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February 9 is a date worth noting. For one thing, it marks the introduction of The Beatles to an American audience on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964. CBS aired a television special to commemorate the event on Sunday.
Olympic curling, anyone? Russia’s Anna Sidorova.
For another thing, February 9 marks the day that Missouri defensive end Michael Sam told the world — and especially the NFL — he is gay. The Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year in 2014 made his announcement through several media outlets Sunday.
The Beatles anniversary was pretty much universal joy — with the possible exception of those who view the lads from Liverpool crossing the ocean and bringing about the end of western civilization as those folks imagined it to be.
The Sam announcement should be one of pretty much universal joy — with the possible exception of anti-gay forces that might be found in NFL front offices, coaching ranks, locker rooms and/or under rocks and elsewhere.
Was America ready for The Beatles? Is the NFL ready for an admitted homosexual player?
Does it matter?
Rarely is major change embraced.
Already there have been anonymous NFL voices saying the time is not yet right for an admitted homosexual being on an NFL team. As if there ever would be a right time for some people.
Here’s hoping Sam is drafted and makes an NFL team. Here’s also hoping a gay player or gay players come out before the NFL draft to declare their sexual preference — provided they desire to do so. Sooner or later, that will occur. And the sooner the better. Because the people who are opposed to homosexual athletes (not to mention homosexuals in general) are going to either have to learn to accept reality or find something else to do.
Will NFL players accept a gay teammate or teammates?
Did all of Jackie Robinson’s teammates accept him when he broke baseball’s color line in 1947?
You have to start someplace. And you have to start sometime.
And the way you do it is the way Sam has done it. He is basically saying, “Accept me for what I am: a football player. Judge me on that basis.”
The NFL has employed rapists, murderers, etc. By comparison, you would think a team would be happy to have a good citizen who can play football. His sexual preference really shouldn’t be a concern on the football field. And with an enlightened owner, front office and coaching staff, it shouldn’t matter off the football field either.
If his teammates don’t like it, management should afford them the opportunity to void their contracts and let them try to find employment elsewhere.
Sure there will be bigoted people trying to thwart Sam every step of the way. And, yes, they will be bigoted; make no mistake about that. You want to make a religious case against homosexuality and cite something biblical? Then please do so right after you tell the NFL not to play on Sundays. And you can toss in Saturdays, too, for the Old Testament, while you’re at it.
Sam has taken a brave step. He told his Missouri teammates of his homosexuality before the 2013 season. They were so overwhelmed, distracted, whatever else you want to make of the situation that the Tigers could not produce better than a 12-2 record. Everyone survived, as far as anyone can tell.
Social change is not easy. It’s generally not fun (although the British invasion by The Beatles and others 50 years ago sure was for some of us). And it’s never time for those who want to hold onto the past.
Thankfully, there are people such as Michael Sam — someone who follows in the footsteps of others who have sought equality — to tackle such issues.
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