Philadelphia is the city of “brotherly love.” Football is the pulse that beats our heart and to which we pound our chest as diehards. We understand, support and are flexible with our thinking to a “point.”
Tested with our moral and ethical principal with matters such as illegal dog-fighting and using racially directed remarks by players we pay to see suit up on game day.
Michael Sam is gay, what would be our reaction if he was drafted by the Eagles?
Fans refused to watch games when Vick was signed by the Eagles. Radio, television and print went weeks talking about Riley Cooper’s use of the “N” word. To this day, if you were to wear one of their jerseys, an onlooker may hold bias to your decision to sport the “#7” or “#14.”
Would you purchase a Michael Sam jersey? Remove his production from the football field, as we purchase jersey’s for both a players skill set and for their off the field personality. Would wearing a Samjersey define your as someone who is gay, someone who supports being gay, or could you simply wear the jersey because you like the player and human being that Michael Sam is?
The Vick and Cooper situations became the primary focus of the Eagles football seasons. The Cooper incident ultimately did not appear to have an effect on the Eagles during the regular season. Did it have something to do with Cooper producing more than our expectations? I wouldn’t say it did or it did not, but I certainly wouldn’t dismiss that it probably benefited Cooper.
Would we be alright with Sam stealing the headlines from the sophomore season of Chip Kelly, can Foles build from last season, will the defense improve and the dozen or so other story-lines that we will continue to build as the off-season continues?
As an Eagles fan, are you open to the idea to drafting Michael Sam and prepared for what this decision would bring to your football team?
I say, stay away, far away! What is the purpose? he’s a mid to late round undersized DE, their already talking about converting him to LB, people talk about the year he just had, lets look at it, he had 11 1/2 sacks, 10 came in the first eight games, he only had 1 1/2 his last six, what’s so impressive about that? The bottom line is, he’s going to end up as nothing more then a special team player who might get 20 snaps a game on the D, is somebody like that worth all the baggage he’s going to bring? I think not! We have a lot of things going in here and have a chance to build something special, a lot of good things are in place and we don’t need any outside distractions like what he would bring.
Andrew P, I think you make several solid points with your reaction. If this guy was a top 10 talent and fell to the Eagles, would you re-consider?
There is nothing anyone on the Eagles coaching staff or ownership could do to “minimize” the distraction caused by this. Social media does not allow things to remain “in house.” It has many benefits, but in a situation like this, it takes on so many storylines on so mnay levels, Eagles football would become “Michael Sam.” I believe the local Philadelphia media both television, radio and print do a great job at getting information and reporting it professionally.
The issue with Michael Sam, this is national, worldwide, so it is out of our hands with how it ends up. I think the guy will certainly go drafted, and when he does (4th round), expect 10-15 minutes of non-stop coverage, over shadowing the players selected before and after him, as it will take over the draft for a good amount of time.
Jeff, if he was a top 10 pick I still wouldn’t reconsider and let me tell you why, we are a young team with a coach who only has one year of NFL experience under his belt, to deal with a situation like this would be way to much, you can’t have someone come on this team and literally become the main focus especially with that focus having nothing to do with football. That situation is best suited for a veteren team with a more stable locker room , a team like the Patriots or the Steelers would be ideal for him, I’m not saying he shouldn’t play, I’m just saying I think out team is too young to handle the distractions he would bring.
Your reasoning is legit, it has a lot of supportive facts which are part of the “entire” sport of football. You think about some of the biggest headlines in the NFL over the last 7 years and the teams these players were on. Eagles-Vick, Cooper, Patriots- Hernandez, Tebow, Chargers- Teo, Steelers- Rothlisberger, and I’m sure even the Jets with Tebow & Favre could be thrown into the mix. So much attention and energy goes into something of this magnitude, and this could be the biggest yet. This has never happened, a “current” player in one of the 4 major sports revealing he was “homosexual.” We have had past players either admit or talk about knowing other guys in the locker room were homosexual, but this is completely different.
