and the "we" may not even include michael sam's own father. michael sam sr.was quoted by "the new york times" as saying he's old school, a man and a woman type of guy, and deacon jones is, quote, turning over in his grave. sam's father later alleged he was terribly misquoted by t"the time times", which stood by its report. the response to michael sam's revelation suggests that even in 2014, even as more lbgt americans step into the spotlight, coming out is still complicated. joining me now, jelani cobb, dory clark, author of "reinventing you," rinku sen, president and executive director of race forward, and wade davis, executive director of the you can play project. and from las vegas, dave zirin, the sports editor for "the nation" magazine. there's been a lot of positive reaction to michael sam coming out, but then you have the other side of it. you have that espn story, where a lot of people off the record, who work in the nfl in the front office were saying, you know what, we might have really ruined his draft prospects. do you think that michael sam will

yesterday the league tweet wed admire michael sam's honesty and courage. michael is a football player. any player with ability and determination can succeed in the nfl. we look forward to welcoming and supporting michael sam in 2014. but on the other hand when allowed to remain anonymous, nfl coaches and executives sold "sports illustrated" a different story. one said that the league isn't ready in the coming decade or two, one doubted the maturity of players in the locker room, something that jonathan vilma echoed in a recent interview. >> i think he would not be accepted as -- as much as we think he would be accepted. i don't want people to assume we're all homophobic. that's not the case. i imagine if he is the guy next to me and i get dressed naked and take a shower and he looks at me. how do i respond? >> another executive said that the press of a gay player would imbalance an nfl locker room chemically to which frank bruni replied in so many words, get over it. it's a locker room, for heaven's sake, not last call at the raw hide. so joining us now onl

michael sam clearly is the biggest story going right now at the nfl combine. we do have people there, and they said that it's a bigger media circus for michael sam than it was last year for manti te'o. he'll have plenty of time, michael sam to talk about his athletic talent, this was the first opportunity for him to address a number of questions about his personal life. >> i'm not afraid about that, going into that environment. i knhow to handle myself, communicate with my teammates, communicate with the coaches, and the other staff, whoever i need to communicate with. someone wants to call me a name, i'll have a conversation with that guy and hopefully it won't lead to nothing else. i've been in locker rooms, where all kinds of slurs have been said, and i don't think anyone means it. i think a little naive and uneducated, but, you know, as time goes on, everyone will adapt. heck yeah, i wish you guy was just saying, hey, michael sam, how's football going? how's training going? i would love for you to ask me that question, but it is what it is, and i just wish

the missouri defensive end is considered a top contender. >> michael sam is doing the right thing. pe the national football league does the right thing and gets this kid a chance to play. >> reporter: david has some idea what sam is going through. he played for the 49ers and the packers in the 60s and 70s, and then rights after he retired, made an announcement of his own. >> december 9th, 1975. >> reporter: you remember the exact date? >> absolutely. >> reporter: he was the first retired nfl player to come out as gay 40 years ago. the lot has changed, and plenty of other professional athletes followed suit. last year, basketball's jason collins and soccer's robby rogerss declared they're gay. but football is another order of magnitude altogether. >> in the american psyche, football is where our gladiators play, okay? it's the roughest, macho sport. and jon stewart had this funny thing. >> who is this gay football player? oh, probably a kicker, huh? am i right? you know, a kicker, a gay kicker. >> reporter: at 6'2", 260 pounds, university of missouri defensive lineman, michael sam, u

and that's what some teams will wrestle with. >> taken down for a loss by michael sam. >> by announcingn before the draft in may, sam defused a whisper campaign that he feels might have commandeered his story. >> why do you think it's important for the nfl to know this about you before the draft? >> once scouts came and asked about me, you know, they told about like michael sam is gay. and but i didn't know how many media actually knew. and i was afraid it would leak out without me actually owning my truth. i wanted to let the world know and tell them hey, i'm gay, let me tell my own story. >> reporter: in fact, as they sought to learn more about the players eligible for the draft this spring, many nfl scouts were already aware that sam was gay. >> agents approached by scouts with questions like what's his girlfriend like? when you spend time with him, are there girls around? there were questions that they didn't get about anybody else. and they realized very quickly that it was the worst-kept secret in football. >> reporter: an official statement from the nfl praised sam for his honest

