Thoughts On Michael Sam, His Announcement, and Phil Emery’s Response

michaelsamFirstly, Missouri defensive end Michael Sam’s announcement that he’s gay is a momentous occasion for American sports. I’m not sure that can be overstated. A lot of people I follow on Twitter filled my timeline with “I’ll be excited for when this sort of thing ISN’T news”, which struck me as code for “I don’t want to hear about this.” If you truly do want to see a time wherein this sort of announcement is commonplace and routine, then you must recognize that this is a major step toward that reality. We’re not to the point yet that this isn’t a big deal, and we were never going to get there without someone like Michael Sam.

If you needed a reminder of how hard things are going to be for Sam, the anonymous quotes from player personnel executives in Peter King’s SI piece have you covered. A sample:

‘“We talked about it this week,” the GM said. “First of all, we don’t think he’s a very good player. The reality is he’s an overrated football player in our estimation. Second: He’s going to have expectations about where he should be drafted, and I think he’ll be disappointed. He’s not going to get drafted where he thinks he should. The question you will ask yourself, knowing your team, is, ‘How will drafting him affect your locker room?’ And I am sorry to say where we are at this point in time, I think it’s going to affect most locker rooms. A lot of guys will be uncomfortable. Ten years from now, fine. But today, I think being openly gay is a factor in the locker room.”

I asked this general manager: “Do you think he’ll be drafted?”

“No,” he said.’

That strikes me as backwards thinking. The only way things like this will be more normal in ten years is if more players come out between now and then. This is the first step on that road. Furthermore, this anonymous GM cites the potential for a locker room distraction as a reason for not drafting Sam. This is a big enough talking point around the league that Jon Stewart did a segment on it last night, and it’s a shocking display of willful ignorance. There are obvious, storied examples of how integration actually creates a stronger cohesion. It happened with the racial integration of sports and the military, and when the military began allowing openly gay service members in 2011, there was no negative effect. We have specific examples of this exact “distraction” concern not actually mattering, and yet the same people persist with it as a way to avoid change. (I also have limited patience for anonymous quotes on topics like this.)

I agree with what Deadspin’s Drew Magary wrote here, that teams “would much prefer the headache of not drafting Sam to the headache of drafting him.” But the thing is, that potential headache is all perception! Manti Te’o was a headache too, but the Chargers took him and it disappeared. Riley Cooper’s story blew up for two weeks, but then he started catching touchdowns and no one cared. Sam’s story will obviously have more staying power, but there’s one big difference: it’s not a negative story. There will be more media attention, of course, but it won’t be for the wrong reasons. A team with any sort of basic competence with PR should be looking at this as a positive opportunity to embrace, not as a minefield to avoid. Hopefully there’s more than one team that views it that way.

With that out of the way, I feel like I’ve done Sam a bit of disservice by focusing entirely upon his sexuality. As a draft prospect, he should absolutely be evaluated based on his potential to perform on the field. (Obviously prospects are graded on intangibles, and off-field incidents can be red flags. But being gay isn’t a red flag, and by all accounts Sam was a quality locker room presence at Missouri.) What do the Bears think of Michael Sam? Phil Emery released a statement on Sam yesterday:

“Michael stated with great poise and confidence who he is as a person and football player and I have tremendous respect for him in the way he conveyed his thoughts and the courage it took to state them publicly,” Emery said in a statement. “Each and every player in the NFL is a unique individual, as we all are in life. We all ultimately gain respect in our jobs by how well we perform at our chosen profession and if the level in which we perform adds positively to the collective goal of success. Michael stated this and I agree with his thoughts,” Emery said. “It is about his skill set as a football player to add positively to a team’s goals and that’s how he will be evaluated.”

First of all, kudos to Emery and the Bears for that statement. Second, Sam is a consensus mid-round prospect; ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has him ranked 119 overall. I’m not sure how that anonymous GM from earlier could gather that he’s “overrated”; I suppose the fact that he won SEC defensive player of the year despite being a 4th-round prospect might factor in. But even though he isn’t likely to go early (and wasn’t likely to go early before his announcement) he absolutely should be drafted.

Does that mean the Bears should be interested? On one hand, I could see it; he’s a bit of a “tweener” as Michael C. Wright notes for ESPN Chicago. Sam played 4-3 defensive end in college, but he’s a bit undersized for the position. The Bears obviously value versatility, and their selection of Shea McClellin demonstrated Phil Emery’s willingness to go outside the box. The flip side to that, of course, is that McClellin has been a very big disappointment, having been unable to make the switches the Bears projected him to make. I’d think the Bears might take a look at Sam in that mid-round range, especially if he slides to to “concerns” about how big a “distraction” his presence might be. If he’s still available in the fifth or sixth round, there’s surplus value there, and I could see the Bears taking him.

