This week my entire column is devoted to the courageous Michael Sam: a University of Missouri defensive end who just announced that he’s gay. Mr. Sam’s announcement is monumental – he is a world-class football player hoping to be drafted into the NFL. In all of history, there has never been an openly gay, active player in the NFL, NBA, NHL, or MLB.
Mr. Sam’s actions have been seen and heard across the nation, leaving many to ask the question: what now? “I understand how big this is,” Sam said, via ESPN. “It’s a big deal. No one has done this before. And it’s kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be … I want to be a football player in the NFL.”
Legally, the NFL has a policy that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Therefore, the league would be unable to outwardly discriminate against Mr. Sam’s sexual orientation, and could get in major trouble if they did. NFL Spokesperson, Greg Aiello, released a statement about the coming out of Michael Sam. “We admire Michael Sam’s honesty and courage. Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael Sam in 2014.”
A major factor that led to Michael Sam’s public outing was the support he gained from his teammates. According to Michael Sam, his teammates were compassionate and accepting of his sexual orientation. He said that none of his teammates questioned his identity, thinking that many of them have already made assumptions about Sam’s orientation. “I guess they don’t want to ask a 6-3, 260-pound defensive lineman if he is gay,” Mr. Sam said in an interview with a chuckle. Bucknell running back, Matt DelMauro, said that he thinks the Bison team would be accepting of a gay player. “If he was a good person and worked hard, putting forth everything he has for the team, then he would quickly be part of our family and him being gay wouldn’t be a concern.”
In addition to all the excitement and support Michael Sam has received, there was naturally some negative feedback. Anonymous NFL executives were quoted in Sports Illustrated saying, “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 response illuminates a compelling topic to think about: the potential backlash that Sam could face in the locker room setting.
What is said and done behind closed locker room doors – especially in the NFL and other professional sports settings – has always been a mystery to most people. I spoke with multiple Bucknell Football players and asked them how they think the locker room would handle a homosexual player. “It would be tough,” said one of Bucknell’s own defensive ends, Josh Butler, “there would be concerns of insults and insensitivity coming from other players. It would definitely take time and some serious team bonding.” From Michael Sam’s reports, it seems that Missouri players have experienced a high level of bonding, since they all show their outward support for Mr. Sam’s identity.
I don’t believe that Michael Sam will be welcomed into the NFL with unfaltering support. However, I think he possesses one attribute that undermines critic’s negativity: raw football talent. Michael Sam is an exceptional football player. Throughout his career at the University of Missouri he has been a solid contributor. In 2010 he won 2nd-Team Freshman All-American honors, making a large splash in his first year of play. The following year he made one of the biggest defensive plays in the season, intercepting a ball against Texas Tech inside the MU 5-yardline in the closing seconds of the game. This play secured Missouri a win, which in time made them eligible for the 2011 Cotton Bowl. Most recently, Mr. Sam was named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Bucknell Football sophomore, Anthony Marcozzi, safety, explained the importance of a player’s talent regardless of personal preferences. “Making big plays will always help a player gain respect from teammates, coaches, fans and opposing teams. Throughout the history of sports, athletes who make plays are usually accepted and respected by society, regardless of off-the-field matters.”
Ultimately, fans, coaches, and teammates must decide what qualities define a successful football player. I returned to some Bison players to ask them their thoughts on this matter. Sophomore free safety, Louis Taglianetti, articulated that mental understanding and intelligence are huge factors for great players. “I think that good players are often very smart when it comes to the game itself. The guys that know the opponents tendencies, or have a good gauge on what will happen each play, will ultimately be irreplaceable.” Butler explained that a good player exemplifies “leadership, a good work ethic, raw talent, and dedication. You work hard at every practice, you give it your all at every lift, and you watch and study film…you have to be a student of the game.” Marcozzi expressed that a good player is “defined by the way he carries himself on the field and in workouts. It comes down to the way he plays.” From these insights I gathered that talent and dedication, two factors that are independent from personal preferences, define a good football player.
Why should sexual orientation define Mr. Sam? In my opinion, it shouldn’t. Michael Sam is a football player—and a great one by every quantitatively measurable statistic I could find. His college football stats highlight him as a standout player, and raw athleticism and skill earned him the well-deserved title of Co-Defensive Player of the Year. His teammates respect him, his coaches support him, and his opponents fear him. Michael Sam is an idol, a role model, and a pioneer. He can shatter the glass ceiling that has trapped homosexual athletes nation-wide, and he can bask in respect earned through his talent and courage — not because of his sexual orientation.