that they are gay to avoid being ostracized by teammates and the media. Brittany Griner hid her sexuality because Baylor University had a so called “unwritten policy”. Michael Sam is different. He never backed down from questions or comments addressing his sexuality.
Michael Sam celebrated his entrance into the NFL at his house with his closest friends, family, and partner. Coach Jeff Fisher was able to call Michael to inform him that he wanted Michael to be a St. Louis Ram. The video below will show the emotions that Michael Sam was feeling when he received the call from Coach Fisher as well as the kiss which caused so much controversy.
That video and other similar videos swarmed EPSN, ABC, NBC, and every type of social media you can think of. Just as you might be forming your own opinion of the appropriateness of the kiss, many individuals were congratulating Michael for his success. His new teammate All-Pro defensive end Robert Quinn said that he’s only worried about what Michael does on the field. Quinn even believes that Sam has already proven himself on the football field.
According to the NFL.com and an article written by Marc Sessler (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000349371/article/michael-sam-drafted-by-st-louis-rams-at-no-249), even President Barack Obama sent his congratulations.
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| President Barack Obama |
"The President congratulates Michael Sam, the Rams and the NFL for taking an important step forward today in our Nation's journey. From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove everyday that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are."
Unfortunately, not everyone thought that the kiss was very appropriate. One of those players is Don Jones from the Miami Dolphins. Don tweeted some comments which in the end received him a fine from the Dolphins organization as well as mandatory educational training. Just another fine example how social media and in the heat of the moment comments can hurt athletes.
Whether you feel America or the NFL are ready for gays to be a part of professional sports, the time is here. More and more gay and lesbian athletes are not afraid to hide what they’ve been hiding for years. Good luck Michael in the NFL.
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