When Michael Sam came out in the public and announced he was gay, much of the reaction on social media and otherwise was congratulatory and supportive. Earlier today on ESPN, however, former head coach and current analyst Herman Edwards was a little more apprehensive when discussing the topic.
In a rambling segment Edwards compared Sam's admission to bringing in a play with off-field issues and said he was "bringing baggage into the locker room."
Watch Edwards make his controversial comments here.
"The thing you talk about in the organization, with the GM, and obviously the owner, is can we handle this guy?" Edwards said. "Can we handle the media that's going to come along with his situation?"
The reaction to Edwards' segment was overwhelmingly negative on Twitter, as was pointed out by Deadspin.com.
Herm Edwards on ESPN just now looking and sounding like he spent the past 48 hours drinking in a seedy Reno hotel.
— Andre Linoge (@AndrosonT) February 10, 2014
ESPN needs to cut to a commercial fast. Herm is a 5 alarm dumpster fire right now. #MichaelSam #courage #hermedwards — Jeff McGee (@Jeff_McGee_) February 10, 2014
Is Herm Edwards drunk right now? The awkward stops, the incoherent rambling (moreso than usual)...why bring him in to the Michael Sam convo?
— Nate Edwards (@NateGEdwards) February 10, 2014
Perhaps reactions like Edwards' are the reason many gay players decide against making their sexual preferences unknown, but in his interview with Outside the Lines, Sam seemed very comfortable with his decision.
"I endured so much in my past: seeing my older brother killed from a gunshot wound, not knowing that my oldest sister died when she was a baby and I never got the chance to meet her. My second oldest brother went missing in 1998, and me and my little sister were the last ones to see him ... my other two brothers have been in and out of jail since 8th grade, currently both in jail. Telling the world I'm gay is nothing compared to that."
Sam also said he's ready for the good and bad that will come of his honesty. "There will be negativity, negative reactions," he said. "I expect that. ... Everyone can say hurtful things and hateful things; I don't let stuff like that distract me. But there are going to be positives. The positives will outweigh the negative."
Sam was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for Missouri, terrorizing offenses with 48 tackles, 19 for loss, to go with 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
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