Posted on 02/13/2014 10:00:57 AM PST by nickcarraway
Fancred Michael Sam’s decision to come out has drawn support and praise from fans, owners and players around the NFL. The way he’ll be treated once inside an NFL locker room, though, is a different story.
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma expressed some doubts about gay players in NFL locker rooms during an NFL Network interview earlier this month.
“I think that he would not be accepted as much as we think he would be accepted,” Vilma said. “I don’t want people to just naturally assume, like, ‘Oh, we’re all homophobic.’ That’s really not the case. Imagine if he’s the guy next to me and, you know, I get dressed, naked, taking a shower, the whole nine, and it just so happens he looks at me. How am I supposed to respond?”
After Sam’s revelation Sunday, Vilma clarified his comments, expressing some regret over his original example.
“It was a poor illustration of the example I was trying to give on the context, so I do apologize for that,” Vilma said on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360″ on Monday, per the Times-Picayune. “I was trying to explain that whenever you have change into something that’s been set in stone for so long, something that’s been going for so long, that change always comes with a little resistance.”
The three-time Pro Bowler said plenty of players would accept and welcome a gay teammate, but a small percentage might not be quite as open-minded.
“You have people that can be more outgoing, more open-minded. You have people that are a little more closed-minded,” Vilma said. “Some people grew up with or without the acceptance of gays within their families. You have a lot of different elements within the locker room that you just don’t see right now. Me being on the inside for 10 years, inside the locker room, I’ve been around that.
“And it’s not to say that the locker rooms are bad. It’s to say that there are going to be people that accept it willingly as soon as he comes in, welcome him with open arms, and then unfortunately, there will be some, I’m about 99 percent sure the minority, will say, well, they’re not comfortable with that yet.
“They don’t know how to respond to that. That’s just what’s going to happen in the first whatever, the first year, two years. When you have more players like Michael Sam coming out and saying that they’re gay, the transition will be a lot smoother.”
Vilma, 31, likely will be released by the Saints this offseason and could find himself out of the league altogether after missing 25 games over the last three seasons.
If he ever gets in the locker room in the frst place. And that's a big if. They won't say so publicly but I'll bet there will be players from every team talking privately to coaches, telling them they don't want to share a locker room with a fag...the team doesn't need the distraction etc etc.
Headline of the Day Poll
Should homosexuals be allowed in the NFL showers?
50% Yes. Homophobia should be rejected.
4% I don’t know.
46% No. Heterosexuals have rights, too.
http://www.headlineoftheday.com
They will be railroaded out of football if they complain. Remember, the NFL is a billion dollar business, and billion dollar businesses support the left and crush anyone who disagrees with the left.
given this new precedent, i look forward to being able to go into the female locker room anytime i want. they’ve already let women in the locker room with men - which i oppose.
if a homosexual man, who is attracted and has sex with men, can be in a locker room with straight men, why can’t a man, who is attracted to and has sex with women, be in a locker room with women?
seriously, the lib position justifies it, and it’s insane.
Mr. Sam should strongly consider getting some AFLAC supplemental disability insurance.
why do straight men have to put up with being ogled sexually by homosexuals in the locker room?
it’s like saying women have to put up with men ogling them sexually in their locker room.
I think if the truth be told, gay NFL players who have been “outed,” are usually cut quickly and quietly but for other reasons. I can give names here, but won’t.
I might be wrong, and the current generation of ball players I’m told don’t care if you’re red, blue, white, gay or whatever, but there are still conservative veterans on teams, so I would be entirely surprised if this guy is successful in the NFL. With the amount of talent out there, why draft a guy who will cause disharmony on your team from get go.
Ten years from now? Who knows.
I'm thinking he “came out” when he did in an attempt to use this issue as leverage to guarantee a spot in the NFL. He's setting up his “ if you don't draft me your discriminating against me because I'm a homo” defiance.
defiance = defense
Nope. If they go on TV and complain they'll have hell to pay. But not if they keep it in the locker room. Ever played sports? Ever been part of a locker room? There's going to be a bunch of complaints.
The New Orleans Saints Have Fired Jonathan Vilma!!
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24440329/saints-dl-will-smith-to-be-released
You have to wonder what is it about pro football that made it such a target for such an attack.
He's already called too much attention to himself. Now if a team sings him, they know they'll be accused of homophobia if they release him. He should have waited until he had a contract to come out of the closet. He'll have to hope one of the more PC teams might want him just because he's a homo.
An ex-NFL player on my local sports talk station says that gays in the NFL are going to have a really tough time with devoutly Christian African-Americans in the locker room.
Yes, I have been part of a locker room. Have you?
It was manly and even with all of the felons in the league there are many good Christian men in the NFL. Libs always destroy and never build up.
The big difference however was that they minded their own business and conducted their private lives just like the rest of us....privately.
The militant homosexuals have destroyed that once peaceful cohabitation.......
I don’t think press of any gender or orientation should be in the locker-room
who wants to be that close to a gay man who might be carrying hiv or hep c?.....
maybe this is why we have the push for touch football and soft play...
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