it was the rock s-a-m for michael sam. we reached out to the mizzou athletic department to confirm the legitimacy of that picture. they confirm to us that that is the real deal. here's to mizzou fans and his >>> tonight, chris christie's lawyers are now investigating don zimmer, the mayor of hoboken, whose accusations about the christie administration were first revealed by msnbc's steve kornacki on this network. steve will join me with his reaction to this new twist in the case. >> you've been served. >> a new round of subpoenas are expected today in the bridge scandal surrounding governor chris christie. >> as many as 12 subpoenas. >> somebody had asked if there are 12. i think it's more than that number. >> a lot of the people who were key aides and advisers to him are caught up in this. >> they're squeezing these people. >> how worried should the christie camp be? >> i think they're clearly worried about wildstein in general, right? >> a tough rebuke of resigned port authority official david wildstein. remember that? >

michael sam, a college footballer revealed his sexuality. >> michael sam may become one of the northmerica's significant athletes. certain to be drafted in the national football league, he'll be the first active player who is openly gay. he made the announcement in an interview with espn. >> this is something that i have known for a while, you know. this is, to me, it's telling another person that, "hey, i'm gay", it shouldn't be a big problem. >> he has the support of his college team-mates and the n.f.l. in a statement an official said: >> once he shows he one of the guys, play ball and have fun. >> for michael sam things may get tougher. the media blitz started. american football is renowned for its culture and antigay remarks. the young player could be in for a difficult future. >> this is a guy that came out, admitting that he's gay, knowing it could cause problems with his draft status and in the locker room in the n.f.l. once travelled. i'm not sure that everywhere will be in support of michael sam being openly gay. >> gay rights activists applauded the move and he is being se

well, university of missouri football player michael sam finished an outstanding collegiate career, aeam, all american. he was named the southeast defensive player of the year and now sam could become the first openly gay player of the nfl. he made the revelation in a series of interviews and he told his teammates in august. susan mcginnis in washington. susan, good morning. >> anne-marie, good morning. the nfl has 1,600 players and not one has announce they'd were gay. michael sam announced it. >> i'm not afraid of who i am. >> university of missouri all-american football player michael sam came out sunday. >> i'm an openly proud gay man. >> if the nfl drafts him as expected he'll become the first openly gay football player. sam told his college teammates last august. >> they took it great, they rallied around me and supported me and i couldn't ask for better teammates. >> missouri coach gary pinkle says sam has taught a lot of people first hand it doesn't matter what your background is or personal orientation, we're all on the same team and we all support each other. >> sports colum

let's go to his family, michael sam's aunt, geraldine sam.he is joining me from houston texas, she is from a town outside of houston but went to houston to talk to us. ms. sam what has the day been like for you and your family? >> well, it's been quite a busy day. we've been bombarded with quite a bit of media, and we were just excited about michael and just so proud of his decision to come out. and show the world his sexual preference. michael is a wonderful kid. and to me the main thing is, michael is an awesome football player. so his choice of being gay or not, should not even matter. he was number 1 in the sec, he has played very well with missouri and so being gay should not even come into the picture. >> well, i actually want -- i said that you're from a small town outside of houston, i actually want you to take a minute to talk about the town you're from since you're on television. you and michael are from hitchcock, you ar have been the mayor of la mark. which is close to that area. michael has for a very, very long time, you talk ab

you worked with michael sam on making this, is he ready for what's ahead? >> he really is. we broke the story a week ago, we broke it last sunday evening, michael did two interviews. espn and "new york times," michael got on the plane, went back to his training facility a lot of people used distracted. he's the least distracted. he understands his only job right now to get ready to play the best football of his life. he's going to the combine in indianapolis this week to show his stuff to the nfl scouts. he is so ready for this. if you saw michael's back story he had a very hard scrabble upbringing, one of eight kids, two siblings, one was murdered, one disappeared, one drowned, two in jail. this is a courageous young man with a lot of character who is going through a lot in his life. this is just one dimension of what defines him as ambitious and talented young man. >> schieffer: you say you were once homophobic, you've been in a lot of locker rooms in the nfl, what do you think the atmosphere is going to be? do you think, number one, that he will be drafted? will he be an

