Honest Question Steeler fans.

[thetruthteller]

I am new here. And I deeply appreciate everyone being kind to me. Thank you. Now, I don't know if this question has already come up here in the past or not. So please forgive me. But as it goes to Missouri DE
Michael Sam.......Honestly, would any of you here as fans have a problem if the Steelers selected him in this draft ? Do you think he might encounter some problems in Pittsburgh, or in our Locker room. ?

I will ask for your honest answers first before I give mine. Thanks guys...( And Steeler Gals )

[Rara]

No, I wouldn't mind. But if there is something that the Steelers saw that we haven't saw based on tape and Combine/Pro day..can't see us going after him. He looked pretty bad at the combine.

[buccoray61]

I am new here. And I deeply appreciate everyone being kind to me. Thank you. Now, I don't know if this question has already come up here in the past or not. So please forgive me. But as it goes to Missouri DE
Michael Sam.......Honestly, would any of you here as fans have a problem if the Steelers selected him in this draft ? Do you think he might encounter some problems in Pittsburgh, or in our Locker room. ?

I will ask for your honest answers first before I give mine. Thanks guys...( And Steeler Gals )

My only concern is......can he play or not????? I've some of the scouting grades don't have him very highly rated. Otherwise I don't care about his sexual orientation.

[thetruthteller]

My only concern is......can he play or not????? I've some of the scouting grades don't have him very highly rated. Otherwise I don't care about his sexual orientation.

You see that is my point. Sam's on the field production was good. I remember just two weeks before his public announcement, Sam was considered a late 2nd, or early 3rd round prospect. Then right after his annoucement, all of a sudden Scouts had him ranked as a 6th rounder. Yes his combine was average, but his Pro day was much better. Also, his fellow DE teammate " Kona Ealy " combine results were not better. And his on the field production at Missouri was not as good as Sam's...and yet he is considered a 1st round prospecctc....why ?


Me, I would not take Sam cause I feel his annoucement that he was Gay had NOTHING to do with the Game of football...so why annouce it ? All it can do is produce national headlines that haven't anything to do with his skills as a player. I think Sam annouced it ONLY to make himself a National hero for doing so. But in my opinion, annoucing that you're Gay...and getting props for it is ridiculous. I mean Imagine if last year, Jarvis Jones held a national press conference to announce....Hey, I am NOT Gay ?...the rbeaction would be...why are you telling us this...who gives a Damn. And you know what, they would be right. So why is it a big deal if you announce you are Gay ?


I will say right now that IF...Michael Sam does not get drafted, I will bet that he and his agent will claim sexual discrimination afterwards. You may think I am Crazy, but I will bet that is what happens. I also think that if Sam would never have annouced that he was Gay...Sam likely gets drafted no later then the late 3rd or early 4th round. Cause as stated, his on the field production for a nationally ranked Missouri Defense was very good. I mean his measurables were almost as good as Lamarr Woodley's in a lot of ways.


And theyb were better then many other college players who had great on the field stats...but were average in their combine 40 times, ect. No, I am not Anti-Gay at all fans. But I also feel what Sam did was more for the headlines, then to further Gay rights. As a football player, or Baseball player or Basketball player...it simpley does NOT matter who you like to have sex with. So to publically annouce it..is ONLY a self-serving venture. And for that reason....I would not want him on the Steelers. No matter what his production was.


Thanks fans.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Haven't even given him much thought one way or the other. Didn't think the sexuality thing was a big issue at this point, since I hadn't heard much about him since the big announcement hubbub passed and we were more focused into actual draft analysis. He'd likely be a late round pick. Probably similar to a Carlos Emmons type of player, but if you drafted him, you'd hope for Clark Haggans upside. OLB depth and special teams.

[Oviedo]

I wouldn't want the team to have to deal with the inevitable media circus that would accompnay his being drafted or signed by the team. Plus given his performance at the combine I think it is unlikely he is successful and whatever team cut him would be criticized for not giving him enough of a chance.

Not worth the headaches.

[Sugar]

I wouldn't want the team to have to deal with the inevitable media circus that would accompnay his being drafted or signed by the team. Plus given his performance at the combine I think it is unlikely he is successful and whatever team cut him would be criticized for not giving him enough of a chance.

Not worth the headaches.

Add to that, he's a tweener without a true NFL role. If a team takes a chance on him and he doesn't work out, will they be under additional scrutiny? Not worth the probable headache, IMO.

[Ghost]

I'd be fine with him but it would have to be much lower than 4th (and 3rd round would be criminal). Stats look good but if you break them down - 9 out of his 11.5 sacks last season came against 3 teams: Vanderbilt, Arkansas St, and Florida - all three being mediocre to really bad competition. Also, there's no chance he's playing his college position in the NFL so you are taking on a project who will be learning a new position. You don't risk a higher round pick on that, not with the needs this team has now.

At 6'2 / 255 he's too short and small to be an NFL DE. He would best work as a 3-4 OLB. The issue is it's been widely reported that he struggled mightily at that position, with his hand off the ground, during Senior Bowl practices. It was not something that appeared to be a natural fit. And his bench was weak at the combine. There were 7 WRs who had more reps.

NFLDraftscout.com has him as the 110th overall prospect. 4th round. The question becomes - should the Steelers take a guy in the 4th who is guaranteed to be changing positions and has so far shown to not be adjusting well to the switch? Is it worth it to take a guy who almost certainly adds nothing but special teams play for the first season or two?

And I agree with Oveido and Sugar - I think a team has to be prepared for needless backlash if they cut him even if it was abundantly clear he was not cutting it as a player.

[squidkid]

I think he and his agent made a poor PR move announcing this and it that will ultimately hurt his desire to play in the NFL.
I agree that the circus that will follow this player wont be worth the gamble drafting him.

[birtikidis]

I wouldn't want him. I don't think he would fit in our defense. I could care less what he does in his private life, just his on field. I know he was dominant in the SEC, I just don't see how he translates to the NFL. I could be wrong but I'm just not impressed.

[Dee Dub]

Yes I would!!!

And not because he is GAY.

Because he isnt a 3-4 OLB. What he is is a so-so situational 4-3 DE. One who isnt very good versus the run.

You don't draft a player who doesn't fit your system.

[Dee Dub]

I think he and his agent made a poor PR move announcing this and it that will ultimately hurt his desire to play in the NFL.
I agree that the circus that will follow this player wont be worth the gamble drafting him.

It depends on how you look at this. He's only a football player for a short period of time. He's GAY For Life!

Now, they (he and his PR guy), might see this as great advertising.

[Slapstick]

If the Steelers think he can contribute, then I would fully support the pick...

I long for the day when a player's sexual orientation doesn't create headlines...