Ravens, Pats and Jets are Interested in Michael Sam

**blah3** · 04-17-2014, 01:20 PM

I'd like to see the Ravens address DE/OLB in the mid rounds. Someone like Will Clarke from WVU (more DE than OLB but could play some edge LB). I think this is something that will become a glaring hole in a couple of years and could use some pre-emptive addressing . That would make me have little interest in Sam.

**Raven Werewolf** · 04-17-2014, 01:30 PM

I'd be more than glad to welcome him and see what hes got as a UDFA but I sure as hell dont want to see us have to spend a pick for him. Too much other and better value can be had where he is projected to go.

**Ravenboy2003** · 04-18-2014, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by alienrace

If this guy hadn't "come out", nobody would be talking about him.

Pass.

^^This^^

I'm sure it took a lot of guts for Sam to do what he did.. But the timing was pretty obvious, especially when he started selling rainbow t-shirts and crap around the time of the combine.

I'm wondering if the league will be branded the Hater League if he doesn't get drafted....

**Brien Jackson** · 04-18-2014, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Edward St.Grey

In my humble opinion I'd rather deal with that media attention than the media circus of a player knocking his fiance out in a casino but that's just me. If anything that would bring more attention but from a PR standpoint it would deflect the Rice situation a bit and it's been noted that he will more than likely be drafted by a team with a good locker room that knows how to handle the press.

For the most part, I don't get what is supposed to be so bad about "media attention." It's not like this is either a) Jackie Robinson in 1947 levels of controversy or, b) something like the Tebow circus. You'll have media there covering you and talking about him sure, because it' a landmark, but it's going to be overwhelmingly positive coverage and there's no obvious reason it should be a problem for anyone. Players have to talk to the media anyway, who cares if they're getting questions about the late round draft pick instead of a tweaked muscle or something?

**NC Raven** · 04-18-2014, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Brien Jackson

For the most part, I don't get what is supposed to be so bad about "media attention." It's not like this is either a) Jackie Robinson in 1947 levels of controversy or, b) something like the Tebow circus. You'll have media there covering you and talking about him sure, because it' a landmark, but it's going to be overwhelmingly positive coverage and there's no obvious reason it should be a problem for anyone. Players have to talk to the media anyway, who cares if they're getting questions about the late round draft pick instead of a tweaked muscle or something?

Agree about people overblowing the "media circus" part. We have had Ray Lewis go on trial for murder. Following that "media circus", the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

We had another player (Jamal) go to prison during the offseason over a drug deal. Actually did time. The media attention on his return didn't hurt the team, it just wasn't very good that year.

I can't believe this would somehow be so difficult to deal with.

**darb72** · 04-18-2014, 04:53 PM

Ray Lewis is a HOF player. Jamal Lewis is one of seven players to ever rush for 2,000 yards. Micheal Sams is not Ray or Jamal Lewis. If Sams were a first round talent, then any media storm would be worth it.

As for the media attention being positive, you're right, it would be for a while. But what happens if he gets cut? Then we have to sit around listening to the media wondering if we cut him because he's gay. That's not counting the problem of having the media ask a bunch of football players if they're okay with a gay person on the team. Just one negative remark and shit will hit the fan. Hell, it doesn't even have to be a negative remark. We see how GLADD loves to accuse people of bigotry without proof.

A fifth round at best talent is not worth that headache. He simply isn't.

**HoustonRaven** · 04-18-2014, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by NC Raven

Agree about people overblowing the "media circus" part. We have had Ray Lewis go on trial for murder. Following that "media circus", the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

We had another player (Jamal) go to prison during the offseason over a drug deal. Actually did time. The media attention on his return didn't hurt the team, it just wasn't very good that year.

I can't believe this would somehow be so difficult to deal with.

Neither Ray or Jamal had to deal with a 24/7 news cycle and a full compliment of social media outlets like we have now.

**lovefootball** · 04-18-2014, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Neither Ray or Jamal had to deal with a 24/7 news cycle and a full compliment of social media outlets like we have now.

