Aufgesattelt - Die Pferdefreunde » will not play in Sundays AFC Cha

Any NFL team that drafts Michael Sam will be taking on much more than a rookie pass-rusher. But experts say the smart approach for a team that signs the leagues first openly gay athlete -- from a marketing and public relations standpoint -- is to simply let Sams on-field play speak for him and his team. "While this is a significant announcement given the sport, the general hope is that hes just accepted as one of the other men on the roster, and therefore his marketability is still simply tied to his ability to play well on the field and ultimately make the team," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. Sam declared Sunday that he is gay in interviews with ESPN, The New York Times and Outsports. The Missouri All-American had already come out last August to his coaches and teammates, who respected his privacy. Now Sam is entering uncharted territory as he prepares for the NFL draft. The SECs co-defensive player of the year was projected to be a mid-round selection. At 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, Sam will likely have to transition to outside linebacker, which could impact where hes drafted. But announcing hes gay could also have an impact on his draft status. "Im not naive to think there arent potentially some owners or executives out there who will say, Eh, Im not so sure now." said Golden State Warriors President and Chief of Operations Rick Welts, who came out publicly in 2011. "But also, I hope, there are a lot who would say, Theres an opportunity to do something that I think our fans would actually embrace. And if were supposed to win football games, if this guy helps us win football games, thats somebody we should have on our roster." Sam, 24, joins a growing list of active athletes to publicly come out, including Robbie Rogers, a winger for Major League Soccers Los Angeles Galaxy, and Brittney Griner, who plays for the WNBAs Phoenix Mercury. Conner Mertens, a kicker for Division III Willamette University, came out as bisexual late last month, and is believed to have been the first active college football player to publicly announce his sexuality. Griner, as one of the WNBAs brightest stars, was the centerpiece of the Mercurys marketing campaign. She also made a point of supporting causes that are important to her. "There was nothing about her that was difficult in marketing. We supported what she wanted to do with bullying and the LGBT community. We made those connecting points," said Amber Cox, president of the Mercury before leaving to go to the Big East last fall. Nike has also thrown support to LGBT athletes, signing both Griner and Jason Collins, a former NBA player who came out last year, to sponsorship deals, and launching its "Be True" campaign. Profits from the .BeTrue collection are being donated to the LGBT Sports Coalition to support the goal of ending discrimination in sport. Mark Elderkin of the Gay Ad Network, an online media platform for national advertisers, said NFL teams need only look at Sams track record. "Theyre going to make their choices based on who the best college athletes are. And theyre going to choose Michael if they deem him the best pick. So, I think they need to focus on the facts, and his performance over the years, his All-America status and everything hes done for Missouri," Elderkin said. "Also his relationships with the fans, and with the positive energy he has around his teammates and their full support, shows that hes not going to be disruptive to the team in any way, but is going to add value." But its still a reality that gay athletes face a backlash. Derogatory comments were easily found among the positive posts on social media and other online commentary following Sams announcement. A Pew Research survey last year of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults in the U.S. found that just 4 per cent saw pro sports leagues as friendly toward LGBT people, while 59 per cent saw the leagues as unfriendly and 36 per cent saw them as neutral. Still, even over the past year there have been significant overall victories in gay and lesbian rights, most notably two U.S. Supreme Court decisions in June. One ruling cleared the way for ending a ban on same-sex marriages in California; the other struck down a 1996 law passed by Congress that banned federal recognition of same-sex marriages. It remains to be seen how growing tolerance extends to the NFL playing field. "I think the point thats being made in a lot of the discussion is, Lets just move on," Swangard said. "If the guy makes a team, then he makes the team. His sexual orientation shouldnt be the story." Rod Brind Amour Jersey .com) - New England Patriots starting center Bryan Stork will not play in Sundays AFC Championship against Indianapolis due to a knee injury the rookie sustained last week. Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. http://www.hockeyhurricanes.com/customized/. Toronto dropped a 7-2 decision to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon, with only a pair of late runs preventing a second straight shutout loss. Josh Willingham belted a two-run homer in the first inning and Kendrys Morales hit a bases-clearing double in the seventh as the Twins took the rubber game of the three-game series. Justin Faulk Jersey .Boston beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Tuesday night and celebrated consecutive wins for the first time in more than a month.TEMPE, Ariz. -- Kurt Warner, the quarterback who led the Arizona Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance, will become the 14th person inducted into the teams Ring of Honor. Warner, with the Cardinals from 2005 through 2009, directed Arizona to NFC West titles in his final two seasons. The 2008 team advanced to the Super Bowl, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a touchdown in the final seconds. He had 222 career 300-yard passing games with Arizona and 22 consecutive games with a touchdown pass.ddddddddddddHe completed 65.1 per cent of his passes for the Cardinals with a 91.9 passer rating, both franchise records. The induction will take place at the teams season opener against San Diego on Monday night, Sept. 8. Warner also quarterbacked the St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls, winning one of them. Cheap Bruins Jerseys Wholesale Sabres Jerseys Red Wings Jerseys From China Wholesale Canadiens Jerseys Wholesale Lightning Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Discount Hurricanes Jerseys Blue Jackets Jerseys Outlet Adidas Devils Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Rangers Jerseys From China Discount Flyers Jerseys Discount Penguins Jerseys Discount Capitals Jerseys Wholesale Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Team USA Hockey Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Wholesale Wild Jerseys Discount Predators Jerseys Discount Blues Jerseys Discount Ducks Jerseys Adidas Coyotes Jerseys Flames Jerseys Outlet Wholesale Oilers Jerseys Discount Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Golden Knights Jerseys Outlet Authentic NHL Winter Classic Jerseys ' ' '