Michael Sam Discussion Thread [MERGED]

[JayHawk]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

See and I tried to make a Rams joke and they all sounded so childish.

 

[CoolBlue71]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

Jack Burkman is impotent.

I like these reports from February 2014:



Even the Conservative Lobbyist Hyping a Ban on Gay NFL Players
Admits It's a PR Stunt

By Josh Voorhees
February 24, 2014 | http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...yist_s_cynical_ploy_to_ban_gays_from_the.html

THE WIRE's Philip Bump and the DAILY BEAST's Ben Jacobs have already done a great job debunking the legitimacy of the proposal, but I'll offer up a three-part PSA nonetheless: 1) A lobbyist can't actually introduce legislation in Congress; 2) even if they could, this one would have no chance at becoming law; and 3) even if it did, its constitutionality would likely face a serious legal challenge in the courts.

---

Client Fires Lobbyist Over Push To Ban Gays From NFL

By Josh Israel
February 26, 2014 | http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2014/02/26/3331641/lobbyist-anti-gay-severed-ties/

DC Solar Solutions, Inc., a California-based green energy company, told ThinkProgress on Tuesday [Feb. 25, 2014] that it would no longer allow [Jack] Burkman to represent the company because of his comments. The company’s CEO Jeffrey Carpoff and COO Paulette Carpoff released a joint statement saying that the company has “severed ties” with Burkman “effective immediately”:

DC Solar does not condone or support Mr. Burkman’s homophobic views, and since learning about his misguided efforts to write legislation banning gay athletes from the NFL, we have ended our relationship with him. DC Solar values diversity within our company and within our communities, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any sort. As a company working to address issues about our country’s future, we have no intention of working with those who are stuck in the past.​

 

[xboxfan34]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

Once again, I've seen the infamous "There needs to be gay pogroms" comment. I actually highly doubted that the poster of that comment knew what a pogrom was. So I told him, "You have no idea what it is, so why don't you tell me?" He proceeded to tell me that a pogrom is a "secluded area where a minority group is a majority" And I replied back "That is NOT a pogrom, that is a ghetto. A pogrom is a systematic act of violence against a minority group, including genocide." And the asshat flipped out and said "OH MY GOD JUST BECAUSE TWO GUYS KISSING IS DISGUSTING DOSEN'T MEAN I WANT THEM TO DIE!! STOP INSINUATING THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE!"

Hey, he said the word "pogrom" incorrectly and I corrected him.

 

[frankfrank]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

Just watch, some Republican (guaranteed not to be a Democrat instead) will probably try to get sponsors and introduce a bill to remove the tax-exempt status from the NFL if they hire any more gay players. THAT would fix them, wouldn't it?

 

[T-Rexx]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

Jack Burkman is impotent.

I like these reports from February 2014:



Even the Conservative Lobbyist Hyping a Ban on Gay NFL Players
Admits It's a PR Stunt

By Josh Voorhees
February 24, 2014 | http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...yist_s_cynical_ploy_to_ban_gays_from_the.html

THE WIRE's Philip Bump and the DAILY BEAST's Ben Jacobs have already done a great job debunking the legitimacy of the proposal, but I'll offer up a three-part PSA nonetheless: 1) A lobbyist can't actually introduce legislation in Congress;

Actually, it is quite common for lobbyists (or the companies that hire them) to write legislation. The "Stand Your Ground" laws popular in most states, for example, were written by the NRA. In many cases, they were adopted by the legislatures without changing a single word.

2) even if they could, this one would have no chance at becoming law; and 3) even if it did, its constitutionality would likely face a serious legal challenge in the courts.

Yeah, this "American Decency Act of 2014" is clearly a stunt. Even the name sounds cartoonish. I'm not clear on how Burkman thinks he can profit from this kind of theater, however. Maybe it helps him to attract lucrative clients like the Westboro Baptist Church and the KKK.

Client Fires Lobbyist Over Push To Ban Gays From NFL

By Josh Israel
February 26, 2014 | http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2014/02/26/3331641/lobbyist-anti-gay-severed-ties/

Yeah, I read about that. As I noted above, I'm not clear on why Burkman is pushing this rabidly anti-gay agenda. He had to know it would have its drawbacks for him, professionally and financially. Frankly, the arguments he is advancing make him look foolish. They sound like satire (“Imagine your son being forced to shower with a gay man. That’s a horrifying prospect for every mom in the country"). That could have been written by Stephen Colbert.

Also, I think there is some danger for Burkman in making threats for which he cannot realize an outcome that would be favorable to him. He can't possibly affect the finances of the St. Louis Rams with some kind of fundamentalist Christian boycott. Making such a threat only serves to make him look impotent, as you point out. But that is precisely the opposite of the impression a lobbyist needs to project.

 

[Kulindahr]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

I may have just become a Rams fan.

