“It wouldn’t work, not in football”, “The locker room is one of the most forgiving environments in the word”, “Someone like that couldn’t survive in football”. Such sentences have been said on multiple occasions regarding the possibility of an openly gay football player.
If former Missouri Tigers defensive end Michael Sam enters the NFL this upcoming draft, he will have well and truly blown the doors off these ignorant thoughts.
‘Mizzou’ played the entire season aware of Sam’s sexual orientation… he told them in August.
Armchair quarterbacks are the first ones to tell you each Saturday about how holier than thou and immensely thwarting the SEC is in the world of college football and the very same people will say the notion of a homosexual football player doesn’t fly as they don’t have the mental or physical make up to play modern day gladiators.
If they are to still have these opinions then they surely did not see last season, in which Sam amassed 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in the toughest conference, for a team of whom very little was expected – especially not a Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.
But as remarkable as Michael Sam’s season was, the fact is that none of his achievements at the college level will be as significant as his decision to announce his sexual orientation to the sports world.
I don’t think it is that big a deal. Not in a ‘this isn’t important’ kind of way, it most certainly is. I merely think of it as a sad indictment of the fact that we are in the year 2014 and this is news.
It shouldn’t be. As a society we should be well beyond this.
For perspective’s sake and to attempt to understand the ‘locker room’ perspective, I am currently playing American football at a college in a red state, located well and truly within the bible belt.
I also know I’d be very comfortable if one of my teammates were to come out as gay.
Unlike many of the residents here, I was educated within both the private catholic school system and afterwards attended fairly liberal university, so my perspective on the topic I believe is fairly well rounded.
I don’t wish to make this a topic of religion, but it is relevant when questioning how the locker room will react within a football program, especially in the geographic area in which I am situated.
Many of my teammates are Christian and have been their whole lives. As a result their views towards homosexuality differ to my rather liberal outlook.
Before any judgments are made, I’d like to point out that in my six months of living here they have been some of the most welcoming, warm and loving people I have ever met. Many of them treated me like family while I’m an ocean apart from my family back in Australia.
In the same regard, I have met a number of pro-gay rights oriented people that I would never want to associate with as their personalities are truly reprehensible.
What I’m saying is that many of the anti-gay (even slightly apprehensive) sentiments from the locker room do not come from an outlet of pure hate but rather one of upbringing and to judge someone based upon a lack of perspective is equally ignorant of us simply because we were born into different circumstances.
Homosexual hate on the other hand, the outward expression of bigotry that no doubt Michael Sam is receiving on twitter right now, is reprehensible and downright saddening as a human.
An individual’s sexual orientation does not affect the type of player or person they are but unfortunately in the testosterone-filled, bravado-driven, results-based game of American football, this is not the apparent reality.
The 6’6, 330lb offensive lineman who has been the alpha male of his town, high school, college and professional team does not want to be the perceived laughing stock of his team after being physically beaten by an openly homosexual teammate.
This isn’t a revelation; this is merely locker room semantics. And it rings true for many team sports.
No person wants to be beaten by the weakest person on the team, you feel ashamed and as a result you believe your status to be diminishing.
Unfortunately, certain outlets have painted homosexuals with the same broad brush and thus are often treated in the same regard, being ‘weak’.
This is far from the truth, as dealing with daily sexual prejudices and being steadfast in one’s sense of self is one of the strongest acts imaginable.
Michael Sam is doing something big here. Anytime someone does a first of anything, it is a big thing.
Barack Obama being the first African-American President of the USA is a big thing.
Julia Gillard being the first female Prime Minister of Australia is a big thing.
Hell, even Chyna being the first woman to enter the WWE Royal Rumble is a big thing to somebody! (That somebody being me, admittedly, ashamedly).
Sam’s decision to come out as gay I don’t believe will greatly affect the number of young homosexual football players coming out to their team mates. It can’t hurt, but not at the moment anyway.
But contemplate the possibilities.
What if Michael Sam wins defensive rookie of the year?
What if Michael Sam is chosen to the Pro-Bowl?
What if Michael Sam jerseys sell like hotcakes?
What if Michael Sam, the first openly gay NFL player, has a media day podium during NFL Super bowl week?
This is when we will see results.
Ultimately, the NFL and every team within can sing their praises of Sam’s brave decision now. But the true test of their virtue will be if the NFL draft rolls around this April and sexual orientation and fear of locker room chemistry will diminish what Michael Sam’s what he truly is above anything else…
A man, and a football player.
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