Michael Sam got the call and reacted as you’d expect any newly-minted NFL player to react. And ESPN didn’t cut away.
After waiting through six rounds, Michael Sam got picked up. St. Louis Rams. Cameras were rolling as he took the call. The guy next to him? Not his manager.
At :26, a very public moment becomes beautifully intimate. Michael Sam ceases to be a celebrity and becomes a man whose life has just been changed forever. And ESPN doesn’t cut the feed or cut away. They even offer commentary in the second video.
He is breaking ground. These videos are breaking ground. But it’s the “eh” attitudes like this from sportscasters will turn Sam’s career from a novelty into just another career. Which is a good thing. Let him be noticed for his accomplishments, not for who he loves.
Sure, he’ll be “the gay football player” for a while. Other cameras will be rolling. His every move on and off the field will be scrutinized.
But these videos, and ESPN’s non-reaction, show something special in how ordinary they are…and how ordinary the guys are.