Michael Sam Discussion

[max]

At this point who cares? What's done is done.

If he's too distracted by cameras to focus on football, he wont make the team
If he's not good for the team, and doesn't offer enough on the field, he wont make the team
If he's just not good enough to beat anyone else out, he wont make the team
If he's good enough then he will make the team

He's forged his own path by his own will, whatever happens happens. I still root for him to do well because that's better for our team. There's no point in trying to look for reasons to make him into a bad guy or anything other than what he is. A 7th round draft pick and longshot to make the team.

If he isolates himself from the rest of the team because nobody believes they can trust him, he won't make the team, either.

 

[max]

Now you're saying he's a cutter? This is just going too far...

:snicker::snicker::snicker::snicker::snicker:

 

[bluecoconuts]

If he isolates himself from the rest of the team because nobody believes they can trust him, he won't make the team, either.

True. Honestly I don't think he makes the 53, certainly not the 46, unless he can really play some ST. But until the day he's cut or not, I won't be crying over anything he does or doesn't do. His fate is in his own hands

 

[RamBill]

Sam, rest of Rams rookies hit the practice field
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ad9e475d-2d21-532d-a533-a831ae9c07aa.html

Michael Sam and 24 rookies took the field Friday for a 90-minute workout at Rams Park. It was actually the second practice for the group, but the first open to the media. There was a large media contingent on hand, more than for most regular-season practices, including more than a dozen cameras — still and video.

Among those cameras was a crew from the Oprah Winfrey Network, doing work on a docu-series on Sam.

It was a strictly watch-and-observe session; no players or coaches were available for interviews after practice.

Normally this is the weekend for the team's rookie minicamp, but coach Jeff Fisher is doing it differently this year. Instead of having a couple of dozen extra rookies on hand competing on a tryout basis, only the team's 11 draft picks and 14 rookie free agents are participating.

So there were not enough players for 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 work. Fisher is calling this weekend a rookie development camp, and basically the rookies are learning how to practice the Rams way.

Naturally, all eyes were on Sam, the University of Missouri defensive end and the first openly-gay player to be drafted in NFL history. Nothing startling to report here: Sam practiced football like everyone else.

After stretching as a group, Sam and the rest of the defensive linemen did positional drills, bag work, etc.

In the middle of practice, the players ran a series of 20-yard sprints by position. Running with the offensive and defensive linemen, Sam appeared to be in good shape, usually leading his group.

Sam also participated in a couple of special teams sessions. If he is to make the Rams' final roster, special teams will be part of his ticket to the NFL.

After practice, Sam stayed a couple of extra minutes along with a few teammates working with special teams coordinator John Fassel. Sam and Fassel slapped hands at the end of that extra session, and Sam walked off the field.

The rookies will do it again Saturday, and then join the full squad next week as the offseason program continues. The first actual practice involving offense vs. defense and 11-on-11 work won't be until June 3, when the OTA period begins.

 

[FRO]

I was fine with the Sam pick at the time, but man it's getting annoying now. You read about the Rams rookie workouts and it's all about their 10th pick in the draft. It's starting to get old.

 

[Barrison]

I'm gonna go on record saying I absolutely don't want anymore "walking reality show players", I want to hear about all the rookies equally not just Michael Sam...

 

[Slappy967]

This article as a whole sucked ass as it had no real relevant info about anything. How did Robinson and Donald look? How bout Joyner and the Janitor? Come on Jim Thomas you are typically better then this.

 

[lockdnram21]

mike might not make the team. i dont understand why hes getting all the attention. i mean i do but i thought oprah wasnt allowed at rams park

 

[RamBill]

Sam, Rams rookies get to work
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/8552/rams-rookies-get-to-work

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams aren't having a proper rookie minicamp as many of their NFL brethren around the league are this weekend. But they did offer a quick glimpse at what they are doing Friday afternoon.

The Rams' 25-player rookie class stepped on the practice field at Rams Park on Friday morning for what really amounted to a glorified conditioning session. Defensive end Michael Sam, offensive tackle Greg Robinson and their 23 rookie teammates went through a variety of position drills, special-teams work and conditioning drills during the 90-minute session.

It was the second such session for the group since the rookies began arriving on Monday but the first open to the media. A relatively large media contingent turned out for a workout that included no real football or any sort of media availability upon its completion.

And yes, the docuseries camera crew from the Oprah Winfrey Network was in attendance.

Instead of a normal minicamp, Rams coach Jeff Fisher is using this time as a sort of orientation for his rookies. All 11 of the team's drafted rookies and 14 of their undrafted rookies (the team released tackle Emmanuel McCray on Thursday) were on hand for the workout.

Without enough bodies for 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills, the players did plenty of position-specific drills and special-teams coach John Fassel got in his share of time as well. Sam worked at left defensive end in line drills but also did quite a bit of special-teams work. Sam even stayed a few minutes after the workout to get some additional special-teams instruction from Fassel.

The same rookie group will work out again Saturday before mixing in with the veterans on Monday. From there, the Rams have two more weeks of the offseason conditioning program before organized team activities begin on June 3.

 

[bluecoconuts]

mike might not make the team. i dont understand why hes getting all the attention. i mean i do but i thought oprah wasnt allowed at rams park

No more than any other media outlet, just means they're filming where everyone else does, instead of getting special treatment.

 

[ChrisW]

I expect more from Jim. I don't think the national media will choose him as the Rams mouthpiece about Michael Sam as I've already seen Burwell on a couple reports on NFLN.

You've done this long enough Jim, please report on them all equally until they get cut or make the roster. No more Tebowesqe shit.

 

[jsimcox]

This is a little embarrassing for JT; 'wow Michael Sam can run 20 yards!'
I'd be a little worried if he couldn't Jim...
The worst part is that, come training camp, it's going to practically impossible to get good reports on how the players are looking, due them all being so Sam-centric.
I will be looking forward to the reports from ROD guys going to camp this year more than ever.

 

[Rams and Gators]

This is a little embarrassing for JT; 'wow Michael Sam can run 20 yards!'
I'd be a little worried if he couldn't Jim...
The worst part is that, come training camp, it's going to practically impossible to get good reports on how the players are looking, due them all being so Sam-centric.
I will be looking forward to the reports from ROD guys going to camp this year more than ever.

Hasn't that always been the case.

 

[Faceplant]

Now you're saying he's a cutter? This is just going too far...

 

[jsimcox]

Hasn't that always been the case.

Which part?

 

[RamEERS]

yep.. pretty much what i want to say about this article is being said.. glad this board isn't blind to media brown nosing

 

[Slappy967]

Well I always get good camp info from the nogoodniks here on this site and off twitter so I expect more of the same this year.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Which part?

The camp reports by RODers being the only ones worth reading.

 

[jsimcox]

The camp reports by RODers being the only ones worth reading.

Can't argue with that. Always much better than the stuff in the media.
I did always look at them anyway though, as i like to take in as much Rams news as possible in the off-season.
This year i might have to refrain from doing so(obviously apart from the stuff here on ROD).

 

[Oyster]

I saw "Sam" in the title and thought I was going to read about Bradford, ha. I guess I'd better get used to Bradford not being the main Sam of the Rams as far as the media is concerned!