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ST. Mike Pouncey Jersey . 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?" Custom Chargers Jerseys . They wanna make t-shirts about it and sell them at our next hockey game..DB: Wow, they want to make t-shirts? That sounds pretty amazing.MS: Yeah, I was also on the Top 10, I was number 1 today, so that was pretty cool. Caleb Sturgis Jersey . The No. 5 Aztecs held Burton, the Mountain Wests leading scorer, to 11 points, 10 below his average, in beating the Wolf Pack 73-58 on Saturday night. http://www.prochargersteamstore.com/Youth-Justin-Jones-Elite-Jersey/ . The game got off to a less-than-ideal start for the Jets as Oliver Ekman-Larsson found a wide open net from the slot and opened the scoring for the Coyotes a lead in the first period, but Olli Jokinen answered back just over half a minute later.Gold has once again escaped the grasp of Team USA. The mens hockey team will now try to avoid leaving the Sochi Olympics without a medal at all as they battle Finland in the bronze medal game on Saturday. The United States squared off against Canada on Friday in a rematch of the 2010 gold medal game. And like those Vancouver Games, Canada got the better of the U.S. by handing the Americans a 1-0 setback. Jonathan Quick, who finishes the tournament today as the U.S. starting goaltender, was solid in net for the U.S. and posted 36 saves, but an offense that tied Finland for the most goals in the preliminary round (15) failed to get a shot by Canadian netminder Carey Price. Price ended with 31 saves to advance Canada into the gold medal game against Sweden. The only goal allowed by Quick came at 1:41 of the second period as Canadas Jay Bouwmeester unleashed a low, hard shot from the left point that was redirected into the net by Jamie Benn. The defeat dropped the U.S. to 1-4 in Olympic action against Canada since NHL players began competing in 1998. That includes an overtime setback four years ago in Vancouver. Uchenna Nwosu Jersey. Looking to secure a chance at winning its first Olympic gold medal, Finland instead saw its offense struggle as well in a 2-1 setback to Sweden on Friday. Without goaltender Tuukka Rask due to illness, Finland got 23 stops from Kari Lehtonen. Olli Jokinen was the lone Finn to beat Swede goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who made 25 saves. Rask will get the start in goal for the medal game. Jokinen was in the penalty box when Sweden netted its game-winning goal in the second period as Erik Karlsson scored on a one-time blast with 3:34 on the clock. The Finns had a power-play opportunity midway through the third, but failed to cash in and didnt have many good scoring chances the rest of the way. Finland is looking to secure an Olympic medal for the fifth time in the last six Olympic Games. The Finns won bronze in 2010 after taking silver four years prior. The U.S., which has not won gold since the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, won silver in 2002 and four years ago in Vancouver after being held without a medal in 2006. The last time the Americans won a bronze medal was in 1936. 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