Tag: NFL

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NFL: Atlanta Falcons Coach Asks Prospective Player If He’s Gay

Homophobia rears it’s ugly head again as the NFL draft approaches.

According to former Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple, an Atlanta Falcons coach asked if the player was gay during last week’s NFL combine.

From ABC News:

An Atlanta Falcons coach asked former Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple whether he is gay during a meeting last week at the NFL combine. Apple described the meeting Friday during an interview with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, although he did not identify the coach.

“The Falcons coach, one of the coaches, was like, ‘So do you like men?’” Apple told Comcast SportsNet. “It was like the first thing he asked me. It was weird. I was just like, ‘No.’ He was like, ‘If you’re going to come to Atlanta, sometimes that’s how it is around here. You’re going to have to get used to it.’

“I guess he was joking, but they just ask most of these questions to see how you’re going to react.” Falcons coach Dan Quinn released a statement Friday, acknowledging the incident.

“I am really disappointed in the question that was asked by one of our coaches,” Quinn said. “I have spoken to the coach that interviewed Eli Apple and explained to him how inappropriate and unprofessional this was. I have reiterated this to the entire coaching staff and I want to apologize to Eli for this even coming up. This is not what the Atlanta Falcons are about and it is not how we are going to conduct ourselves.”

The NFL has previously stated that asking about sexual orientation in the hiring process is against league policy.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement includes protections that prohibit discrimination against any player based on sexual orientation. Violation of those protections is subject to league discipline.

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NFL Network Locker Room Interview Puts On An (Unexpected) Show

I love when this happens on live TV.

Clearly, interviewer Albert Breer was unaware of what was going on in the background during his post-game locker room chat with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Adam Jones after the team’s win over the Buffalo Bills.

Take a look and you’ll see why the sports anchors were a bit tongue-tied after the interview. Full-frontal and back-end shots all on display.

I may have to subscribe to The NFL Network now.

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News Round-Up: August 2, 2015

Some news stories you may have missed:

• HBO programming chief Michael Lombardo acknowledges canceling LGBT series “Looking” was a painful decision.

• Just for the fun of it – here’s the best TV bloopers from local news reports in the past month. Folks are human, don’t you know?

• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker still backs a Constitutional amendment allowing states to ban same-sex marriage.

• Anti-gay Congressman Steve King says the recent SCOTUS ruling on same-sex marriage means you can now marry your lawn mower.

• Donald Trump may be riding high amid his GOP competitors, but a new poll shows every Democratic nominee would beat him.

• Did former One Directioner Zayn Malik throw shade at his former bandmates?

• GOP hopeful Dr. Ben Carson doesn’t know if the Bible has “authority” over the U.S. Constitution.
(Here’s a clue – it doesn’t. Separation of Church and State and all that, don’t you know…)

• Two current NFL players say they would come out if the media wouldn’t make “a big deal out of it.”

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Tim Tebow Signs One Year Contract With Philadelphia Eagles

Former NFL quarterback gets a second (third?) chance at the big time with the announcement that he has signed a one year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The sports world is pretty much shaking it’s head over this one. Tebow’s career completion rate is 47.9%.

And yet, out footballer Michael Sam is told over and over again HE’S not playing in the NFL because he’s simply not good enough?

In the 2014 NFL preseason Sam was top-five in the NFL in sacks and was second on the St. Louis Rams team in tackles.

I’m not the only one scratching my head.

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Missouri’s Markus Golden Will Be Interesting To Watch In 2015 NFL Draft

Erik Siegrist, writing for Rotowire, has an interesting take on Markus Golden, Defensive End for Mizzou, who’s up for the NFL draft this year.

He compares Golden to another player from last year’s draft in terms of stats and play:

Basically, the same stats, right?

Cutting to the chase, I’m sure regular readers (who must be wondering why I’m writing about a DE from Missouri out of nowhere) will guess: Golden is Player A and out footballer Michael Sam is Player B.

Like Sam last year, Golden’s size has most teams viewing him as undersized for a DE, but a possible candidate to move to OLB instead. Like Sam last year, most experts are viewing Golden as a probable mid-round pick, possibly sneaking into the third round but more likely getting selected on Day Three.

Last year, in a deep class for pass rushers, 43 DEs and OLBs came off the board before Sam was selected late in the seventh round.