As a sports market, the overwhelming majority of Eagles fans would have no issue drafting Sam, if it was just that “easy.” The problem we would have would be the shift in focus from our “team” the one we are hoping takes the next step after our 2013 season, 10-6, NFC East Title and make a strong run in 2014 at the NFC Championship.
So Andrew, I appreciate your honesty with your opinion. It angers me the way the Philadelphia sports fan is often said to be, because we are an insightful fan base, we can seperate “sports” and the culture surrounding it.
We want the best for Michael Sam, and if we were inn different place as a franchise, maybe we could take on something like this. I’m still impresed with how the Cooper situation from last season did not hamper us during the regular season.
How many days until free agency, the draft? I can’t shut off talking Eagles football, even if Roseman is saying we won’t target the big name free agents, and if picking at #22 we might not get the top guy on our draft wish list.
NFL owners are afraid of having to suspend their own players for bigotry. ( that is the only problem)
A Sams jersey will be a statement – you’ll see celebrities wear the jersey to show solidarity. His jersey will sell because he is a novelty like Linsanity or Danica Patrick. But once Jackie Robinson broke the barrier many more joined — They are already in the game just hiding.
You know what guys the smear campaign is already underway just listen to the talking heads on TV, he’s undersized only a mid round talent most of his 11.5 sacks were against inferior competition. Dcar is right he will probably go undrafted.
He sounds like the reincarnation of Brandon Graham. If I want a 6 2 255lb DE I will keep Graham. lol
daggolden, I completely agree with your assessment for this guy. They are very similar players, borderline starters but more fit for situational snaps, and when all is said and done, in a straight 4-3 set.
Not for any other reason, I don’t see his abilities and size being a good fit for this team. In another defensive scheme I would think he can be a good player based on his career at Mizzo, but if he would come here I doubt that he would perform at a level that the Bird Fan’s expect and then I am sure that his personal life would be brought into the criticism. If he was a good player and fit for the scheme, I think the fans would be all for him, but since I don’t see him as a fit, I say that we should stay away.
Please howie don’t draft this guy we don’t need circus
jeff is this what u bring to the table for discussion the past 2 days the guy is undersized end of discussion you make it like hes a special player wow whats g got to offer for discussion hope its not redundant like your reading.
What else is newsworthy right now in the NFL, Don P
It’s 2 weeks before the Indy Combine
A month before Free-Agency, about the only NFL News will be the 40-50 Players Cut around the NFL for Salary Cap Issues
My List of Big-Name Players who will be Salary Cap Casualties
1) DE Julius Peppers (Bears)
2) LB Lance Briggs (Bears)
3) WR Nate Burleson (Lions)
4) WR Miles Austin (Cowboys)
5) Sadety Ryan Clark (Steelers)
6) DE Brent Diesel (Steelers)
7) CB Pacman Jones (Bengals)
8) LB Takeo Spikes (Patriots)
9) DE De’quan Bowers (TB Bucs)
10) CB Kareem Jackson (Texans)
Have I mentioned his skill set? Its a relevant topic with “sports culture.” This is a topic of conversation that does not take into account the skill set of a player, only that his skill set may or may not change when a team would draft him. I personally wrote this article because the Philadelphia fan base is able to have conversations beyond stats, mock drafts and other regular football conversations. Its a big part of this site in general, exploring topics that we discuss during coffee breaks or texts, and with a broader audience.
If you ask me about his skill-set I’d say he is a special teams player who can rotate on nickel packages and some other formations his first year, and the NFL team can make the call what to do with him after that.
Breaking news
Joe Banner is out in Cleveland!!!!
If he can play the vast, vast majority of fans will accept him. See Michael Vick and most of the 2010 season. Also I didn’t hear a lot of Riley Cooper boos down the stretch of this season.
