Swampies said:

It's very much like tim tebow in how the media wil create a circus around this! There are teams like NE that could draft him and not even mention a thing about that he's gay! Bill would just move on to the next question. It's how the locker room will handle it is the question? Bullying was a problem in Miami can't imagine how this will turn out! This generation I believe can handle this but like BD said it's being force fead at times with this issue!

That's actually the first thing I thought of. When the coach tells you if you discuss anything other than the generic responses listed on this paper, you're staying on the bench, the media craze will not be an issue in NE.

haimez40 said:

I think you guys are being to hard on this guy, he is a really sweet guy.

Who is going to be the first draftcalc member to come out?

I just came out of the bathroom....I stay out for at least 30 minutes.

bddavidson said:

wonder which team will be willing to put up with this crap..not sure they need a press conference for this.. how many straight guys schedule a conference to let teams know hey i am straight hope that not a problem , gays seem set on pulling the focus to them and forcing there lifestyle on others 

Just to clarify a few things.  Sam didn't have a press conference, he did an interview with ESPN, and there was an additional print story done in USA Today.  Sam apparently had told his college teammates last summer, and they stood by him and kept this info from getting out.  When signing with an agent, Sam did disclose his sexuality, and discussed how he wanted to "come out" prior to the draft.  He originally wanted to do it after the Missouri proday, but after consulting with a PR person an earlier date was scheduled.  This was to allow NFL teams to process the information prior to the draft.

Rumor's of Sam's sexuality were already being spread, and while at the Senior bowl, scouts were trying to get Sam to open up by asking him if he had a girlfriend and other such questions which normally wouldn't be asked of a prospect.

Sam's agent and PR person had set up a deal with ESPN and USA Today to break the story, but prior to the day that was set to release this info, they were already being bombarded with interview requests, as the news was already out there.  According to Howard Bragman (Sam's PR guy, who is one of the biggest names in the PR world) the idea was to break the story once, have Sam tell his side and then get back to focusing on football, rather then have him being subjected to rumors and innuendos.

Really glad you chose the word guts and not balls

Agree with BDdavidson on this one,  let's say you are the Seahawks, would you draft a possible media circus?  And yes, the showers are an issue, guys will not be as comfortable knowing someone who may be attracted to them is standing next to them in the shower, that's the honest truth, no PC!  So the truth is, he simply is not good enough for a team to chance it, unless it's a crap team looking for publicity no matter how they get it.  And of course, if he doesn't get drafted the "gay" card will be the first thing to "come out".  I am betting Goodell is on the phone right now with teams making back-room deals to ensure this guy gets drafted to make sure the NFL stays PC with this one.  Perhaps he does get drafted and it works out just fine, but the fact is, the risk is high for any team.  

I don't understand, you guys are faulting him for coming out when it would have come out anyways? In my opinion he is handling it the right way.

TheHuddle said:

Manti Te'o is happy this will be combine news this year.

It was a interview not a press conference right? Cat was out of the bag so he just answered everyone's gay questions.

The Manti Te'o thing may be a good comparison. It will be a media circus for a little while, but doesn't everyone think it will settle down quite quickly?

The media issue is only part of the equation. The locker room dynamics behind the scenes is the biggest issue. Can a team feel unified, cohesive and comfortable in the intimate environment of the showers and locker room? Maybe, but it's a risk, whether large or small, still a risk for team fracturing and uncomfortable silence. The need for verbal editing etc. - depends on how he handles himself to start with

Swampies said:

This is all starting to sound like what I would imagine those who were set in their ways, way back when felt when Jackie Robinson came into baseball. A lot of people asking why and a lot of people saying yes it's about time!

+1

Fighting_Amish said:

Swampies said:

This is all starting to sound like what I would imagine those who were set in their ways, way back when felt when Jackie Robinson came into baseball. A lot of people asking why and a lot of people saying yes it's about time!

Right, because being born black is a choice.  

Being born gay isn't a choice either, and he is just comparing the social contexts at the times and how people the conversations were probably similar back then.