- Joined
- Jun 6, 2013
- Messages
- 207
Didn't see this uploaded but here it is. So much passion and very excited dude. If this guy can work everyday I can see him do really well in this league.
Michael Sam Press Conference
- Thread starter Tony iz Ramlike
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- Joined
- May 6, 2014
- Messages
- 13,649
- Name
- Charlie
Well, if this guy really is 3rd round talent or better, then we got a steal. Thats how I look at it. I have no idea how good he is. I haven't followed him. I only heard about him when he came out. If teams passed on him strictly because he's gay, thats a shame. But I don't believe that was the case. I think teams were leery of the media circus that will follow him. And thats a shame too. This guy doesn't ask for all that attention. But he's gonna get it.
As long as he can play football and contribute to the team, its worth it. If he's not good enough to make the team, I just hope they're not pressured by the media or commissioner to make it work with him. Hopefully he'll be good enough where that doesn't become an issue. I did read where some NFL people said he wasn't talented enough to make it in the NFL. They said he was stuck in between two positions with his size. Not big enough for end and not fast enough for linebacker. But if he can rush the passer, they'll figure out some packages to fit him.
As long as he can play football and contribute to the team, its worth it. If he's not good enough to make the team, I just hope they're not pressured by the media or commissioner to make it work with him. Hopefully he'll be good enough where that doesn't become an issue. I did read where some NFL people said he wasn't talented enough to make it in the NFL. They said he was stuck in between two positions with his size. Not big enough for end and not fast enough for linebacker. But if he can rush the passer, they'll figure out some packages to fit him.
bluecoconuts
Legend
- Joined
- May 28, 2011
- Messages
- 13,073
"What does it mean that the Rams drafted you?"
"It means the Rams know what the hell they're doing!"
Love that attitude
"It means the Rams know what the hell they're doing!"
Love that attitude
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2010
- Messages
- 35,623
- Name
- The Dude
(On what his offseason has been like)
“Well you just answered my question. It’s been all about football. I’ve been getting in shape and preparing for this moment for a very long time and I’m excited. I’m ready and I’m so determined to be great.”
(On if he has heard from any Rams players)
“I have. Current teammates have texted me. I really don’t know who they are, but they just said, ‘Welcome to the team,’ so I don’t know their numbers yet. But, the vets have been texting me and St. Louis fans have been tweeting me and I’m just very excited. I’m a former (Missouri) Tiger. I’m glad to stay in Missouri and I’m ready to get to work.”
(On joining some other former Missouri players on the Rams)
“We’re ready. We’re ready to work. Missouri is one of the best in the nation as a Division I program. We Tigers, we’ve got to keep on proving to the nation that Mizzou Tigers know how to play football. The 2013 co-Defensive Player of the Year is ready to (expletive) show the world that he is also ready to work.”
(On if he is ready to play right now)
“Let me tell you something, if we were playing the Vikings right now I would probably have three sacks the first game (laughs).”
(On what his whole pre-draft process has been like and what the positive reactions have meant to him)
“Since February, since my big announcement, there has been this whole speculation of the first openly gay football player. But, you know what? It’s not about that. It’s about playing football. Can Michael Sam play football? And yes, I can. The St. Louis Rams know I can and I’m going to give everything I’ve got to the St. Louis Rams to help the Rams win a championship.”
(On the Rams bringing on the first African-American professional football player in Kenny Washington and now drafting the first openly gay player and what he thinks that says about the organization)
“The Rams know what the hell they’re doing.”
(On if he is confident that his season is going to be all about football)
“I am so confident, and it is all about football. It’s about winning games and winning championships. The St. Louis Rams want to win championships. I think they drafted two great players today, (CB) E.J. Gaines and myself. I think we’re determined to win a Super Bowl next year.”
(On the other non-Mizzou players being good as well)
“We’re all about one team. One goal is to win the championship. I just wanted to give my other Mizzou players a little shout out.”
(On if continuing his career in Missouri provides extra support)
“I’m telling you, we’re going to rock it. Next season and all the seasons to come, we’re going to be rocking in St. Louis.”
(On if he thinks both he and Gaines will come in with a chip on their shoulder because they were drafted in lower rounds)
“Yeah, there’s a chip on our shoulder. We’re pissed off for greatness. You aren’t going to get nothing but the best from us. We’re going to win games in St. Louis. You better believe it and you heard it first from Michael Sam.”
(On if he has heard from Gaines)
“I have not. I’m telling you, my phone has been blowing up. It actually died and I had to put it on a charger. I haven’t reached out to E.J., but he knows what we’ve got to do. I don’t have to explain it or text E.J., he knows what’s to be expected next season.”
