Last night, Jon Stewart looked at the news about Missouri football star Michael Sam coming out of the closet before the NFL Draft.
Now with football season over, it's time for America to shift its focus to its second favorite sport, waiting for football season to start again. And this past weekend, we learned that next year may come with a very exciting twist.
WILLIE GEIST (2/10/2014): Michael Sam has now revealed that he is gay. The 24-year-old, expected to be taken early round of the NFL Draft come April, is now poised to become pro-football's first openly gay player.
We could have the first openly gay professional football player. There hasn't been a civil rights victory so significant since the NFL welcomed its first openly really bad player.
You know that, it's amazing to me.... (uproarious audience response)
Who is this gay football player? Oh, probably a kicker, huh? Am I right? A kicker, you know, he's a gay kicker. He's not like a real player.
NEWS REPORT: At 6'2", 260 lbs., University of Missouri defensive lineman Michael Sam used skill and strength to lead the SEC in sacks last year.
TODAY SHOW (2/10/2014): Sam was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, the best defensive player in the best conference in college football.
(audience laughter)
It's as though sexual orientation has nothing to do with physical strength. (audience cheering and applause)
So, good on Sam for coming out in a sport that is not exactly known for its acceptance of gay people. And his college teammates deserve a lot of credit as well.
2/10/2014:
JOHN BERMAN, CNN: Sam, a projected mid-round NFL pick who played in college for Missouri, told his coach and his teammates about his sexual orientation back in August.
MICHAEL SAM: I was kinda scared, even though they already knew, but I was still scared of telling them. And just to see the reaction was awesome. They supported me from day one.
So Sam told his teammates last August that he was gay, and everybody kept it respectfully private. Which means college has changed a lot since I was... in college. (audience laughter)
TODAY SHOW (2/10/2014): The University of Missouri tweeted its support for Sam, saying "We support Tigers of all stripes at Mizzou. Proud of you, Mike Sam."
Just goes to show that despite what might be the heartland's reputation, they'll welcome anyone no matter how different, if you're really good at football. (audience laughter and applause)
"I used to think gayness was a sin against God, but then I saw the kid playing, and I'm thinking, I should blow people." (audience laughter) "Cuz I'm not that good at football."
But Michael Sam might find a less warm welcome from at least some NFL players.
NEWS REPORT: Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma recently talked about the prospect of a gay teammate.
JONATHAN VILMA: Imagine if he's the guy next to me, and you know, I get dressed, naked, taking a shower, the whole nine, and it just so happens he looks at me. How am I supposed to respond?
What...? You know, it's so weird how some guys just assume that they're so irresistible to gay guys.
"I mean, I guess what I'm saying is how can he not be attracted to me? I mean, I guess I'm saying I'm the total package. I'm ripped, my ass is as tight as two snare drums, I mean, all I'm saying is if you were gay, and you were in the shower with me, could you resist? I couldn't resist. I mean, to be quite frank with you, it's all I can do to stop from jacking off right here looking at myself. I mean, it's all, I'm unbelievable. I'm a beautiful, beautiful man." (audience laughter)
Of course, assuming Michael Sam even gets on an NFL team.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN (2/10/2014): Sports Illustrated did an article that came out overnight where they talked to personnel directors at some NFL teams, and there are managers at these teams who say his draft prospects will drop because of these revelations. The teams don't want the controversy that will surround this.
No, OK, I get that. That makes sense. No pro team, please, no pro team wants the type of controversy having a gay player is going to cause. You know. If he had just been convicted of DUI vehicular manslaughter,
or obstruction of justice in connection with a murder,
or had been accused of sexual assault,
or screamed the n-word at a concert,
or killed a bunch of dogs
and buried them in his fucking yard — you know, NFL material. We'll be right back.
Video below the fold.
Jon also looked at the
various screw-ups by Russia in preparation for the Sochi Olympics, and sent
Jason Jones over to Russia to talk about it with none other than an unhappy Mikhail Gorbachev!
Stephen also looked at the
Sochi Olympics, and had Buddy Cole interview U.S. ambassador Dan Baer about
Russia's anti-gay laws.
Stephen then talked about how the Taliban have
kidnapped a Special Forces dog.
Jon talked with actor
Ty Burrell, and Stephen talked with ex-Congressman
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) about the dangers of marijuana legalization.