Charting the Course

The NFL is having its annual meetings in Orlando this week and one of the first things on the agenda Monday was a presentation to the General Managers and Head Coaches by Wade Davis, the Gay former NFL player who is Executive Director of Athlete Ally the You Can Play Project.  Davis will speak with the Owners this morning.  Davis' presentation was very well received according to Outsports:

"Gay former NFL player Wade Davis addressed coaches and general managers at the NFL annual meeting in Orlando on Monday, talking about sexual orientation, homophobia and gays in the locker room. With just a 30-minute presentation and Q&A session, he sped up the course of the NFL on LGBT issues. While the NFL has been headed in the right direction for the last several years, executives and coaches Monday saw the potential for improving team culture, and they saw the first step to get there.

From all reports his presentation was incredibly well-received, with "many" coaches and GMs approaching Davis with praise after the meeting. Various folks from Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to San Diego Chargers head coach Mike Mccoy thanked him for a unique, powerful presentation that opened eyes."

Read the entire article on Outsports

This is an important part of charting the course for the potential first openly Gay player in the NFL, with everyone getting on the same page to insure an inclusive atmosphere in all 32 locker rooms across the broad NFL spectrum.  Now all we have to do is see which team is the first to step up to the plate and draft openly Gay Missouri Defensive End Michael Sam.  Then let's hope Sam's courage and example will inspire other athletes to come out.  Each coming out inspires others and not just in the sports world.  Just this week, inspired by Michael Sam, Neon Trees lead singer Tyler Glenn came out, making the following statement:

"I really love all of the sports figures that are coming out recently," he says. "I appreciated Michael Sam was like, 'I want to be able to go to the movies and hold hands with my boyfriend.' Even hearing him say 'boyfriend,' I was just like, that's cool."

 You may think no one is paying attention, but you may never know who will be inspired by the simple act of acknowledging who you are to yourself then telling even one person so that they may know the real you.  It is scary before hand but ultimately liberating and very often inspiring to someone you would least expect. 

I will be watching the upcoming draft (as will so many other Gay sports fans) to see who steps up and then follow Michael Sam's progress from potential draftee to being the first openly Gay player in the NFL.  

Your Musical Moment for today features Claudio Arrau's performance of the Piano Concerto Number 1 in D Minor by Johannes Brahms accompanied by an unnamed orchestra under the baton of Hans Muller-Kray.  You can also hear Arrau's 1976 live performance of Brahms' Piano Concerto Number 2 in B Flat Major over on my tumblr.  

Then for your visual inspiration, on display after the video is a comely collection of terrific torsos and tushes to serve as your Tuesday's Temptations for this week.  Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me, see you again soon.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!