ST. Jon Casey Jersey . LOUIS -- Jeff Fisher has never been afraid to buck a trend, draft a troubled player or grant a second chance. The coach of the Rams stuck with Adam "Pacman" Jones and Kenny Britt when he was at Tennessee, despite their off-field problems. Britt is now reunited with Fisher in St. Louis. Fisher recently rehired Gregg Williams, the defensive co-ordinator who was given a one-year suspension by the league for the bounty scandal with the Saints. It was not a surprise that it was Fisher who helped Michael Sam make history as the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team. "He is an amazing leader, and even better, hes a better man," said Wade Davis, the head of an advocacy group for lesbian and gay athletes. Davis currently is doing some work with the NFL. "He looks at everything from all angles and hes not afraid to take on a challenge." The 56-year-old Fisher deflects any praise for being a trailblazer, insisting it was simply a football decision to upgrade one of the NFLs top pass rushes by taking Sam at No. 249. "In our world, nobodys going to agree with what you do 100 per cent of the time because everybody has opinions, and thats fine," Fisher said. "Im concerned about whats going on in the building, with the staff and players, the direction were headed. Thats always been the case." At least on the field, Fisher can relate to the challenge for Sam. He also was a seventh-round pick, the fourth wheel of a star-studded Southern California secondary that featured Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith and Joey Browner. He then carved out a career playing under Mike Ditka for a Super Bowl winner in Chicago and is entering his 19th season as an NFL head coach. Lott, a Hall of Famer, recalls Fisher smoothly making the switch from wide receiver to cornerback. "To me, its easy to play wide receiver because you know where youre going," Lott said. "Having to react, respond and do it with confidence and knowing youre not going to win every play, thats the mindset on defence. The determination he had then has stayed with him." Not long after Sam came out in February, Fisher said hed have no problem having him on the team, that this was an age of diversity. Turns out it wasnt just talk. Several picks before the Rams took Sam, Fisher broached the subject with owner Stan Kroenke and general manager Les Snead. Ditka said he wasnt surprised it was Fisher who stepped up when every other team was backing away from Sam. Ditka, who once traded all his draft picks to land Ricky Williams, called it a "pretty gutsy move." Players have fallen in lockstep with their coach on the question of picking Sam. Defensive end Chris Long called it a "football move" and so did linebacker James Laurinaitis. "I dont think it was courageous," Laurinaitis said. "I think its a calculated move by the organization. ... If you have the opportunity to draft a guy that you think is extremely productive and maybe you had a higher grade on him than where he is, you go ahead and take that. I think football-wise, it was a very smart decision." Fisher wouldnt say how far Sam slid on the Rams draft board. The coach joked that divulging that information might affect Sams rookie contract. Titans broadcaster Thom Abraham remembers Fisher in 2009 after Tennessees 0-6 start removing his sport coat, tie and shirt at the podium of a civic function to reveal a Peyton Manning jersey underneath. The punch line: "I just wanted to know what it felt like to be a winner." "Picking Sam did not surprise me one bit," Abraham said of Fisher. "Hes confident in his ability to be out front, and almost represent the NFL." Sam has had several off-season workouts and more practices are on tap this week with the veterans. Long said Sam was working hard and former Missouri teammate, receiver T.J. Moe, said the team viewed Sam simply as someone trying to make it in the NFL. "He is on the team. Theres a 90-man roster, it doesnt go 89 and then Michael Sams over there, this is the gay team, this is the straight team," Moe said. "Michael Sam is on this team and hes treated just like anybody else." And if Sam struggles, nobody that knows Fisher well doubts the coach will have any problem cutting him loose. "He doesnt like doing that part of it," said Brad Hopkins, a former Pro Bowl offensive tackle who played his entire NFL career under Fisher. "But he knows it has to be done, and that you cant make everybody happy." Dan Hamhuis Jersey . Despite 11-1 records, theyre out and Big Ten winner Ohio State is into the national semifinals. Martin Hanzal Jersey . TSN2 December 18 Knicks at Bulls 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 December 18 Thunder at Warriors 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 December 21 Pacers at Timberwolves 7pm et/4pm pt. 