I’m certainly not the first to voice this opinion but I think it’s time for Michael Sam to cancel the previously announced documentary on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
First, I’m a huge supporter and fan of Michael and I hope he finds success in the NFL. I greatly admire his bravery and honesty in coming out as openly gay before this year’s NFL draft. It’s never easy being a pioneer when it comes to human rights issues and I think this is one of those situations where he has no idea just how difficult a path he has ahead of him – from both a football and personal standpoint.
And this is exactly why I think he needs to cancel plans for a documentary. To his credit, Sam said all of the right things leading up to and after the draft about wanting to be viewed and judged as a football player – not as an openly gay football player. And while I understand the historical implications of his journey, I think he needs to demonstrate to both his potential employer and co-workers that he is focused on one task only: making the Rams and contributing to their team’s success.
Anything above or beyond this can potentially be viewed as a distraction – and some already feel this way (based on media reports and social media reactions).
Today was reported on Twitter that the NFL “Did not know anything about (Sam’s OWN deal) until after the draft and have not agreed to anything about it.”
This doesn’t look good for Michael.
There will be plenty of time for documentaries and interviews in the future if and when Michael does prove himself as a capable NFL player.
Take care of business first Michael – there will be plenty documenting the journey.
