Mizzou's Sam as a Ram? Fisher says no problem
• By Jim Thomas
[www.stltoday.com]
With a roster brimming with talented defensive ends, from Robert Quinn to Eugene Sims, the Rams probably won’t be in the market for University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam in the upcoming draft.
Even so, coach Jeff Fisher says he’d have no qualms about having Sam on his roster.
“We were aware of the situation before his courageous announcement,” Fisher said Thursday. “We have a preliminary draft grade on him, like we do all of our other prospects. He will be discussed as a fine football player. And he will be discussed no differently than any other prospect.”
Sam made national news Sunday when he announced that he was gay, meaning he probably will become the first openly gay player in NFL history once the draft takes place in May.
Linebacker James Laurinaitis, who was at Rams Park Thursday training on his own, was almost eloquent in discussing Sam and the prospect of an openly gay player in the league.
“There’s 53 guys on a football team from many different cultural backgrounds, with different political views, a lot of different views on a lot of things,” Laurinaitis said. “When you bring your lunch pail and you go to work and you’re grinding, you’re working hard in practice and you’re going through the workouts, you develop a bond and a love for your teammates.
“There’s some guys in this locker room that I don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things with. But when it comes to playing football, I know they have my back and I have theirs.”
He said that dynamic would be no different if Sam were on the Rams’ roster.
“The thing about the whole Michael Sam thing to me is he’s gonna be evaluated by what he does between the lines,” Laurinaitis said. “If he’s a St. Louis Ram and he comes to work, and proves himself through camp and OTAs and all that, then I’ll have his back. It can help us win football games.”
In a broader sense, whether you agree with Sam’s sexual orientation or not, Laurinaitis said it’s a matter of respect.
“He’s a human being,” Laurinaitis said. “And every human being deserves to be treated with respect. If he gives respect, he’ll earn his respect. To me, sexual orientation, race, political view — anything — that doesn’t give you the right to not treat somebody with respect.
“They’re still a human being. They come from a family, they have feelings, and they deserve to be treated a certain way because of it.”
WILLIAMS’ PLAYBOOKS
Two weeks ago, former Jacksonville defensive end Renaldo Wynn said Gregg Williams told him the reason why William’s Tennessee team defeated Jacksonville in the 1999 season’s AFC title game was because he had the Jaguars’ playbook. According to Wynn, Williams told him so when he later joined Williams with Washington.
“I have playbooks of everybody’s team,” Williams said Thursday at his introductory press conference as Rams defensive coordinator.
Williams said he’s a “voluminous” reader and loves to collect playbooks. He said old playbooks of former coaches Buddy Ryan and George Allen are two of his most treasured ones.
“Every time a free agent walks in a building, he gives you the playbook,” Williams said. “I’ve had guys that have come in to play for me (from) other places that bring my playbook ... they got it from guys that went and played for them.
“We always have everybody’s playbook and (Wynn’s remarks) was really a joke story to listen to that whole thing. When you turn the film on, do you have their playbook? When you match the audio to the thing, do you have the playbook?”
“How much traction did ‘Omaha’ get when Peyton (Manning) said ‘Omaha’ 46 times one game on TV? What’s that mean? It doesn’t mean anything.”
• By Jim Thomas
[www.stltoday.com]
With a roster brimming with talented defensive ends, from Robert Quinn to Eugene Sims, the Rams probably won’t be in the market for University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam in the upcoming draft.
Even so, coach Jeff Fisher says he’d have no qualms about having Sam on his roster.
“We were aware of the situation before his courageous announcement,” Fisher said Thursday. “We have a preliminary draft grade on him, like we do all of our other prospects. He will be discussed as a fine football player. And he will be discussed no differently than any other prospect.”
Sam made national news Sunday when he announced that he was gay, meaning he probably will become the first openly gay player in NFL history once the draft takes place in May.
Linebacker James Laurinaitis, who was at Rams Park Thursday training on his own, was almost eloquent in discussing Sam and the prospect of an openly gay player in the league.
“There’s 53 guys on a football team from many different cultural backgrounds, with different political views, a lot of different views on a lot of things,” Laurinaitis said. “When you bring your lunch pail and you go to work and you’re grinding, you’re working hard in practice and you’re going through the workouts, you develop a bond and a love for your teammates.
“There’s some guys in this locker room that I don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things with. But when it comes to playing football, I know they have my back and I have theirs.”
He said that dynamic would be no different if Sam were on the Rams’ roster.
“The thing about the whole Michael Sam thing to me is he’s gonna be evaluated by what he does between the lines,” Laurinaitis said. “If he’s a St. Louis Ram and he comes to work, and proves himself through camp and OTAs and all that, then I’ll have his back. It can help us win football games.”
In a broader sense, whether you agree with Sam’s sexual orientation or not, Laurinaitis said it’s a matter of respect.
“He’s a human being,” Laurinaitis said. “And every human being deserves to be treated with respect. If he gives respect, he’ll earn his respect. To me, sexual orientation, race, political view — anything — that doesn’t give you the right to not treat somebody with respect.
“They’re still a human being. They come from a family, they have feelings, and they deserve to be treated a certain way because of it.”
WILLIAMS’ PLAYBOOKS
Two weeks ago, former Jacksonville defensive end Renaldo Wynn said Gregg Williams told him the reason why William’s Tennessee team defeated Jacksonville in the 1999 season’s AFC title game was because he had the Jaguars’ playbook. According to Wynn, Williams told him so when he later joined Williams with Washington.
“I have playbooks of everybody’s team,” Williams said Thursday at his introductory press conference as Rams defensive coordinator.
Williams said he’s a “voluminous” reader and loves to collect playbooks. He said old playbooks of former coaches Buddy Ryan and George Allen are two of his most treasured ones.
“Every time a free agent walks in a building, he gives you the playbook,” Williams said. “I’ve had guys that have come in to play for me (from) other places that bring my playbook ... they got it from guys that went and played for them.
“We always have everybody’s playbook and (Wynn’s remarks) was really a joke story to listen to that whole thing. When you turn the film on, do you have their playbook? When you match the audio to the thing, do you have the playbook?”
“How much traction did ‘Omaha’ get when Peyton (Manning) said ‘Omaha’ 46 times one game on TV? What’s that mean? It doesn’t mean anything.”