[snip]

But when on paper two players are so similar, if there’s a wide divergence in their fates in the draft, you have to start looking seriously at other factors to explain the discrepancy.

Through no fault of his own, Markus Golden is in a position to almost single-handedly prove (or disprove) the most common theory as to why Michael Sam is currently not with an NFL team, even on a futures contract.

The NFL continues to hold the line that Sam isn’t on an NFL roster because he wasn’t good enough.

We’ll see if the same stats – without the cache of being Co-Defensive Player of the Year for the SEC as Sam was – will work better for Golden.

And that will definitely tell us something. Won’t it?

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Anonymous Bisexual NFL Player “Offended” Michael Sam Said Others Don’t Have Courage To Come Out

TMZ Sports is reporting that they have spoken to a “bisexual NFL player” who’s “offended” because out NFL-er Michael Sam said other gay men in the league are less courageous because they don’t want to come out.

The player — who didn’t want to be identified by name — has played in the league for several seasons and says he’s open about his sexuality with close friends.

But when the player read Sam’s recent comments about gay men in the league — he was offended.

Specifically, the player was upset when Sam said … “I respect the players that did reach out to me and had the courage to tell me that they were also gay, but they do not have the same courage as I do to come out before I even played a down in the NFL.”

The player’s response — “As a bisexual man, I just feel like Michael Sam does not speak for all gay men.”

“He has his own opinion … but DON’T say that we don’t have the courage to come out. It’s totally wrong. Just speak for yourself. No one else.”

I think it goes without saying that if you’re accused of not having the courage to come out, and then you don’t while giving a news outlet an interview, you’ve basically proven Michael Sam right.

The unnamed player added that “the NFL isn’t ready for people to be open about it. Or the General Managers for that matter.”

Mr. Anonymous also threw out a final swipe at Sam, saying that he had his chance, but, “I just don’t think he performed well.”

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Michael Sam Makes His Mark At First-Ever NFL Veteran Combine

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Today marked the first ever NFL Veteran Combine where 105 former NFL football players were given a chance to show their stuff in hopes of catching the eye of a team looking for talent.

Among those players was Michael Sam.

After coming out last year before the NFL draft, Sam saw his prospects drop from a possible third round pick to seventh round. As the 249th pick last year, Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams but cut on the last day before the regular season began. He was picked up for the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, but released after six weeks.

After months of training, today was Sam’s opportunity to show why he was the 2013 Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC.

Cyd Zeigler of Outsports reports on Sam’s performance today:

The results of the Veteran Combine for Sam were mixed. His 40-yard-dash time was disappointing, at around five seconds. Yet I thought he looked a bit looser and more fluid in many of the drills. Interestingly, I overheard a scout say to someone else of another player who wasn’t Sam, “his 40 time wasn’t great but that really doesn’t matter.” It will be interesting to see if the media and teams afford Sam the same luxury.

NFL teams looking for reasons to not sign Sam will focus on that 40 time and his Rookie Combine performance. Teams looking to sign the most talented player will focus on Sam’s performance in the drills, his senior year at Missouri and his preseason with the Rams.

When asked about returning to the football field, Sam answered, “Whoever wants me.”

“Absolutely, I think my chances are high,” the 25-year-old defensive end said. “As long as I have that will to play the game and I am healthy, you’ll continue to see me trying to play in this league. I am very confident I will be playing football somewhere.”

Sam also acknowledged a standing offer he has from a Canadian football team. “If that’s the opportunity, I’ll take it. I’m a fighter and I’m going to keep fighting.”

Man. I want this for Sam so bad.

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Michael Sam Invited To 1st NFL Veteran Combine

Michael Sam, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Rams, will participate in the first NFL Veteran Combine scheduled to take place on March 22nd in Tempe, AZ.

The veteran combine is a chance for veteran players who may have slipped through the cracks during their earlier time in the NFL.

Via Sporting News:

In 2013, Sam was named the SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year. Although he was projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick, Sam was selected final round and became the first openly gay player to be drafted. He was released by Rams in August after failing to survive the final preseason cuts. Sam joined the Cowboys’ practice squad in September but was waived just one month.

Sam was announced earlier this week as a cast member of the 10th season of Dancing With The Stars. Sam had indicated earlier that football is his first priority and the ABC TV show had already assured him their schedule would not interfere with his taking part in the Combine.

Should Sam leave the combine without a deal, he could still accept a one-year offer from the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes.