Rams Coach Blasts ESPN Over Report On Michael Sam's Showering Habits

[casmith07]

and apparently Aikbach.

 

[Hoofbite]

I actually heard about the apology before knowing about any piece was done about him waiting to shower, or whatever.

My first thought was how in the hell they could run a story and then immediately apologize for it. If it's that obvious that the story is bad, how does it even get on the air?

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Sam turned himself into a gay rights crusade instead of a football player, of course gotcha journalism was going to transpire in an effort to sensationalize his publicly proclaimed sexual preferences as something the public needed to know about.

It was fluff piece stupid journalism, but it is hard to feel sorry for Sam, if his sexuality is no one's business then he shouldn't have decided to make it everyone's business.

Gay/ straight, I don't care, but i also don't have any empathy for someone that asked for attention because of their sexuality and then was taken aback when they got it.

Who cares if he views himself as more of an activist than a football player? In fact, good for him. Professional men's sports (especially football, the most popular American sport) needs an activist. He earned the right to be heard by being an excellent college player and likely a productive NFL player. He's not a Kardashian. He earned this.

How often do you see the camera cut to the quarterback's wife/girlfriend in the audience? Why can't it cut to his husband/boyfriend? Why do gay players have to live in the shadows? They deserve the same rights as straight players. Sort of like not too long ago when black players had to fight for the same rights as white players. I'm sure a lot of people were annoyed with them. "Why can't they just be athletes? Why do they also have to be black?" Gay people make up a large portion of our population, just like black people.

This isn't controversial. This is common sense.

Michael Sam is the first NFL player to take a stand. He doesn't have to be a superstar to have a voice. There are probably superstars who are living in the shadows because they don't want to be a nuisance. Michael Sam probably won't have a great career as a player, but he's impacting the game in a positive way for current and future male athletes.

And even if he didn't come out and say he was gay, it would have been found out eventually. Imagine if Sam did become a great player (or imagine your favorite player), and imagine he kisses his boyfriend on the field after winning a big game. Do you not think that would make headline news?

It would be the top story on every news source, probably much bigger than it was when Sam made his announcement. So that shows that a gay athlete just trying to be himself would be a huge news story. And that's why guys prefer to hide in the shadows and not show the world who they really are. But it's fine for straight players to be themselves. Well, because of Michael Sam, some day it will be fine for gay players too.

But I'm sorry he ruined your spectating enjoyment. What a selfish Sam.

 

[CyberB0b]

 

[AbeBeta]

and apparently Aikbach.

Worst sort of poster. He is very intelligent but uses it for nothing other than justifying his intolerant beliefs

 

[sbark]

So him telling everyone he's gay before he was drafted, gives reporters the right to lie to and about his teammates, falsify stories, and create a fabricated story? And because he announced that he was gay, his coach and fellow players can't stand up and speak out against such disrespectful "news" reporting? I get it now. He made the announcement that he's gay, so he should be prepared for ESPN to run a story about his showering habits that was pretty much made up and false, and no one can come to his defense because he asked for it. I'll keep that in mind, thanks for the knowledge buddy.

.........it just might have been the Oprah reality show he was taping for weeks prior to the draft, along with the staged kiss

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Worst sort of poster. He is very intelligent but uses it for nothing other than justifying his intolerant beliefs

Arent the preachers of tolerance the most intolerant people on the planet?

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

I actually heard about the apology before knowing about any piece was done about him waiting to shower, or whatever.

My first thought was how in the hell they could run a story and then immediately apologize for it. If it's that obvious that the story is bad, how does it even get on the air?

They knew exactly what they were doing. It was no mistake. It was no oversight. It wasnt mere neglect. It was planned and even issuing an apology was fine with them if it came to that.

 

[AbeBeta]

Arent the preachers of tolerance the most intolerant people on the planet?

Intolerant of people's bs prejudices, yes

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Intolerant of people's bs prejudices, yes

Oh, so tolerance is only exercised when it fits the "tolerant's" tolerance? So its not really tolerance, Its really conformity to a narrow and particular point of view. Thanks for clarifying since "prejudice" has absolutely nothing to do with having a gay player or not having him.

 

[AbeBeta]

Oh, so tolerance is only exercised when it fits the "tolerant's" tolerance? So its not really tolerance, Its really conformity to a narrow and particular point of view. Thanks for clarifying since "prejudice" has absolutely nothing to do with having a gay player or not having him.

I was speaking to another poster's obvious bias. Try to follow along.

And no, being tolerant does not mean you just accept people who are not. You do what you can to make it clear that their beliefs are reprehensible. You don't just sit back and accept their actions

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

I was speaking to another poster's obvious bias. Try to follow along.

And no, being tolerant does not mean you just accept people who are not. You do what you can to make it clear that their beliefs are reprehensible. You don't just sit back and accept their actions

What makes another's view reprehensible? That you dont agree with it? Just because you have a different value system doesnt mean another's viewpoint is reprehensible. What you have revealed is that you are not tolerant at all. You are very narrow minded. Its a "my way" or else narrow mindset. Preaching tolerance is anything but and nothing more than an intent to deceptively misrepresent your real outlook, Narrow minded and oblivious to reality is a terrible combo. And its extremely immature as well. Fortunately there are people that are truly tolerant so people with your views can exist w/o getting the ridicule you deserve.

 

[AbeBeta]

What makes another's view reprehensible? That you dont agree with it? Just because you have a different value system doesnt mean another's viewpoint is reprehensible. What you have revealed is that you are not tolerant at all. You are very narrow minded. Its a "my way" or else narrow mindset. Preaching tolerance is anything but and nothing more than an intent to deceptively misrepresent your real outlook, Narrow minded and oblivious to reality is a terrible combo. And its extremely immature as well. Fortunately there are people that are truly tolerant so people with your views can exist w/o getting the ridicule you deserve.

