Missouri DE Michael Sam Says He's Gay In ESPN Interview

by Larry Leo

February 9, 201410 Comments

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

On ESPN's "Outside the Lines" Sunday Missouri All-American defensive lineman and Associated Press' SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Sam, said that he is gay. Sam is eligible for the NFL draft in May where he could become the first openly gay player in the history of the NFL. Per ESPN...

quote:
Sam stated publicly what his teammates and coaches at Mizzou have known since August: "I am an openly, proud gay man."

"I understand how big this is," he said. "It's a big deal. No one has done this before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL."

"I didn't realize how many people actually knew, and I was afraid that someone would tell or leak something out about me," he said. "I want to own my truth. ... No one else should tell my story but me."

"Coaches just wanted to know a little about ourselves, our majors, where we're from, and something that no one knows about you," Sam said. "And I used that opportunity just to tell them that I was gay. And their reaction was like, 'Michael Sam finally told us.' "

Asked what that moment felt like, Sam said, "I was kind of scared, even though they already knew. Just to see their reaction was awesome. They supported me from Day One. I couldn't have better teammates. ... I'm telling you what: I wouldn't have the strength to do this today if I didn't know how much support they'd given me this past semester."

Mizzouri tweeted their support...

quote:
Mizzou
@Mizzou
We support Tigers of all stripes at Mizzou. Proud of you @MikeSamFootball! #OneMizzou https://ow.ly/trK67
8:13 PM - 9 Feb 2014

Filed Under: SEC Football

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10 Comments

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HoustonGumbeauxGuy•122 months

Super risky and confrontational, yet damn admirable. Well done, young man.

sumtimeitbeslikedat•122 months

sheesh...

The Mick•122 months

I would like to hold a presser to let the world know I'm straight. I've never said it publicly to anyone.

Tiger_n_ATL•122 months

The fact that you can't differentiate 'being straight' (which is commonplace, non controversial, and is not discriminated against) with coming out as homosexual in a macho, backward thinking, and homophobic industry is somewhat laughable. But I think you probably know better and are just trying to be cute.

Run DMC•122 months

It's a tragedy that the struggles African Americans faced during the civil rights movements are being compared to that of homosexuals. It's not fair to the African American community to have their struggles for equality compared to homosexuals struggling to have their sin celebrated. Pretty soon we will have a Homosexual History Month. Pretty sickening.

roadhouse•122 months

i hope this gets some press coverage

Mulerider•122 months

Why is someone's sexual preference "admirable". This is nothing but a publicity stunt to gain attention. Keep your sexuality to your self. WE DON'T CARE!!!!

LoveThatMoney•122 months

"It's not fair to the African American community to have their struggles for equality compared to homosexuals struggling to have their sin celebrated."

Wow. Crawl back into your 1950s hole.

weeble•122 months

There is always a skeptical side to me. Right now they have him going in the mid 3rd or 4th round. If you want your draft stock to increase, you need to get your name out there. So that leads me to wonder if he is coming "out" to up his draft status.

Before you get all self righteous, listen to the interview. He kept saying it was not big deal. If it was no big deal then why have an ESPN interview??? Why say anything about it at all??? He wanted the attention.

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