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Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. BALTIMORE -- Corey Kluber had command of his pitches, worked the strike zone effectively and regularly got ahead in the count. Ubaldo Jimenez was pretty much the opposite of that in a miserable performance against his former team. Kluber struck out nine in seven innings, and the Cleveland Indians beat Jimenez and the Baltimore Orioles 9-0 Saturday for their fifth win in six games. Carlos Santana homered and walked three times for the Indians, who took control with a five-run fifth and pulled away by scoring four in the seventh. Kluber (5-3) became the first pitcher in the majors this season to have five straight outings with at least eight strikeouts. He gave up five hits, walked two and did not allow a runner past second base. "Aside from throwing a lot of strikes, the biggest thing is working inside and outside," Kluber said. "I think the key is just working ahead. Getting ahead early and staying ahead in the count and not really letting them get comfortable up there." Kluber is 3-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 48 strikeouts in five starts this month. In this one, the right-hander dominated an offence that had produced 38 runs and 62 hits in its previous five games. "Our game and our league, being able to be consistent is such a huge factor in becoming a really good major-league pitcher or player," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Thats what Klubes is doing. ... This is not like a shock or a big surprise. This has been coming." Jimenez (2-6) matched zeroes with Kluber until the fifth inning, when the first-year Oriole was pulled without getting an out. Jimenez tied two undesirable season highs, giving up five runs and walking five, in four-plus innings. "It looked like I was just missing a little bit of the strike zone," the right-hander said. "Im not that far away, but Im missing. Im falling behind in the count, getting myself into trouble. Today was walking the leadoff guy." Manager Buck Showalter suggested that Jimenez didnt get strike calls from home plate umpire Rob Drake on close pitches, and Jimenez agreed. "I think I threw a lot of good pitches, but I dont know the umpire. He didnt like it," the pitcher said. "Theres nothing I can do right now." Jimenez spent 2 1/2 seasons with Cleveeland before signing a $50 million, four-year contract with Baltimore in February. Johnny Oduya Jersey. "I didnt even think about who I was facing," he said. "When you get to the mound you are trying to get everybody out, it doesnt matter who it is. You have to do your job." Jimenez struck out three and walked three in the first two innings, keeping the Indians hitless but using 52 pitches to do so. "We got his pitch count up a little bit," Indians shortstop Justin Sellers said. "He got a little tired and he started leaving balls out over the plate." Jimenez faced the minimum six batters over the next two innings, allowing an infield single to Michael Bourn before getting Michael Brantley to hit into a double play. Then came the fifth inning, when seven batters reached before Baltimore got an out. A walk, two singles and a throwing error by second baseman Jonathan Schoop produced the games first run, and a single by Mike Aviles made it 2-0 and chased Jimenez. T.J. McFarland entered with the bases loaded and hit Brantley with a pitch to force in a run, and Lonnie Chisenhall followed with an RBI single. The final run of the inning scored on a double-play grounder. In the seventh, Brantley singled and Chisenhall doubled before Ryan Raburn hit a two-run double. One out later, Santana hit reliever Brad Brachs first pitch over the right-field wall. NOTES: Before the game, the Orioles acquired C Nick Hundley (and cash considerations) from San Diego for LHP Troy Patton. Baltimore also recalled INF Steve Lombardozzi from Triple-A Norfolk. ... Orioles 3B Manny Machado missed a second straight game with a strained groin, but manager Buck Showalter said Machado was available if needed. ... Clevelands Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Swisher were both rested for a second consecutive game because of sore knees. ... Trevor Bauer (1-1, 2.25 ERA) goes for Cleveland in the series finale against Baltimores Miguel Gonzalez (2-3, 4.53). ... Brantley threw out Steve Clevenger trying to stretch a single for his major league high sixth outfield assist. Brantley also extended his hitting streak to 10 games. ... Baltimore fell to 5-12 in day games, the worst record in the big leagues. Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Discount NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys 2019 ' ' '