Michael Sam..NFL player.....Does his sexuality really matter?

   I have listened to all of the talk about Michael Sam, the former Missouri defensive end who is preparing for the NFL draft, who “officially” came out as gay just over a week ago. He is projected as a third or fourth round pick in the 2014 draft. Okay. So what is the big deal? Very simple bottom line for me. Can the kid play? Apparently, yes. Does he deserve a shot to play in the NFL? Yes.  Should who he spends his off-the-field (meaning intimate) time with matter as regards to what he will do on game day? Absolutely not!

    I do not care that Michael Sam is gay. I really have no thoughts nor do I really care about the sexual orientation of any professional athlete, whether he OR she plays for a team that I root for or any other. I am (probably) not going to meet any of them in person, much less sharing their bed. I am happily married, for one reason. You can go on from there. So why should we, the public care? And also, is it really the public’s business, whether the player is open about their sexuality or not? I would prefer that he or any gay, bisexual or transgender person live (and be) open about their sexuality than have to lie about it (unless such directly affects their privacy and personal safety).

    Michael Sam is NOT the first gay NFL player. We already know that, even if some of us don’t want to acknowledge that. Michael Sam could be the first OPENLY gay player to be drafted into the NFL. There is a big difference. There are 32 teams today with around 1,756 players on active rosters, plus practice squad (around 154-160) players, free agents, plus the group of players who will be drafted in about 2 ½ months. This is 2014. Only an uneducated or misguided fool would believe that every one of those men is 100% heterosexual.  I can all but guarantee you that some of them prefer men over women in their bed, but keep such quiet for obvious reasons. I think it is a safe bet that some of these men are actually bisexual, but keep such quiet for obvious reasons.

    Ask yourself if you are a TRUE rabid NFL (or any sport) fan: If one (or more) of your favorite team’s players came out as gay or bisexual tomorrow, would you want him cut from your team as a result? Would you withdraw your support for that team if they didn’t? What if he was a (past or present) Super Bowl champion? What if he were your team’s best player (regardless of position?) Does his position matter? Let’s be honest. If your team’s punter or placekicker came out, how many of you would really go nuts? Such would get a little more attention than a WNBA player coming out as a lesbian (which has happened) or a top tennis player or golfer. But if it were a quarterback? Wide receiver? Middle linebacker?

   What if it were hockey? MLB? NASCAR? NBA? MMA? PBA? Would one’s sexuality, or gender matter? I KNOW such doesn’t matter when driving a race car. Danica Patrick and other ladies have already proven that. Women play hockey (it is an Olympic sport!) and also do MMA and play basketball. Where does sex matter there? I ask you, where does one’s sexuality negatively impact one’s job? It only affects the other person….if they know (or thinks they know), IF AT ALL.

    The only time where one’s sexuality matters is if he or she was being inappropriate with their sexuality (in particular) with a teammate or coach or other personnel on the field, in the locker room and/or facility or elsewhere who clearly was not interested with such. But isn’t it like that in ANY workplace? Again what is the big deal?

    Lastly, every person has their own differences. Every person may like to do (or not do) things in their private life that some would have issues with. Some like to drink alcohol (A LOT). Some like to lay in the nude at home and/or while sleeping. Some people like to dress almost like prostitutes or pimps in public at all times, especially when such would be inappropriate.  Some men and women happen to be homosexual or bisexual. A person is much more than their skin color, the way they talk, the way they dress, what they do for a living and/or who he or she shares their bed with at night. A person’s character is a lot bigger than all of that. Give Michael Sam the same respect you would give him as a person if he weren’t a football player, if he wasn’t Black and especially if he happened not to be a homosexual. Deal with those differences and show others respect like you would want others to do with YOU. And leave it at that.

My Super Bowl 48 pick and why.....enjoy the game!

My 2014 NFL Super Bowl pick: Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos 

This year, the Super Bowl is at MetLife Stadium in suburban New Jersey, the (new $1 billion) home of the NFC’s Giants and the AFC’s Jets done as a joint New York/New Jersey production. This is the first Super Bowl in an open-air stadium in a “cold-weather” city. The weather will apparently work out and just be cold and not snowy or worse. Lucky NY/NJ. Luckier NFL (I will skip the jokes about the Deep South’s weather issues this week for another blog entry). Still, a Super Bowl played in the snow would have made this game even more interesting, especially if two warm-weather (and/or dome) teams had made it here.

