Locker Room Anxiety And Michael Sam

Michael Sam is an All-American, SEC Co-Defensive Player of the year from Missouri. In the 2013 season, he led the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss. He is projected to be a 3^rd or 4^th round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

But, that isn’t what made headlines this week. This week, Michael Sam came out of the closet. When he is drafted, he will be the first openly gay football player in the NFL.

To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t until this week that I really knew a lot about Michael Sam. I’ve seen a highlight or two, heard his name, and read a quick profile when he was selected as an All-America. When you live in Utah, the only conferences you really hear about are the PAC-12 and Mountain West Conference. The only other teams that get a lot of coverage on TV, the radio, and in the newspapers are BYU and the teams that are either in the BCS National Championship Game, or are usually in BCS National Championship Game (i.e. Alabama). You just don’t hear about the SEC.

However, if you follow college football at all, you know that the SEC players can play. Before Florida State (ACC) won it all this year, the last non-SEC team to win the National Championship was Texas in the 2005 season. In the 2013 game, Florida State beat Auburn, an SEC team, in a very close game. The competition is tough in that conference. If you are a top player in this conference, then you are probably pretty darn good. So, logically, I felt confident enough to say Michael Sam would be an almost guaranteed NFL draft pick this year.

I would venture that my opinion of him was the general opinion of most people out here in the western states. We knew him by name, and just figured that he was a pretty good football player because of his stature in a dominant conference.

Since he came out on Sunday, my opinion hasn’t changed one bit. If he can perform well on the field, who cares about his sexual orientation? If I were an NFL exec, I would be looking for a player that would help my team win.

Unsurprisingly, not everyone agrees with me. I was listening to NBC Sports Radio on my drive home on Monday night. As with all of the different sports media outlets, the host was discussing the impact of a homosexual player on an NFL team. He was seemingly supportive of Sam, as was his NFL retiree guest. A listener from South Carolina called in with a different opinion, and his opinion just so happens to be the same opinion I’ve heard from several NFL fans: Michael Sam’s sexual orientation should bar him from the NFL. Their reasoning? He will be a naked, homosexual man in a locker room with naked, heterosexual teammates.

So, let me get this straight. According to this mindset, Sam will be checking out ALL of the other athletes because he is attracted to ALL of them. What’s more, he cannot control his urges and will make advances on his teammates. The safety and comfort of the heterosexual players will be pushed aside because a sexual deviant is playing with them.

First of all, if you think homosexuality makes you a wicked person, then there is something wrong with you. There are child molesters and all kinds of other sex offenders that have done things far worse than sleeping with someone of the same gender. But, I digress.

The thing that puzzles me is this belief that homosexual men are attracted to all men. I’m a heterosexual man, but that doesn’t mean I’m attracted to every woman. If I’m at a beach, I don’t flirt with every woman I see in a bikini. I don’t get aroused every time I see a girl in yoga pants. Not every woman is attractive to me. Even if I do think a girl is pretty, I’m married. I’m committed to my wife, and only my wife. I’m in love with her, not every woman on the planet.

These people that think Michael Sam shouldn't be in an NFL locker room believe that he will be attracted to his teammates and acting on that attraction. If they believe that, does that mean that they are attracted to every woman they have ever worked with? Granted, they have probably never seen their female coworker in the buff, but you don’t need to see someone naked to be attracted to them. Do they feel the urge to attack the woman in a sexual way because they see her in a low-cut blouse or a short skirt? If so, do they act on it? That is essentially what they are saying about Sam—that he will act on his sexual urges and desires, whether it be appropriate or not. If you ask me, this kind of attitude is an indication of an oversized ego. Heterosexual men shouldn’t flatter themselves into thinking that every homosexual man wants to sleep with them. That’s just not how it works.

Also, he won’t be the first gay NFL player. He may be the first one so open about it, but there have been homosexual players in the past, and you can bet that there are gay players already in the league. The other players only care if their teammate is playing well and easy to get along with. They are mature enough not to care about the sexual orientation of their teammates.

My point is this: If Michael Sam is making plays on the football field, then he does in fact belong in an NFL locker room. His sexual orientation should not be what keeps him from playing the sport that he loves. His teammates were okay with it in college; his future teammates in the NFL will be okay with it as well. This isn’t religious or political. This is football. Period.

*Originally written in February of 2014. Sam has since been drafted by the Rams. Tony Dungy recently said that he wouldn't taken him because of all of the hoopla that comes with drafting Sam, such as a reality TV show on Oprah Winfrey's network. I do agree that kind of attention would distract the team as a whole and it probably isn't in Sam's best interest in bringing that kind of distraction. However, his talent should be the deciding factor of whether or not he deserves to play in the NFL, which is what I believe Dungy meant.