michael sam doesn't need any counseling. he's a football player.do. he really just wanted to say, look, i'm ready to play football. i'm an nfl guy. i've played on the biggest stage in college. so, you know, let's change this conversation. so i can start to prepare. >> how big of a deal is this for the lgbt community? >> this is a groundbreaking deal. i think not only in the nfl but for the youth in our culture so that they get to see an openly gay man head toward the nfl at the beginning of his career is a major taking on. >> as you know, wade, you know, you talked to "the new york times" about telling his teammates last year. he said, in part, quote. i looked in their heads and they just started shaking their heads like, finally, he came out. as if they all knew. >> and they did. >> it seems like it wasn't a big deal for them. the questions have already started swirling over the last 24 hours, what's this going to mean in the locker room? how is this going to change the culture? how big of a deal is this going to be in an nfl locker room? >> you k

the only reason we're talking about michael sam, the only reason michael sam is on the cover of "sports illustrated" is because he's gay. not because he's a good football player. the only reason the first lady of the united states has publicly praising him, not because he's the second coming of lawrence taylor, it's because he's gay. the only reason michael sam's agent is saying he has fortune 500 companies banging down his door trying to pay michael sam all sorts of money to endorse their products isn't because he's going to be an all-pro nfl player, it's because he's gay. so to say that we should judge him on the football field, i mean, be careful what you wish for. people are judging him as a football player. my sense is, like howard, he is going to hook on with an nfl team, he's that good of a player, but, you know, he's a late round nfl pick and there's not too many late round nfl picks that you see on the cover of "sports illustrated" before they even get drafted. the only reason we're having this conversation is because michael sam is gay. it has nothing to do with his performanc

my name is michael sam. >> reporter: surrounded by hundreds of reporters, michael sam gave his first press conference since announcing he was gay. >> i just wish you guys will see me as michael sam the football player instead of michael sam the gay football player. >> reporter: the former university of missouri defensive end sported a rainbow "stand with sam" on his combine gear and was asked whether he thought being gay would hurt his chances of getting into n.f.l. >> i am not a g.m., i do not have control over my job status, all i can control is me preparing myself to get the best scores out there. >> reporter: but if he does get drafted, sam said he isn't worried about how he will be treated. >> i've been in locker rooms where all kinds of slurs were said, you know, and i don't think anybody means it. i think a little naive and uneducated, but you know, as time goes on, everyone will adapt. >> reporter: last week on "face the nation," n.f.l. wide receiver d'onte stallworth said the league should be ready to accept michael sam. >> it's no longer a question for the n.f.l., if the n.

on this story, o michael sam coming out, and coming out before the michael draft, what will happen. >on credentials alone, the kid can play football, he's projected to be a third round pick, but a mid round pick. it will be interesting to see how they project out because a lot of people are saying he's making a transition from defensive linemen to linebacker and some team scouts are going on the record now that the announcement has come out saying he might not even be drafted. but the telling point they're not attaching their names of what teams are saying that he won't be drafted. michael sam has attached his name to coming out, being an openly gay player but none of these team have come out saying he's fouling off the draft board because of this announcement. >> the fact that we're talking about this indicate that the nfl is a different beast in terms of the gay rights. >> you hear a lot of people will support him, but it's naive to think that everyone will support him. on the flip side, coming out from the new orleans saints, i don't want people to assume we're all homophobic. it w

openly, proud gay michael sam. >> yesterday, missouri's all-american defensive end michael sam,ensive player of the year and expected to be a third to fifth-round pick in the nfl draft tells the world he's gay. the best defensive player in college football's best conference only a third to fifth-round pick. really? that is shocking. and i guess that other thing is, too. michael sam would be the first openly gay player in the nfl, says he knows there will be problems and they've already started. several nfl officials telling "sports illustrated" it will hurt him on draft day because a gay player wouldn't be welcome in an nfl locker room. it would be uncomfortable because that's a man's world. you beat a woman and drag her down a flight of stairs pulling her hair out by the roots, you're the fourth guy taken in the nfl draft. you kill people while driving drunk, that guy is welcome. players caught in hotel rooms with illegal drugs and prostitu prostitutes, we know they're welcome. players accused of rape and pay the woman to go away. you lie to police, trying to cover up a murder,

