Must Reads
There's a fantastic new You Can Play video out today featuring openly gay St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam, Missouri football head coach Gary Pinkel and Missouri athletic director Mike Alden. Also appearing are various other members of the Tigers football team, plus athletes from women's soccer and softball.
Sam was out to his team, including coach Pinkel, through their surprising march to the Cotton Bowl last season.
Pinkel says in the video:
"The football program at the University of MIssouri has set the standard for athletic departments and sports programs across the world. Michael is a great competitor and his success both on and off the field speaks highly of who he is as a person. I am proud of Michael's teammates, coaches, staff, family and friends for supporting Michael and becoming an example of what the concept of team truly is."
In the video, Sam is wearing a StandUp #BeTrue shirt. Both the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation and You Can Play are members of the LGBT Sports Coalition, funding by Nike's #BeTrue campaign.
Throughout the developments around Sam, including this video, it's hard to believe a gay athlete on the Missouri football team would not feel he has some kind of support structure. That's powerful.
