Fresh Blood-The rookies

[Retroram52]

I read that they televised him kissing his boyfriend after being drafted. Now why in the world would you waste a draft pick on somebody that isn't going to make the team, but also be this kind of distraction? Don't know who orchestrated this, but I believe you are right Zeke. This was completely for political reasons. If Fisher and Snead did this on their own, they need to be made accountable if the owner wasn't made aware of their plans. There is no excuse in the world they can offer to justify that pick. Not the best player available, not a position of need for the team, etc. Something is amiss.

Absolutely Boss. A complete train wreck waiting to happen.

 

[Clayton]

Absolutely Boss. A complete train wreck waiting to happen.

There is that possibility but if they screw up, itll get them fired so Im pretty sure they won't screw up.

If Combine Michael Sam shows up to Rams practice, he'll get cut. If pro day Michael Sam shows up, he'll probably make the team as depth or be on the practice squad.

 

[Retroram52]

WE shall see Clayton.

 

[ksudodger]

Obviously the non midwest folks on the board never really got a good look at what Michael Sam THE FOOTBALL PLAYER can do. While I agree he is a tweener and was probably no better than a 5th rounder prior to his coming out, this was no stunt. Fisher knows that this kid is going to bust his ass from day one to prove EVERYONE... EVERYONE..wrong. Is he going to be an all-pro someday? Maybe. Is he going to provide solid depth and special teams play THIS YEAR? Absolutely. Tweener or not, anyone who was co-defensive player or the year in the mighty SEC cannot be a fluke. Dude has talent, Fisher and Williams just need to figure the best way to use it

 

[Retroram52]

We shall see KSUDodger.

 

[BOSS429Mustang]

Obviously the non midwest folks on the board never really got a good look at what Michael Sam THE FOOTBALL PLAYER can do. While I agree he is a tweener and was probably no better than a 5th rounder prior to his coming out, this was no stunt. Fisher knows that this kid is going to bust his ass from day one to prove EVERYONE... EVERYONE..wrong. Is he going to be an all-pro someday? Maybe. Is he going to provide solid depth and special teams play THIS YEAR? Absolutely. Tweener or not, anyone who was co-defensive player or the year in the mighty SEC cannot be a fluke. Dude has talent, Fisher and Williams just need to figure the best way to use it

Yeah, OK. That's why he was drafted so late....because he has talent. You know KSU the opposite is also true. Nobody is going to want to hear it from other players that he got his butt kicked by a fairy, and I'm cleaning it up as opposed to the NFL vernacular that I'm sure he's going to hear.

So you're telling me that a marginal player at best is going to benefit this team even with the inevitable distractions he will bring? I might have fallen off the turnip truck, but it wasn't yesterday.

 

[ksudodger]

I see this is going to be a board divider... kinda stinks considering how tremendous our draft was overall.

 

[ksudodger]

Boss I am not saying that his sexuality had nothing to do with his falling as far as he did, I am just saying it was not ALL about that. We are all pretty smart and watched the guy play. We all know he can play. I agree, we have no idea how well he will pick up the move to OLB. It is going to be 100% up to him whether he makes it or not.

 

[BOSS429Mustang]

Let's not make it something it is not. If the guy was a potential all-pro there would be very few that would have an issue. But let's also not put blinders on and pretend this is something other than what it is----a political ploy to make the Rams look......you fill in the blank because the liberal media will make them look all kinds of wonderful. Maybe that's their angle....appeal to the homosexual demographic. I don't know.

 

[BOSS429Mustang]

The distractions have already started. Are you telling me that kissing another guy on TV isn't a distraction/dividing point? What happens if he decides to hook up with another player on the team?

All I'm saying is that this stinks of political correctness. He's a marginal player that I would bet doesn't even make the team. If he was Sammy Watkins or Greg Robinson then the fallout would be worth dealing with because the reward would also be there. You say he has talent......everybody has talent.....until they make it to the NFL. Then the talent seems to magically slip away from many of them for some reason. Are you going to also argue that there weren't better players still available that could have filled a need for us instead of yet another DE? C'mon KSU, you're smarter than that.

 

[ksudodger]

Are you going to also argue that there weren't better players still available that could have filled a need for us instead of yet another DE? C'mon KSU, you're smarter than that.

Absolutely not... cannot argue that. However, the guy they really wanted was Cassius March and he was taken earlier by Seattle. Snead was clear that Sam was the next DE/OLB on their board and that Westbrooks (a guy they ultimately signed as an UDFA) was next behind Sam.