There is no way that he goes undrafted. He may not be a first round pick, but he fits on a team somewhere.
paulman wouldnt u agree hes beatin a dead horse check dennys post we want to hear talk bout our eagles,not what if scenarios that dont mean a fuk to us philly fans by way paulman were you even raised in south philly if u were u would know the score
Jeff contributes a few articles a week about a Eagles and does a nice job,
He probably wanted to get own thoughts out there about the “Topic of the Day”..
As far as South Philly goes, My Father/Grandparents lived on Gerritt Street in South Philly (Around the 10th & Dickinson area) and we used to go there to visit every Sunday.. When my Grandparents passed, my Dad took over the house and had my Sister take it over who lived there for about 10 Years until she got married and had kids and then moved out the City into South Jersey
I grew up and was raised in Voorhees NJ back in the 60’s & 70’s before it became the “Wealthy Town” that it has grown into since 80’s and probably still is today… Voorhees was a more rural, agricultural town back then and I remember the Echelon Mall when it was Tomlinson’s Farm and Local Airport and before the Patco Speed Line put a Station in at “Ashland”
I moved away for better Work Opportunities in 1987 to Indianapolis, then moved south to Charlotte in 1994 and never came back or was interested in moving back to the Philly area although all my 7 siblings & Mom still live there in the South Jersey/Philly area) while my Dad moved on down and lives in the Sarasota,FL area
I visit twice a year (Thanksgiving/ in late June) for a 4-5 day Visit at a time and that’s enough for me to be honest with you…
Jeff’s article’s are good,
Denny’s are better,
GCobbs are the best,
Josh Janet’s are excellent –
and GMCliff is a dingbat
When I really think about the Eagles drafting this guy I kinda feel like Andrew P is right, I don’t think that I would want the distraction. I think the players could handle the fact that he’s gay just not the circus that comes with it. I really believe the only way it would work is if the guy was really good and the team was winning. I don’t think you can sell people short though, all the guys he played with new he was gay and you never heard one word about it. One reason is because they were winning and the second was because he was good and a leader. I def. think that the right NFL locker room could handle the situation just don’t know that it’s ours. I actually like what I have seen from this guy though to be honest, I think he has some skill and will def. have the motivation. There will be a lot of pressure for him to succeed most of it self made, but I think he has a skill set and the motivation to be a factor. In any event wish him the best.
well u visiting aint like livin there lol but the point is he wouldnt be a fit here period all way around and as far as jeffs articles they are ok it seems lately whole group is at a loss for some real good stuff to sink your teeth in so they just repeat themselves or dont post for couple days wheres g on vacation?Hey Paulman speaking of sarasota i have friends there and i have been there lot i love that area siesta key beach is the most beautiful beach around man. bradley Coopers uncle lives that area he was in minors so he loves to go all the preseason games. Your father has good taste lol tc
Thanx Don P.. He actually lives in North Port,Fl which is about an hour South
of Sarasota close to Punta Gorda/Venice and has rents a Condo at Siesta Key Beach every May… he loves it and has been down there for 15 Years now… He retired from Conrail on a Full Pension at age 58 in which he had 32 Years Service in 1989 (It was Penn Central, then became Conrail)
He sold all his acquired Stocks from Conrail after they became Public and then sold them at a High Price and made out pretty good…
Good for him! I been to northport and port charlotte liked it i love the gulf side
I’m sick of the ‘gay agenda’.
The vast majority of Americans view two men engaging in anal intercourse, or two lesbians using ‘strap-ons’ , imitating the natural act of intercourse between a man and a woman, as an abomination, not marriage.
Gays have always been able to do what they want in the privacy of their bedroom, but NOW, they want this to be viewed as natural.
The recent Grammy awards, full of Satanic rituals, and the promotion of promiscuous and gay sex, is a very clear indication of what the PTB are trying to shove down our throats…I am repulsed.
There have always been homosexuals in the locker room…Anybody here remember Dave Megessy?
And here, the discussion is about ‘marketing’ all this: What have we come to?
More like the liberal agenda frank