Michael Sam Documentary

[Caynine29]

Kony was getting double teamed.
Markus was playing out of position at LB to get his speed on the field.
Shane was a SO and playing limited time under more experienced seniors, he also isn't polished in run stopping which cut his time.

Sam had 9 sacks in 3 games and 2.5 in the other 11. He went off against an inferior opponent (Arkansas St) and 2 weaker SEC offenses who were playing from behind and doubling Kony. Just watching them play every week he didn't impress me as a pass rusher over the other guys.

Eh... seems kinda flimsy, if I'm being honest. I still think it takes a major stretch to say the Conference's sack leader is the 4th best pass rusher on his own team. But, being the Missouri fan, I suppose I'll defer to you on that one.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Eh... seems kinda flimsy, if I'm being honest. I still think it takes a major stretch to say the Conference's sack leader is the 4th best pass rusher on his own team. But, being the Missouri fan, I suppose I'll defer to you on that one.

I'll just put it this way, when we stood around the tailgate fire half drunk, the dew still on the grass, early last September talking about how many games we thought we could win, Sam was the 1 of the 4 we were least excited about. Now as I've said before there's no doubt he was a good college player, but when we needed a big play out of the pass rush it was either Kony or Markus we were yelling at. They were just more disruptive last year. Kony was the one who changed the game in Indiana, Markus was the one who chased Johnny Football around all night with a trip to the SEC Championship on the line, Same had 3 HUGE games but 2 were in games they were over by the end of the 1st quarter. He played big against Florida but again that wasn't a close game and Kony still had as many QB pressures as him.

 

[johnson]

Sam was SEC Defensive player of the year, correct? That has to mean something. The guy can play. He should make the team.

If you are nauseated by the media circus, the Rams might end being too. It'd be in Sam's best interest to lay low while he tries out for the team. That appears to be what he wants to do, but if he's signed on to facilitate an Oprah docu-series (is that true?), that's pretty dumb. If they can't get through exhibition games without 9 tons of drama every week he might get cut despite his talent.

 

[mutigers1fan]

I can give you that he rushed passers better than Shane last year, but long term Shane will be the better player, no doubt in my mind.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Sam was SEC Defensive player of the year, correct? That has to mean something. The guy can play. He should make the team.

It means he won it in early October and didn't do much for us after. I know this seems hard to believe but watching last season develop he wasn't the guy down the stretch. Kony and Markus were.

 

[Caynine29]

Sam was SEC Defensive player of the year, correct? That has to mean something. The guy can play. He should make the team.

"Should" is a pretty strong word. Especially, in St. Louis. I'm definitely pulling for the guy. I hope he wows in camp and becomes a productive part of the DE rotation. But, I don't want anyone to be surprised if he's cut. Remember... he's competing against Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes and Eugene Sims.

And hey... if he aims [high] for a starting job and lands on the roster as a productive special teamer instead, that's great too.

 

[Caynine29]

If you are nauseated by the media circus, the Rams might end being too. It'd be in Sam's best interest to lay low while he tries out for the team. That appears to be what he wants to do, but if he's signed on to facilitate an Oprah docu-series (is that true?), that's pretty dumb.

Oh... I also gotta say, I agree with you on that one. Saying he wants to "lay low", then signing on for an Oprah documentary, sounds awful contradictory to me too.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Oh... I also gotta say, I agree with you on that one. Saying he wants to "lay low", then signing on for an Oprah documentary, sounds awful contradictory to me too.

This deal was in place 2 months ago.

So, apparently he had no intention of laying low despite what he is saying.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

"Should" is a pretty strong word. Especially, in St. Louis. I'm definitely pulling for the guy. I hope he wows in camp and becomes a productive part of the DE rotation. But, I don't want anyone to be surprised if he's cut. Remember... he's competing against Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes and Eugene Sims.

And hey... if he aims [high] for a starting job and lands on the roster as a productive special teamer instead, that's great too.

He won't get cut.

Can you imagine the uproar from the media and LGBT if the Rams cut him? They will make a huge deal out of it and say it wasn't because he's not a good player, but for other reasons.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Thats my biggest problem with this, they can't cut him in they want to. That's not a good position to be in.

 

[Caynine29]

I'm guessing that Jeff Fisher isn't going to have a problem cutting him, if he isn't up to the task.

Although, what's just as troubling is... can you imagine the uproar of (some of) the fans, if he DOES earn a roster spot?

 

[mutigers1fan]

I'm guessing that Jeff Fisher isn't going to have a problem cutting him, if he isn't up to the task.

Although, what's just as troubling is... can you imagine the uproar of (some of) the fans, if he DOES earn a roster spot?

Again, a no win situation. If he's cut its because he's gay, if he makes the roster its because he's gay. Rams put themselves in the middle of a complicated situation.