Copey's NBA Offseason

   July is a long month for me as far as sports go. Unless the Olympics are going on and I’m able to see the best talent in the NBA represent our country, I find myself bored. You can only follow football depth charts so closely, and I get annoyed by people counting down until kickoff. But, this July was different.

   When you couple the talent in the draft this year with big name free agents, you really get a recipe for an internet-breaking, league-changing, fan-crying-for-joy/pain kind of situation. Who is winning this offseason? Who is losing?

Winners

The Cleveland Cavaliers:   This summer for the Cavs is the reason why people think the NBA is rigged. Don’t get it twisted—I’m excited for them. It just blows mind how lucky a team could get. They already had loads of young talent, and in a lackluster Eastern Conference, it’s hard to believe they didn’t make the playoffs last year. And yet, as fate would have it, they won their small chance of getting the first pick in the lottery. As if that weren’t enough, their once-beloved hometown hero has returned to bring a championship to the city.

   LeBron James' return by itself should be enough to take this team deep into the playoffs. Bringing Mike Miller in makes them almost a shoo-in for the finals. If they land Kevin Love and Ray Allen, I really have a hard time seeing them not being true title contenders. The real question here is whether or not they trade Andrew Wiggins for an experience veteran like Love. Keep in mind that Love has played just as many playoff games as Wiggins: zero.

   To think that at one point I believed that Johnny Manziel would be the best thing to happen to Cleveland sports this summer is now laughable.

The New York Knicks:  A new team president in Phil Jackson and a new coach in Derek Fisher were enough to keep superstar Carmelo Anthony. They’ve traded Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Mavs, but got four players in return, including Jose Calderon and Samuel Dalembert. If you ask me, the Knicks won in that deal. They drafted well considering they didn’t have a first round pick. Cleanthony Early from Wichita St. shouldn’t have been available in the second round.

   I’ll be the first to say that I was very skeptical when I first heard that Derek Fisher was coaching the Knicks. But, then I put some thought into it. He’s played for Phil Jackson, who’s got eleven rings as an NBA coach with the Lakers and Bulls, and he’ll probably rely heavily on Jackson for guidance during the course of the season. On top of that,

San Antonio Spurs: When the best player you lose is Danny Granger, I think you’ll be okay. Having the best coach in the NBA and all of your key players return immediately puts back into championship contention. Enough said.

Honorable Mentions: Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets (MJ actually made some great moves for his squad in North Carolina. Wh-at?!)

Losers

The Los Angeles Lakers:  Steve Nash is aging out. Kobe Bryant may never fully recover from his knee injury and torn Achilles. Rumor has it that their first round draft pick, Julius Randle, has foot issues. 

   For what it’s worth, they did add a healthy Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer. Lin once wowed the country with a few stellar performances with Knicks a few years ago. But, he’s been pretty quiet since then. Boozer still has some fire left in him, but how long can that fire burn? 

   Remember when one of the big storylines of the summer was Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James joining up with the aging Kobe Bryant to bring championship basketball back to Los Angeles? At one point, that was a legitimate possibility. At least they tried. General manager Mitch Kupchak visited with reps from both of the superstars’ camps. Kobe made things personal with ‘Melo. It just didn’t work out. It must be hard to be a Los Angeles fan right now, knowing that no matter how hard Kupchak is trying, he is running the team into the ground.

Brooklyn Nets: Pierce is headed to the Wizards. Shaun Livingston to Golden State. Kidd bolted for the Bucks. They brought in veteran coach Lionel Hollins, but, to be fair to Jason Kidd, the Nets made the playoffs last year. That’s pretty impressive for a first year coach whose team is led by two washed up superstars (no offense, KG). What else can I say? I’d be surprised if they make the playoffs next season.

Philadelphia 76er’s: Just read my blog post about the draft. I really don’t understand what the 76er’s are trying to do. Tank again? Maybe.

Dishonorable Mentions: I won’t do those. It’s hard enough for me to write negatively about a team. I fear it will come back to bite me in the butt. I hate getting bit in the butt. It’s gross.

   Well, there you have it. Copey’s offseason grades, or at least offseason grades as of July. There are still a few months before the season actually begins, so these teams have the opportunity to redeem, or unredeem themselves. Regardless, I’m excited for this year. With all of the new young guys and revamped rosters, there will be some exciting NBA basketball. No doubt about that.