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NFL Draft prospect announces he's gay: Michael Sam, OLB/DE Missouri


T0mShane

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Since Missouri defensive end Michael Sam announced on Sunday that he is gay, his agent Joe Barkett has been inundated with calls, including those from Fortune 500 companies.

"Every time I'm on the phone, I'm getting phone calls," Barkett told ESPN.com. "There's always one from a company expressing their interest in Michael. Name any type of industry, we've probably heard from a company in their sector in the last 48 hours."

Barkett said all the interest is coming from mainstream companies, not gay brands that have a product or service to sell specifically to the gay population.

"We haven't really heard from companies that market specifically to the LGBT community," Barkett said. "It has been large companies who obviously support LGBT initiatives."

That doesn't surprise gay marketing strategist Bob Witeck, whose firm in Washington, D.C., has focused on marketing to the gay population over the past two decades.

"His true marketing potential isn't to gay people," Witeck said. "His true marketing potential will be reached by selling to consumers who appreciate him because of his individuality. These companies are looking to build new stories and Michael stands out."

Sam sent his first tweet at 8:02 p.m. ET on Sunday. He now has nearly 80,000 followers, more than any other potential 2014 NFL draftee except for quarterbacks Johnny ManzielAJ McCarron and Aaron Murray.

 

From ESPN.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the real question isn't about Michael Sam.  It's about Bob Witeck.  How does one land that job?

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yes, cause saying he considered the implications beyond football is saying he's not really gay. Ridiculous. Never once did I say it was the only reason. And I'm sorry, agents lie, it's kinda of part of their job.

 

I can't understand how suggesting the man and his team of representatives considered this move from all angles is a "dickhead viewpoint". I'm in meetings like this all time, it's the way it works.

Wait, what meetings are you in that are like the one in which a PR team spitballs a coming out?

 

LOL f*cking CTM.  Of COURSE he's in meetings with closeted gays all day.  It all makes sense now.

 

 

You think Applebee's will jump on this? "Applebee's, THE place to bees when you've just found out your son's a 'mo".

I'm not saying this will be their strategy, but surely they've considered it.

 

CONSIDER. ALL. ANGLES.

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It's only been a week or so, and I'm already sick of this story. Profootballtalk seems like they publish Michael Sam articles everyday, and it's getting really, really annoying. I don't want him to not be drafted simply because he's gay, but honestly, if he ends up on the Jets, I think we are all going to be miserable when we try to keep up with team news and 99% of the stories are about Michael Sam, and 1% about the team and actual football.

 

If the media is bombarding us with Sam stories before the draft, imagine what will go on after he's drafted and in training camp. And if he does end up on the Jets, you know the media vultures are going to wait for a player (or even bait a player) on the Jets to make a comment about Sam or homosexuality that media jumps on to try and create drama. So as a fan, from these perspectives I'm worried about what will happen with the team & media if we draft Sam.

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Over the course of years, I've seen so many barriers broken that I can't take the publicity arguments seriously.   The publicity never is as big as opponents say, and the supposed division between people at the institution in question never happens.  Your argument sounds reasonable, but it never seems to work out that way.  Everybody adjusts, and life goes on.

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Over the course of years, I've seen so many barriers broken that I can't take the publicity arguments seriously.   The publicity never is as big as opponents say, and the supposed division between people at the institution in question never happens.  Your argument sounds reasonable, but it never seems to work out that way.  Everybody adjusts, and life goes on.

I'm really focusing mainly on the immediate consequences in the context of the Jets locker room in particular. Would you or anyone else really be surprised if the media tries to stir up massive amounts of excrement for the Jets if Michael Sam ends up on the team?

 

This is the same media that went on a merciless media slaughter of the Jets in 2011, 2012, and the run up to 2013 for next to nothing in my view. I can totally see some sports journalist trolls, citing "anonymous sources" in the Jets locker room concerning negative views of Sam on the team or controversial statements. Not only can I see this, but I think it will probably happen in one form or another, whether it's an "anonymous source", a statement taken out of context, a misquote, whatever.

 

I've had enough media bull concerning the Jets to last a lifetime, I don't want anymore, and I'm afraid the media will only give us more if we draft Sam. If the Patriots drafted him on the other hand, I can see the media spinning it the opposite way, praise for the pats for being so professional, a ringing endorsement of the patriot way, yada yada yada.

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Cimini has an article up on the Espn jets website, where a fellow named Ziegler (agent?) is quoted that he thinks SAM can go to any team in the NFL, with the exception of 3:

 

REDSKINS

COWBOYS

JETS

 

He states that these 3 teams LACK LEADERSHIP. REX, any reponse?

 

Ziegler just shows his ignorance. The only reasons this would matter, would be the major media markets.  Even as a rookie, you already see Sheldon becoming a vocal leader, one who has not only played and lived with Sam, but has stated that he'd have zero problem with him being there. Other than the NY media, the Jets' defensive locker-room seems like a decent landing place.  And if we're going by the odds, no matter what team he goes to, he's 100% not the only gay player there.

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Ziegler just shows his ignorance. The only reasons this would matter, would be the major media markets.  Even as a rookie, you already see Sheldon becoming a vocal leader, one who has not only played and lived with Sam, but has stated that he'd have zero problem with him being there. Other than the NY media, the Jets' defensive locker-room seems like a decent landing place.  And if we're going by the odds, no matter what team he goes to, he's 100% not the only gay player there.

I think it is probably based on our IDIOT Coach, making guys like HOLMES a captain. Making Holmes a captain would be like Miami making Incognito a captain..............................whoops.

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I'm really focusing mainly on the immediate consequences in the context of the Jets locker room in particular. Would you or anyone else really be surprised if the media tries to stir up massive amounts of excrement for the Jets if Michael Sam ends up on the team?

 

This is the same media that went on a merciless media slaughter of the Jets in 2011, 2012, and the run up to 2013 for next to nothing in my view. I can totally see some sports journalist trolls, citing "anonymous sources" in the Jets locker room concerning negative views of Sam on the team or controversial statements. Not only can I see this, but I think it will probably happen in one form or another, whether it's an "anonymous source", a statement taken out of context, a misquote, whatever.

 

I've had enough media bull concerning the Jets to last a lifetime, I don't want anymore, and I'm afraid the media will only give us more if we draft Sam. If the Patriots drafted him on the other hand, I can see the media spinning it the opposite way, praise for the pats for being so professional, a ringing endorsement of the patriot way, yada yada yada.

 

In 1948 the Dodgers got Jackie Robinson, the best black baseball player,  to cross the color line and improve their team.  It went completely  against the traditions of America to that point, they knew there would be huge trouble, but they also knew that the color line would be broken some time and this was their chance to get a player who could turn the team around.  It took courage for the Dodgers to do it, but they went ahead.

 

Now, the tradition has changed and people who want to shun various groups are the exception.  This would just be another barrier falling out of many, and the courage to do this is less than a thousandth the courage the Dodgers showed in 1948.  If the Jets front office is so afraid of the newspapers and television that they let themselves get scared off of taking Sam if they think he's the best player for them at his draft position, then the Jets' front office isn't worth much anyway.

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