Michael Sam and the Media: It's not What You Think

Hey, did you know that Michael Sam is the first openly gay football player to be drafted?

And that he had a sack in a preseason game?

And that he sacked ESPN's other creation, Johnny Manziel?

And that he didn't make the 53-man roster?

And that he didn't get signed to the practice squad?

By the way, did you know that Michael Sam is the first openly gay football player to be drafted?

Seriously, how could we forget? ESPN adds that tag to every mention of Michael Sam on their "Bottom Line". And since when do 7th-round draft choices get a mention on the "Bottom Line"?

After his brief flirtation with Oprah Winfrey, one gets the feeling that Sam has learned his lesson. He gives every indication that he's ready to walk away from being a gay football player, and would be grateful to play football at all. For anyone.

Unfortunately, he may not get that chance. The media that loves to report on Michael Sam may lose their major story of the preseason. ESPN commentators are hinting that teams do not want a practice squad player who is going to get major media attention.

Let the irony of that sink in for a second. The commentators who work for the company that is obsessed with Sam are now saying that he might not make a practice squad because he gets too much media attention.

I have too many friends and Twitter followers who are more than happy to blame this on "the gays". Some are even cheering the St. Louis Rams for taking a stand against the "gay liberal communist anti-American anti-God media agenda" (and yes, that's a quote).

Just one problem:  Even if you believe that there is a gay/liberal/socialist media agenda, it's not driving the Michael Sam story. The excessive and obsessive presence of sports media is driving the story.

Think about ESPN for a minute. They have a reporter who is essentially devoted to covering the Dallas Cowboys, a team that hasn't won a second-round playoff game in 6,793 days. The NFL preseason may be the most boring sports "event" ever created out of nothingness in an effort to fill air time.

All those reporters need something--anything--interesting to justify their jobs. Anything that is a "first" or even the slightest bit out of the ordinary is going to make it to your iPhone, because some reporter is looking to stay employed. It's certainly more profitable if the story elicits strong emotions, even negative ones.

And it is certainly profitable for the World Wide Leader to keep their cash cow at the front of the headlines, even in the midst of baseball playoff races and the start of college football. As absurd as it may be, the reporters are doing the job that ESPN wants them to do, and the cash register keeps ringing.

This is not about anyone's agenda outside of the super-saturated, excessive, obsessive, and ever-intrusive world of sports media. If there is no story, one has to be created, and that's exactly what ESPN did. Michael Sam learned early on not to seek this kind of attention, but the craving for any kind of buzz means that the story is seeking him.

If the Rams took any kind of "stand" in this, it was against this ridiculous ESPN over-reporting that they endured, right down to their locker room shower habits. That may be what is scaring off teams, much more than the fact that Sam is gay.

Let's keep in mind that he is the first openly gay player to be drafted (just in case you missed it). There have been other gay players. Vince Lombardi IS the NFL, a man's man in a testosterone jungle and object of admiration even in the modern era. And he defended gay players at a much more ambiguous time. Sexual preference is much less of an issue for the locker room than a media that won't stop talking about it.

Sam's sexuality is much less of an issue than the fact that ESPN won't let it go. This is about a man who made what I believe to be a courageous confession, and is now trying to move past that in order to be an NFL player. ESPN's coverage probably won't keep him out of the league, but it certainly doesn't help.

Hopefully, Sam can navigate these difficult and annoying waters and get another chance to prove that he can play. He will have a much better chance to prove that he can (or cannot) play if the SPORTS media will drop the topic and let the man play football.

The good news in all this is that the Dallas Cowboys seem poised to sign Sam to their practice squad. If any team can handle the Sam media circus, it's the Cowboys. They'll probably revel in it.

And somewhere, silently in the night, Ed Werder is smiling. He'll finally have something to report about the Dallas Cowboys, no matter how irrelevant the story truly is.

Then again, stories about the Cowboys have been irrelevant for a while. 6,793 days to be exact.

Is SEC Worse; Or Is Everyone Else Just Better?

Gleeful sports pundits and haters are slobbering all over themselves this bowl season because the SEC is a "mediocre" 3-3 so far. I think Walt Deptula from 104.9 The Drive is having to take sleeping pills just to counter his euphoria over being "right" about the SEC.

Like many of us, they're just tired of it. This is part of the problem when major sports networks cut deals with teams or conferences. ESPN has become the de facto cheerleaders for Alabama and its brethren. Not that I blame them, since the Southeastern Conference is the major cash cow of choice.

But a lot of people are tired of it, particularly every other fan base from every other conference in America. They're tired of the "SEC" chants, tired of the arrogance, tired of the excessive rabidity and superiority that oozes from all things SEC.

Any fan from Florida to the Delta to the Bluegrass has every reason to feel this way (even if Kentucky waits until basketball season to show it). Even the folks in College Station, Texas have some braggin' rights, with "Johnny Football" carrying his Heisman Trophy all the way home from New York, via Tuscaloosa.

The Southeastern Conference is unquestionably the dominant one of the last decade. They just care more about football than everyone else, and it shows. And it makes those of us who cheer for football teams outside of the Bizzaro World sick to keep hearing about it.

