Tag: out athletes

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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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Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage – Gareth Thomas Watches His Life Unfold Onstage

Out rugby legend Gareth Thomas sees his life onstage in new play Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage

A new play based on the life of out Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas opened last night, produced by National Theatre Wales in Cardiff, Wales.

Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage tells the story of former captain “Alfie,” who won 100 caps for Wales before coming out as gay.

From the National Theatre Wales website:

“I was doing something nobody had done before, and if you’re the first to do something, you have to be prepared to take the sh*t for it.”

On the eve of one of the most important games of his career, Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas received a warning: The Sun newspaper was going to “out” him as gay.

This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation; Gareth “Alfie” Thomas, 100 caps for Wales, once its captain, now the world’s most prominent gay sportsman; and his hometown, Bridgend.

Working with “Alfie” himself, and young people in Bridgend, two of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies – National Theatre Wales and Out of Joint – have teamed up to tell a great Welsh story about sport, politics, secrets, life and learning to be yourself.

Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage runs at the Sherman Theatre until March 7th before touring in Aberystwyth, Bethesda, Aberdare and Bridgend.

In the clip below, Thomas watches a scene from the play which recreates the moment he told his wife he is gay.

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Parents Of Gay Teen Athlete Won’t Allow Him To Come Out

A young gay high school wrestler, “Hunter,” recently shared his struggle with coming out on the website Outsports.

Apparently his parents didn’t approve of his coming out and were forcing him into harmful reparative or “ex-gay” therapy. They also forbade him from coming out to anyone else.

But once his story hit Outsports, it was shared across several sites on the web and Hunter grew afraid his parents would see it. And so, out of fear, he asked Outsports to remove the coming out story.

We’re sorry to say that we’ve decided to remove this story from the site.

Hunter contacted us this morning with fear that his parents might see it. The story got shared and read far more widely – and with more mainstream media – than we had imagined it could be. When mainstream sites started picking it up, Hunter got concerned and this morning asked us to remove the full story, at least temporarily, from Outsports. Just as the publication of the story is something we don’t usually do, its removal is the same.

As I understand it, Hunter’s parents have banned him from social media. But he did set up a secret email address should other young, LGBT athletes want to reach out to him. He can be reached by emailing here.

You can listen to Cyd Zeigler on Outsports Radio talk on the sad situation. The radio show aired before Hunter asked that the story be removed for now.

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Michael Sam NFL Jersey Outsells 2014 Number One Draft Pick

According to sales reports from sports retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods, out NFLer Michael Sam’s jersey outsold number one draft pick Jadeveon Clowney.

In full disclosure: Clowney sustained an early season injury which curtailed play time.

But good to know my man Sam was supported by his fans.

Check me wearing MY Michael Sam jersey this past August on the day the St. Louis Rams cut him at the end of the preseason.

Looking foward to seeing Sam on a regular roster in 2015.

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Pro MLS Player Robbie Rogers Expected More Gay Athletes To Come Out

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Pro soccer player Robbie Rogers recently shared that expected more professional athletes to follow him out of the closet once he came out.

With Jason Collins retiring from the NBA and Michael Sam currently without an NFL team, Rogers is the only out pro athlete at this time:

“To be honest, I thought when I came out and Jason and Michael, I thought there’d be a chain reaction,” Rogers told the AP.

“It’s been a lot slower. I guess that just reminds me how big a problem it is in sports culture with homophobia. They don’t feel comfortable.”

“There are a number of gay men playing professional sports, just not out,” he added. “In the end, it’s really about guys coming out and changing the atmosphere by being in it. You definitely need to create the environment first where guys feel comfortable.”

Rogers is currently promoting the release of his memoir, In Coming Out To Play, released by Penguin Books and co-written by Eric Marcus. Rogers shares his story as a “troubled isolated child” to becoming the first openly gay male professional athlete. You can check it out on Amazon.

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Michael Sam Named As One Of GQ’s “Men Of The Year”

Out NFL-er Michael Sam named as one of GQ Magazine's "Men Of The Year"

What a year for out NFL-er Michael Sam.

The 24 year old became the first openly gay football player to be drafted by an NFL team, the St. Louis Rams.

