In February of 2014, Michael Sam, a former outside linebacker for the University of Missouri and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, announced that he was gay.  The announcement did not come as a surprise to his former teammates – Sam had shared his sexual orientation during a fall practice session the previous year – but the news sent shockwaves through the news media.  His declaration was met with both scorn and praise.  With the NFL Draft nearly four months away, would Sam become the first openly gay player in the NFL?

His courage attracted international media attention and drew the support of First Lady Michelle Obama via Twitter: “You’re an inspiration to all of us, @MikeSamFootball.  We couldn’t be prouder of your courage both on and off the field.”  But some NFL players, including Jonathan Vilma, voiced uneasiness about Sam’s reception in the locker-room.  “I think he [Sam] would not be accepted as much as we think he would be accepted,” Vilma cautioned.

The Sam Saga underscores the extent to which sports reflect ideological divides in our culture. In this course, we will frame our discussion of contemporary issues in sports through a historical lens that examines the introduction of athletic contests into American society.  Next, we will use this backdrop to wade through complex social, economic and cultural issues including: compensation of college athletes, use of analytics to inform decision-making, minority representation among players and managers, introduction of openly gay athletes and the health implications of player safety.

Most importantly, we will take on the role of key decision-makers (e.g., athletic directors, head coaches and general managers) and construct our own ethical framework for dealing with these issues in the sports context.

Assignments and Grading Policy:

Grades will be based on the following: (1) regular class attendance, careful preparation of the readings, and active participation in the class; (2) timely submission of all work; (3) a term paper.

Final grades will be calculated using the following formula: (1) short response papers – 35%,  (2) term paper and presentation – 35%, and (3) class participation – 30%. There will be no final examination.

Texts/Readings:

Michael Lewis, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (2004)

William Rhoden, 40 Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of the Black Athlete (2007)

Mark Faninaru-Wade & Steve Fainaru. League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for Truth (2013)

There will also be a course packet comprised of short readings.

About the Instructor:

Daron K. Roberts is a former NFL coach who has been featured in ESPN the Magazine and Sports Illustrated. In the fall of his third year at Harvard Law School, Roberts decided to pursue a career in football coaching and wrote 164 letters to college and professional football teams.  The Kansas City Chiefs offered Roberts a training camp internship for the 2007 season. After completing his internship, he joined the Chiefs in a volunteer capacity and was elevated to the position of assistant coach in 2008.  That experience led to coaching stints with the West Virginia Mountaineers, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.

A native of East Texas, Roberts holds a B.A. in Plan II Honors and Government from the University of Texas (2001), an M.P.P. from Harvard Kennedy School (2004) and a J.D. from Harvard Law School (2007).

During his tenure at the University of Texas, Roberts was elected Student Government President.  At the time, Texas was the largest public university in the United States.  For his leadership, Roberts was awarded the university’s highest distinction – Most Outstanding Student in 2000.

Roberts has been recognized as one of the Harvard Kennedy School’s 75 Most Fascinating Alumni and the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for cultivating a nonprofit football camp – 4th and 1, Inc.  4th and 1 offers free SAT prep, life skills development and football training to at-risk youth in Michigan, Texas and Florida.  The camp has served over 300 students since 2010.