Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player to be drafted by the NFL, is showing promise on the field. He even sacked fellow rookie Johnny Manziel twice when the St. Louis Rams squared off against the Cleveland Browns in preseason action this week. But off the field, he was the subject of a vile piece of exploitative journalism when an ESPN reporter did a segment that focused on his locker room decorum, particularly his showering habits. It was in bad taste and even an apology wasn't good enough for Rams coach Jeff Fisher.
Just because Sam was drafted doesn't mean his spot is secure on the Rams' roster. But he put in a solid effort earlier this week when he sacked Browns first round draft pick Johnny Manziel twice.
He even celebrated with a mocking appropriation of Manziel's famous "money" gesture (via ABC News):
"If you're going to sack Johnny, you've got to do that once... He's a talented kid. He isn't called Johnny Football for nothing."
That high was replaced by a gruesome low when ESPN reporter Josina Anderson did a piece which focused on whether Sam was showering with other teammates in the locker room (via New York Daily News):
"I think it's unethical. Not only the piece itself, the content. The manner in which she did it.
"She was out of line because she went and contacted several players on their personal time. Misled them with questions and then put this piece together."
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