When Michael Sam is drafted — it should be a matter of when not if, because if Sam liked lady bits, there would no question he would get drafted — Sam would be the first openly gay professional athlete in a major American team sport.
But Sam's draft status is an open question because, after he came out, plenty of bravely unnamed NFL executives found their pantaloons in a twist over the prospect of Sam’s sexual orientation messing with the delicate chemistry in their manly man locker rooms.
Sam wouldn’t be the first known gay sportsballer, however. A handful of professional athletes came out of the closet after their careers ended. Many of them were known to be gay to their teammates and employers.
There was a gay baseball player named Glenn Burke in the 1970s. He was credited with inventing the high five. When the Dodgers realized he was gay, Al Campanis (yes, that Al Campanis , the one who discussed African-American buoyancy that one time on "Nightline") offered Burke $75,000 to just marry a woman already. Burke didn’t and he was traded to Oakland.
Vince Lombardi Was Totally Gay For Gay Football Players Because Vince Lombardi Wasn't A Jerk
<i>Mongo not gay!!</i>
Someone had to say it.
NFL players aren&#039;t a bunch of cloistered monks. A large number are adulterers, alcoholics, drug addicts, roid ragers, and just general hell raisers. The idea that a few gay players might somehow ruin that wonderful experience is ludicrous.