After a solid pre-season, Sam was cut by the Rams but picked up by the Dallas Cowboys for their practice squad. That stint lasted seven weeks but in characteristic courage and grace he publicly thanked the Cowboys owner, friends, family and fans for their support.

Where Sam goes from here, we wait and see. But I’m certain his journey has only just begun.

GQ Magazine gets big props for putting the handsome Sam on one of the six “Men Of The Year” covers.

Other cover men include Chris Pratt, Steve Carell, Dave Chappelle, Shailene Woodley, and Ansel Elgort.

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Out Pro-Soccer Player Robbie Rogers Signs Multi-Year Deal With LA Galaxy

Out pro-soccer player Robbie Rogers

Good news!

While Michael Sam may still be struggling with the NFL, and Jason Collins’ future with the NBA seems unclear, the LA Galaxy pro-soccer team is more than happy to keep out Robbie Rogers on the field.

Via press release:

The LA Galaxy announced today that the club has signed defender Robbie Rogers to a multi-year contract extension. Rogers, an MLS veteran and former U.S. Men’s National Team member, joined in Galaxy in May 2013 and has made 30 appearances and 22 starts as a member of the Galaxy.

“We are excited that Robbie will remain a part of our organization going forward,” LA Galaxy Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena said. “He has proven to be a dynamic player in our League and an integral part of our success this year. We look forward to his continued contributions in the years to come.”

It’s a good year for Rogers. Not only does he resign with the LA Galaxy, but a sitcom based on his life has gotten the green light from ABC.

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Rugby Legend Gareth Thomas On The Jonathan Ross Show

Gareth Thoms on The Jonathan Ross Show

Gareth Thomas, legendary rugby player who came out in 2009, has written a new autobiography, Proud.

Appearing on the Jonathan Ross Show, Thomas talked on his career and previous struggles with his sexuality.

‘I have won every trophy that I can ever dream of winning but when you affect somebody’s life, in a way that this person is going to have a life that they never thought they could have because of me, stupid old me, because of that they could do that, it’s amazing.

‘I didn’t come out because I wanted to be the first person to do it and I was going to be a trailblazer, I came out because I came to a crossroads of living or dying and that’s why I decided to come out, I wanted to live.’

Asked if marriage were in the near future for him and his partner, Ian Baum, Thomas replied:

‘We’ve known each other for two years and we’ve been living together for a year and I am very much in love with Ian, I’m extremely happy and I’m sure one day down the line [we might get married], we’re settling in but I definitely wouldn’t write it off because I really feel I’ve found my soulmate and the person I can spend the rest of my life with, I really do.’

Just in case I needed to remind you 🙂

(via Gay Star News)

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Quote of the Day: Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys on Michael Sam

Dallas Cowboys’ Michael Sam

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Michael Sam’s sexuality – “It’s a dead issue. A dead issue:”

“Sam has blended in seamlessly with the Cowboys, doing whatever is asked of him in practice – even playing a little offense on the scout squad. He watches from the sidelines with the other practice players during home games, coming up to the edge of the field to study the defense and going back to the bench to join in the breakdowns after each series.

“He comes to work every day, practices hard,” coach Jason Garrett said last week. “He’s working on his skills and trying to develop.”

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Gareth Thomas covers Attitude Magazine naked in bath with bf Ian Baum

Gareth Thomas (L) and Ian Baum (R)

Retired Rugby Superstar, out and proud Gareth Thomas covers Attitude Magazine this month talking on living with woofy boyfriend Ian Baum:

“We’ve been together about a year now. We moved in together after about a month, a month and a half.

“I know so many people gay, or straight, who have regrets and just wish they’d not missed out on something good. I don’t want to regret something, I wanted to give it a go.

“It did seem pretty quick but we’re better than we ever have been after living together for a year. We thought ‘if it is right to us then bollocks to what anyone else thinks.’ If anyone thought it was too soon we’ve proved them wrong as now we’ve got our own house in Wales, we’re settled and life is good.

“I was 39 and Ian was 50. We’re not teenagers anymore and we live or die by our decisions and not by what other people decide for us.”

Rugby superstar Gareth Thomas poses with boyfriend of one year Ian baum in a bubble bath naked

(via Queerty)