As always, discussions on facebook ranged in opinion. As with Jason Collins, who has not been signed in the NBA since he came out, people say that Sam's record isn't strong enough to ensure his being drafted. What they seem to be saying is that if he's not picked, it won't be because he came out. Or it's because of the media focus his presence would bring, not because he's gay.
Not being an expert on football statistics, (my team placed 4th out of 6 teams in Fantasy Football this year) I will defer to those more "in the know" regarding what may or may not be the cause of Michael Sam being picked or not. But, I kind of call bullshit on the basis of timing. He was projected to be a "mid to late round pick" which means he was expected to at least be picked. If he's not, I'm still going to think that it was more "eww, he's gay" than, "oh no, we'll have reporters on our doorstep."
Laura Clawson, on the Daily Kos, refers to such answers as "a polished way of defending bigotry"specifically in regards to the "media frenzy" excuse. She cites the following quote that first appeared (to my knowledge) on SI.com.
"I don't think football is ready for [an openly gay player] just yet. In the coming decade or two, it's going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it's still a man's-man game. To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It'd chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room."
This statement is attributed to a player personnel assistant in the NFL. All participants in the S.I. article were granted anonymity so they would speak freely. Based on this statement, we don't need to wait until the drafts to know that anti-gay prejudice is alive and thriving in the NFL. A gay player isn't acceptable but calling someone a "faggot" is commonplace? It sounds like they already know it's a problem, and their answer is to put the blame on a player who comes out, rather than deal with it.
The same combination of excuses were used to explain the Minnesota Vikings letting go of Chris Kluwe. "He's only a punter, and didn't do as much this season," along with "he's drawing too much media attention." Now, given the amount of money spent on advertising and merchandising, in what other case has the NFL been worried about "too much" media attention? If it's a superstar, even the media frenzy of a felony conviction won't phase them. But supporting gay marriage? Can't have that. In Kluwe's case, it's his word against the mangers' and coaches'. I tend to think Chris Kluwe has more integrity.
It's interesteing that there aren't any "indispensable" players coming out or showing support for LGBT issues. Could it be that no one is safe if they come out?
Michael Sam's coming out is being written as a challenge. Can the NFL avoid drafting Sam without looking prejudiced? I think it's already clear that prejudice and bigotry exist there. Instead, this should be an opportunity for the NFL to catch up with the rest of us. Even their advertisers are opening up to gay audiences and being more affirming. Will the NFL pay attention?
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