 

[LTR1961]

I wonder if Fisher and the Rams are now regretting the decision to draft this guy. They can't be too thrilled about the possibility of having Opra's crew traipsing around Rams park during training camp. During his press conference didn’t he say that he just wanted to move forward and put the emphasis on football and making the team? What a hypocrite.

 

[LTR1961]

I wonder if Fisher and the Rams are now regretting the decision to draft this guy. They can't be too thrilled about the possibility of having Opra's crew traipsing around Rams park during training camp. During his press conference didn’t he say that he just wanted to move forward and put the emphasis on football and making the team? What a hypocrite.

Now I'm sure some may believe I'm over-reacting and may feel I'm homophobic but his sexual orientation has nothing to do with it. I love the Rams more than any team in sports and I just want to be a relevant NFL team again and a Super Bowl contender. They don’t need the distractions of Opra following around a 7th round pick who may not even make the team. Please move on and start focusing on football.

 

[Caynine29]

Again, a no win situation. If he's cut its because he's gay, if he makes the roster its because he's gay. Rams put themselves in the middle of a complicated situation.

It's only a "complicated situation" to the fans. Inside Rams Park, I can all but guarantee they're not over-thinking this as much as the fans are. All they're concerned about is the product on the field. If they have to cut a guy... they'll cut him and won't look back.

 

[Caynine29]

I wonder if Fisher and the Rams are now regretting the decision to draft this guy. They can't be too thrilled about the possibility of having Opra's crew traipsing around Rams park during training camp. During his press conference didn’t he say that he just wanted to move forward and put the emphasis on football and making the team? What a hypocrite.

With exception to designated media days, Oprah's crew won't be traipsing around Rams Park.

 

[Caynine29]

The funniest thing to me about all this... the grumbling about media attention, and all... it's all brought on by the very people doing the most grumbling. It's a "story" because they make it a story. The media is driven by ratings and let's face it... they're not going to go to any lengths to broadcast something we don't care about. That would be the very definition of "counter-productive". The media circus is a monster of these fans' own creation. They loathe it... yet make sure to feed it every day. It's like regularly setting fire to your living room, then complaining about how "that darn fire department" always seems to show up.

Without such staunch, steadfast and quite frankly, unnecessary opposition, this is a non-story. If it's a non-story there would be no extra press conference. No Oprah TV deals. Nothing but football. If we didn't care, they wouldn't care. It wouldn't be important enough to merit discussion. You know why there's not more discussion about #13 overall pick Aaron Donald's potential impact on the defensive line? Because, to his detractors, 7th rounder Michael Sam IS more important. We thrive on drama and confrontation. And the media counts on it.

Don't believe me? Just look at our very own message board. We, the dedicated Rams fans. The fans who want it to be about football, are tired of hearing about Sam in the media and want more attention paid to our other picks. So much so, that we have zero threads dedicated to Aaron Donald, or Greg Robinson... on our own page. There are at least 2 dedicated directly to Michael Sam. And 3 other intended draft threads that have degenerated into internet slap-fights over Michael Sam's sexual orientation.

Of course, it's too far gone to stop now. We just have to ride it out. I'm not saying anyone has to "accept" anything they don't want to. I certainly don't. Just understand the genesis of all the media attention lies in one place. And it's every bit as contradictory as Sam's new, "low-key" TV special.

 

[Retroram52]

That is what I have been saying all along. This Sam dude is more important than other players because of his gayness and the media circus that goes with but most of the responses that returned were along the lines that: "We are not interested in that. Only in his football skills." Ain't going to happen.

 

[mikey728]

That is what I have been saying all along. This Sam dude is more important than other players because of his gayness and the media circus that goes with but most of the responses that returned were along the lines that: "We are not interested in that. Only in his football skills." Ain't going to happen.

Perhaps most disappointing to me is the fact that the documentary people said it took a couple of MONTHS to finalize this deal...Appears he was less than totally candid when he talked about being the football player instead of the gay football player...I wonder if the Ram draft heirarchy knew about this development...I can't believe they did because it blows their "won't be a distraction" line right out of the water...Just when it seems to me that the team might actually be ready to turn the corner, shit like Bailey and now the gay football player has to try to fuck it up...He just jumped at the money without any regard for the consequences...Can't really blame because he probably has little chance to be more than a footnote as far as his "the football player" career..Have to admit I was sucked in initially by the no distraction thing...I thought it would be almost over after the initial feeding frenzy...I was wrong in a large way it appears...I can't wait to get too some football, regardless of how this whole thing burns out...And it WILL burnout, it's just a matter of how much damage it will do to this team...

 

[Rambunctious]

And this is the same organization that refused to bring Tebow in because they felt the media circus would be a distraction. This borders on the insane and definitely is hypocritical at best.