COLUMBIA, Mo. [url=http://www.thejetsjerseysshoponline.com/Youth-Lorenzo-Mauldin-Jets- Jersey/]Lorenzo Mauldin Jersey[/url] . -- Michael Sam was just another recruit when he left his small Texas hometown and arrived in Missouri. Playing for the Tigers, he turned into a private loquacious leader ready

COLUMBIA, Mo. Lorenzo Mauldin Jersey . -- Michael Sam was just another recruit when he left his small Texas hometown and arrived in Missouri. Playing for the Tigers, he turned into a private loquacious leader ready to make a trailblazing announcement. The defensive star wants to become the first openly gay NFL player. "I told him: This is going to be mammoth," coach Gary Pinkel said Monday, a day after Sam came out to the world. "I dont have a word, OK, for how big this is going to be." Its a bigger deal for the older generation. Sams teammates and acquaintances easily made the adjustment, plus he proved himself on the field. "Hes a leader," former 49ers great running back Roger Craig said. "I would definitely welcome him on my team. Id play with him any day. I like people who stand up for themselves." Sam revealed he was gay at one of the football teams get-acquainted dinners last summer hosted by Pinkel and assistant coaches. The next day, Pinkel said, Sam told the entire team. Realizing the enormity of the situation, Pinkel left the next move up to the senior who blossomed into one of the best defensive ends in the country -- and one surrounded by teammates who didnt worry one bit about sexual orientation or reveal his secret until he came out on Sunday. Athletes across the campus approve. "Love is love," basketball guard Jordan Clarkson said. "Thats their personal life." Pinkel, athletic director Mike Alden and other school officials applauded Sams courage Monday at Faurot Field. As a backdrop, the first two letters of Sams last name were etched in snow to join the giant "M" just beyond the north end zone. "Pretty cool," Pinkel said. Coaches and Sam agreed that making an announcement during the season might be a distraction. It was Sams call to skip all the weekly media days and postgame news conferences, too, the better to avoid the risk of the topic coming up. Sam broke his silence prior to the Cotton Bowl and the conversation stayed on football, just like he wanted. Sam was prompted to make his decision to come out after the Senior Bowl, where it became apparent the players sexual orientation was widely known. This meant a declaration just days before the NFL combine and shouldering the pressure that goes along with the historic declaration. "Its very clear that everybody in the NFL knew," said Howard Bragman, a consultant hired by Sams agent to help manage the announcement in the media. The NFL and many others, including the White House, publicly applauded Sams decision. President Barack Obamas spokesman, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden all called him a courageous and inspirational athlete. But now, after a few high-profile interviews, its back to silent Sam. The fifth level of the stadium was jammed with dozens of reporters for Mondays news conference but there was no sign of the star attraction. Bragman said Sam was travelling Monday to a camp at an undisclosed location where hell prepare for the combine. Though hes been a most reticent public speaker, Pinkel described Sam as a virtual chatterbox. "He drove me crazy a lot of times, he doesnt shut up sometimes," Pinkel said with a chuckle. "He talks and talks and talks. "You always know hes in with my secretary because I can hear him and I have to close the door -- I cant concentrate." Sam arrived at Missouri without fanfare. Rivals.com gave him just two stars when he was coming out of Hitchcock High School. He had 10 career starts before his breakout senior season. The All-America defensive end led the Southeastern Conference with 11 1/2 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He was the co-SEC defensive player of the year. But Sam has been projected as a mid-level NFL draft pick, probably because hes a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds and is likely headed for a transition to outside linebacker. Pinkel doesnt think the announcement will hurt Sams draft status. "Our team was able to move past it and work together," defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski said. "So why shouldnt a bunch of professional football players be able to do the same thing?" There have been a few NFL players who have come out after their playing days, including Kwame Harris and Dave Kopay. "There will be some adjustments that will have to be made, sure," Craig said. "I think it will be a learning curve for the whole league." Josh McCown Jersey .ca. Hello Kerry, After watching Nino Niederreiter clobber Alex Burrows with an open-ice hit on Wednesday, do you think he should have gotten more than the two minutes for interference. Joe Namath Jersey . Canadas 5-1 loss to Finland in the semifinal ranks as the tournaments most-watched game with a record 2.7 million viewers, the largest ever for a World Juniors game played outside of North America, and winning Saturday as the most-watched program on Canadian television. http://www.thejetsjerseysshoponline.com/Youth-Wesley-Walker-Jets-Jersey/ . Despite Barcelona showing the same vulnerability in defence, Messis best performance since returning from a lengthy injury layoff ensured that his side bounced back from a defeat by Valencia in the previous round.Much of the excitement of opening night in the National Hockey League was muted on Tuesday when Montreal Canadiens forward George Parros was taken off the Bell Centre ice on a stretcher after engaging in a fight with Maple Leafs forward Colton Orr. Parros was hurt when the Toronto player lost his balance and pulled Parros over him to the ice. The Canadiens enforcer landed face first, lost consciousness, and was taken to hospital. On Wednesday, he was diagnosed with a concussion. "You never want to see a guy get hurt like that. Its a scary situation, I just hope hes all right," said Orr, who had already fought with Parros earlier in the game. "Its scary, its not fun to watch. I dont know what else to say," said Canadiens teammate Lars Eller. It was an ugly moment on a night that was otherwise reserved for celebration. But the injury re-opens a familiar question for hockey fans: does Tuesdays incident in Montreal change your feelings about fighting in hockey? Time and time again, NHL players have been polled about whether to ban fighting from the game and time and time again, there has been heavy resistance to removing the fisticuffs. It appears that the image of Parros being removed on a stretcher is still not ennough to sway some hockey opinions. ArDarius Stewart Jersey. . "Hockey is a game that needs fighting in it," said Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean on Wednesday after his teams morning skate. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported on Wednesday that while Flyers forward Vincent Lecavalier is sensitive to Parros injury, he says he would still vote in favour of keeping fighting. "Part of the game," Lecavalier told Dreger. Will fighting leave the game anytime soon? TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie gave his opinion on the incident during a post-game discussion with Thats Hockey host Gino Reda. "The culture of hockey is such that the decision-makers - the players, the coaches, the managers, the owners, the administrators - they dont want any appreciable difference to the games," he said. "So the debate will rage on as George Parros recovers from that, but I dont anticipate anything is going to change because it hasnt in the past." Several other fights that produced knockouts and concussions in recent memory have not produced change. Chances are the Parros injury wont either. But does Tuesdays incident in Montreal change your feelings about fighting in hockey? 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