If they do select him, I’m confident that it will be a decision based solely upon his football abilities. And since that’s good enough for Michael Sam, it’s good enough for me.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more bears news

Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

D-Line Thoughts, Caleb, GM Seth Rollins, Pack Votes No, and Other Bears Bullets

Cubs and White Sox opening day is today today. March Madness resumes with the Fighting Illini playing in the Sweet 16 later tonight. SIU, my alma mater, is reportedly hiring a "Coach Nagy" to lead its basketball team. And what...

Dan Campbell is Happy To See Justin Fields Leave the NFC North

There was no escaping the mixed emotions from Chicago Bears fans when the Justin Fields trade went down earlier this month. But there were none of that from Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell. Heck, I'd argue there was just...

Another Pass Rusher Signs Elsewhere: Jadeveon Clowney Lands With the Panthers

Another day. Another pass rusher signing. And another defensive lineman going to a team that isn't the Chicago Bears. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was the first with the news of Jadeveon Clowney signing with the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, ESPN's...

Malik Nabers Might’ve Run His Way Out of the Chicago Bears Draft Spot

Today was LSU's Pro Day and Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles was scheduled to be in attendance, per The Athletic's Adam Jahns. Assuming Poles made his flight, he got a good look at the likes of quarterback Jayden Daniels, as...

Goodell on Bears Stadium Deal, No to Hard Knocks? More Old Friends Go to Steelers, and Other Bears Bullets

I keep forgetting that I have a Starbucks gift card from Christmas that has gone unused to this point. Maybe I'll remember it next time I go out for coffee. A big shout out to PFF Brad, who made the...

Ryan Poles Was Pissed Off By RGIII’s Comments About Caleb Williams Situation

When I saw them pop up, RGIII's comments suggesting Caleb Williams pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Chicago Bears were met with an eye-roll, audible groan, and immediate dismissal before moving onto more pertinent topics. But...

Bears Stadium Update: Kevin Warren Reiterates Plans to Build in Downtown Chicago

It sure is starting to sound like Arlington Heights fumbled the bag when it comes to locking in Arlington Park as the future home of a Chicago Bears stadium. While meeting with the media at the NFL owners meetings in...

Latest News

Rays vs. Blue Jays Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) go on the road at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.The Rays will look to Aaron Civale against the Blue Jays and Chris Bassitt.Rays vs. Blue Jays...

Marlins vs. Pirates Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) play on Friday at LoanDepot park against the Miami Marlins (0-1). The contest begins at 7:10 PM ET.The Marlins will look to Andrew Jacob Puk against the Pirates and Martin Perez.Marlins vs. Pirates Pitcher Matchup and...

Duke vs Houston Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

We have a couple of number-one seeds in March Madness action tonight including Houston (32-4) as the Cougars take on Duke (26-8). Check out the odds and more for Duke vs Houston which tips off tonight at 9:39 pm ET...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoyed a successful 2023 season, capturing their third straight NFC South title and pushing the Detroit Lions in a thrilling Divisional Round matchup. This strong showing translates to a relatively stable roster with few glaring weaknesses...

NC State vs Marquette Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

March Madness matchups bring us a great battle tonight as 11-seed NC State battles 2-seed Marquette. Check out the odds, stats, and more for NC State vs Marquette which tips off at 7:09 pm ET tonight. NC State vs Marquette...

Best NBA Prop Bets Today – Friday, March 29, 2024

Today's NBA schedule has 12 quality competitions in store. Among those games is the Minnesota Timberwolves playing the Denver Nuggets.NBA prop bets for today's games are available, so if you're interested in placing a bet or building a parlay, you'll...

Updated Elite 8 Odds: UConn Betting Favorite To Win March Madness

There were some great performances last night including a 30-point win by the UConn Huskies sending them to the Elite Eight. Are they the betting favorite to win March Madness? What team is sitting on top of the odds to...

UConn vs. Illinois Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) are 8.5-point favorites to advance to the Final Four when they play the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on...

Alabama vs. Clemson Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

The No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11) and No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (24-11) will both be vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Final Four when they meet on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, tipping off at 8:49...

How to Watch UConn Huskies vs. Illinois Fighting Illini: Live Stream or on TV

The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) will take on the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on TBS starting at 6:09 PM ET.UConn won its previous...

more bears news