i wish you would see me as michael sam the football player, and instead of michael sam the gay football want to do what i love to do and that is to play football. if the miami dolphins draft ed me, i would be excited to be part of that organization, but i am not afraid to go into that environment. i know how to handle myself and communicate with the teammates and communicate with the coaches and other staff and whoever i need to communicate with. i have been in locker rooms where all kinds of slurs have been said, you know, and i don't think that anyone means it. i think that the little naive and uneducated, but, you know, as time goes on, everyone will a adapt. and if someone wants to call me a name, i will have that conversation with that guy and hopefully not lead to anything else. and since i'm not an nfl active roster that is my only thought is to be on that roster, and that is my 100% focus on this. i'm not focusing on everything else but to earn my spot an nfl team. i love my fans and i love mizzou, and one of the best schools out in the nation, and after what they did this past

so, when you think about michael sam, all of a sudden, can the players handle the media attention that they're going to get? >> reporter: current and former nfl players applauded sam's courage. hall of famer deion sanders tweeting michael sam is not the first gay player in the nfl. he's the first to come out. let's show him love like a family member. truth. and from carolina panthers deangelo williams, i could care less about a man's sexual preference. i care about winning games and being respectful in the locker room. last year, sam came out to his university of missouri teammates, who sam says responded by rallying around him. >> if i work hard, make plays, that's all that should matter. can he help us win games? is he a team player? that's all that should matter. >> reporter: some nfl insiders think sam's announcement was a bad idea. one person told "sports illustrated" his sexuality will be a big distraction. another said the nfl is not ready for an openly gay player. tahman bradley, abc news, washington. >> we'll hear more from michael sam on "good morning america." >>> now to the

i am michael sam. i am a college graduate. am african-american, and i am gay. >> the n.f.l. issued this response: we admire michael sam's honesty and courage. michael is a gall player. any player with ability and determination can succeed in the n.f.l. we look forward to welcoming and supporting michael sam in 2014. sid siva, we will speak to him live from los angeles to get his take because he was part of that inner circle of michael sam's coming out party. >> this is an interesting indicates because he is not yet an n.f.l. player, but you say he is highly regarded and has a very good chance of getting picked up by the n.f.l. ? >> he is the defensive player of the year and eight of the last 10 sed defensives went in the first round. >> normally, if he was not gay, odds of getting into the n.f.l.? >> yes. we will have more later in the show. >> thank you, ross. >>> a month after a chemical spill, people in west virginia still don't trust what's coming from their taps. this weekend, protesters marched outside the water utility.

michael sam answering reporter questions. give michael sam an a-plus for his performance.few are as good as is more fun than ever. sees better than ever. ♪ charges faster. and will charge. cool. and heat. from your phone. fact: leaf never needs gas. ever. good for the world. built in america. now, leaf's an easier choice than ever. ♪ shop at choosenissan.com. ♪ >> a massive media contingent gathered at the nfl combine. not to ask jim harbaugh about the cleveland browns but to ask michael sam bat future in the league. he'll showcase his athletic skills on monday. today he was eloquent in show casing his verbal skills and his messaging is the same. >> i wish you guys would say, how is football going, how is training? i'd love for you to ask me that question. it is what it is and i wish you would see me as michael sam the football player instead of michael sam the gay football player. >> impressive. today offensive linemen tight ends on display. greg robinson, 4.92 40 time. not a good showing for richard rodgers, 13th in the bench press yes, 14th in the 40 with 4.8 seconds. h

michael sam made a public announcement that he is gay over the weekend. >> reporter: michael sam hashe sports world buzzing. >> came to tell the world i am a proud gay man. >> reporter: he satop prospect in the draft in bay -- is a top prospect in the draft in may. he says coming out was not an easy decision. revealing his sexuality to his former teammates helped give him encouragement. >> load off my chest. i told my teammates this past august that i came out to my teammates teammates and they took it great. they supported me and i couldn't have asked for better teammates. >> reporter: reaction is pouring in. president obama said congratulations on leading the way. that is real sportsmanship. jason collins who went to stanford tweeted for the past two days i met with michael sam. he is a great young man who has known courage and leadership. he tweeted michael sam isn't the first gay player in the nfl, however he is the first to come out. and jonathan martin who left the nfl after alleging he was bullied by teammates said hats off to you michael sam that takes respect. michael sam is

. >>> i just wish you guys would see me as michael sam the football player instead of michael sam the gay football player. >> michael sam speaks publicly for the first time since coming out. ♪ ♪ >>> in ukraine, the conflict is coming to a head on this saturday, ideal could not stop the unarrest the president's rival and the former prime minister yulia tim shiancoe joined protesters. she was leased from prison earlier this afternoon. parliament have voted to dismiss president januar yank shiancoe e says he will not step down. protesters across ukraine tour down statutes of former soviet leader. fen jeff glasse is joining us. update us where we stand now. >> reporter: big day of changes, jonathan here. the lamenter elected a new minister, they dismissed the prosecute kerr. people waited all do yulia tim shiancoe. people gathered all day and as night fell. and it was clear that she had been released more and more people tam came, thousands waitg for her to arrive. when she got here she apologized for not being here and joining the people. >> translator: it's a different ukraine, it's the

this is a chance for michael sam to finally talk about michael sam, and here's a little bit of that. >> heck yeah, i wish you guys would just say, hey, michael sam, how's football going? how's training going? i would love for you to ask me that question, but it is what it is, and i just wish you guys would see me as michael sam the football player instead of michael sam the gay football player. i love my fans. i love mizzou. one of the best, one of the best schools out in the nation, and then out there, what they did, this past weekend, was just amazing, and i wanted to cry, but i'm like, i'm a man. but -- so i didn't -- so i just -- i want to thank everyone who supported me especially mizzou, the students. my coaches. the whole organization, and every missouri fan, i'm a tiger forever. >> and address what michael sam was talking about, the baptist church protested on the opposite side of the missouri campus. the missouri student body through social media gathered thousands, 1,500 students or so, and they went arm and arm and create add human chain around the arena. >> that's what th

i'm wondering what impact does that have on michael sam? well, if anything, maybe it's strength in numbers. they do have a relationship, collins talked to sam before he came out. for jason collins to do it before michael sam does it, maybe is a comforting level. jason at the very end of his career, michael sam just to play his first game in the nfl. >> reaction on social media has really been pouring in on jason collins, including from michael sam himself. we are following that. >> i want to show you what michael sam tweeted out. congratulations to my friend jason collins, excited to do so you do work out there #courage, #groundbreaking. michael sam post the: >> beyond it.com visit released this video a little while ago. take a listen to it. >> it's great to break stereo types. i love redefining people's preconceived notions. i'm jason collins, i'm an athlete and i'm beyond it. >> beyond it put out a statement saying jason collins made history and continued to move the world beyond it. before the big game, bill deblasio new york city mayor t

michael sam made the revelation in an espn interview this weekend. an as a senior this past season, a shoo-in for the nfl. what is making headlines of course is his sexuality. >> 6'2", 250 pounds, a big guy, a strong guy. you want to see real strength? it's what he's doing right now. >> i'm michael sam, i'm a football player and i'm gay. >> reporter: all american defensive end and nfl hopeful michael sam making history, revealing that he's gay in interviews wh

all eyes on michael sam, the n.f.l. combine, where the college players show off their skills for the team scouts. he is hoping to become the first openly gay player in n.f.l. history. michael eaves was there. >> when michael sam came to the n.f.l. combine, he was far from the top prospect. when it came to availability on saturday, he was the most popular. he tried to use the time by taking the focus off him being gay, and being a football player. that would be determined by what he did in front of scouts. they started sunday and concluded monday here at st. lucas stadium. he didn't perform the way he needed to to improve the draft status. whether it was a 40 yard dash. benchpress, 17 reps of 245 pounds, and one of the lowest at his position, and the other drills - middle of the road at best. how did he think he performed in the wake of pressure at the n.f.l. combine. after the works concluded he spoke to matt millon. >> i thought i did well. it was a great experience showing my quality to the scouts and coaches. >> anyt

. >> missouri michael sam came out of the closet. >> michael sam to be drafted to the nfl would makehim the first openly gay play per in that league. >> i came to tell the world i'm an openly proud gay man. >> that is some courage but we can't have a gay if the ballplayer t is first and ten, not first in steve. and the most offensive part, michael sam doesn't understand why people might be offended. >> this is to me just another telling another person, hey, i'm gay t shouldn't a big problem. >> stephen: i'm sorry, sir, but nobody chooses to have a problem with this. i was born having a problem with this. look. look, come on, nobody is saying this guy is not a great football player. all-american, the sec's de-- fec defensive player of thier, that is quite an honor coming from the securities and exchange commission. but now-- pro teams are just going to have to think twice before drafting him. >> "sports illustrated" spoke with nearly a dozen coaches and nfl executives, many of whom said football isn't ready for an openly gay player. >> yesterday michael sam was projected as the third

