VTTW Board Index

in the 7th round. You don't think it was because he is gay do you? On the other hand, the Rams had a good draft. They have a very talented roster. Too bad they play in the toughest conference in the NFL. Fischer will have them very competitive for sure.

Weaing a lot of talk that the NFL may have begged them to draft him. To avoid the negative PR that's come with passing on a Gay player.

GO VOLS!!!   :powert:

Defensive end from Texas not drafted at all.

I think Sam's a gamer, and will do well, but he posted pretty slow times. Take .125 seconds off his 40, and it's a different issue.

I doubt it has anything to do with him being gay, but it might (probably) have had something to do with his decision to "come out." Tim Tebow was a Heisman Trophy winner who didn't make it in the NFL. Like Sam, Tebow was lacking in some areas that made him questionable as an NFL prospect. Like Sam, Tebow came with plenty of "baggage." I use that term a little loosely, because I don't consider a player's Christianity to be baggage. But the bottom line is that NFL franchises want players, not sideshows.

The obvious difference between Sam and Tebow is that Tebow was drafted very highly. But Tebow also didn't have the baggage coming out of college. It wasn't until Denver's playoff run that "Tebowing" became all the rage and Tebow became a media darling/spectacle.

FTR, I admire Tebow's stance on his viewpoints. And I don't really fault Sam for his, though I do tire of seeing it blown out of proportion.

No, it had nothing to do with him being gay. He went about where he should have.

Don't care what awards he won in college.  His NFL measurables just aren't there.  He's a tweener sizewise, he doesn't run well, and he isn't very good at stopping the run.  He's a one trick pony - straight rush to the QB - and with his size and lack of speed that isn't going to fly in the NFL.  

He was the 249th pick of the draft.  His chances of making an NFL roster are about one in three.  If he doesn't proclaim his sexuality does anybody really give a rats ass who the 249th pick of the draft was?  Who was the 249th pick last year?  How about the year before?

After thinking it over some more and looking at some of the other guys who went undrafted this year, I think there's a stronger argument to be made that he was only drafted because of his sexual preference than the argument that Sam is trying to make that he was drafted low because of his preference. Either way, I have no sympathy for Sam. The entire draft process was a circus because Sam chose to place himself and his agenda above the game.

I don't think either argument holds much water, personally. I think his draft position fits his quality and potential in the NFL, and is basically no different than a free agent contract.

I disagree 100% with your last two sentences, but that's an argument for another place.

Agree 100% with your last sentence.....ESPN made it a circus too. As Herb said above, who was the 249th pick last season and the year before? Yet ESPN gave him more coverage than the top 5 draft picks.

Grant you, I don't necessarily think he was drafted because he's gay...just pointing out the lack of merit that Sam's argument holds.

As for your last point, that is a debate I would welcome. Because it's a debate I'll win.  :biggrin: :angel:

If someone is a borderline draft pick, it's good marketing to get your name in circulation. Marketing may help Sam make a squad.

As previously stated, I think he can work hard and be a contributor, but it never hurts to have some pub. What's the old saying? "Talk about me good, talk about me bad. Just talk about me." I think he makes the Rams.

Yup.

The NFL is one place that "college pub" doesn't mean a thing, nor do college stats and accomplishments.  It's all about physical skills and measurables.   See Tim Tebow as a prime example. 

I agree Herb. I just can't get my head around the fact that he was the SEC defensive player of the year. How do you achieve that with mediocre talent. The SEC is supposed to be vaunted for it's defense. I know none of that guarantees success in the NFL.

Not trying to split hairs, but he was the co-defensive player of the year. 

His numbers were good.  But to put it in perspective, the other DE on his defense was taken in the second round.  Mizzou had a good defense.  Could his numbers have been better because he played on a good defense and his position was a benefit of the strengths of that defense?  Just a thought. 

And as good as the SEC is in college football, the NFL is light years different from the SEC.  Take the best of the SEC and then the best of the rest of the college football world.  That's what the NFL is.  The very best of the very best. 

It does make you wonder if he didn't come out in order to enhance his draft status.  Hmmmm.... :confused:

I was watching the Race this past saturday. I fell asleep and didn't know my favorite driver won. I turned it on Sportscenter to see Race Highlights. The 1st thing I saw was Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend. :hurl:  Why in the hell did ESPN show that crap? I have nothing against Gay People. I just don't want to see men kissing each other.

I wonder how gays feel about seeing a woman and man kissing. It's just funny I never hear them complain. Just an observation.

And if they did, it wouldn't make ESPN or any other news outlet's broadcast.

When is the last time you saw a player kissing his girlfriend to make a statement when he was drafted?

I have probably seen this many times, but it doesn't really register because it's normal.  A man kissing a man is still abnormal to most...though this may be changing.

Yes, it's literally abnormal IMO.  (Ducking from PC police). 

Sure it's abnormal. But, you know what? If the world was normal, it would be boring. The sticking point for me is that while seeing a man and woman kissing may not bother me, if they're groping one another and making out, that's going to be offensive to me and I don't want to see it. Likewise, seeing two men kissing is offensive to some people. There was a time when -- regardless of the issue (and regardless of whether it was a hot-topic political issue), folks would respect other folks' views enough to refrain from something that they realized would be viewed as offensive. Now, though, it's all part of political gamesmanship. And before someone jumps on me as a bigot (since that seems to be the obligatory reaction), that goes to a host of other issues as well...breast-feeding in public, as just one example. If Sam kissing his beau was a truly natural reaction, I don't really have much of a problem with it. But if it was scripted, I absolutely have a problem with it. And rest assured it was scripted. Besides, my 8-year-old son watches the draft (not that, fortunately), and I'd rather not have to have to explain that stuff to him.

Scripted?  You think this was scripted?  Pfft.. I thought every borderline player who is potentially last round or undrafted has a tv camera in the room with them to film their reaction.   :dunno: