ST. LOUIS -- The overflow crowd at Rams Park did not intimidate Michael Sam. He seemed almost eager for the attention and scrutiny. The first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team was confident and engaged Tuesday as he was formally introduced by the St. Louis Rams, handling questions and scrutiny with aplomb well beyond that of a typical seventh-round pick. "Im determined to be great," Sam said. "I understand that right now you guys want to make a big deal of it." Sam put his arm around coach Jeff Fisher after sharing the podium with other late-round picks. He joked that hed never before heard the term "tweener" and even rose in his chair in mock intimidation of fellow Missouri draftee E.J. Gaines, a sixth-rounder whod been asked what the SEC co-defensive player of the year was like as a teammate. Sam, who came out to teammates and coaches before his senior season at Missouri, disagreed that his sexuality had been a secret. "Apparently, everybody else makes a big deal out of it," Sam said. "But my teammates and my school didnt." "Its OK to be who you are," he added. "Whether youre gay, straight, black or white, its OK to be comfortable in your own skin." After getting the go-ahead from owner Stan Kroenke and making the pick Saturday, Fisher called it a "second historic moment" for a franchise that signed running back Kenny Washington in 1946 as the NFLs first black player in the modern era. Just as in his post-draft teleconference with St. Louis media that was sprinkled with salty language, Sam was feisty. Hes had a few months to get accustomed to the role of trailblazer instead of a silent star. Sure, hes a role model. Right now hed much rather be the Rams description of "designated pass rusher." "I will always support equality, period," Sam said. "But my job is to focus on football and help this team win a championship." The appearance of perhaps the most famous seventh-round pick in NFL history attracted a massive amount of people. A half-dozen TV trucks lined a crammed parking lot at Rams Park, an hour before the teams two first-round picks were due at the podium. About 80 media members attended the news conferences. Three days earlier when the Rams chose Sam with the No. 249 overall pick, the media contingent was in single digits. "Theres some energy here," general manager Les Snead said with a smile between rounds of interviews. "But I dont think this is a circus. This deserves attention, but well get it over and well get to work." Sam shared the dais with five other players taken in the sixth and seventh rounds Saturday as the draft came to a close. Snead joked that Tennessee State centre Demetrius Rhaney, taken one pick after Sam at 250th overall, should get the first question after it got lost in the hubbub Saturday. "Im not sure anybody knows we drafted Demetrius," Snead said, adding that he hoped someday that pick 249 will someday be a footnote in sports history, and not such a big deal. For Sams subsequent solo session with reporters, he was flanked by Fisher and Snead, with Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff joining the group. Everyone seemed eager to embrace Sam. Second-round pick Lamarcus Joyner, a cornerback from Florida State, has never had an openly gay teammate. He applauded Sams decision. "Hes a courageous young man," Joyner said. "Hes a brave young man that we need in this organization." The teams two first-round picks were first to the podium. Offensive tackle Greg Robinson, chosen second overall, sported a bow tie. Both got their due. Both welcomed Sam to the family. Robinson and Sam did a TV commercial together for a credit card company. Aaron Donald met Sam at ceremonies for the Lombardi and Nagurski awards. "Hes a cool guy," Donald said. "Hes a football player, he works his butt off and thats what you want. You want playmakers around you and hes a playmaker. Third-round pick Tre Mason, a running back from Auburn, said Sam was a "man of his own and hes entitled to do that." "Were a team and hes also a family member to me now." Sam will put on the pads later in the week when the team holds a three-day rookie orientation, much, if not all of it, closed to the media. The Rams drafted Sam even though they didnt need help at defensive end, where they have a pair of first-round picks as starters. Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season and Chris Long has been a standout since getting chosen second overall in 2008. But the Rams were well-stocked with picks, finishing with 11 selections, putting them in unique position to make history. "Shortly before we got to our pick, Michaels value as a football player was off the charts," Fisher said. "He has an opportunity now to come in and compete to try to make our team." Sam realizes its up to him to make the most of this chance, and he bristles at the naysayers who contend hes in the NFL only because he came out. "Will I make the cut?" he said, repeating a question. "You want to find out in a couple months, huh?" Wholesale Steph Curry Shoes .com) - Darius Carter and Ron Baker scored 18 points apiece to help 13th-ranked Wichita State beat Evansville 61-41 on Saturday. Steph Curry Shoes Outlet . -- Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the Dodgers starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Australia against the Arizona Diamondbacks. https://www.stephencurryshoescheap.com/ . After Mariota was pushed around by Stanford on Thursday, finishing 20/34 with 250 yards and two touchdowns in Oregons Title hope-crushing defeat, hes going to need a poor performance or two from the remaining frontrunners to have a shot at the most coveted individual trophy in college sports. Steph Curry Shoes Free Shipping .C. -- Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is resigning after 13 seasons at the school. Steph Curry Shoes From China .C. -- Unable to get much lift off his sore right ankle, Bobcats centre Al Jefferson figured it was time to make an adjustment.The last time the Canadian and American mens hockey teams met at the Olympics, Sidney Crosbys golden goal electrified the entire country. This time, the two nations meet not for the gold medal, but for a chance at it. Listen on TSN Radio as Canada takes on the United States in the semifinals at 11:30am et/8:30am pt. For Canada, the semifinal offers another chance for their talented forward corps to break out of their goal-scoring funk. Of the 13 goals Canada has scored at the 2014 Games, only six have come from their forwards. Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings remains the only Canadian forward to have scored multiple goals in Sochi, having notched a natural hat trick against Austria in the preliminary round. The United States, meanwhile, has seen their offence click on all cylinders – scoring a tournament-high 20 goals through the quarter-final round. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel leads all Olympians with eight points and five goals through four games. He and his linemates – San Jose Sharks centre Joe Pavelski and his Toronto teammate James van Riemsdyk – have combined for 18 points so far at the tournament. The American attack has been the opposite of the Canadians thus far at the Games, with all but three of their goals coming from their forward ranks. While the Americans are expected to ice the same lineup they have employed throughout the Games thus far, injuries have necessitated a change up front for the Canadians.dddddddddddd New York Islanders captain John Tavares suffered a knee injury that put an end to his NHL season in Canadas quarterfinal game against Latvia. He will be replaced up front by Matt Duchene. Canadas Carey Price goes into the game with a .941 save precentage while Jonathan Quick is not far behind at .935. Canada has won three of their four meetings with the United States since the NHL began full Olympic participation in 1998. The United States only win came in the preliminary round of the 2010 Games. Both teams enter the semifinals at the Sochi Olympics with unbeaten records after finishing atop their respective qualifying groups. Both teams, however, have been pushed to the limit at least once by their opposition. T.J. Oshie earned his Sochi celebrity by carrying the U.S. to a shootout win over Russia in the preliminary round. Canada, meanwhile, needed overtime to beat Finland in their Group B matchup. The winner of the Canada-U.S. matchup will meet the winner of Fridays other semifinal between Sweden and Finland in Sundays gold medal game. ' ' '