I grew up a huge football fan.  When my dad offered to paint my generic football helmet any team I wanted, I knew I wanted the team with the horn on the side. So imagine my crushing disappointment when he presented my newly painted Los Angeles Rams helmet! Ugh! I am now and always have been a Minnesota Vikings fan. I love the old NFL Films clips and shows about the teams from the 1960’s and 1970’s. The Vikings from that period played at the old Metropolitan Stadium and wer coached by Bud Grant.  The Minnesota Autumn and Winters were for the heartiest of men. Grant didn’t allow heaters on the sidelines because the players would get used to being warm and then lose their edge when they went back out on the field. These were the manly men football heroes of my youth, the men I emulated on the playground. Then the world changed.

This past weekend was the 2014 version of the NFL Draft; the opportunity for professional teams to add college players to their rosters to help fill out their squads and improve their teams. With the 249^th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams selected Michael Sam, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-American defensive end from Missouri. And the first openly gay player in the NFL. There are several instances of gay football players in the past; however, most were not revealed until after they were out of the league. The stereotype of the gay man was always that of an effeminate man with a more focused affinity for interior decorating and woman’s clothing. This was far from the truth but the stereotype met with a vast majority of heterosexual men that treated the gay man with nothing short of contempt. In Michael Sam, the NFL has an aggressive, violent defensive end with a proclivity for sacking the quarterback. There are several questions about his ability to transition to the NFL and if he can actually compete at this new level. It has even been questioned whether he would get drafted, but in the 7^th round, he was.

ESPN continued to show him sitting in his living room, awaiting a call from the team that would eventually draft him.  When they would show any other potential draftee, they would be surrounded by family and friends. Michael had only a friend and his boyfriend. It seemed very lonely to me and made me very sad that he didn’t have more people to celebrate the biggest day of his young life. Making it to the NFL was his dream and he didn’t have any family there to celebrate and support him. His goal is to play professional football. I no longer aspire to have football heroes but Michael Sam may be a hero for someone else. I’m sure he won’t read this, but if he does…Michael Sam, best of luck to you sir. You’ve worked hard, I hope you make it in the NFL, and become a football hero.