(On if any of the Rams defensive linemen told him about what he would be walking into with regards to football and the position group’s personalities)
“It’s all about football. Nothing else. Nothing personal. It’s all about football and being prepared to work and I’m ready to work.”
(On his familiarity with the Rams’ defensive line group)
“I know the D-Line coach is excited, he’s a former marine, and he’s ready. He’s one of the best. I think my defensive coordinator was a former marine and he knew how to coach me. I think next season the St. Louis Rams defensive line is probably going to be the best on the team.”
(On Rams GM Les Snead saying that his role initially will be designated pass rusher and his thoughts on that)
“I am a pass rusher. I sack quarterbacks – that’s my main job. I want to get better with the D-Line coach and the defensive coordinator. That’s my job. We’ll probably have the most quarterback sacks in the NFL next season.”
(On if he is ready for the media attention to be over so he can focus on football)
“You know what? I knew what I was coming into. If I didn’t, I mean…I can answer your questions right now. I’m not afraid to answer questions. Hey, are there going to be idiots out there who say some stupid stuff? Yeah. I’m not worried about that. I’m worrying about the guy next to me, the guy in front of me. I have to prove myself. I’ve got to make sure the ‘vets’ know that I’m a team player and I love this game. I want to show the coaches that I’m a team player and I’m a hardworking guy, and that what I do on the field will determine how great Michael Sam will be.”
(On if it was Head Coach Jeff Fisher that called him to deliver the news)
“Yes sir. To be honest with you, the only thing I heard from Coach Fisher was, ‘Michael Sam this is Coach Fisher of the St. Louis Rams,’ and that was it. I have no idea after that what he said.”
(On him getting emotional when he got the call)
“Waiting three days, I think you’d be little emotional yourself.”
(On his draft expectations)
“In all honesty, from last season alone, I should have been a high…first three rounds. SEC Defensive Player of the Year, unanimous All-American – I should have gone in the top three rounds easily. But you know, it is what it is. I’m happy to be a St. Louis Ram. Everything else is history. I’m ready to be a part of this program. I’m ready to show my quality to the team. Go Rams.”
(On if it would have been disappointing not to get drafted)
“I would have been even more pissed off. Whatever team I would have ended up with, we would have done great then. But, you know what? The St. Louis Rams saw my potential and I’m going to give everything I’ve got to them.”
(On what other teams he was talking to and who he thought was serious about selecting him in the event that the Rams did not)
“It doesn’t matter who was talking to me, they didn’t have the (expletive) that St. Louis had. I’m telling you, no one had the (expletive) that St. Louis has and I’m proud to give everything I’ve got to St. Louis. So many people are proud of the St. Louis (Rams) organization for being the one to make history.”
(On if he thinks his announcement worked against him)
“Who knows? Only the people who sit in the war room know. They saw Michael Sam’s name and they scratched it off the board, you know, that was their loss. But St. Louis kept me on that board until the end. The picked me in the late seventh round and I feel like I’m (Houston DE Jadeveon) Clowney being the first draft pick in the draft, so I’m proud of where I am now.”
“Well you just answered my question. It’s been all about football. I’ve been getting in shape and preparing for this moment for a very long time and I’m excited. I’m ready and I’m so determined to be great.”
(On if he has heard from any Rams players)
“I have. Current teammates have texted me. I really don’t know who they are, but they just said, ‘Welcome to the team,’ so I don’t know their numbers yet. But, the vets have been texting me and St. Louis fans have been tweeting me and I’m just very excited. I’m a former (Missouri) Tiger. I’m glad to stay in Missouri and I’m ready to get to work.”
(On joining some other former Missouri players on the Rams)
“We’re ready. We’re ready to work. Missouri is one of the best in the nation as a Division I program. We Tigers, we’ve got to keep on proving to the nation that Mizzou Tigers know how to play football. The 2013 co-Defensive Player of the Year is ready to (expletive) show the world that he is also ready to work.”
(On if he is ready to play right now)
“Let me tell you something, if we were playing the Vikings right now I would probably have three sacks the first game (laughs).”
(On what his whole pre-draft process has been like and what the positive reactions have meant to him)
“Since February, since my big announcement, there has been this whole speculation of the first openly gay football player. But, you know what? It’s not about that. It’s about playing football. Can Michael Sam play football? And yes, I can. The St. Louis Rams know I can and I’m going to give everything I’ve got to the St. Louis Rams to help the Rams win a championship.”
