In all honesty, this thread is the perfect example of why it is still a big deal for a gay athlete to "come out", and why it's still considered news. Not one comment about his playing ability, only innuendo laced jokes, poking fun at him and his sexual orientation. And we wonder why the gay community is so vocal about demands for equal treatment.

Please, get off your soapbox, we have beat the "Sam can't play at this level" horse to death. You can revisit those threads if you like. Dude can't play football in the NFL, got fat and booted out of the CFL, cashed in on his suck face of his significant other on TV on draft day. What else is there? Yeah, there's a lot of juvenile homophobic humor on this board, but are you new here? Sheesh, don't break an ankle dismounting the horse.

Please, get off your soapbox, we have beat the "Sam can't play at this level" horse to death. You can revisit those threads if you like. Dude can't play football in the NFL, got fat and booted out of the CFL, cashed in on his suck face of his significant other on TV on draft day. What else is there? Yeah, there's a lot of juvenile homophobic humor on this board, but are you new here? Sheesh, don't break an ankle dismounting the horse.

 

Relax. I'm just pointing out the irony in this thread. I realize we've talked about Sam's football ability in the past as being less than what is needed to be successful in the NFL. I don't have to revisit those threads, because I've posted in those threads myself. And now, just as many predicted, he's not talented enough, and it looks like he's not even good enough to play in the CFL. And I have no issues with that at all. But on the other hand, in many other threads, it was also a common complaint that the only reason Sam even got the chance was because he was openly gay. And how people should only be judged on talents/ability not sexual orientation. Or how no one wants to hear about what he does in the bedroom. Or finally, why is being gay and in the NFL news, because it's not that big of deal. But now that it looks like he is finally gone, everyone pounces on his sexuality to tell a joke or two, and like it or not, this thread isn't about his talent (or lack thereof). Tell all the jokes you want...I'm not offended, and I chuckled at a couple of them...even commented on one (I'd say check the thread, but I assume you read that post and just chose to ignore it to fit your narrative). But if the lasting legacy of Michael Sam is the jokes as to why he didn't make it, which constantly poke fun of his sexuality, then this kind of thing will continue to be news.

Relax. I'm just pointing out the irony in this thread. I realize we've talked about Sam's football ability in the past as being less than what is needed to be successful in the NFL. I don't have to revisit those threads, because I've posted in those threads myself. And now, just as many predicted, he's not talented enough, and it looks like he's not even good enough to play in the CFL. And I have no issues with that at all. But on the other hand, in many other threads, it was also a common complaint that the only reason Sam even got the chance was because he was openly gay. And how people should only be judged on talents/ability not sexual orientation. Or how no one wants to hear about what he does in the bedroom. Or finally, why is being gay and in the NFL news, because it's not that big of deal. But now that it looks like he is finally gone, everyone pounces on his sexuality to tell a joke or two, and like it or not, this thread isn't about his talent (or lack thereof). Tell all the jokes you want...I'm not offended, and I chuckled at a couple of them...even commented on one (I'd say check the thread, but I assume you read that post and just chose to ignore it to fit your narrative). But if the lasting legacy of Michael Sam is the jokes as to why he didn't make it, which constantly poke fun of his sexuality, then this kind of thing will continue to be news.

It's no different than the jokes we all poke at Bill Cosby or anyone where there's some sophmoric sexual innuendo teed up. Hell, BigVMan and lawildcat thrive on such posts.

It's no different than the jokes we all poke at Bill Cosby or anyone where there's some sophmoric sexual innuendo teed up. Hell, BigVMan and lawildcat thrive on such posts.

 

Yes and no. In Cosby's case, no one ever claimed he got a chance at celebrity because of his sexual behavior or orientation, and there certainly hasn't been a shortage or celebrities like Cosby, in other words, he's wasn't the first. And really, Cosby is just a creep, and it's easy to make fun of creeps. Sam is just a gay football play, and he was the first (at least openly), and many of us here believe he only got a chance to play in the NFL because he was gay. And the whole time leading up to the draft and camp, many people felt we should be focusing only on his playing ability, and that whether he was gay or not wasn't important, and that he shouldn't be considered a hero, just because he was gay. And that is what helped spur the LGBT community to be more vocal about the situation, which also bothered many people. So I'm sorry if I see the irony in the whole situation now, that on one hand we say it shouldn't be newsworthy or that being gay and in the NFL shouldn't be a big deal, but on the other hand, we poke fun at him being gay when he doesn't make it. Which is one of the reasons why we have gay rights activists in the first place, ie because they are often a target of jokes.

 

Again, tell all the jokes you want. Some of them are funny. But don't be surprised when the next gay athlete that comes out gets a bunch of attention, and don't get up on a soapbox and complain when they do.

Edited August 17, 201511 yr by rjs4470

Such flaccid attempts at humor, but typical and unsurprising from what one might expect from adolescent minds.

Jokes like this happen all the time on TV, just be glad they are the clean jokes and not nasty. So all of a sudden people cant joke about gays. They sure do about whites, blacks, Mexicans, etc.

So why did Sam pull out of football this time?

Such flaccid attempts at humor, but typical and unsurprising from what one might expect from adolescent minds.

 

So gays arent allowed to be made fun of?

What about comedians who make fun of straight people,or whites, blacks, or even like Bill Mahr who makes fun of handicap kids.

 

Typical that some feel the gay community is above humor

So why did Sam pull out of football this time?

 

Not mentally tough.

Jokes like this happen all the time on TV, just be glad they are the clean jokes and not nasty. So all of a sudden people cant joke about gays. They sure do about whites, blacks, Mexicans, etc.

 

Never said that. You can make all the jokes you want. Just don't be surprised, upset, or complain, when these types of stories continue to be news.

Such flaccid attempts at humor, but typical and unsurprising from what one might expect from adolescent minds.

 

How about this?

 

Michael Sam makes history by becoming first openly gay player to retire from football.

So gays arent allowed to be made fun of?

What about comedians who make fun of straight people,or whites, blacks, or even like Bill Mahr who makes fun of handicap kids.

 

Typical that some feel the gay community is above humor

 

I love various brands of humor, and even gay humor. I bet you'd have and easy time finding many male teens that would also enjoy your particular brand. Kudos to you for staying forever young and having a mind that follows, and for making fart noises with your armpit.

I give Sam props for coming out in the manner that he did, although it sounds as if all his teammates and those in the know already were aware of his sexual orientation. I think he fell victim like many of our young celebrities where the media and others try to elevate you to such a high status it went to his head, and he just didn't have the physical ability to keep up with the bar others set for him. In fairness, he asked for a lot of it; but, at some point along the way his activism role took on more of a life than being a football player. With the announcement of his orientation I think that is why NFL teams had some degree of reluctance. Not because of his ability (or lack thereof), but the fear he would want to use the NFL platform to be an activist. I can't say they were wrong in their evaluation or decision making in not taking a shot with Sam.

How about this?

 

Michael Sam makes history by becoming first openly gay player to retire from football.

 

Perhaps not knee slappin' or chuckle worthy, but a keen and valid observation nonetheless.

So why did Sam pull out of football this time?

 

OK...I'll play along...

 

Perhaps to avoid blowing his whole load of opportunities where he didn't feel comfortable doing so?