NFL Double Standard?
 

A interesting video highlighted by Mass Tea Party where the discussion revolves around football’s double standard, where one player, Tim Tebow is mocked relentlessly for his Christian faith and another, Michael Sam, is praised for his gay lifestyle with the “kiss seen around the world” with his gay lover.

Many see this as not only highly hypocritical but as yet another example of religious beliefs being villifed.


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Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Michael Sam, Good luck i hope you have a 12 year Pro Bowl Career.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

My 2 cents comes on the same coin.

Religious beliefs are bashed because of one reason. The fact that pretty much every war from the beginning of time has been over religion. Lets be honest, its not just religious beliefs or a certain religion, its all religion has been a problem and is still a problem today.

As for the dolphins player suspended for this tweets, the issue here is that freedom of speech seems to no longer be free, he had a concern, a valid one since ESPN showed that footage and was probably in the wrong to do so. Biggest problems come with it as well, Michael Sam openly admits to it and is milking every bit of this he can for fame, and these news outlets are gobbling it up.

If you ask me, I think Michael Sam is going to be a headcase regardless of if hes gay or not.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Good points Vrillion.

Tebow was made fun of because he took his Christianity to overshadow the game and his so-so playing ability.
Christians who never went through what Tebow did: The Late Reggie White. Russell Wilson.
Wilson shares his beliefs but it does not overshadow the game, his fellow team players, and he is very good at the game.
Same for the Late Reggie White.

Tebow believed the hype, fame, and image . He had an actress from Rock of Ages take off her FB a picture with him taken after a show. She was in her costume.

Sam is gay. I understand and heard and got it the first 50 times it was said. I don't people really care much. His personal life is his. He has chosen , first thing, not to make it personal.
The picture was a bit too much for the masses, the Rams fans, and NFL fans, etc.
Sam is NOT a starter. He was a late draft pick. He was so-so during the Combine. He has a whole lot of work to do to really make the team. Training camp and preseason, anything can happen and anyone can be a boom or a bust.

I agree Vrillion that he is looking like he out for his fame, own noterity.
Team last.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

1. Beliefs that are not owned are bashed by the greater % of mankind because or their inability to understand that different does not equal wrong or bad... and most importantly some things are none of their business. There is a reason laundry is hung out in the back yard to dry.

2. Speech is free from prosecution (for the most part), never persecution. Each and everyone is held accountable for their words to a certain extent.

There is no need to go global about your beedroom or religious activities. Both relationships are between 1 person and another.

ESPN has shown many hetero kisses with girlfriends during the draft, no reason they cant show a homo kiss. Personally, I don't care to see either as national television is not the place for a PDA.

Neither side is in the wrong, they do both show some questionable judgement.
If you throw your personal life/opinion out on national TV/twitter you better be damned well ready to have it critiqued.

Id like to see Sam sack Tebow just to watch the fireworks.


Now... To give Sam the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for admitting to what he is.. Not sure that award hasn't just become devalued because at this point he has only managed to get drafted which is not exactly going above and beyond.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Comparing religious beliefs to sexual preferences sounds like comparing apples to oranges to me.

First of all, I question has Sam ever actually been "praised for his gay lifestyle"? Where did this happen? I've only seen him praised for his courage in coming out, or his being a trailblazer, first of his kind, etc. NEVER have I seen any media outlet "praise" his homosexuality or his lifestyle, directly. Got a link for that? Most of the commentary I've seen, seems focused on what an event it was, a moment, first time this has happened in the pros, etc.

Nothing that Tim Tebow has done, has been the first time it's been done, out of anything that he has EVER done (and he has actually done a lot, if you count both off-the-field and on). But none of his Christianity was pioneering. Players have been pointing at the sky after touchdowns, genuflecting, kneeling, putting moments of quiet reflection together with happy celebration, and praying in end zones together, for generations. Literally for generations, decades now.

Was Tebow pioneering anything, by being the first openly devout Christian drafted in football? If he was, then it's a valid comparison.