(On the Rams bringing on the first African-American professional football player in Kenny Washington and now drafting the first openly gay player and what he thinks that says about the organization)
“The Rams know what the hell they’re doing.”
(On if he is confident that his season is going to be all about football)
“I am so confident, and it is all about football. It’s about winning games and winning championships. The St. Louis Rams want to win championships. I think they drafted two great players today, (CB) E.J. Gaines and myself. I think we’re determined to win a Super Bowl next year.”
(On the other non-Mizzou players being good as well)
“We’re all about one team. One goal is to win the championship. I just wanted to give my other Mizzou players a little shout out.”
(On if continuing his career in Missouri provides extra support)
“I’m telling you, we’re going to rock it. Next season and all the seasons to come, we’re going to be rocking in St. Louis.”
(On if he thinks both he and Gaines will come in with a chip on their shoulder because they were drafted in lower rounds)
“Yeah, there’s a chip on our shoulder. We’re pissed off for greatness. You aren’t going to get nothing but the best from us. We’re going to win games in St. Louis. You better believe it and you heard it first from Michael Sam.”
(On if he has heard from Gaines)
“I have not. I’m telling you, my phone has been blowing up. It actually died and I had to put it on a charger. I haven’t reached out to E.J., but he knows what we’ve got to do. I don’t have to explain it or text E.J., he knows what’s to be expected next season.”
(On if any of the Rams defensive linemen told him about what he would be walking into with regards to football and the position group’s personalities)
“It’s all about football. Nothing else. Nothing personal. It’s all about football and being prepared to work and I’m ready to work.”
(On his familiarity with the Rams’ defensive line group)
“I know the D-Line coach is excited, he’s a former marine, and he’s ready. He’s one of the best. I think my defensive coordinator was a former marine and he knew how to coach me. I think next season the St. Louis Rams defensive line is probably going to be the best on the team.”
(On Rams GM Les Snead saying that his role initially will be designated pass rusher and his thoughts on that)
“I am a pass rusher. I sack quarterbacks – that’s my main job. I want to get better with the D-Line coach and the defensive coordinator. That’s my job. We’ll probably have the most quarterback sacks in the NFL next season.”
(On if he is ready for the media attention to be over so he can focus on football)
“You know what? I knew what I was coming into. If I didn’t, I mean…I can answer your questions right now. I’m not afraid to answer questions. Hey, are there going to be idiots out there who say some stupid stuff? Yeah. I’m not worried about that. I’m worrying about the guy next to me, the guy in front of me. I have to prove myself. I’ve got to make sure the ‘vets’ know that I’m a team player and I love this game. I want to show the coaches that I’m a team player and I’m a hardworking guy, and that what I do on the field will determine how great Michael Sam will be.”
(On if it was Head Coach Jeff Fisher that called him to deliver the news)
“Yes sir. To be honest with you, the only thing I heard from Coach Fisher was, ‘Michael Sam this is Coach Fisher of the St. Louis Rams,’ and that was it. I have no idea after that what he said.”
(On him getting emotional when he got the call)
“Waiting three days, I think you’d be little emotional yourself.”
(On his draft expectations)
“In all honesty, from last season alone, I should have been a high…first three rounds. SEC Defensive Player of the Year, unanimous All-American – I should have gone in the top three rounds easily. But you know, it is what it is. I’m happy to be a St. Louis Ram. Everything else is history. I’m ready to be a part of this program. I’m ready to show my quality to the team. Go Rams.”
(On if it would have been disappointing not to get drafted)
“I would have been even more pissed off. Whatever team I would have ended up with, we would have done great then. But, you know what? The St. Louis Rams saw my potential and I’m going to give everything I’ve got to them.”
(On what other teams he was talking to and who he thought was serious about selecting him in the event that the Rams did not)
“It doesn’t matter who was talking to me, they didn’t have the (expletive) that St. Louis had. I’m telling you, no one had the (expletive) that St. Louis has and I’m proud to give everything I’ve got to St. Louis. So many people are proud of the St. Louis (Rams) organization for being the one to make history.”
(On if he thinks his announcement worked against him)
“Who knows? Only the people who sit in the war room know. They saw Michael Sam’s name and they scratched it off the board, you know, that was their loss. But St. Louis kept me on that board until the end. The picked me in the late seventh round and I feel like I’m (Houston DE Jadeveon) Clowney being the first draft pick in the draft, so I’m proud of where I am now.”
Boffo97
Still legal in 17 states!
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 5,278
- Name
- Dave
You know... something that occurred to me...
Last year, we picked a pair of players who went to the same school: Austin and Bailey (West Virginia).