So SEC lovers, please pardon the pundits and Clemson/Northwestern/Louisville fans if they gloat back at you a little. They're enjoying the role in proving that you're just not as good as you thought you were.

Or are you?

Well, not exactly. The SEC isn't as good as it has been in years past. But the issue is more the elevation of other teams than the decline of the SEC. And it's not talent level or coaching that has caught the conference slippin' this bowl season.

Take a look at Louisville. Head Coach Charlie Strong is an SEC "lifer" as a coordinator. He recruits their territory. He speaks the language and knows what it takes to build a program on the level of his former conference. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Louisville is a big school that is investing major money in the athletic program.

Take a look at Clemson. It's a smaller school but it has an SEC-level fan base, at least when it comes to football. Dabo Swinney is an Alabama guy who is at least as smart as Les Miles, which is not much of an accomplishment. Miles has won a National Title by becoming the "Mad Hatter" and recruiting great players.

Dabo Swinney is the best cheerleader on the Clemson sideline. But he's smart enough to know who he is. He recruits as well--or better--than anyone in the SEC. And he's persuaded the athletic department to invest in two coordinators to do the coaching. If it works for LSU, then why not for Clemson?

Watching the conference's wins by Georgia and South Carolina revealed that many other schools are recruiting offensive speed to counter all that defensive speed. Jadeveon Clowney's hit aside, the Michigan Wolverines were up to the task on offense. Nebraska couldn't stop a Southern Conference school, much less an SEC school. But they had the velocity to put up serious offensive numbers against Georgia.

The one place where other schools are clearly superior is at quarterback. You go to the SEC if your a running back, offensive lineman or defensive player. You go anywhere but the SEC to play QB. Teddy Bridgewater and Tajh Boyd are the best quarterbacks that this year's SEC never had.

But the greatest equalizer for the field vs. the SEC is arrogance. Florida and LSU thought they were going to just roll out their helmets and win their bowl games because they believed their opponents were inferior. They weren't. At some point, the players, fans, and coaches better recognize that college athletics do not stand still. They need to find a way to keep elevating their game instead of just sitting comfortably on top of the mountain, because every other team in America is trying to climb up to knock them off.

This is not a knock against Clemson or Louisville. It's a knock against the SEC. Mental and emotional preparation can be just as important as game film. Swinney and Strong had their teams masterfully prepared in every facet of the game. Miles and Will Muschamp failed at it. Miserably.

If you want to claim to be a dominant team or conference, then you better be ready to back it up against any opponent, in any setting. This bowl season, the SEC has proven that its own attitude is an obstacle to continuing dominance.

Arrogance has ruined many a person, organization, or team. SEC schools had better stop reading their press clippings and watching SportsCenter, or it could ruin their era of superiority.

Things that Clemson/Carolina Fans Should Not Be Saying

Apparently, the morning after doesn't bring any more sanity. Especially for Clemson and Carolina fans.

Even on January 2, Tigers and Gamecocks have a hard time getting along and can't bring themselves to give one another any credit. It is stunning that fans from both teams are still saying things that should never be said.

Everyone just stop for a second and think before you speak. I know, that's tough for Clemson and Carolina fans, but give it a try. And think for a few minutes about why the following things--which have been said--should never be said.


1. ESPN just hates Clemson, because all they can talk about is Clowney!
We live in a whatever-just-happened sports culture. Clowney is the last best thing, and it happened after Clemson beat LSU. That's why ESPN is talking about Jadeveon Clowney instead of Tajh Boyd. Oh, and the fact that Clowney may have offered the play of the year (and one for all-time) on the first day of 2013. And no, that's not an exaggeration.

2. Well, LSU just didn't care about the Chic-Fil-A Bowl! That's why Clemson won!
You're right, LSU didn't care nearly as much about that bowl game as Clemson did. And that's the SEC's problem. Their excessive arrogance is a huge weakness in the postseason, and Clemson exploited it to perfection.

Let's give credit where it is clearly due:  Clemson dominated almost every facet of the game against LSU. If they did it because the other Tigers thought they were too good to be there, then shame on them.

3. Clemson beat LSU and LSU beat Carolina, and that proves Clemson is really better than Carolina!
Oh please. You took a beating by Carolina for the four straight seasons. Play the way you did against LSU and maybe that streak will end. Otherwise, let it go.

4. Clemson couldn't do it against the SEC every week!
Nope, probably not. But Carolina can't do it against the SEC every week either. That little three-game stretch in late September/early October proved it. Keep in mind that no one went unscathed in the SEC this year.

Clemson has recruited SEC-level talent and they have SEC-level coordinators. They wouldn't be SEC champs, but they're certainly more SEC than ACC in football.

5. The SEC is overrated, and Clemson proved it!
To some degree, this is true. But it still shouldn't be said, and here's why:

The SEC isn't as good as everybody thinks it is; but the ACC is clearly as bad as everyone thinks it is. Clemson's win or not, the ACC is an awful football conference and has no reason to knock any other conference. And no, Louisville and Notre Dame do not count (yet).


So let's all do what rivals typically refuse to do. Take a step back and give credit where credit is due. And it is due in both Columbia and Pickens County.

While we're at it, we can enjoy being the only state with two 11-win teams who should both be in the top 10 in the final poll this season.