 

[Gentleheart]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

Yeah obama called and congratulated him for making out with some dude on live tv...Seems to be the only thing our president cares about.. probably turns him on

people's stupidity is frightening and amusing at the same time.

 

[Kazhiwa]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

I agree that the drafting of Michael Sam is newsworthy, and it really doesn't bother me that there are going to be some crazy, negative reactions to this. The only comments that bother me are the ones that say the story is being shoved down their throats, as if it didn't merit the attention it is getting!

 

[TX-Beau]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

Depends. It doesn't merit the attention it's getting if you just want to talk about football - he's not THAT good a player.

If you are talking gay issues, that's another kind of story, that's not about sports. It's about the perceptions of gay men and how shocking it it is to have a manly faggot in a butch profession.

In a perfect world his sexual orientation would be no story at all, but since we don't live in a perfect world steps like this are necessary, even if they if they annoy people who just want to read about football.

 

[G-Lexington]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

In other NFL draft news, one prospect named Adam Muema decided to leave the NFL Scouting Combine early back in February. Reason? Apparently, he really wanted to play for the Seattle Seahawks, and God told him if he missed the workouts, he'd end up playing for them. "God told me to sit down, be quiet and enjoy the peace," he said. "Can't go wrong with God."

So he switched his Twitter profile to "God f1rst, #8 Seahawks", and waited for the calls to come.

...no points for guessing how this one turned out.

Lex

 

[MoufOfKhaos]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

...well don't leave me in suspense man, how did this god fellow vote?

 

[G-Lexington]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

Check his Twitter feed yourself. You'll notice something's missing from his profile description now.

Lex

 

[MoufOfKhaos]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

That guy, he sure does work in mysterious ways. Or not work when you decide not to.

Think he'll convert now? He can always pray to almighty Queen Beysus.

 

[G-Lexington]

Re: What if Michael Sam does not get drafted?

Hey, you never know. During training camp, both of Seattle's running backs could break both their ankles, and they need one tout de suite. And guess who isn't burdened with a contract? At which point, it's the Lord's work, natch.

Lex

 

[T-Rexx]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

So far, we haven't heard a peep out of Burkman, since Sam was drafted.

I am interested to see if he will actually try to follow through on his threats. I can't imagine Burkman would be able to do much to hurt the Rams even minimally. That will make him look impotent (not a good thing when your job is to peddle influence).

Meanwhile, Sam is already making money for the Rams. His jersey is the #2 selling rookie jersey (after Johnny Manziel's). Sam was the 249th pick (out of 256 men in the draft). But his jersey is outselling the #1 pick, Jadeveon Clowney.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000349661/article/fans-flock-to-order-michael-sam-jerseys

 

[Kulindahr]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

So far, we haven't heard a peep out of Burkman, since Sam was drafted.

I am interested to see if he will actually try to follow through on his threats. I can't imagine Burkman would be able to do much to hurt the Rams even minimally. That will make him look impotent (not a good thing when your job is to peddle influence).

Meanwhile, Sam is already making money for the Rams. His jersey is the #2 selling rookie jersey (after Johnny Manziel's). Sam was the 249th pick (out of 256 men in the draft). But his jersey is outselling the #1 pick, Jadeveon Clowney.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000349661/article/fans-flock-to-order-michael-sam-jerseys

I'm tempted to buy one, even though I'm not really a football fan. The price is a bit outlandish, though.

 

[chrisrobin]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

I'm tempted to buy one, even though I'm not really a football fan. The price is a bit outlandish, though.

Outlandish = $100 - maybe there will be an affordable t-shirt.

The NFL has more and better lawyers than Burkman does.

 

[bankside]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

Thanks for this excellent post.

I think what we have here is a generation of older, white, heterosexual men who are trying desperately to cling to an America that never existed in the first place: drowning men grasping for straws that aren't even there. I wish I had one-tenth the courage of Michael Sam. He cried, he hugged and kissed his partner in front of a worldwide television audience. The Sun came up this morning. Thanks, Michael for giving gay kids hope.

Hmmm. Michael Sam's St. Louis Rams. That has a nice ring to it.

My 95 year old white male grand uncle and his wife never had any problem with me and my guy. They made us feel very welcome in their home. We shouldn't underestimate old white men just because a few are having a tantrum about equality.

 

[TX-Beau]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

That's because y'all are mooses. Meese?

 

[scream4ever]

Re: Washington Lobbyist Threatens NFL Over Drafting of Michael Sam

I'm tempted to buy one, even though I'm not really a football fan. The price is a bit outlandish, though.

I wanna wait until he's assigned an official number before I buy one.

Meanwhile this happened. As if this whole thing couldn't get anymore awesome:

http://www.outsports.com/2014/5/12/5711208/michael-sam-son-comes-out-gay-draft