And by contrast, I have not seen any sports or news media outlet "mocking relentlessly" Tim Tebow's religious beliefs, other than a few parody skits on comedy shows. Jimmy Fallon, SNL are not news media. I've heard of players mocking it (Detroit game that Tebow lost 45-10) but even that's got a wide variety of discussion about it, pro and con. Many people felt that the Lions players went too far in mocking him, it was widely discussed. Overall it is hardly a unanimous slam dunk premise, that everyone in the media is unfairly against Tebow, especially not in the news or sports media realm. He has been given every possible chance to prove himself, on the field, where the media should be looking. And now Sam will get his chance to prove himself on the field (if he even gets there).

Second big point -- getting to point #2 of Oak and others. When Tebow does the "Tebow" he is engaging in a very conscious act of moral grandstanding. Tebow is saying, "Look at me," just as surely as Billy "White Shoes" Johnson doing his knee-wobbling end zone dance was saying, "Look at me" back in the '70s.

Does Michael Sam do a signature sack dance, or tackle celebration, to promote his gayness, on the field, every time he makes a play? IF HE DID, then we would have an apples-to-apples comparison here.

Again, this is why I think we are getting off into the weeds, into comparing apples to oranges in this thread.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

If he doesn't produce on the football field, he will suffer the same fate as Tebow no matter what his lifestyle.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

The OP is at a higher level than Religion vs Sexuality, or Tebow vs Sam. Its focus is more the acceptance of both public displays.

Its about tolerance or lack there of depending on the subject matter.
It points out that there is more tolerance to public displays of homosexuality, than there is to religion.

But what you and I both know is that crusaders for both causes will take a thread and weave it into a quilt for their cause.

Make a tweet in disgust (that persons feeling about something), and there is a fine when it is in regard to homosexuality. Make a mocking tweet in laughter (that persons feelings about something) about Tebow or Phil Robertson's practicing their religion and no such reprimand is made.

There is a hypersensitivity around mocking certain subjects that is becoming absurd.

As far as the tweet... Well, some people do not have the ability to see something and not have a physical reaction. Let 50 people watch a person eat a cricket or a slice of bacon, a % will just watch while a % will have some sort of physical reaction.. They will all think something.

Some people should have to get a license to be on the internet.

If you hang your underwear in the front yard to dry and the neighbors laugh... Its your fault.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Just heard that he was assigned #69.... whoops #96.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Ohhh, exile. Now you go to the timeout chair.

TOO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

If I'm not around for the next week or so Halo has put me in a "program".

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Seems like 81 is more appropriate.

Some ocho-uno action!!!

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

I'm not so sure Wilson is a Christian considering his recent marriage.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Wilson became a Christian when at the age of 14 "Jesus came to me in a dream". I have a difficult time following you sometimes and this is one of them. How does his marriage contradict being Christian?

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Im assuming his issue is that Wilson has filled for divorce.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

It amazes me how little people know about being a Christian.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

just glad some can simply still joke around with no pun intended. Sam is gay, okay, fine lets move on. hope no one drops the soap. he he he ha aaa:airguitar:

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Which contradicts being a Christian how? Being a Christian is being baptized, and believing in Jesus Christ and his teachings.

That's why I am asking... I know of no churches that prohibit divorce. Catholics have a loophole that for a fee retroactively declares the marriage invalid, thus any children of such marriage become bastards... or like me :).

Most churches discourage, some have narrow rules allowing for, but I am not aware of any that prohibit. Some call remarriage adultery but do not prohibit the divorce...

Soooo.. since no one here knows the grounds, it pretty presumptuous to say it is going against being Christian.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Im not Christian so not sute on the ins and outs. I know Catholics are not keen on divorce. I have no issues with religion as a whole but I do not like religious organisations as I find that many are like politicians twisting and turning what is ok what isnt to please the argument they want to make.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Christianity is a belief, religions are different ways to practice that belief. They all chase money and will find a way to forgive if the price is right.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Michael Sam is a hypocrite. He can go blow or suck smoke up someone else's ass.

He comes out making it about him and being gay.

The makes a public statement that he wishes it could be "just about football".

Well Sam, if you wanted it to be about football you wouldn't have agreed to a reality show about your time in the NFL with Opera on her network.

4 days after the draft? Sam was planning this before he was drafted and I'll bet the Rams didn't know.