Here is my thoughts on this game, which will be a classic battle of great defense (Seattle) versus great offense (Denver):

Who has the advantage?

Offense: Passing offense is clearly in Denver’s favor. Having not only future HOF QB Peyton Manning who has had arguably the best passing season of any quarterback in the history of the game (records in passing yards and touchdown passes), and having the receiving weapons at wide receiver and tight end makes this is an easy call. 2^nd year QB Russell Wilson has the mindset and skills to be a great one when he is done, but he is no Manning, even though he has mobility that Manning doesn’t (or will ever) have, nor does he have the receivers that come close. With that said, the running offense has to go to Seattle. RB Marshawn Lynch is, quite literally, a beast (forgive the pun) and runs like one. Denver has a decent set of backs, but together they do not stack up to Lynch. If this has been a snow bowl where passing was not an option, Lynch would be a bigger advantage as long as he could stay on the field. From an intangible standpoint, Wilson’s mobility and the overall speed of the group of Seattle receivers trump’s Denver’s, but not by much.

Advantage: Denver, but only because the weather will apparently be okay on Sunday night, though still cold.

Defense: From a run defense standpoint, it may be a wash. Denver has good linebackers and a decent line…but most opponents have not be running on Denver much. Same thing for Seattle. The key here is pass defense. Here, the clear advantage goes to Seattle’s self-named Legion of Boom. Young, hungry and very skilled at causing turnovers and pass defense, they are the Seahawks’ best chance to stop or at least slow down the great Denver passing game. If they do and Denver’s decent (but not great) offensive line cannot protect Manning, Seattle will have a field day. But Manning is very good at getting the ball out of his hands, but age and diminishing physical gifts will not allow Denver to go for the deep ball, like Wilson can. And we all know that Denver’s pass defense SUCKS, even without the many losses they have had from injuries and other things. If Denver can effectively run the ball AND pass well and keep the Denver defense on the bench and score a lot, Denver wins. If not, Seattle has a real shot if Lynch goes off again, as long as Wilson and the offense doesn’t turn over the ball. 

Advantage: Seattle, but only as long as time of possession and the turnover battle favors Seattle. 

Special teams/Intangibles: Both teams have a dangerous returner, but I am not sure how much either will factor in the game unless someone makes a big mistake. But these things happen in the Super Bowl or in any game. Whichever squad can make that big play or capitalize on that big mistake will win. Field position will be a big factor as will the punt game. Tough call here.

Advantage: Denver, if it comes to one kick with new field goal record-holder Matt Prater (if he Is fully recovered from his illness from last week). Otherwise, total push. The turnover battle will likely decide this.

 

Bottom line: This game is mostly too close to call. Denver has a slight experience advantage with Manning, coach John Fox and a few others having Super Bowl experience where no one on the Seahawks has played in this game before. It would be too easy to say that Denver has a clear advantage, but to be honest, they do not. The overwhelming confidence of the young Seahawks is not necessarily a disadvantage. But if it did snow hard in New Jersey during the game, and without the thin air advantage that Denver would have if the game was there would (slightly) favor Seattle. Clear and cold at sea level makes the game……even. Who wins? The biggest X-factor will be Wilson. We know all the other players will do well…the Seattle secondary (maybe), Lynch, Manning, at least some (if not all) of the Denver receivers. 

But if Wilson, who many may figure is too young (or small in stature, compared to the far more experienced and taller Manning, mobility-challenged as he is) can play really well, matches Manning yard-for-yard, controls the clock and throws (or sets up) touchdowns (3 or more) and doesn’t turn the ball over (preferably at all, but at least far less often than Denver does), especially against the porous Denver pass defense, he will help these Seahawks win their first NFL title (and first sports championship  for the city in 30-plus years). And I think he will. BUT, it will be close and it will take at least one overtime (which will be a first for the Super Bowl) to settle it. Sorry, Peyton. You are great, but your skills won’t be enough this time.

Seattle 30 Denver 27 (OT)