The identity of sports continues to evolve daily and yearly. From the racial equality to gender equality in sports and now with in the past few years athletes are more open and comfortable with their sexuality being exposed. The NFL will play a major role in the history of sports and also how the players will handle Sams coming out about his homosexuality. The question is the platform that Sam decided to express his sexuality is was it for publicity or was it really self relief? His coming out as open tons of doors for the talented linebacker that will be apart of the draft in April and those doors have been a media blitz of magazine covers, television exposure and more. Some may say it puts the NFL in predicament where they have to draft him because if he doesn't get picked than it's because of his sexual status.
This issue is a double edged sword because of the manor that Sam chose to let everyone know of what he has been hiding and battling with. So I ask just as the title ask is this publicity or true self relief. The main focus of sports is to win and perform at your highest ability. The personal side is allotted by athletes if they want the world in their lives. I recall a segment on HBO series sports with Bryant Gumble where retired football players came out about their sexuality after their career because of fearing the potential backlash by players. The retired players feared for their safety and current players at that time stated aggressively that if it was known that a player was gay that it would be a bounty on their heads. I know that times have change since the 90's but will the NFL be ready to take on this type of situation in the league? and how will the players handle Sam especially with him being a possible draft pick that will be playing very soon?
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