The word being used over and over again in the rhetoric surroundingĀ NFL hopeful Michael SamĀ and his recent declaration of his homosexuality is ādistractionā and whether the announcement in and of itself will be one to any football team who drafts them.Ā
While a handful of anonymous individuals within NFL front offices have suggested that Samās homosexuality will beĀ too much of a distraction for any team to overcome, many have argued that theĀ term is simply white noiseāthat distractions donāt amount to or derive from anything.Ā
Former NFL wide receiver DontƩ Stallworth falls squarely in the second camp. Stallworth, who retired in 2012 after totaling 4,837 yards and 35 touchdowns in 10 seasons with six teams, knows a thing or two about distractions within an organization: In 2008, he was convicted of DUI manslaughter after hitting a pedestrian with his Bentley coupƩ and sentenced to 30 days in jail, in addition to a number of other mandates. He was also suspended by the NFL for the entire 2009 season.
Since retiring, heās become a grounding voice onĀ Twitter, something made quite apparent last night when he sounded off on the idea that NFL teams wouldnāt be able to handle the attention that comes with Sam.Ā
Herm Edwards posed a hypothetical question on epsn re: drafting Michael Sam, ācan (GM/owner/coach) handle the mediaā¦ with this situation?ā
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
If any NFL team canāt āhandle the media coverageā of drafting Sam, then your team is already a loser on the fieldā¦ let me tell you whyā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
There are a multitude of issues that can arise in the long duration of an NFL seasonā¦ some on the field, some off the field.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
You wonāt have any idea what that on the field/off the field situation is until itās already upon you and the entire organizationā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
You wonāt have any idea what that on the field/off the field situation is until itās already upon you and the entire organizationā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Which means that with drafting Michael Sam, you get a jump start on controlling the āmedia coverageā right from the onset.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
If an organization is inept to the magnitude of not being able to control things with prior knowledge, how will you handle the unexpected?
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Case Study 1: The Miami Dolphins and the bullying scandalā¦ players talked more about THAT than they did footballā¦ for weeks!
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
During that time I questioned (tweeted) why the Dolphins players were talking more about the scandal than their next opponentā¦.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Since the bullying story broke, the Dolphins finished the season 4-4ā¦w/playoff hopes still alive, got spanked by division opp Jets, 20-7
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Case Study 2: The New England Patriots and Aaron Hernandez AND Tim Tebow situationsā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Beyond the state of shock I endured after the revelations of Hernandez, I knew that if ANY organization could handle this, it was the Pats.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
This all happened right before training camp where players are supposed to come in w/clear minds in preparation for a long, rigorous season.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Not only were there questions about Aaron, but also about the health of Gronkowski and how those two combined affected the team as a whole.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Aaron is still awaiting trial & Gronk played in only 7 games this seasonā¦but yet the Pats seemed to avoid those ādistractionsā altogether.
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Despite many season ending injuries to key pieces, the Pats finished 12-4 and lost to the Broncos in the AFC title withā¦ ZERO distractions
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Not to mention the whole Tebow signing and (alleged subsequent) distraction wasnāt even a blip on most radarsā¦ Why?
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Because Mr. Kraft and Bill Belichick would not allow ANY of that to be a ādistractionā to ANYONE in the entire organizationā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Because Mr. Kraft and Bill Belichick would not allow ANY of that to be a ādistractionā to ANYONE in the entire organizationā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
In my 10 years as an NFL player, Iāve played for 6 different teams & have been in every kind of locker room. Vet, young, mature, immatureā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
The leaders of an NFL organization AND the locker room better be able to handle adversity that is certain to emerge during a long NFL season
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
The leaders of an NFL organization AND the locker room better be able to handle adversity that is certain to emerge during a long NFL season
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
In my experience, if your organization canāt āhandle media coverageā, they will suck on the field anywayā¦ but hey, thereās always 2015ā¦
ā Donteā Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 10, 2014
Photo via Donte Stallworth/Facebook
