SUPERMAN 23 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 [h=1]Michael Sam Cut As St. Louis Rams Finalize Roster[/h] HuffPost/AP Posted: 08/30/2014 4:05 pm EDT Updated: 14 minutes ago Michael Sam, the first openly gay athlete drafted into the NFL, was cut by the St. Louis Rams as the team trimmed its roster ahead of the start of the 2014 season, according to multiple reports. The news emerged on Saturday shortly before the NFL's 4 p.m. ET deadline to finalize rosters and trim them down to 53 players. At a press conference following the announcement, Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher said that Sam was notified of his release on Saturday, who replied "Thanks for the opportunity." Fisher said the decision to release Sam was "a football decision," and, "I was pulling for him, but it didn't work out." Asked about how Sam's time with the Rams was, Fisher said, "There was no distraction. Mike fit in very, very well. He was fun to be around. No issues." More from The Associated Press: ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Rams have cut Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team. The 7th-round draft pick has been outspoken and confident as his progress was watched as closely as any rookie in the league. He has been cheered by athletes and celebrities. In the end, the defensive end couldn't make a team stocked with pass-rushers. The news was first reported by ESPN. Sam still has a chance to get picked up by another team or to make the Rams' practice squad. On Saturday, he attended Missouri's opener in Columbia, a 1 1/2-hour drive west on I-70 from Rams Park. He was introduced to the crowd at the cut down deadline in the end zone alongside defensive E.J. Gaines, a sixth-round pick who made the team. Sam blew a kiss and waved to the crowd, then walked back to the sideline. He posed for a few pictures then started looking at his phone and headed for the locker room. The Rams selected Sam, the SEC co-defensive player of the year at Missouri, with the 249th overall pick out of 256 overall during May's draft. Sam came out following his final season at Missouri. Rams coach Jeff Fisher was proud to have made the landmark pick, but he made clear from the start that he chose Sam because he thought he had the talent to make it. The Rams selected Sam, the SEC co-defensive player of the year at Missouri, with the 249th overall pick out of 256 overall. He kissed his boyfriend as a national television audience looked on, and arrived brimming with confidence and with a quick retort for anyone who contended he was in the NFL only because he came out. The cameras followed, but the extra attention did not seem to faze Sam or his teammates. Veteran defensive end Chris Long noted rosters are always made up of players from different backgrounds. One by one, players said Sam was now part of their family. Coach Jeff Fisher called the draft pick a "second historic moment" for a franchise that signed running back Kenny Washington in 1946 as the league's first black player in the modern era, but he was most interested in describing Sam as a way to upgrade the Rams' defense. So was general manager Les Snead, who referred to Sam after the draft as a "designated pass rusher." Sam recognized the challenge, so he shed weight to be faster for special teams duty, reporting at 257 pounds. After the Rams' first preseason game, a 26-24 loss to New Orleans, Fisher said Sam played "pretty well" but also made his share of mistakes. Sam, who was credited with one tackle and one quarterback hit in the game, emerged with confidence. "You know, I can play in this league," Sam said. "I can play in this league." Sam told his teammates at Missouri that he was gay before his senior year, and judging by the results it was no distraction at all. The Tigers made a seven-win improvement and tied the school record with 12 wins. Sam had 11 1/2 sacks and the lightly-regarded Tigers won the SEC Eastern Division, a huge step forward after going 5-7 during the first season in their new conference. More than 100 coaches and players kept the revelation to themselves. Sam came out in February. "If you look at our season, it didn't hurt us at all," recalled cornerback E.J. Gaines, a fellow rookie and former Missouri teammate. "If anything, it brought us closer." Sam was lightly regarded out of Hitchcock, Texas, a town of about 7,000 along the Gulf Coast about 40 miles southeast of Houston. His first two years at Missouri, Sam backed up Aldon Smith and Jacquies Smith, both of whom are in the NFL. The Rams drafted Sam even though they didn't need help at defensive end, where they have a pair of first-round picks as starters. The Rams were so well-stocked with picks, taking 11 players overall, they had leeway to take a shot. Fisher said Sam's value as a player "was off the charts." "I'm determined to be great," Sam said at his introductory news conference, packed with reporters. "I understand that right now you guys want to make a big deal of it." From the start, teammates seemed to like having Sam around. His energy was infectious and, if there were problems, they stayed behind closed doors. Publicly, Sam was just another late-round pick trying to make the Rams, which, like other NFL teams, held sensitivity training early in camp. The Oprah Winfrey Network put off a planned documentary on Sam, saying it would allow him to focus on his dream of making the team. At one point, Sam's Rams jersey was the No. 2 seller among rookies at NFLShop.com, trailing only Cleveland's Johnny Manziel, and Sam was among just 10 draftees selected by the NFL to be featured on commemorative coins. Sam headed to the ESPY Awards to pick up the Arthur Ashe Courage award. He got a hug from Hall of Famer Jim Brown on his way to the stage and