i wish you guys would see me as michael sam the football player, instead of michael sam, the gay footballat i love to do, playing football. if the miami dolphins draft me, i would be excited to be part of that organization, but i'm not afraid about going into that environment. i know how to handle myself, i know how to communicate with my teammates, i know how to communicate with the coaches. and the other staff, whoever i need to communicate with. i've been in locker rooms where all kinds of slurs have been said and i don't think anyone means it. i think the little naive and uneducated, but as time goes on, everyone will adapt. if someone wants to call me a name, i will have a conversation with that guy and hopefully it won't lead to nothing else. since i'm not on an nfl active roster right now, that is my only thought is to be on that roster and so that's my 100% focus on this. i'm not focusing on anything else but to earn my spot on an nfl team. i love my -- i love my fans, i love mizzou. one of the best -- one of the best schools out in the nation. and then after what they did this pa

>> i'm michael sam.l player and i'm gay. >> the mixture of some ice and some snow. >> widespread freezing rain. >> it is going to be significant. >> we will never stop working to ensure equality under the law is protected by the law. >> i have not lost hope. >> jamie anderson defied gravity with baffling acrobatics. >> it just felt so good. >> breaking overnight, the nfl has never had an openly gay player, key word there, but that may be about to change. michael sam revealed he is gay in a television interview sunday. >> i told my teammates this past august that i came out to my teammates and think took it great. they rallied around me, they supported me and i couldn't ask for better teammates. this is something i've known for a while but this to me is telling another person that, hey, i'm gay. it shouldn't be a big problem. >> strong on the field and off, sam said he felt he had to tell his story and wants pro football teams to think of mim as jer another -- >> threats made to airlines from guyana. >> n

i mean after all, we'v we've seen some stories about, whenever michael sam takes the field? > what sam has done he's been smart enough to do it so early, that teams can get ahead of it. they can have conversations with their veterans you know. by the time he does get drafted the teams have done all the due diligence to make sure this isn't an issue. i think also a team will allow sam to have one interview to address its and then he'll be done with it. so he can focus on what he does best and that's play football. >> well, we will see what happens with him. wade days of from the we can project, thank you for coming on the program. >> thank you for having me on. >> after the break . stand your ground, over loud >> prosecution has now restits case, echoes of the trayvon martin case. stand your ground case, killing a teenag teenager over loud music. "america tonight"'s sarah hoy has the story. >> what i should have done is put the car in reverse. whatever, it was flight or fight. >> michael dunn, first degree murder and three counts of attemptmurder in the november 2012 shooting

i mean after all, we'v we've seen some stories about, whenever michael sam takes the field? > what sam has done he's been smart enough to do it so early, that teams can get ahead of it. they can have conversations with their veterans you know. by the time he does get drafted the teams have done all the due diligence to make sure this isn't an issue. i think also a team will allow sam to have one interview to address its and then he'll be done with it. so he can focus on what he does best and that's play football. >> well, we will see what happens with him. wade days of from the we can project, thank you for coming on the program. >> thank you for having me on. >> after the break . stand your ground, over loud >> every sunday night al jazeera america brings you controversial... >> both parties are owned by the corporations. >> ..entertaining >> it's fun to play with ideas. >> ...thought provoking >> get your damn education. >> ...surprising >> oh, absolutely! >> ...exclusive one-on-one interviews with the most interesting people of our time. >> you're listening because you wan

i'm michael sam. i'm a college graduate. rican american, and i'm gay. >> in an interview with espn, sam decided he wanted the world to know about his sexuality on his terms, especially since he had come out at the beginning of football season to his team and coaches. nfl scouts were hearing the news second hand which prompted the announcement. the nfl player's association announcement believes the players will accept sam with open arms. >>> in colombia missouri, tigers faithfully showing pride in michael sam. somebody all right tered the lo etching sam in the snow, solid support right there at mizzou. >>> sam also received props from nfl players richy ie incognito d jonathan martin. they said it took guts to release the announcement and wish him nothing but luck. >>> the ducks hosting the 76ers. they will miss andrew with shoulder inflammation. he was steam rolled last night by 45 against the clippers, the warriors in despite need of a w also after getting run on saturday in phoenix by 13. >> a well-coached team. a young team