Reprehensible = believing how someone is genetically programmed is wrong. You can change the ridiculous crap you believe. You cannot change how someone is born.

And please spare me the "it is a choice" bit.

Also your semantics regarding "tolerance" are tired. By you definition, being tolerant would mean accepting the KKK

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Reprehensible = believing how someone is genetically programmed is wrong. You can change the ridiculous crap you believe. You cannot change how someone is born.

And please spare me the "it is a choice" bit.

Also your semantics regarding "tolerance" are tired. By you definition, being tolerant would mean accepting the KKK

What if someone in the KKK was born the way they are? Shouldnt we be tolerant? He might be genetically racist.

What about the arsonist that is born with a tendency to burn stuff? Tolerant for him? He might be genetically prone to lighting fires.

How do you separate what someone is born with and what is just a tendency or bad choices? Who is the authority? You? A group with a particular viewpoint? What makes their viewpoint any more credible than another group's viewpoint?

Claiming to be tolerant is NOT being tolerant if its just tolerant of like minded people and their views. The preachers of tolerance are anything but tolerant. They have a narrow agenda and its conformity to their specific set of values. And thats anti American. Its anti freedom. Its anti individual and independence. Its nothing more than a form of bondage disguised as "caring" and "accepting" and "tolerant" and does nothing for the good of mankind. Its a system that sucks in gullible and naive people who choose to deny reality and it offers a false sense of "doing something good" which the gullible individual believes eases his conscience yet there is still a pricking and goading of the conscience becasue even mans inner awareness knows its a complete BS system, yet he chooses by CHOICE to go with it and the ultimate dissatisfaction in life that results is then blamed on those who represent what is truly good and moral. The people of good then become the hated reprehensible ones because they represent what is good and what prods the conscience of the gullible and naive individual. The faux system of "tolerance" is self defeating because its based on a big lie and it will never be anything other than a big lie.

 

[tyke1doe]

Claiming to be tolerant is NOT being tolerant if its just tolerant of like minded people and their views.

Yep. Tolerance is used as a synonym for acceptance. But they are two totally different words.

 

[gmoney112]

Haha the Oprah thing, along with the hot pink polo and staged kiss during his draft was a big eye roll moment for me. Michael, come on dude. I get it, but that was a little much. Then again I prefer to stay low key.

ESPN should be groveling at his feet with the amount of media attention and buzz he's created for their company though, and no one deserves to have "journalism" like this written about them. Completely bush league and the reporter should have been fired on the spot. She let her company and her colleagues down completely.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

This thread is not long for this world......

What if someone in the KKK was born the way they are? Shouldnt we be tolerant? He might be genetically racist.

What about the arsonist that is born with a tendency to burn stuff? Tolerant for him? He might be genetically prone to lighting fires.

How do you separate what someone is born with and what is just a tendency or bad choices? Who is the authority? You? A group with a particular viewpoint?

What gives you the authority to say any life style choice is wrong? What makes your view point any more valid than anyone else's?

What makes their viewpoint any more credible than another group's viewpoint?

It's real simple, if someone's behavior doesn't effect you, you should accept it and move on. The KKK is a hate group and their long history and actions make this a fact, so even being a member of it, does have an effect on others, and thus should not be accepted. An arsonist, is a risk to the general public due to the uncontrollable nature of fire, thus their actions should not be accepted (although arson is a crime, unlike being in the KKK). The color of someone's skin or their sexual preference, does not effect anyone but them and their partner, so this should be accepted. Even someone's own racist or bigoted thoughts are perfectly fine, as long as they don't act on them or encourage others to act on them. For example, no one is attempting to make you like homosexuals, however, when people suggest that it should be okay to discriminate against them, it tends to be a problem. I don't know how far you personally take your beliefs, but some people think an employer is well with in their right to fire someone for being gay or for being black, white, Hispanic, Asian, muslim, ect....

Claiming to be tolerant is NOT being tolerant if its just tolerant of like minded people and their views. The preachers of tolerance are anything but tolerant.

Not sure what your point is, are you trying to say that no one is truly tolerant? If so, that's hardly an excuse to not improve on civil rights

They have a narrow agenda and its conformity to their specific set of values. And thats anti American. Its anti freedom. Its anti individual and independence.

So the freedom to live your life the way you want, is anti freedom? Being able to independently choose your path is anti independence.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Completely bush league and the reporter should have been fired on the spot. She let her company and her colleagues down completely.

You think some lil piss ant reporter like her just did a story all by herself and put it out there all by herself? As if nobody else knew what was going on?

BSPN knew exactly what it was doing and were willing to take the chance on whatever fallout may or may not result.

 

[Rogah]

Who cares if he views himself as more of an activist than a football player?

Uh, his (potential) employers care about such things very much. Teams who just want to win games, not be advocates and not deal with an extreme distraction not justified by his borderline-NFL caliber talent. We all saw the backlash when it was announced he would do an Oprah reality show. Even though he quickly backtracked, I think that was the first nail of his coffin.

 

[dargonking999]

.........it just might have been the Oprah reality show he was taping for weeks prior to the draft, along with the staged kiss

I don't understand how a canceled TV show, and a "staged" kiss givers a journalist the right to fabricate a story, and prevent coaches and players from defending the player in the fabricated story. If you will be so kind as to show me how that is done, I will be glad to call you an idiot and carry on with my day