First Openly Gay NFL Player Reflects on His Experience

Albany Times Union ^

[N. Theknow]

"I had to prove myself, to show that I was one of the guys," said Sam

News Flash-----to Sam----You didn't and You weren't!

[tbpiper]

Sexuality Month at the University at Albany

Kind of a campus wide "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" event? Or perhaps the pre-med programs invites everyone to come and play doctor?

[fwdude]

He was a bust in football,

Like the vast majority of other players who make it to the top. But somehow, MS is "special" because he plays in sewers.

[commish]

Sam did not get cut because he was gay as anyone with a modicum of football knowledge can tell you, and has been pointed out amply on this thread already.

he was an undersized DE who was too slow to play outside LB in the NFL. In college he was just quick enough to beat most weakside Right Tackles off the line and as a result he was able to rack up a fair amount of "Star Stats" -- IE sacks and QB pressures.

However when you look deeper into his stats it becomes very apparent he was a one trick pony. He could not cover backs or TEs and was all but non-existent in run defense.

He had one year where he was able to pile up a lot of sacks on a team that was successful enough to sneak into the SEC championship game and therefore he also snuck into the SEC player of the year race.

His NFL draft grade was poor and it was only the publicity that got him drafted as high as he was. He was always destined to be an undrafted free-agent that might have landed on a mediocre teams practice squad or maybe at best a couple years as a role player (IE passing down specialist) for a poor team with a weak defense.