IRVING, Texas - Before he became the Dallas linebacker caught up in the critical pass interference penalty that wasnt in a wild-card win over Detroit, Anthony Hitchens was a steadily improving rookie playing a much bigger role than the Cowboys anticipated. Authentic Gary Harris Jersey .Nothing about that description has changed in his mind now that millions more people know who he is.Im just a guy who is trying to do his job, Hitchens said. I dont make calls. All I can do is get to the ball and do my job. Thats all I can say.Hitchens sprinted into the spotlight when he was trying to run down Brandon Pettigrew and made contact with the Lions tight end just before Matthew Staffords pass hit Hitchens in the back and he eased up before rolling over Pettigrew as both players fell.One official threw a flag, and referee Pete Morelli announced the penalty before another official overruled the call, saying there wasnt enough contact for interference. A day later, the NFL said there wasnt any interference, but that Hitchens should have been called for holding.People are still talking about it, even with the Cowboys (13-4) well on their way to preparations for Sundays division-round game at Green Bay (12-4).I think I did a pretty good job of closing the distance and at least trying to get my head turned around, Hitchens said. You can always improve. Just focus on more of the negatives than the positives at that time.The Cowboys were criticized for taking Hitchens in the fourth round out of Iowa when he projected as a later-round selection. They took him as insurance for oft-injured Sean Lee, who tore a knee ligament on the first day of off-season workouts less than a month later.Its been a whirlwind since for Hitchens, who has started at all three linebacker spots and is third on the team in tackles with 100. The leader is safety Barry Church, ahead of linebacker Rolando McClain, who was acquired in a trade just before training camp with the Cowboys hoping he could take Lees starting spot.McClain has had trouble staying healthy, and Justin Durant was lost to a torn arm muscle halfway through the season. Hitchens made it through all 16 games, then played through a sprained ankle against the Lions after missing practice all week. He was out again Wednesday.We planned to have him in a role where he wasnt going to have to play that much, coach Jason Garrett said of the wild-card game. Before you know it, Rolando cant play and now hes out there probably playing double the snaps we had planned to have him play.Its been that way since Lees knee gave out in a noncontract drill, and the significance of the injury wasnt lost on Hitchens.That I needed to grow up fast, like right then and there, Hitchens said of what he was thinking at the time. I didnt know if I was going to be in there right then or some other time down the road. I just knew I had to speed up my learning process real soon.Bruce Carter, who missed three games with a thigh injury and had to be replaced by Hitchens, said the rookie succeeded.Normally rookies come in, and they have the rookie wall, and the seasons gone on, Carter said. I dont see him as a rookie, to be quite honest. Hes one of us.The Cowboys liked Hitchens during the draft because of his versatility, but even they didnt think they would be moving him around as much as they have. And they didnt think he would be making the calls on defence, which he has occasionally.I do think he has grown up quickly, Garrett said. Sometimes that happens. When there is an opportunity that is there and there are a lot of people who are trying to fill a void, typically the progression and development happens more quickly and they get thrust into it.NOTES: DE Jeremy Mincey missed practice Wednesday, a day after concussion-like symptoms emerged. McClain is also set be evaluated for a concussion. ... DT Terrell McClain and RT Doug Free missed practice. Both are dealing with ankle injuries.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Authentic Trey Lyles Jersey . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years. Stitched Nuggets Jerseys Online .5 million. The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2. http://www.cheapnuggetsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-jarred-vanderbilt-jersey .7 million, one-year contract.The deal, announced Friday, includes a $50,000 performance bonus if the left-hander appears in 60 games.TORONTO -- Hybrid icing will be in effect for the start of the 2013-14 NHL regular season after it was approved by the players. The NHLPA gave the go-ahead for the rule change that makes icing a race to an imaginary line across the faceoff dots instead of the puck, which was given a trial run during the pre-season. The goal is to prevent serious injuries, like the one that sidelined Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Joni Pitkanen for the entire season. Pitkanen broke his left heel bone in eight places on an icing touch-up in April. Its a similar injury to the one suffered by former Washington Capitals forward Pat Peake, whose career ended not too long after. "After testing hybrid icing during the pre-season games, the players participated in a survey and a majority of teams supported this rule change in an effort to make the game safer," NHLPA special assistant to the executive director Mathieu Schneider said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the implementation of the hybrid icing rule, which is a middle ground between the old rule and no-touch icing, will help minimize the incidence of player injuries on icing plays." Some players seemed happy with the change. "I think its good. It kind of brings the race a little bit further away from the end boards," Toronto Maple Leafs winger James van Riemsdyk said. "Once they do blow it or decide what to do with it, it gives you more time to react." Others expressed some doubts about hybrid icing, most notably hesitancy or unfamiliarity on the part of the linesman who has to make the call. "The normal reaction is right away Oh, we dont like it," Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "If the hybrid icing saves one injury this year, its worth it." NHLPA executive directoor Donald Fehr said in a phone interview last week that he hopes hybrid icing represents "an obvious safety improvement (that is) not otherwise damaging to the game," but conceded that its different from his vantage point and players. Nuggets Jerseys China. "Its going to require adjustment and while weve seen it ultimately work in college and in other leagues, its not the same as playing in the NHL, and were going to have to watch it very carefully because our game is played at a higher speed than anywhere else," commissioner Gary Bettman said. The AHL experimented with it last season during the NHL lockout, and it came with mixed reviews from players. Hartley said AHL coaches hated it for the first two weeks and loved it by Christmas. Its possible it takes time for NHL players and coaches to embrace it now. "Theres going to be some missed calls," Hartley said. "Its kind of a grey area. Its a judgment call and every time you create a judgment call, theres going to be some calls going your way or against you, calls you like and dont like." Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty expressed concern about a missed call happening at the worst possible time. "I know you want to protect the players and this is a step in the right direction, but Im just scared that that Game 7, game-winning goal is going to come down to a hybrid icing non-call and theres going to be a big uproar about it," he said. Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf prefers the traditional race to the puck over hybrid icing, but says he can live with the change. 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