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ST. 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." Reggie Miller Jersey . -- Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will be out three to six weeks with a stress fracture of the third finger of his right hand. Bojan Bogdanovic Jersey . Louis and Ryan Kesler have demanded to be traded. http://www.cheappacersjerseyssale.com/. Completely. Two days after releasing Peyton Manning, the longtime face of the franchise, the Colts announced they were cutting four fan favourites: running back Joseph Addai, linebacker Gary Brackett, safety Melvin Bullitt and tight end Dallas Clark. Tyreke Evans Jersey . LOUIS - The St. Al Jefferson Jersey . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season.Ahead of Burnley’s trip to Preston on Friday, Adam Bate caught up with Clarets midfielder David Jones to find out what the return to his old club means to him and why he’s on course for a fourth promotion to the Premier League… What makes someone an expert in promotion? Ian Holloway and Mick McCarthy have each taken teams to the Premier League on two occasions. Neil Warnock has led three clubs to the top flight. But theres a player who can beat that record. David Jones is looking to win his fourth promotion to the Premier League.The Burnley midfielder isnt about to trumpet his case. He has not masterminded the clubs campaign, that honour belongs to manager Sean Dyche. But the 31-year-old is clearly doing something right. He knows what a promotion-winning team looks like and fortunately for fans of the Clarets, he recognises a lot of those qualities in the Burnley dressing room. Burnleys team spirit was in evidence following Michael Keanes late equaliser The more experienced you are helps, Jones tells Sky Sports. Ive just been lucky to play for some good managers and some good teams. Theres no secret but the common theme Ive experienced in good teams in the Championship is the spirit in the dressing room. It counts for so much and is probably one of the most important ingredients in this league.That spirit was in evidence on Tuesday when the top two met at Turf Moor. With Burnley on the brink of a damaging defeat to Middlesbrough, Michael Keane forced home a late equaliser. The draw means Burnley remain within two points of the leaders but are now level on points with third-placed Brighton. With just three games to go, it was not a game to lose.After Middlesbrough scored, we put them under lots of pressure and luckily managed to put one away, says Jones. Theyre one of our rivals at the top so it was important not to let them gain any more ground on us, The goal means Burnley still havent lost in the league since Boxing Day. It was important to keep our unbeaten run going too, he adds.Jones was on the bench against Boro, only the fourth Championship game hes missed all season. Id have much rather been out on the pitch, but the manager changed a couple of things, he says. Im just looking forward to the next big game because they come around very quickly. Particularly given that the next game is on Friday night against Preston. Jones celebrating a goal for Preston as a young loanee in 2005 This is the club at which Jones made his league debut on loan from Manchester United in 2005. From training with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes, he was thrust into a battle for points under the management of Billy Davies and alongside experienced Championship performers such as Graham Alexander and Chris Lucketti.I can remember really wanting to go out on loan because you could stagnate a bit in the reserves and not get the first-team experience you need to become savvy as a professional, says Jones. You need to learn how to play winning football in a business where results mean everything. Preston gave me the chance to do that.It was a really enjoyable time and Ive got very fond memories of the fans and the people there. You learn a lot at a club like United when youre coming through the ranks about how to become a professional. But I also learnt a lot at Preston under Billy Davies. There were also a lot of experienced players in that dressing room and you had to learn quickly. Jones training with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes at Manchester United A lot is expected from players who arrive from Manchester United in terms of their talent and ability and you have to demonstrate that. You come in from the comfort zone at United to a different style of play and a new way of playing. It was different to what I was used to so it was about trying to be effective. Whatever the style, you have to affect the game.Jones has been doing that this season. Hes provided six assists and thanks to his role as a dead-ball specialist has created more chances (53) than any other Burnley player. A pass completion rate of 84.4 per cent - also a Burnley best - reflects the importance of his sensible use of the ball in midfield. Midfield influence Player Pass accuracy Player Chances created David Jones 84.dddddddddddd4% David Jones 53 Dean Marney 80.8% Scott Arfield 43 Michael Keane 79.3% Sam Vokes 37 Scott Arfield 74.8% George Boyd 34 Its a responsibility he relishes, but the entire team has had to embrace the increased responsibility that comes with expectation. When Burnley were promoted in 2013/14 it was regarded as an unlikely success. Back in the Championship with a bigger budget, the demands are greater. It is different, admits Jones. Weve evolved as a club.There are a lot of things going on off the pitch that are moving the club forward. For example, the new training ground. The expectations from the fans and the town have increased and with the outside factors such as the media, theres more expected of us now. That brings different pressures and a different challenge. Highlights from Burnleys 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on Tuesday night But for all the change, some things remain. Burnley retained Dyche in the wake of relegation from the Premier League and the decision has been justified. You can see in the way the club operates that its a reflection of our managers personality, says Jones. Its taken time to develop that but hes managed to stamp that all over the team and all over the club.Dyche has got the big decisions right. The signing of Joey Barton might have been perceived as a gamble but its been one that has paid off. Meanwhile, replacing top scorer Danny Ings was always likely to be crucial but the signing of Andre Gray has been a triumph - as shown by his 22 goals, culminating in the Championship player of the year award.Andre has done fantastically well, says Jones. Hes scored goals wherever hes been and hes been vitally important for us. We needed to replace Danny Ings and while theyre different players - theyre not like for like - its still been effective in the way that we play. Now its just about finishing the job and Jones reluctantly admits that they are well aware that Middlesbrough and Brighton must play each other on the final day of the season. It means that three more wins will guarantee promotion.It is hard not to look at other teams, he says. But as players we can only really focus on our performances. If we can take care of that then Im sure itll be positive for us at the end of the season. There are three big cup finals for us to concentrate on now.And what would it mean to Jones? Itd be fantastic to do it again. Thats the aim. We all want to challenge ourselves at that level again. Thats what the club is geared towards this season. With promotion number four in reach, clearly its what David Jones is geared towards too. 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