Society

Sam, I Am . . . A Ram

275px-Michael_Sam_final_Mizzou_home_gameSt Louis Rams HelmetI am delighted to post the great news that Michael Sam, who came out earlier this year, is now the NFL’s first openly gay player. Sam is now a Ram.


I have been following the draft each day to watch the selections of my beloved Bears. However, I have been increasing nervous that Sam might not be drafted. It is a great day for the Rams, the NFL, and the country in my view. Sam shattered one of the most virulent barriers in professional sports. While many players and coaches are entirely supportive, the homophobia has a long and disgraceful history with individual players and some owners.

I am very happy with the choices of the Bears. I was a bit surprised by the selection of Ego Ferguson, LSU defensive tackle, but I have come to trust Trestman’s instincts. He was criticized for picking Kyle Long last year and it proved an inspired choice.

Sam was selected as the 249th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was an All-American and the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Missouri. It took guts to come out and the Rams secured a noble place in history with this selection. Perhaps in my lifetime the sexual orientation of a player will no longer be such a controversy. In the meantime, watching a player like Sam on the field will do more to overcome stereotypes than every public campaign by every advocacy group in the country. While many people do not like football and may be underwhelmed by this news, it is the most popular sport in the country and watching a gay man play this sport could be a transformative moment for some.

As for Sam, he tweeted “Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. I’m using every (ounce) of this to achieve greatness!!”

Many of us want to join Sam and say “Thank you St. Louis Rams.”

111 thoughts on “Sam, I Am . . . A Ram”

  1. What in God’s name is the great news in this? Perhaps you are suggesting great romps and, forgive the pun, rams in the showers. What is it with homosexuals that they must continually announce their perversion? Who the hell cares? Shut up, be calm, and carry on.

  10. Nick,
    I think all posters, as long as they are civil are welcome as far as I am concerned.

  11. Nick

    No one was talking to you. Besides, I have never heard you say anything worth listening to. Maybe, you can go the beauty parlor. They usually listen.

  12. pete, George and Abe are a contrived act to demean this thread and blog. Don’t y’all get it, George and Abe? They should be ignored @ all cost, IMO.

  15. Abe

    I have many gay friends. I talk with them and will help them if they need it. I just don’t agree with the lifestyle form a biblical perspective.

  18. “playing the love card”

    All day, every day.

    Coincidentally, this was also the only commandment of the alleged founder of christianity. Maybe that page there at the end of your “scripture” fell out. It’s not hard to see where a certain grumpiness could arise without it.

    The bullies are losing, George. Authoritarianism is too easy to debunk and undercut in the information age. No one is afraid of the old myths anymore. They have to be brutally enforced to stand, and even then everyone sees right through it, given a little googleitis.

    And Happy Mother’s Day! Now THERE’s a love card!

  19. James

    Always playing the love card. Just like a liberal deviating from the truth.

  20. Ya’ll should lay off george, it’s not often the ex-president puts his paintbrush down long enough to comment on a blog.

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