A fascinating read over the weekend appeared on Yahoo Sports by freelance writer Flinder Boyd about the rise to fame, and the subsequent fall from grace in the career and life of Michael Sam. The story is a must-read and can be accessed right here.
Sam was celebrated on the football field for his abilities, and deservedly so.
But in all the time that he was being used as a symbol for many in the gay rights community, he also was victimized and ostracized by his own status as well as missteps in what may have been a carefully orchestrated campaign to unify a sports league which had no desire to be united.
There’s plenty of fascinating stories of how one man’s career rose and fell in a matter of moments. Michael Sam was as celebrated for his college career as he was for choices in his personal life. Ultimately, it was those choices which flipped the spotlight on his rise to fame. It would be easy to say it was just his mediocre talent, but there’s far more to it, and it’s a cautionary tale for far too many people.
Check out my Monday Monologue from this morning's show for more on this topic. You can hear it right here at the link!