Post by Iowahorse on Jun 15, 2015 21:22:24 GMT
Pro football career of 'pouting' Michael Sam may be over
Apparently Michael Sam couldn't handle the criticism.
While trying to manage the scrutiny that comes with being the first openly gay professional football player, Sam also had to overcome the criticism that he wasn't a very good football player.
Sam abruptly left the Montreal Alouettes Friday, catching everyone by surprise. The Alouettes, of the Canadian Football League (CFL), placed Sam on the suspended list Sunday. The Alouettes still don't know exactly why Sam departed.
"He wanted to go home, and that's what he did," Montreal general manager Jim Popp told the Montreal Gazette. "I don't know why."
Sam, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound linebacker, was drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL draft, making him the first openly gay player to be drafted. He was cut by the Rams and spent a month on the Dallas Cowboys' practice roster in 2014.
Sam, 25, signed a two-year deal with the Alouettes in May, but reportedly was having trouble adjusting to the league. He struggled with playing a yard off the ball and the two-point stance. His performances during practices improved, but his previous unsuccessful stints with the Rams and Cowboys may have played a role in his departure from Montreal.
"All I know is I heard somebody made a comment about him, about how he wasn't very good and wasn't having a very good camp," a source told The Gazette. "He took it personally and was pouting in his room."
Sam was criticized for his appearance on the television show "Dancing with the Stars" instead of preparing for upcoming season. That same individual added that he doesn't expect Sam to rejoin the team.
Popp is adopting the opposite stance, saying the door is open for Sam to return. He said he thinks Sam wants to play football, but the mental weight he is carrying may be too heavy.
"It's a huge story because everybody keeps hounding and hounding and hounding. Michael Sam just wants to be a football player," Popp said. "I would think anybody that's 25 years old that has been going through it for a year and a half, it would have to affect him."
The burden of being the first openly gay player in the professional football may be too much for Sam. However, if he doesn't return, it's likely his dreams of playing professional football are likely to end. It's hard to imagine any other team taking a chance on him.
"If he doesn't come back, I would think football's over for him," Popp said. "He's the one that has to face that."
Apparently Michael Sam couldn't handle the criticism.
While trying to manage the scrutiny that comes with being the first openly gay professional football player, Sam also had to overcome the criticism that he wasn't a very good football player.
Sam abruptly left the Montreal Alouettes Friday, catching everyone by surprise. The Alouettes, of the Canadian Football League (CFL), placed Sam on the suspended list Sunday. The Alouettes still don't know exactly why Sam departed.
"He wanted to go home, and that's what he did," Montreal general manager Jim Popp told the Montreal Gazette. "I don't know why."
Sam, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound linebacker, was drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL draft, making him the first openly gay player to be drafted. He was cut by the Rams and spent a month on the Dallas Cowboys' practice roster in 2014.
Sam, 25, signed a two-year deal with the Alouettes in May, but reportedly was having trouble adjusting to the league. He struggled with playing a yard off the ball and the two-point stance. His performances during practices improved, but his previous unsuccessful stints with the Rams and Cowboys may have played a role in his departure from Montreal.
"All I know is I heard somebody made a comment about him, about how he wasn't very good and wasn't having a very good camp," a source told The Gazette. "He took it personally and was pouting in his room."
Sam was criticized for his appearance on the television show "Dancing with the Stars" instead of preparing for upcoming season. That same individual added that he doesn't expect Sam to rejoin the team.
Popp is adopting the opposite stance, saying the door is open for Sam to return. He said he thinks Sam wants to play football, but the mental weight he is carrying may be too heavy.
"It's a huge story because everybody keeps hounding and hounding and hounding. Michael Sam just wants to be a football player," Popp said. "I would think anybody that's 25 years old that has been going through it for a year and a half, it would have to affect him."
The burden of being the first openly gay player in the professional football may be too much for Sam. However, if he doesn't return, it's likely his dreams of playing professional football are likely to end. It's hard to imagine any other team taking a chance on him.
"If he doesn't come back, I would think football's over for him," Popp said. "He's the one that has to face that."