Not until they got into legal problems. SMH

**ursula** · 04-18-2014, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by lovefootball

Not until they got into legal problems. SMH

Yeah, seriously.

I really wonder here about all this concern about the media as an excuse not to have him on the team. Way too much unhealthy concern trolling by people here.

**ursula** · 04-18-2014, 10:30 PM

Meanwhile there's a nice breakdown of the player from someone who is in a better position to evaluate him than practically all of us:

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/4/18/56...on-projections

**darb72** · 04-19-2014, 03:31 AM

Originally Posted by ursula

Yeah, seriously.

I really wonder here about all this concern about the media as an excuse not to have him on the team. Way too much unhealthy concern trolling by people here.

It's not an excuse, it's a reason. The reasons we don't want him is A: Not a fit for our scheme, and B: bad publicity waiting to happen.

Let's say we take him on the third day. Media loves us because we drafted an openly gay player. Then comes the downside. We run a 3-4 and he's no where near athletic enough to be a linebacker. So he gets put at DE. According to that very link you provided, he lacks functional strength to dominate IN COLLEGE. Guys in the NFL are a bit stronger, so he's going to get destroyed. Since the Ravens are interested in winning football games, they're going to want the best players on the field. In this situation, Sams ain't it. When we release him, there's going to be a press conference because hell if I know. He's gay, I guess. Sams says all the right things, about being given a chance, Harbaugh says something about wishing success blah, blah, blah. Media is going to run the story of, "Did the Ravens cut Sams because he's gay?" Stupid, easily avoided media circus.

Now that we've run through the most likely outcome, I would like to clarify a few things. If the Ravens draft him, I want him to win DPOY. And if the Ravens draft him, it's obvious that they've done their homework and feel he would be a benefit to the team. As it stands right now, with what we know of his talent level, he's not worth it. He isn't a fit for our defense. Even if he wasn't gay, I wouldn't draft him because he isn't what we need. The media thing is a secondary, but very real, reason to avoid the situation.

**ursula** · 04-19-2014, 07:41 AM

If you advocate not taking Sam because you project his sexual orientation will cause a media reaction for a few days in the first training camp and possibly again several years down the line when the player is either cut or leaves via free agency then that's the very definition of bigotry, in this case homophobia.

To avoid talking about the football abilities of Michael Sam other than saying a generic throwaway phrase like "he doesn't fit our scheme", and instead focus on the perceived "media storm" as a reason to not draft him is bigotry. You are singling him out just like teams used to single out and avoid black players because of the "media storm".

Fortunately Ozzie and Harbs don't appear to be homophobes so they can evaluate Sam on his football merits alone. As that link I posted above notes, Sam has some strengths and weaknesses and it will take a couple of years for him to develop, which is basically the same as any third day draft pick ever. The question for Ozzie: is he more likely to realize his upside within 2-3 years than those other depth DE/OLB's on the roster. Is he more likely to develop than Simon or Hamilton or McClellan.

Saying that Sam does not fit this team scheme-wise is nonsense. Once we get to round 5 of the draft every player is a project who can be molded into most any scheme down the line IF they develop. But that's a big IF as most late round draft picks never develop.

Sam is your basic generic tweener DE/OLB at this point with one really really good rush move and otherwise is not ready to start or play meaningful minutes on defense. Again, the same will be said for any player drafter from round 5 on this year-except most don't have that one killer move. In the article I cite above, Stephen White thinks his main issue is functional strength and further states that in a couple of years of focused work he can solve that problem and that if he does address that weakness his considerable strengths will shine and he could be a good 5+ year player in the league. Which with any late round draft pick all you can hope for realistically.

Of course Simon or Hamilton or McClellan or at least the first two might have a bigger upside in the eyes of the team, I dunno. They aren't saying directly though having the team linked to Sam makes one wonder that the team is no longer high on Hamilton or Simon. (It doesn't seem like the team thinks McClellan is starter material.) Maybe none of these players, including Sam, develop. But at this point any late round pick the Ravens use is a project and that's how Sam ought to be evaluated.