Standing Strong

What does it mean to be strong? Does it mean that you are the best athlete, in peak physical condition? Does it mean that you are mentally tough, able to overcome any roadblock with ease? Does it mean that you are a leader, willing to take things head on and help others succeed with you? Does it mean that you are morally strong, always standing up for what he or she believes is just and right? There are only a select few people who embody multiple meanings of strength and this week, the world was introduced to one such person. Late last Sunday, a college football player named Michael Sam came out about his sexuality on national television. This act in itself takes strength, but the fact that Sam could potentially be first current NFL player to be openly gay shows us just how strong of a man he really is.

One of Sam's interviews with the New York Times

This is not the first time that Sam has been in the national spotlight for his football career. Last season at the University of Missouri, Sam was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC for his outstanding play that lead the Tigers to a 12-2 season and a Cotton Bowl Victory. It was at the beginning of that fantastic season that Sam decided to come out to his coaches and teammates. According to Sam, his teammates rallied around and supported him, making him feel like he was truly part of a family. This news, coupled with his stellar college career, has made him a potential target for a number of NFL teams in the upcoming draft. Slated to go somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft, Sam would be able to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL and should make an impact no matter where he goes.

However, as is the case with most stories that break on ESPN, there is a good deal of controversy surrounding Sam's future in the NFL. While the NFL as a whole has backed Sam's decision to come out, there are a number of players who say that they would not be comfortable with having an openly gay teammate. Some argue that the "locker room mentality" that many of the current NFL players have would have to be drastically changed should Sam step become a member of the team, making some players uneasy. Adding fuel to the fire are recent reports about Sam's family life, which is strained to say the least. While he is not the first openly gay athlete in sports, as both NBA free agent Jason Collins and MLS player Robbie Rogers have come out as gay in the past year, it is potentially the first time that a current NFL player has come out. The media spotlight will not only be on Sam, but the team that drafts him as well, with some fearing that it could serve as a distraction.

The NFL has and always will be a sport dominated by male bravado and strength. In this league, only the strongest survive and prosper. For the longest time, being an openly gay man in the locker room would have been seen as weakness. This is no longer the case. From now on, Michael Sam is the strongest man in any locker room. He is physically, mentally, and morally strong, a true leader willing to put the team first. There has already been an outpouring of support for Sam and there are a great number of people who want to see him succeed. Not only will he be a great player, but he will be a fantastic role model, seen as a game changer on and off the field. The road to change is full of adversity and scrutiny. Michael Sam must now travel this path, as strong as ever. 

Not the last time we will see Michael Sam's name on the football field

2014 National Signing Day Drama

I'm going to be honest here: the off season for college football is an incredibly boring one. Following the Championship Game, there is usually a few days of excitement, with coaches being fired and hired, players transferring schools, and announcements of going pro. Problem is, once you hit the middle part of January, all that news and excitement begins to die down. The focus shifts away from the results of the last season to the preparation for next year. However, there is one day in the cold, dreary month of February where the teams come out from hibernation and put college football back onto the front page of the news. Every first Wednesday of February, thousands of young men and women sign National Letters of Intents to play sports at the collegiate level. For college football, this means an 11 hour televised event of all the major college announcements from the top recruits.

Oh look, 4 more weeks without football

Due to a favorable class schedule and desire to sit aimlessly on my couch for hours on end, I decided to spend my day watching kids decide where the are going to spend the next few years of their lives (read: becoming jealous of the fact that they have accomplished more in their life in 17 or 18 years than I have in 21). So, here are my winners and losers of National Signing Day:

Winners:

1) Alabama

Say what you want about Nick Saban, the man knows how to recruit. For the third year in a row, Alabama has had the top recruiting class in college football, bringing 27 stellar athletes into the program. Of those 27, 19 are in ESPN 300 rankings, which ranks the 300 best high school football players in the current graduating class. What really sets this recruiting class apart is the fact that Alabama was able to strengthen areas that had been weaker last season (read: the secondary and the offensive line). Recruits such as Cameron Robinson and Da'Shawn Hand will make immediate impacts for this Crimson Tide team that ended the 2013 campaign on a sour note. To make things even sweeter, Saban was able to steal a top recruit from a rival (see "Losers" below) Roll Tide!

Some say the Devil wears Crimson

2) USC

Shout out to my professor, Dr. Usher, on this one. This was one of the bigger surprises of signing day, as the Trojans were able to secure 19 recruits on Signing Day, putting them in 14th place in terms of their recruiting class. Hands down the biggest splash of the day came when highly touted Cornerback Adoree' Jackson decided to forgo Alabama and rival UCLA and decided to attend USC next fall. In one of the more bizarre announcements I have ever seen, Jackson surprised the nation and decided join new coach Steve Sarkisian in rebuilding a proud USC program. Other big signings include Damien Mama, the #4 Offensive Guard in the nation, who will help add girth and strength to the line. Even with the scholarship restrictions, USC looks poised to rebuild and reclaim its spot as a dominant program in college football.

Losers: 

1) Auburn

While rival Alabama had a field day on Signing Day, Auburn looked as if it never got an invitation. As a whole, the Auburn recruiting class is a solid one, ranked number 8 in the nation. However, the big story of the day was Rashaan Evans' decision to attend rival Alabama. Evans lives in the town of Auburn, Alabama and was widely believed to stay local for the next four years of college. Instead, he jumped ship and left a lot of Auburn fans with a sour taste in their mouths. To make matters worse, it was discovered that prior to Evans' announcement, Auburn had placed him on their athletics page as the poster child of their recruiting class. To make matters even worse, one of their 4-Star recruits was arrested over the weekend for marijuana possession with the intent to sell. Not the best PR for the team. In the end, the 2014 Signing Day will remembered more for what Auburn lost over what they gained.

I would put this down as a social media blunder

2) Oregon

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Over the past few seasons, the Oregon Ducks have been at the peak of college football standings, constantly winning and bringing explosive young talent to Eugene, Oregon. This year however, the Ducks didn't make quite the slash that they were hoping for (see what I did there?). The Ducks came in at 27th place in terms of their recruiting class, with only 2 recruits in the ESPN 300 rankings. With USC making big splash moves, I worry about Oregon's ability to compete at a higher level in the coming seasons. 

Conference which had the best day: SEC

7 of the Top 10 recruiting classes are teams within the SEC.  Look forward to continued dominance by the SEC.

Conference which had the worst day: Big 12

For a conference that is looking to rebuild, the Big 12 did not do a great job of recruiting top talent this year. No teams in the top 10 recruiting classes and no big name players were signed with Big 12 teams. Sorry Coach Strong, looks like your rebuilding may start next year.


With Signing Day over, we can now all go back to our quiet off season, quietly waiting until spring practice begins. Damn you Punxsutawney Phil.