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2014 NFL Thread...


paul carruthers

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Ok, I know we usually wait until the draft to start the new year's football thread, but this has been the hot story all morning on ESPN...

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay

My thoughts: I don't know if we're living in a world where the NFL is ready for an openly gay player. I would hope I'm wrong about this & I'm sure there are gay players currently playing who have stayed in the closet & that's their personal right to do so. I just think there are too many knuckleheads & with the man's man culture of the league for everyone to embrace this kid.

Again, I hope I'm wrong & this will open the door, however slight that opening may be for more athletes to come out.

Any thoughts?

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He seems to be getting a very warm reaction from his college in Mississippi, a state with not exactly liberal tendencies towards gays. So maybe it's a sign he'll be accepted and OK.

Edit: my bad, he's from Missouri. Still a state that is not overly warm in it's acceptance of gays.

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Given the right climate and locker room, he should be a fine player. There are way more gay guys in the NFL locker rooms than everyone thinks. Glad he had the courage to come out in a sport that definitely is tough to do so.

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I'm a glass half full kind of guy usually, so I would like to think he'll be accepted. But if you've ever gone to a baseball or football game, you know the stands are still filled with racist, sexist, and violent invective. And soccer games in Europe and South America can be even worse. There are some pig-headed macho countries down there.

I actually think the actual players in the NFL will be more accepting than the fans at first. It'll be a gradual thing...it always is when a barrier is broken. The first one takes the heat that paves the way for the rest who follow.

It happened to Jackie Robinson when he became the first black in MLB, Curt Flood when he broke the reserve clause chains and created free agency, and Sally Jenkins when she became the first woman reporter in the locker room.

I wish the guy luck...it's 2014 and well past time for gay athletes not to be afraid to compete openly.

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I guess I am just a backward southerner from one of those anti-gay states; I mean hell, I can't even do simple math. What I find perplexing is that it is

even an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the public. If the young man is a good

player, why is it a big deal at all? Seems silly and

Unwarranted to me.

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Maybe we are living in a new world; so far it seems like most of the players & NFL personnel are saying the right things as far as would they accept the kid in their lockerroom. I guess we'll know a lot more come NFL Draft Day & see where exactly Sam goes in the draft.

He may as well come to Buffalo. I do not have a problem with him. But Mack will go higher I think

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I guess I am just a backward southerner from one of those anti-gay states; I mean hell, I can't even do simple math. What I find perplexing is that it is

even an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the public. If the young man is a good

player, why is it a big deal at all? Seems silly and

Unwarranted to me.

My apologies Potted, I did not intend to stereotype everyone from Southern states.

He seems like a superb player, so I say just let him play.

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Obviously the statements from the teams are the PR departments saying the right things, but a lot of the local sports writers around here have sources that indicate team executives see it as a potential distraction. Which is ridiculous...just because someone is gay does not make them an animal. The guy is an All-American Defensive player, he's got the same upbringing as anyone else. That being said, if he falls far enough in the draft, i'd be happy if the Raiders took him. God knows we need some D-Line help with Houston potentially testing free agency (though he did have a fairly flat season), and the lack of any other playmakers.

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There was a radio show n the other day, and they were saying "OBVIOUSLY, San Fran would be a good fit", lol, why because it has a fairly large gay population? And then some jokester called in who identified himself as gay, and said "Just think of all the good play by play we could have! Wow, he knows how to get a sac doesn't he! And look how he cradles the ball when he holds it" etc etc. Actually pretty amusing.

I agree with others, if he can help a team, take him. It's not like he's gonna be jumping dudes in the locker room.

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I think they already have him

Ummm, I think you're confusing Richard Simmons with Richard Seymour? :blink:

I heard this the other day too, something like 20 plus players on the Seahawks were UNDRAFTED. So much for getting great value in the draft....

Which is a major reason the Cleveland Browns just canned their front office after firing their coach. After the success of the Seattle Seahawks, the pressure is on front offices around the League to do a better job identifying and picking talent and stop wasting picks.

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