The kiss seen across America

One of the nice things that happened over the weekend was that Michael Sam, a gay man, was drafted by the St. Louis Rams football team. There's a lot more to the story than what I had reported before. The draft process is drawing to a close and Sam hadn't been chosen yet. So when he finally is selected his response is naturally exuberant. And that included an energetic kiss, a "smackfest," with his boyfriend. Oooh, yeah, he's gay. It's one thing for Same to declare he is gay at a press conference. It's another for him to demonstrate it. ESPN most definitely broadcast that smooch -- several times. And it was repeated on various social media.

Yes, there were people revolted by that kiss. At least one responded by saying, please, my children were watching! But many commentators say this kiss will do a lot for our movement. In the same manner as a gay couple moving next door, most people seeing a beefy football payer kissing like that will have their views of us adjusted for the better.

Stephen Colbert watches the kiss and throws a yellow flag on the play. The video is about 4 minutes.

For the best response we turn to ESPN Producer Seth Markman (the guy who put the kiss on the air), his wife and son:

When Markman's wife explained to their 7-year-old son that dad was busy working on something that was controversial, Sam’s kiss on TV, the boy replied: “Is it because they’re not married?”

So the sports world wobbled over the weekend -- into a better place.