fought back tears throughout his speech. "Great things can happen when you have the courage to be yourself," he told the audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testudo Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Hopefully they are done with this nonsense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hels Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 The gay stigma will be around forever in pro sports. If you're gay and want to play pro sports you better keep it in the closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERMAN 23 Posted August 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Greenbay will pick him up, their gay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testudo Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Let him live with Aaron rodgers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoer45 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 I am glad to see they didn't give him special consideration because he played the gay card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoer45 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Let him live with Aaron rodgers. Rodgers has a hot GF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoer45 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Olivia Munn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testudo Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Rodgers has a hot GF. Just for show. Look at this personal assistant he has lived with forever. https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRcwOsgPKPPO256XFEeXLjr9JTwHFykuiDJ8Dis2qLFOqlkJfuJ7PD3hg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hels Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Just for show. Look at this personal assistant he has lived with forever. https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRcwOsgPKPPO256XFEeXLjr9JTwHFykuiDJ8Dis2qLFOqlkJfuJ7PD3hg :plommer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deal With It Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 The LBGT will probably protest. Hopefully they will picket & protest and run into the Ferguson clan. Pissed off negros mixed with all races of the LBGT community will make for an ACLU hayday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Who gives a fuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRevolver Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 After rumors started last year- didn't Rodgers have to come out and say he wasn't gay? I think that tells us plenty about the football locker room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dire Straits Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 It was only a matter of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidkonggolf Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I am glad to see they didn't give him special consideration because he played the gay card. I second that! :clap2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spankie Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Bout time. The gay publicity stunt is officially over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRevolver Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Guy has acted like a class act on Twitter. He's happy he got the opportunity. Best of luck to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socceres1 Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 rams had a lot of talent in that position and did not need the press I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERMAN 23 Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I actually thought he played good for them. I think he had 11 tackles and team leading 3 sacks in the limited time he played preseason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripp Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 The gay stigma will be around forever in pro sports. If you're gay and want to play pro sports you better keep it in the closet. People used to say that about being black also Eventually it will be no big deal. To many many players it already is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripp Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 As for Sam, it will be very surprising if he doesn't get picked up by another team. He showed himself very well in the preseason, he will land somewhere. St Louis is just stacked at DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Blow Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 He should of made the team.He had a great pre season.They really stuck it up his ass!! I wonder if he enjoyed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRevolver Posted September 1, 2014 Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 People used to say that about being black also Eventually it will be no big deal. To many many players it already is We're probably still 15+ years away from that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deal With It Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Sam signing with Cowboys...practice squad http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2182400-michael-sam-rumors-latest-buzz-and-speculation-surrounding-rookie-dl?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nfl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maron Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Surprised the Rams are not getting more heat on this. The NFL expanded the practice squad by two this year. That is not getting nearly enough mention. Had they not wanted the headache there was ample room to keep him. He will drive up jersey sales for the Cowboys whom I think have a big cut of their merchandising Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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