 

[ksudodger]

And also, what the hell distraction are you talking about? Do any of us actually PLAY for the team where it would be a distraction for us? "What if he hooks up with another player on the team"?? How homophobic and pointless can you be with that statement?
Having Michael Sam will not distract me from going to every open practice, every pre season game and every regular season game and if it does distract any of you, that is a YOU problem, not a THEM problem

 

[Retroram52]

The whole affair was motivated a great deal by the gay issue. Otherwise, why did that disgusting display of kissing and cake-smearing go on and on for ever? In fact, why didn't the national media like ESPN follow any other player to see how they celebrated for any length of time?

No. Boss has this one down cold. This was about an agenda and the fact the NFL was going to receive a backlash if this marginal player wasn't drafted at all. The Rams are just riding this media circus for all of the business benies they are going to receive like the hyperbole in jersey sales (which makes no sense) all of sudden. It puts the franchise on the map after being in a virtual shithole for two decades.

And Boss is right. When the cameras are on, the players are going to be PC. But on the field and all the trash talking, this is going to be a nightmare. And I see the personal foul flag that was thrown on us quite frequently last year because we had a "dirty and soft" rep amongst the referee teams as well as opposing players is going to be ratcheted up 1000 fold this year. This is a load of BS.

 

[Red_Chaos]

Well if you don't like what the Nfl did you could just quit supporting/watching all together

 

[ksudodger]

retro, I literally watched every minute of draft coverage either on NFL Network or ESPN and they had film crews filming at at least 2 dozen athletes. Do I think without the non football stuff that they would have been with Michael? No But do not act as if they picked him out special to broadcast. Hell, I forget who it was but they sat with a player during the 3rd round on Friday after he got the call and filmed him crying for over 5 minutes...
You guys are making things out of things that are not there... and it saddens me

 

[Caynine29]

Obviously the non midwest folks on the board never really got a good look at what Michael Sam THE FOOTBALL PLAYER can do. While I agree he is a tweener and was probably no better than a 5th rounder prior to his coming out, this was no stunt. Fisher knows that this kid is going to bust his ass from day one to prove EVERYONE... EVERYONE..wrong. Is he going to be an all-pro someday? Maybe. Is he going to provide solid depth and special teams play THIS YEAR? Absolutely. Tweener or not, anyone who was co-defensive player or the year in the mighty SEC cannot be a fluke. Dude has talent, Fisher and Williams just need to figure the best way to use it

DAMMIT KSU... GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

 

[Retroram52]

Well if you don't like what the Nfl did you could just quit supporting/watching all together

I am getting there Red. I seldom sit down and watch a full game anymore unless I go to the stadium or I am watching the Rams. Using all-or-nothing global terms like "all together" does not apply here. I am probably not going to watch the Rams so much this year for other reasons but we shall see.

 

[BOSS429Mustang]

And also, what the hell distraction are you talking about? Do any of us actually PLAY for the team where it would be a distraction for us? "What if he hooks up with another player on the team"?? How homophobic and pointless can you be with that statement?
Having Michael Sam will not distract me from going to every open practice, every pre season game and every regular season game and if it does distract any of you, that is a YOU problem, not a THEM problem

You're going to sit there and tell me that this isn't a distraction? Haven't you been paying attention? It's been a distraction since he came out, it's been a distraction with other players tweeting, and it will continue to be a distraction to the team as it continues to get more attention than it deserves. And no it's not a ME problem, its a REALITY CHECK on your behalf problem. Sticking your head in the sand and hoping it just goes away isn't going to work I'm afraid. If I had to be in a locker room watching two guys kissing I'd have to vomit on the carpet. And I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one. But of course that's a ME problem.

Now if this guy was a huge star then it wouldn't be such a distraction because he would be benefiting the team significantly and there would be more for everybody to gain. But a marginal player just isn't looked at like that. If he doesn't do much for the team (which you can't expect a late draft pick to do) and in addition provides a distraction, well, let's just compare apples to apples and keep it in context.

 

[ksudodger]

DAMMIT KSU... GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!


That is where I live brother.. it is WHERE I LIVE!!

 

[ksudodger]

Now if this guy was a huge star then it wouldn't be such a distraction because he would be benefiting the team significantly and there would be more for everybody to gain. But a marginal player just isn't looked at like that. If he doesn't do much for the team (which you can't expect a late draft pick to do) and in addition provides a distraction, well, let's just compare apples to apples and keep it in context.

So what you are saying is that if Robert Quinn came out tomorrow, it would NOT be a distraction?? You are foolish. I am not saying that it will not be a distraction. But it is not a distraction for us, that is my point. It is going to be up to the players to make it NOT a distraction. Your beliefs and opinions will not matter in the locker room. Are you saying you are no longer going to watch the Rams since they drafted Michael??