Michael Sam

Heard Sam just got released from cowgirls practice squad. Dude was lights out in preseason and would be great to to have another pass-rusher in the rotation. Best part is he's a rookie! I really hope try sign him. Or atleast give him a shot.

Sam couldn't make it on the Rams or Cowboys Practice Squad, let alone a 53 man roster. He may be an NFL starter some day, but it's becoming obvious that he's just not ready yet.

I wouldn't be opposed at all to us bringing him in when the roster expands in the off season and see if he can get up to speed, but not right now.

I originally liked him as a late round draft pick for the Hawks, but, then one rational poster here told me about his speed (or lack there of). God speed, I'm rooting for the kid, but doesn't fit what the Seahawks like in OLB/LEO.

Sam doesn't fit Pete and John's speed speed and more speed mold of DE, he's more of a bull rusher/technique end.

But having said that, it can't hurt to take a look at him. Lord knows we need the help.

We could bring in lots of guys off someones PS faster and better than him I bet ,without the distraction he'll bring..We had enough of that with PH..

IndyHawk":36o1fsr4 said:

We could bring in lots of guys off someones PS faster and better than him I bet ,without the distraction he'll bring..We had enough of that with PH..

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I think the whole distraction angle with him is a little played out. Being on Dallas' roster since week 1 turned into a 6-1 start for them. Are you saying they'd be undefeated if it weren't for the distractions?

The only distraction that comes with Sam is the front-page Espn post when he is signed and when he's cut. That's about it.

I wish our scheme was anything like what Sam could run, we're in such need for depth for pass rush that he'd almost be a fit. Not a lot of options out there.

There's a very good reason why Sam should never have been drafted into the NFL and has nothing to do with his preferences. The dude is beyond slow. Not just in running speed, but also out of his stance and his first step is like it's coming out of mud, 2nd step, too.

HawkWow":3iko0b88 said:

There's a very good reason why Sam should never have been drafted into the NFL and has nothing to do with his preferences. The dude is beyond slow. Not just in running speed, but also out of his stance and his first step is like it's coming out of mud, 2nd step, too.

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As much as he was slow, he was very effective in a needed position in the NFL. Not at all surprised he was drafted, not surprised he's cut though.

I admire Sam's courage. Even if the whole thing is ultra contrived, it couldn't have been easy doing what he did. He has a really tough backstory with his family too. There's no way any decent human being could hate Michael Sam after learning about the crazy amount of personal loss and adversity he's suffered.

Robert Turbin was struck by similar tragedy, and it's enough that I badly want to see him have a career in the NFL. Only problem is that Turbin kind of sucks. Sam has the same problem. I saw two of his sacks in the preseason and I have never seen a tackle make less of an effort to protect on either of them. The two QBs he sacked, Manziel and Flynn, had the opportunity to elude Sam but went to the ground instead. Not to sound like a tin foil hat guy, but those plays felt staged, and I wouldn't put it past Goodell to pull some strings (many believe Sam was drafted in the first place because of Goodell's influence on Fisher.)

Crazy talk aside, I thought Sam looked solid but not amazing during the preseason. Had he not been openly gay and not had all the media attention (a categorical negative for a coach/GM), I think he probably makes a 53 man roster back in late August, but probably would have been cut two weeks later. He's very much a fringe talent with no real usefulness on ST. And he has no use to Seattle, and even if he did, he doesn't fit Pete's profile for athleticism in the pass rush.

The Cowboys magical season began a short while after signing Sam. Wouldn't it be hilarious if their season goes straight to the shitter after canning him?

SonicHawk":3962m9l2 said:

HawkWow":3962m9l2 said:

There's a very good reason why Sam should never have been drafted into the NFL and has nothing to do with his preferences. The dude is beyond slow. Not just in running speed, but also out of his stance and his first step is like it's coming out of mud, 2nd step, too.

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As much as he was slow, he was very effective in a needed position in the NFL. Not at all surprised he was drafted, not surprised he's cut though.

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I don't disagree with your post, the guy got to the passer in the SEC (and with regularity). But too slow for the pros, he wasn't drafted until the 7th rd, and was soon released by that (media loving) team. After a brief, meaningless stint in Dallas, he is now without team and that's why I suggest he likely shouldn't have been drafted in the first place.

I don't believe he would have been drafted without the media's involvement. I guess that's what I'm really getting at here...and to me, that's as wrong as him not being drafted because of his sexuality. In any event, he appears to be a bright kid and I'm sure he will do well in life.

Good, the only reason he got all that attention is because he is gay. He is too slow to make it in the NFL at DE or LB.

RunTheBall":lfar0bkq said:

Good, the only reason he got all that attention is because he is gay. He is too slow to make it in the NFL at DE or LB.

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Good? You're happy he failed?

Yeah, he got a lot of attention because he was the first openly gay player to actually have a chance at playing in the NFL, that's a big deal. He also was pretty darn good in college. It's not like he was some media plant trying to make a quick buck, it was legitimately an interesting and ground-breaking story.

SonicHawk":167sqnd5 said:

RunTheBall":167sqnd5 said:

Good, the only reason he got all that attention is because he is gay. He is too slow to make it in the NFL at DE or LB.

