Bravo. University of Missouri's superstar defensive lineman Michael Sam has made history to become the first Division I college football player to come out as gay.
The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Mizzou senior is a top NFL draft pick. He is the 2013 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, was named a first-team all-American and was voted Missouri's most valuable player. Sam is expected to be drafted in the early rounds of the NFL draft in May and is on track to become the first openly gay in the National Football League.
The 24-year-old Sam made the public statement to the New York Times.
"I just want to make sure I could tell my story the way I want to tell it," said Mr. Sam who also spoke with ESPN on Sunday. "I just want to own my truth." ...
Mr. Sam said he began to wonder if he was gay in his early teens, though he had a girlfriend in high school. It was after he arrived at Missouri in 2009 that he realized for certain that he was gay. Teammates increasingly suspected as much, and some knew that he dated a man on the university’s swim team, but it never prevented Mr. Sam from being one of the most popular players on the team.
The footballer said he decided to come out publicly now because he believed there were rumors.
But the N.F.L. presents the potential for unusual challenges. In the past year or so, the league has been embroiled in controversies ranging from antigay statements from players to reports that scouts asked at least one prospective player if he liked girls.
At a showcase game for college seniors last month, several scouts asked Mr. Sam’s agent, Joe Barkett, questions about whether Mr. Sam had a girlfriend or whether Mr. Barkett had seen him with women.
Missouri finished its season 12-2 and Sam helped lead the team to its Cotton Bowl victory. Sam is expected to train intensely between now and the NFL Combine in May. "I’m not naïve," he said. "I know this is a huge deal and I know how important this is. But my role as of right now is to train for the combine and play in the N.F.L."
Michael Sam would become the first openly gay male player in the rarefied "Big Four"—the NFL, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball or the National Hockey League. Free agent and twelve-year NBA veteran Jason Collins came out in April 2013. Collins had been playing with the Wizards. He has not been resigned.
John Amaechi, who was the first former NBA player to come out as gay, told me last spring that he was not surprised the first out, active male player would be from the NBA. "I expect that the next three or four" professional sports players to come out could also be Black players, Amaechi told me in "Jason Collins Has “Reframed the Conversation” Around Sports, Blacks and Homophobia" for EBONY.
"The media incorrectly assumed that ‘the first’ player would be White and probably from hockey or baseball," author and activist Darnell L. Moore told EBONY. Moore and former NFL player Wade Davis have co-founded You Belong, a sports leadership initiative for LGBT youth. "The majority of the NBA and the NFL’s players are Black, so, to me it came as no surprise."
Wade Davis, former Division I basketball player Will Sheridan and former American Basketball Association player DeMarco Majors discussed the landscape for professional Black gay athletes with me in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed 2012 anthology For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Not Enough. The book was edited by television commentator Keith Boykin.
Love it! Go on with your bad self, brotha!
Posted by: Torrance | 09 February 2014 at 21:05
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Posted by: West Side | 09 February 2014 at 21:14
Peace to All!
Michael Sam is to be commended and supported for his active affirmation and courageous conviction of being a fully alive person, scholar athlete and soon to become NFL player, in his own right and integrity, as a young, gifted and truly Black gay man.
"To thine ownself be true," Sam, as you embark on a professional career level, as well, as a most empowering example for all of us to emulate and applaud!
Only two years ago at a Cornell event did I have an opportunity to publicly be proud and freely proclaim my being same gender loving and that is after over 35 years of graduating college.
I am so very heartened and I very proudly support Michael Sam and all our children meant to live over and above our rainbow revolution in the Light and fullness of all their days!
One Love,
Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea
Posted by: Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea | 09 February 2014 at 21:28
6-3 260. Big dude and good luck in the league.
Posted by: Tony | 09 February 2014 at 21:38
Huge news! Wow! So glad he's breaking through! Stay strong and persevere! He's a cutie BTW too LOL.
Posted by: MW09 | 10 February 2014 at 00:37
Wow. Brave and BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
Lord, Lord, Lord.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | 10 February 2014 at 08:23
This news is incredible! I wish him the best of luck. And that is a big ole fine man yessss gawd!
Posted by: Rico | 10 February 2014 at 08:24
i am so proud of this young man
Posted by: Thomas | 10 February 2014 at 08:55
I hope he has other skills other than football..he's gonna need it! Or maybe he's independently wealthy.
Posted by: Gee Gee | 10 February 2014 at 10:07
I hope he has all of the success (and none of the concussions or dementia) in the NFL. I am already a fan!
Posted by: Distant Lover | 14 February 2014 at 09:45