This year, we picked two pairs of players who went to the same school: Robinson and Mason (Auburn); and Gaines and Sam (Missouri, thus also capturing the local angle for St. Louisans).
Obviously, next year, above all else, we must pick THREE pairs of players who went to the same school.
Last year, we picked a pair of players who went to the same school: Austin and Bailey (West Virginia).
This year, we picked two pairs of players who went to the same school: Robinson and Mason (Auburn); and Gaines and Sam (Missouri, thus also capturing the local angle for St. Louisans).
Obviously, next year, above all else, we must pick THREE pairs of players who went to the same school.
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2013
- Messages
- 7,865
- Name
- Tron
RamBill
Legend
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Michael Sam, Rams are a perfect fit
By Jeffri Chadiha
ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/st...l-sam-great-opportunity-succeed-st-louis-rams
The NFL should be thankful the St. Louis Rams ended the last bit of suspense in this year's draft by selecting defensive end Michael Sam late in the seventh round. For one, it saved commissioner Roger Goodell from the awkward task of having to answer questions about whether the league is filled with homophobia. More importantly, it gave Sam the chance to prove he does actually belong at the next level. That is the question only he can answer in the coming months, and he found the best possible place to do it.
If we're really being honest with ourselves, there were only so many teams that had the right makeup to handle the task of employing the first openly gay player in the NFL. St. Louis, in retrospect, should've been right at the top. The Rams have the perfect mix of variables that could help Sam find an instant comfort zone in the league. The first thing on that list is their location -- only 125 miles from the same Missouri campus where Sam became a first-team All-American last season.
That proximity is something Sam should cherish. It means he doesn't have to wonder if a community is going to embrace him, and his new team doesn't have to fret about how the locals will react to its seventh-round pick. The state of Missouri has already moved beyond Sam's historic announcement back in February.
But the people who want to believe the rest of this country is in the exact same place are fooling themselves. Even if it wasn't obvious, you can bet some general managers thought long and hard about what kind of distractions might come with Sam's arrival. That's just part of the business.
Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher were savvy enough not to fear bringing Sam to their organization. They focused on what he could bring to their franchise. They saw the qualities that turned him into a great college player.
Fisher's presence was vital because Sam needed a coach who wasn't worried about job security and had a true feel for establishing team chemistry. In Fisher, Sam gets a coach who has enough clout to operate as he sees fit, and the Rams' locker room appears to be strong and unified -- devoid of the juvenile behavior that evolved within the Miami Dolphins last season.
What Sam basically has in the Rams is what every rookie should hope for: a team that has a clear sense of how it can fit him into its system. The people who wanted to celebrate Sam's stellar senior season at Mizzou -- for which he was named SEC co-defensive player of the year with Alabama's C.J. Mosley -- need to understand he was never an impressive enough athlete to warrant a higher selection. Sam is a player who thrives because of his heart and will, a desire to outwork the competition. Fisher has long had affection for such players, and that's probably how Sam won him over.
The best-case scenario for Sam was to find a team that could use him as a situational pass-rusher and on special teams. At 6-foot-2 and 261 pounds, he doesn't have the size to be a full-time defensive end or the athletic ability to play outside linebacker in the NFL. Sam joins a team that is flush with talented linemen (including first-round pick Aaron Donald) on a rapidly improving defense. If Sam can find a spot in a defensive end rotation that includes Chris Long and Pro Bowler Robert Quinn, he'll have ample opportunity to showcase the pass-rushing skills that resulted in 11.5 sacks last fall.
Special teams will offer even more chances for Sam to find his niche. It was difficult to find anybody at Mizzou's pro day who didn't rave about his resilient nature, which is what separates remarkable special-teamers from ordinary ones. Special teams happens to be an area in which Fisher loves to find hidden gems. Sam's ability to cover kicks or play on return units will go a long way toward deciding if his career starts off on the right foot.
The best news for Sam is that he finally has what he wants. It's impossible to know everything that was churning through his mind as the draft neared its conclusion, but fear had to be part of his thought process. It took 249 picks before Sam's name was announced at Radio City Music Hall. By that point, only a smattering of observers remained.
Before that point, according to an ESPN poll, more than 60 percent of those still watching the draft assumed Sam was going to go undrafted. With only seven picks remaining, that was the opinion from this vantage point as well. The seventh round is usually a time when teams take fliers on players that intrigue them. At that stage, teams hope to uncover a diamond in the rough.
But the Rams almost certainly put much more thought into this pick. Sam has too much talent to just write this off as a public relations move. Like every other player in this draft class, he can help the right team as long he finds the right set of circumstances.