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Good? You're happy he failed?

Yeah, he got a lot of attention because he was the first openly gay player to actually have a chance at playing in the NFL, that's a big deal. He also was pretty darn good in college. It's not like he was some media plant trying to make a quick buck, it was legitimately an interesting and ground-breaking story.

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Well, he just: got accepted to that Canada football.

And, um: left for NO reason.

He is now on suspension. I was one of his biggest supporters. I am dissapointed in my belief, and it has absolute zero to do with his choice of C placement.

He is weak.

and he DOES NOT rep his choice of standards or qualifications on S.

As a player, You play this game hard: or you don't.

The fact is, know one would know who this guy is, let alone remember him, if he didn't come out.

And, yes, mark me amongst the cynical people that believes he came out only to boost his draft stock. (Note: I'm not saying he's not really gay, I'm saying he only came out to boost his chance of being drafted). I think scouts saw how bad he actually was, and he (or his agent, who you know would calculate something like this) decided to dose himself with some goodwill. And I've found more than a few gay people who share this opinion. Don't mean to offend anybody, just my opinion.

Maulbert":1xhfsxf4 said:

The fact is, know one would know who this guy is, let alone remember him, if he didn't come out.

And, yes, mark me amongst the cynical people that believes he came out only to boost his draft stock. (Note: I'm not saying he's not really gay, I'm saying he only came out to boost his chance of being drafted). I think scouts saw how bad he actually was, and he (or his agent, who you know would calculate something like this) decided to dose himself with some goodwill. And I've found more than a few gay people who share this opinion. Don't mean to offend anybody, just my opinion.

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Opinion noted. My opinion kinda follows the same line. If you can Market an item, and maybe make it sell, That is all it is worth. Remember the Pet Rock. I grew up on a rock farm and we picked thousands of them off the farm so the hay we cut would not break the swather. We bought dad a pet Rock......nuff said.

RedAlice":3asu754a said:

SonicHawk":3asu754a said:

RunTheBall":3asu754a said:

Good, the only reason he got all that attention is because he is gay. He is too slow to make it in the NFL at DE or LB.

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Good? You're happy he failed?

Yeah, he got a lot of attention because he was the first openly gay player to actually have a chance at playing in the NFL, that's a big deal. He also was pretty darn good in college. It's not like he was some media plant trying to make a quick buck, it was legitimately an interesting and ground-breaking story.

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Well, he just: got accepted to that Canada football.

And, um: left for NO reason.

He is now on suspension. I was one of his biggest supporters. I am dissapointed in my belief, and it has absolute zero to do with his choice of C placement.

He is weak.

and he DOES NOT rep his choice of standards or qualifications on S.

As a player, You play this game hard: or you don't.

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He had a pride parade to attend... Very important!! :th2thumbs:

If Michael Sam had not come out, he would have gone no later than the 3rd round, and even that might be a stretch. He was the SEC defensive player of the year. The last 9 of 10 players before him to earn that honor were first round picks. He was a stud in college.

Coming out hurt his draft stock.

SacHawk2.0":233k51ur said:

If Michael Sam had not come out, he would have gone no later than the 3rd round, and even that might be a stretch. He was the SEC defensive plays of the year. The last 9 of 10 players before him to earn that honor were first round picks. He was a stud in college.

Coming out hurt his draft stock.

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You may very well be correct, which is sad really. Not that you are correct, but that the NFL let the fact he came out affect them.

SacHawk2.0":2bphra4s said:

If Michael Sam had not come out, he would have gone no later than the 3rd round, and even that might be a stretch. He was the SEC defensive player of the year. The last 9 of 10 players before him to earn that honor were first round picks. He was a stud in college.

Coming out hurt his draft stock.

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Sam's production in college, on a stacked DL with multiple first round picks around him, wasn't that great. His co-defensive player award was due mostly to Missouri's surprising success and also a lack of a clear standout defensive player that year. His sack total in his final year was a bit more than half of what Hau'oli Kikaha had last year.

Besides, dudes don't get drafted based on college production. Nick Reed had about 30 sacks over his last two seasons at Oregon. Dexter Davis had similar sack production at ASU. Their pass rush production dwarfed Sam's, and neither one of them bombed the combine like Sam did. And both were 7th round picks.

If those guys were 7th rounders, what would that make Sam? Of course, Sam was himself a 7th rounder, and Jeff Fisher didn't even try to hide the fact that he made the selection out of 'progressive' motivations. No way in hell was Roger Goodell going to let the NFL look like a bunch of homophobes (even though in truth, it is loaded with them). Hardly a coincidence that Fisher made the pick, given that he is obviously very close with Goodell.

So I would say it's largely accurate that Michael Sam probably increased his chances of being drafted by coming out. That doesn't mean that Sam wasn't courageous. He may have profited from the decision (website, merchandize, planned Oprah TV show, etc)... there are legit reasons for cynicism. But that doesn't make what he did easy, so I respect him for that. He also had a really tough life growing up and it was worth rooting for him to have a better one in the future.