at the top of the hour, talked about michael sam, his historic decision to come out as a gay man. ect on his chances in the nfl draft. >> go to "news nation" to vote. that is going to do it for this edition of "news nation." i'm craig melvin. "the cycle" is up next. vs. a whitening pen. i feel like i'm going to miss a spot. i think you actually might have. i feel like my lips are going to, like, wash it off. these fit nicely. wait, it says to use up to four times a day? oh, gosh. i'm not going to do that. [ female announcer ] crest 3d white whitestrips adhere to your teeth evenly and safely remove stains below the enamel surface for professional level results that last up to 12 months. this says it removes 14 years of stains. it doesn't tell me how many stains it removes. [ female announcer ] crest 3d white whitestrips. the way to whiten. [ female announcer ] crest 3d white whitestrips. if yand you're talking toevere rheuyour rheumatologistike me, about trying or adding a biologic. this is humira, adalimumab. this is humira working to help relieve my pain. this is humira helping me

i'm comfortable with who i am. >> michael sam! >> reporter: coordinated interviews with the new york times and espn, sharing with the world what his college teammates have kept secret since last summer. >> they rallied around me. they supported me, and i couldn't ask for better teammates. >> reporter: the president tweeted congratulations on leading the way. the first lady, you're an inspiration to all of us. and at the university of missouri today where sam was an all-american defensive end, his name written on the snowy field. but on line there were critics, some using anti-gay slurs, suggesting the nfl will be damaged. "sports illustrated" spoke with nearly a dozen coaches and nfl executives, many of whom said football isn't ready for an openly gay player. >> yesterday michael sam was projected as a third or fourth round pick but definitely on the board. and today executives will say anonymously that his stock has dropped. he may not even be drafted. >> reporter: chris kluwe, a former punter for the vikings, who has taken heat

i'm michael sam. i'm a college graduate.'m african-american and i'm gay. >> reporter: weeks before he is part of the nfl draft, michael sam speaks his truth. >> i think he is taking a huge risk. >> reporter: bill romanowski says despite his talent on the field his announcement will block his entry into some locker rooms. >> this is a risk. is the talent worth the risk? >> reporter: he is expected to be the first out professional football player. one of the few stepping out of the shadows. jason collins revealed he is gay in april. rick wells came out in 2011. he says it's a life-changing moment. when you care about the people you're around and the people you work with it's hard not to be able to share that part of your life. >> reporter: wells believes that he is confident and capable of handling the reaction. >> a lot of the scouts knew about it. >> reporter: fans say his story shouldn't matter as much as his skill. >> it doesn't matter if you are gay or whatever. if you can play football should be the only thing you should

i'm michael sam. i'm a college graduate. i'm african-american. > and sam says all that should matter is that he is a good player who can help a team. but some nfl coaches told "sports illustrated" they don't think pro football is ready for an openly gay player yet. the nfl draft is in may. >> on twitter former missouri quarterback chase daniel, now with the chiefs, tweeted he is amazed at michael sam's honesty and courage. tight end tom crabtree, who did not go to missouri, said coming out takes courage for where he is in his career and where we are as a league. and another tweet here, from another player who came out after his pro basketball career was over. congratulating sam wishing him luck and thanking him. >> and michael sam's announcement is our facebook question of the day. we are asking, how significant is it when a prominent athlete comes out as gay? join our discussion at wnnfans.com. >> obviously, a very courageous move, you know. >> sure. >> he's certainly not the first person that's ever been gay in the nfl but the first person to co

today, michael sam is speaking out. his message to the media and the one question he says he wants to be asked. . >> plus, she is one smart cookie. now, new developments on the girl scout who picked a prime location to sell her product. ♪ >>> members and friends of the bay area's ukrainian community protested today against the violence that killed at least 75 protesters there. the demonstration happened in san francisco. the demonstrators asked for the u.s. and europe to revise security to opposition leaders and for donations to help the families of those killed. >>> it was a dramatic day meantime in ukraine. while protesters brought down statues of lennon, they saw the potential leader freed from prison and the president impeached. now, the president said he is not resigning and won't leave the country, but he did leave the capitol. while newly freed, the former prime minister arrived in kiev. she said her task is to make sure the protesters' blood was not shed in vain. new presidential elections are set to take place