He and his drama wagon will get cut or end up on the practice squad at best.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

I was quite happy to defend hos right to want his sexuality forgotten. You cant have it both ways, you are supposes to be football player not a flag waiving celebrity. This is going to ramp up the media attention and any decisions the Rams make will be under the microscope x1000. If he is cut it wont be long before rumours of locker room unrest etc surface. This was set up before the draft and is wrong.

"I dont want to be known as Michael Sam the gay football player, I want it to be about Michael Sam the football player".
The refusal to talk to the media predraft now just looks a sham.


Its a shame as had this just been kept to being about him as a football player that announced he was gay and it was then left as tge non story it is would have done more for homosexuals in sport than this will. The decision to have a tv show/documentary will make morw teams wary of drafting a gay player in the future.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Well, he was a 7th round pick 8 picks from the draft being over and used a compensatory pick... On a team fairly deep at DE... I think it looks more like someone did the NFL a favor and drafted him so he would get drafted.

Can I blame him for wanting to cash in while he can? No... But call it what it is and don't pretend it is something else to try and gain favor from the purists that care more about football than social issues. I agree with you Lee, all this did was further the notion that there would be a drama filled side show and not just a football player getting a shot in the NFL. While I am sure there will be some snarky comments about this reply, it is what it is. I said his sexuality was moot and should have stayed that way, those that want to push their own agenda got all hurt and defensive. I care as much about who Sam screws as I do about where Tebow keeps his bible... I dont. Roger Goodell is not doing as much to destroy this game for me as agenda pushers and ratings seekers.

What has PC done for sports? In today's world Babe Ruth and Micky Mantle would have never made a career of baseball. They were both alcoholic wife beaters.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

I miss the days of reading sports stories and articles on players not on there off field discretions or incidents.

This is what I want to read from sports collomists
http://www.cnnsi.com/vault/article/m...8082/index.htm

Little Big LinebackerSam Mills, the Saints' 5'9" fireplug, is often the shortest man on the field—until he cuts opposing players down to size

THE SAM MILLS STORY, SHORT VERSION: In the fall of 1976 there was a truly great high school linebacker named Sam Mills Jr. But no big-time college football teams wanted him, because he was only 5'9". Four years later Mills was a truly great small-college linebacker. But no NFL team wanted him, because he was only 5'9". He couldn't find work in the Canadian Football League, either. You know why. So Mills found a job teaching photography and assisting the football coach at East Orange (N.J.) High School.

In January 1983, two years after Mills had played his final college game, the USFL was born, and he earned a spot on the Philadelphia Stars. By season's close, Mills led the Stars in tackles. He led the Stars in tackles the next year, too, and the next (by which time the team was playing in Baltimore). When the USFL disbanded after the 1985 season, the New Orleans Saints hired Jim Mora, who had coached the Stars, as their coach. Mora, in turn, hired our little hero.



Not about player X having a affair or player Y buying his girlfriend a $125000 engagement ring. Or his views on anything baring football.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

This such utter crap. It's complete BS. War is about economics. Always has been and always will. On a rare occasion something like the Crusades happen but it's an outlier. The two World Wars, and every war America has ever been involved in in no way had anything to do with religion. I can't think of a single 19th century war that had anything to do with religion and even the turmois brought about by the Reformation weren't really about religion but more about limiting the powers of the Catholic Church.

If you want bash religion go ahead, it's your right but at least get your facts straight.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

6 million dead Jews would disagree with you... You know, if they weren't massacred because of their religion.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

They weren't murdered because of their religious beliefs. Where in the world did you get that from?

NFL Double Standard?
 

The Jews were used as scapegoats... Therefore to say that America has never fought in any war that involved religion is false. No, they weren't targeted because of ideology, but by virtue of being Jewish and that is indeed a religion.

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

True but that was Hitler's issue not America's. So what are we arguing again? I'm lost. :)

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

And on that note!

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

In re double standard: nowadays there seem to be some sort of unwritten rules as to what's ok to bash/make fun of, and what needs public displays of acceptance or "celebrating".

In re "Jewish"... ah.. never mind lol

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

THIS CALLS FOR A REPOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Re: NFL Double Standard?
 

Is this another double standard below?

Ryan Clark of Washington Redskins rips Roger Goodell for failure to penalize Jim Irsay of Indianapolis Colts - ESPN