THE BLEACHER BRIEFINGS: Sam Comes Out, Smart Hits the Stands & Rodriguez Finally Folds

In this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast, we discuss All-American Michael Sam's monumental announcement on ESPN's Outside the Lines, Marcus Smart's physical altercation with a Texas Tech fan in the stands Saturday, and Alex Rodriguez's decision to drop his lawsuit against Major League Baseball!

- NFL Prospect Reveals He's Gay: In an interview with Chris Connelly on Sunday, SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam stated publicly what his teammates and coaches at Mizzou have known since August; "I am an openly proud gay man." What type of impact could Sam's announcement have on where he's selected in the draft, and is the National Football League really ready for an openly gay man in the locker rooms? Hear our take.

- Smart Loses His Cool Yet Again: Late in the game in a loss to the Red Raiders Saturday, Oklahoma State All-American Marcus Smart entered the stands and shoved a fan after the man heckled him following a foul under the basket. Considering this wasn't the first time Smart did something ill-tempered on the court this year, was the three-game suspension he received enough, and will the reputation he's developed come back to haunt him when the NBA Draft rolls around in June? We'll tell you.

- MLB Finally Breaks A-Rod: Last Friday, lawyers representing Alex Rodriguez filed a notice of dismissal in his lawsuit against Major League Baseball, essentially ending one of the most controversial chapters in the history of the league's performance-enhancing drug program. After months of proclaiming his innocence and deeming the investigation a "witch hunt," was A-Rod's decision surprising? We break it down.

Plus:

We debate whether or not the 76ers are purposely tanking this season, and if head coach Maurice Cheeks got a raw deal with the Pistons!

All this and more in this week's edition of The Bleacher Briefings podcast!

*If you'd like to be part of the show, email your questions or comments to thebleacherbriefings@inbox.com for a chance to have them read during a future broadcast!