This is why Sam should feel grateful for what transpired in the draft. He made history, and he's one step closer to realizing the dream he's sought since he donned shoulder pads for the first time. The best news for him is that this is no longer a story about what might happen if the NFL was ever faced with an openly gay player. Today, it's about what that player is going to do with his opportunity.
By Jeffri Chadiha
ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/st...l-sam-great-opportunity-succeed-st-louis-rams
The NFL should be thankful the St. Louis Rams ended the last bit of suspense in this year's draft by selecting defensive end Michael Sam late in the seventh round. For one, it saved commissioner Roger Goodell from the awkward task of having to answer questions about whether the league is filled with homophobia. More importantly, it gave Sam the chance to prove he does actually belong at the next level. That is the question only he can answer in the coming months, and he found the best possible place to do it.
If we're really being honest with ourselves, there were only so many teams that had the right makeup to handle the task of employing the first openly gay player in the NFL. St. Louis, in retrospect, should've been right at the top. The Rams have the perfect mix of variables that could help Sam find an instant comfort zone in the league. The first thing on that list is their location -- only 125 miles from the same Missouri campus where Sam became a first-team All-American last season.
That proximity is something Sam should cherish. It means he doesn't have to wonder if a community is going to embrace him, and his new team doesn't have to fret about how the locals will react to its seventh-round pick. The state of Missouri has already moved beyond Sam's historic announcement back in February.
But the people who want to believe the rest of this country is in the exact same place are fooling themselves. Even if it wasn't obvious, you can bet some general managers thought long and hard about what kind of distractions might come with Sam's arrival. That's just part of the business.
Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher were savvy enough not to fear bringing Sam to their organization. They focused on what he could bring to their franchise. They saw the qualities that turned him into a great college player.
Fisher's presence was vital because Sam needed a coach who wasn't worried about job security and had a true feel for establishing team chemistry. In Fisher, Sam gets a coach who has enough clout to operate as he sees fit, and the Rams' locker room appears to be strong and unified -- devoid of the juvenile behavior that evolved within the Miami Dolphins last season.
What Sam basically has in the Rams is what every rookie should hope for: a team that has a clear sense of how it can fit him into its system. The people who wanted to celebrate Sam's stellar senior season at Mizzou -- for which he was named SEC co-defensive player of the year with Alabama's C.J. Mosley -- need to understand he was never an impressive enough athlete to warrant a higher selection. Sam is a player who thrives because of his heart and will, a desire to outwork the competition. Fisher has long had affection for such players, and that's probably how Sam won him over.
The best-case scenario for Sam was to find a team that could use him as a situational pass-rusher and on special teams. At 6-foot-2 and 261 pounds, he doesn't have the size to be a full-time defensive end or the athletic ability to play outside linebacker in the NFL. Sam joins a team that is flush with talented linemen (including first-round pick Aaron Donald) on a rapidly improving defense. If Sam can find a spot in a defensive end rotation that includes Chris Long and Pro Bowler Robert Quinn, he'll have ample opportunity to showcase the pass-rushing skills that resulted in 11.5 sacks last fall.
Special teams will offer even more chances for Sam to find his niche. It was difficult to find anybody at Mizzou's pro day who didn't rave about his resilient nature, which is what separates remarkable special-teamers from ordinary ones. Special teams happens to be an area in which Fisher loves to find hidden gems. Sam's ability to cover kicks or play on return units will go a long way toward deciding if his career starts off on the right foot.
The best news for Sam is that he finally has what he wants. It's impossible to know everything that was churning through his mind as the draft neared its conclusion, but fear had to be part of his thought process. It took 249 picks before Sam's name was announced at Radio City Music Hall. By that point, only a smattering of observers remained.
Before that point, according to an ESPN poll, more than 60 percent of those still watching the draft assumed Sam was going to go undrafted. With only seven picks remaining, that was the opinion from this vantage point as well. The seventh round is usually a time when teams take fliers on players that intrigue them. At that stage, teams hope to uncover a diamond in the rough.
But the Rams almost certainly put much more thought into this pick. Sam has too much talent to just write this off as a public relations move. Like every other player in this draft class, he can help the right team as long he finds the right set of circumstances.
This is why Sam should feel grateful for what transpired in the draft. He made history, and he's one step closer to realizing the dream he's sought since he donned shoulder pads for the first time. The best news for him is that this is no longer a story about what might happen if the NFL was ever faced with an openly gay player. Today, it's about what that player is going to do with his opportunity.