When Michael Sam revealed that he's gay earlier this week and that he's going to become the first openly-gay player in the NFL when he gets drafted this spring, there were some people out there who weren't happy with him. NFL fans, NFL analysts, and NFL players all came out and questioned whether or not Sam is going to be accepted by his fellow players when he joins a roster for next season. But his most shocking detractor, by far, was his own father Michael Sam Sr.
"I don't want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment," Sam Sr. told the New York Times when asked about his son's decision to come out. "I'm old school. I'm a man and a woman type of guy."
It was pretty crazy to hear Sam's own father of all people speaking out against him. But now, it appears as though Sam Sr. has had a change of heart. He's claiming that the NYT misquoted him and says that he's going to support his son.
"My son did the right thing," he told the Galveston County Daily News, "and I am not against him at all. He has made a great statement in coming out, and that he should be able to play in the NFL. I love him unconditionally."
Hmmm…That's quite the 180. Didn't Sam Sr. just say that he wasn't in favor of his son's decision to come out? Yes, he did. The NYT responded to Sam Sr.'s claim about them misquoting him and said that they quoted him "accurately and fairly" in their original article.
At any rate, it's nice to hear that Sam Sr. is going to support his son. Because Sam Jr. is going to need all the support he can get in the coming months.
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[via Pro Football Talk]