i wish you would see me as michael sam the football prayer instead of michael sam the gay football playernd on display. auburn's greg robinson, 65-point, a 4.92 40. project as a top five pickment cal's richard rogers, 14th 14th among tight ends with a time 4.87 seconds. rogers left cal after his junior season. tomorrow, quarterbacks, receivers and runningbacks. the nfl network has all-day coverage through tuesday. >> the last time bruce bochy and barry bonds compared notes. bonds is expected to arrive at scottsdale and begin work as an instructor. >>> grant balfour had an intimidating determine on the mound. his replacement, jim johnson, 6'6", 240, the a's new closer. mears mike shumann in phoenix. >> get traded to a new team, tough to integrate yourself. what's the feeling of this clubhouse? >> obviously a loose bunch. and it's a good team chemistry feeling, and that kind of stuff that carries over, even off the field, guys are hanging out. so that's what you want. you want that good team chemistry. >> there is pressure to replace special litsch at that -- especially at that position? >>

michael sam's agent, cameron weiss.so much. >> thank you. >>> more on this story with mike peska from npr and a former nfl player who came out after he left the league. stick around for that. my mother and my grandmother are very old fashioned. i think we both are clean freaks. i used to scrub the floor on my knees. [ daughter ] i've mastered the art of foot cleaning. oh, boy. oh, boy. oh, boy. [ carmel ] that drives me nuts. it gives me anxiety just thinking about how crazy they get. [ doorbell rings ] [ daughter ] oh, wow. [ carmel ] swiffer wetjet. you guys should try this. it's so easy. oh, my. [ gasps ] i just washed this floor. if i didn't see it i wouldn't believe it. [ carmel ] it did my heart good to see you cleaning. [ regina ] yeah, your generation has all the good stuff. [ daughter ] oh, yeah. which will cause me to miss the end of the game. the x1 entertainment operating system lets your watch live tv anywhere. can i watch it in butterfly valley? sure. can i watch it in glimmering lake? yep. here, too. what

i am michael sam. i'm a college graduate. re has never been an openly gay player in the nfl. and sam's announcement brought him waves of support, including from president obama, who tweeted congratulations on leading the way. that's real sportsmanship. the first lady told sam, quote, you're an inspiration to all of us. we couldn't be prouder of your courage both on and off the field. sam's announcement also brought out lots of negative reaction, with some asking how the news will affect his draft stock. and nfl executives questioning if the league is ready for him. and one former coach claiming he is bringing baggage to the locker room. here are the facts. michael sam came out to his missouri teammates last year, and they were one win away from being the national championship. didn't hurt the game at all. he is an inspiration to all. joining me now is donte stallworth. he is a ten-year nfl veteran, most recently playing for the washington redskins. thanks for being with us. >> thanks for having me on, reverend. >> you've been

michael sam's agent, cameron weiss. >> thank you. >>> more on this story with mike peska from npr and a former nfl player who came out after he left the league. stick around for that. possibile reality. with centurylink as your trusted partner, our visionary cloud infrastructure and global broadband network free you to focus on what matters. with custom communications solutions and responsive, dedicated support, we constantly evolve to meet your needs. every day of the week. centurylink® your link to what's next. life with crohn's disease ois a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps end our night before it even starts? what if i eat the wrong thing? what if? what if i suddenly have to go? what if? but what if the most important question is the one you're not asking? what if the underlying cause of your symptoms is damaging inflammation? for help getting the answers you need, talk to your doctor and visit crohnsandcolitisadvocates.com to connect with a patient advocate from abbvie for one-to-one

so hopefully michael sam can change that environment. >> woodruff: wade davis, is michael sam preparedsed on your talking with him, is he-- what is he prepared to says in the months to come? >> well, first of all, he doesn't think he is going to face anything that he didn't already face in college. you know i would say probably 20 to 30% of the nfl is made up of guys who played in the sfec. so it's not like he came from a small school. and he also was the captain of his team. so he knows what it is like to be a leader. he knows what it is like to deal with adversity. he's also understanding that it's also his responsibility to protect his teammates. that there is going to be a player or two that may something homophobic but he is to the going to run to the principal or media and said hey this guy said this, this guy said that, these guys will be his brother, will earn their trust by playing off the field and showing up as other player does off the field. >> woodruff: all right, we have to leech it there, it is a subject i know we will spend more time on. but tonight wade davis, kevin b