Micheal Sam enters the NFL draft as the first ever openly gay prospect

Michael Sam enters the NFL draft as the first ever openly gay prospect

By Cory Greineisen

Staff Writer

Over the past week a lot of focused has been placed on the future of the NFL as Michael Sam, a NFL draft prospect declared he was gay. This makes Sam the first ever openly gay player to enter the draft and, if he gets drafted, the active player. Every commentator from ESPN to the Today Show have had their own opinions and beliefs on how this will effect Sam’s future as well as the NFL’s. I however have a slightly different view than others because I have had the honor to be Michael Sam’s teacher and friend. Since Mike has two first names and I have just always called him Mike for the rest of the article let’s just stick with his first name. 

It’s just weird calling him Sam. 

Mike comes from the small town of Hitchcock, Texas where he played football for the Hitchcock HS Bulldogs. Being a smaller 2A school in Texas, Mike was on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, but it was his defensive prowess that gained the college scouts attention. Early in his senior year Mike had offers from Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Missouri. After deliberating hard, and some indecision on the part of Oklahoma State, Mike decided on Missouri. Everyone in Hitchcock was extremely proud of Mike and we all looked forward to his college career.

Mike was redshirted his freshman year, but the team made it to the Texas Bowl in Houston. This was the first time Mike was going to back close to home since leaving for college. Despite the fact that Mike was not even going to play in the game he had one of the largest groups of fans at the game to support him. The next year Missouri was set to play Texas A&M in College Station and Mike was the back up to Aldon Smith, current defensive end for San Francisco. Half of the Missouri fans at the game were there to see one person, Michael Sam. Every Saturday almost the entire little town of Hitchcock stops what they are doing and watches Michael Sam and his Missouri Tigers.

Why is it that this small town supports Michael so deeply? It is because Mike as person was one of the greatest products to come to be produced by Hitchcock. Mike had a rough child hood as two of his siblings died and the other two are incarcerated. Mike bounced from home to home and slept on people’s couches, but still everyday Mike came to school with an awesome attitude and put a smile on people’s faces. Mike was always there with an encouraging word or a hug when you were down. Everyone that knew Mike loved Mike. Mike is never one to take anything for granted and is one of the most respectful people you will ever meet.

Chris Connely asked in an Outside the Lines interview why Mike should be the one to be the first and I have an answer for him. Mike is one of the most passionate people that you will meet and is a natural leader. Mike has the voice and personality to be the leader of the future of the NFL. Mike’s friends and teachers in high school knew he was gay and still loved him. His teammates at Missouri found out his senior year and accepted him and love and support him.

In the upcoming draft Mike needs to be looked at as a football player, and a damn good one at that, not as the first gay NFL player. If you pass on Mike simply because he is gay you are missing out on an excellent football player and a great individual. In a world where we fight for the rights of gay athletes in the Olympics it is time the NFL does the same.