THE MICHAEL SAM CONTROVERSY

Comment : Even though Michael  Sam's Missouri football team and some members of the press knew that he was homosexual, there  was no guarantee that this information would have been widely known until after the NFL Combines, or even after the NFL Draft, when he would have been likely judged by his performance.                                          This revelation is obviously a huge distraction for all 32 NFL franchises, as they have to dedicate time and effort to prepare their staffs, teams, and employees for the possibility of a Sam introduction into their respective locker rooms.                                                         Certainly the  NFL offices  on Park Avenue in New York are now heavily populated by a bevy of lawyers whose main objective is to protect the " Shield ".  They are likely preparing talking points and and guidelines for all  32  league teams,  knowing that if Sam does join a squad, the job of the attorneys is to ensure that the NFL is held harmless vis' a vis' any potential lawsuits.                                                                                                Perception is oftentimes more significant than reality, and the beating that the Seattle team laid on the Bronco's, and the Sea Hawk's team personae makes it hard to believe that the Super Bowl victors would be accommodating to  a Michael Sam intrusion into their air space.  The NFL is a collection of pro football teams that bathe in mimicking  each other 's success, and  emulating the rough and tumble ways of the Sea Hawks will surely be Plan A in preparation for next season.   Fair or unfair, an outed Sam would foreclose on an aura of uber virility in the locker room at any stadium.  We cannot expect change in tolerance overnight.                                Regarding the NFL Combines, held at the massive dome in Indianapolis, there are usually clusters of two, three, or four team general managers, coaches, and scouts.  The NFL Network, which airs every moment of the activities, has been very good about shooting real time close ups of the faces of the team delegates.  Last year, they had a field day showing the reactions of coaches to  then  controversial Manti T'eo.  It was not pretty, but the Notre Dame grad prevailed.  Now imagine the scrutiny that Michael Sam will be subject to.  Team rep reactions will be used,  archived and alluded, to at a later date if it is perceived  that Sam  had been slighted in any way.          That's just the way it is in this social media environment, love it or hate it.   Jarvis William Peay  Napa