This is a touchy subject, but one that I believe needs to be discussed openly.

 

Regarding Michael Sam, he wasn't/isn't really NFL caliber period.  The only reason why he is "a story" is because he came out of the closet in a public way.  I don't know why he did such a thing, but in my mind it probably hindered his chances of getting a real look by teams rather than helped it.  Him being public regarding his personal life pretty much advertised to teams that "he has some baggage".  Heck, there was a "media watch" in place during the draft not because of his skill, but just due to the fact of his personal life.

 

Now would he have been drafted had he not disclosed personal details regarding himself?  My guess is probably not, or he would have gone in late rounds (like he did).  Yes he was a great college level player, but that doesn't necessarily translate to the NFL level (Derrick Harvey anyone)?

 

As far as the female ref is concerned, it's only "news" so that the NFL can be perceived as being "gender neutral" when it comes to hiring people.  It's all about PR.  Personally, I don't really care about the gender of an official, I just want to know that said official is up to the task of being on the field with professional players and being able to call games proficiently.  Again, this is probably some "baggage" for the NFL because rest assured, her gender is going to be pointed out every game that she officiates.  I kind of feel bad for her because if/when she makes a bad call, it's going to be amplified in the media.

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