Behinderungen » when gay marriage is gaining acceptance among Americans, S

TORONTO -- Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario is happy to be back home, saying he has unfinished business with Toronto FC. "This is my city," the Toronto native said upon his arrival Wednesday night. And the 35-year-old former league MVP says he is hoping to making 2014 a memorable year. "Im really looking forward to it," De Rosario told The Canadian Press. "I like the vision that (MLSE president) Tim Leiweke has. Its along the same lines and goals that I had when I came here the first time round." "For me when I left, it felt like there was some unfinished business that I still need to take care of," he added. Toronto FC scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon at BMO Field to herald his return. De Rosario currently ranks sixth on the all-time MLS scoring list with 103 goals. Twenty-seven of those came in a Toronto jersey from 2009 to 2011. He was traded to New York just two games into the 2011 season after a public contract dispute that included De Rosario celebrating a goal at home by pretending to sign a cheque. Toronto selected De Rosario in Stage 2 of the MLS re-entry draft last month after D.C. United opted not to pick up his option at the end of the season. Had De Rosario not agreed to Torontos contract offer, TFC would have held the right of first refusal for the attacking midfielder in MLS. De Rosario made US$654,300 in 2013 but will undoubtedly earn less in Toronto, which will be looking for the Canadian international to mentor younger players while offering support to a new-look marquee attack. He will be joining a club that is making bold moves. England striker Jermain Defoe is set to be unveiled next Monday, according to a source, and multiple reports have the club making a move for U.S. international midfielder Michael Bradley. Brazilian striker Gilberto signed on last month. De Rosario said the influx of talent is good but it will be up to the senior players "to make sure everyone is on the same page. "Because the sooner we gel, I think the better off it is for everybody." De Rosario wants to play a role on and off the pitch, stressing his passion remains playing. "Theres stuff I want to accomplish individually and collectively as a team," he said. The main goal is success for the team. De Rosario, a 13-year MLS veteran, has played 324 regular-season and 24 playoff games in MLS. He started his career with San Jose and Houston, winning four league titles. A finalist for MVP in 2005 and 2006, he has been chosen to the leagues Best XI six times. De Rosario has also captured MLS Goal of the Year honours twice, in 2004 and 2005. He hoisted the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003 with San Jose and 2006 and 2007 with Houston, earning MLS Cup MVP honours in 2001 and 2007. DeRo finished 2011 with D.C. United, winning the Golden Boot as the leagues top scorer and MVP honours. De Rosario, who said he had other options in terms of clubs last month, hopes to reclaim his No. 14 jersey in Toronto. "This is 2014, so it kind of goes together hand in hand," he said with a laugh. Vince Carter Jersey . Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines. Jerian Grant Magic Jersey .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-vince-carter-magic-jersey/ . With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night. Grant Hill Jersey . Prado stuck his glove down with Colorados Charlie Blackmon sliding into the bag, and quickly jumped back in pain after applying the tag. Prado held his left wrist as trainers came out of the Diamondbacks dugout to check him. Dwight Howard Magic Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open.NEW YORK -- Michael Sam was picked by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday, becoming the first openly gay player drafted by a pro football team. Sam played at Missouri, and came out as gay in media interviews earlier this year. His team and coaches knew his secret and kept it for his final college season. He went on to have the best season of his career: He was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year. "Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. Im using every once of this to achieve greatness!!" Sam tweeted with a frenzied typo moments after he was picked, including a picture of himself wearing a Rams cap and a pink polo shirt. The pick came after several rounds of suspense. The first round of the day came and went, no Sam. Then the second, and the third, and finally, the day was down to just a handful of picks. When Mike Kensil, the NFLs vice-president of game operations, walked to the podium at Radio City Music Hall in the drafts final minutes to announce the Rams second-to-last pick, the crowd got a sense something was up. Very few of the last day picks were announced at the podium. Twitter lit up with suggestions the Rams were about to make news. When Kensil said: "The St. Louis Rams select ... Michael Sam..." the fans gave a hearty cheer, chanting "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and "Michael Sam!" Sam was in San Diego watching with friends and family at the home of his agent, Joe Barkett of Empire Athletes. ESPN and the NFL Network had cameras there and showed Sams reaction. Sam was on the phone bending over, with his boyfriend hugging him and rubbing his left bicep. When Sam got off the phone, the tears started. He gave his boyfriend a big kiss and a long hug as he cried and his eyes reddened. After, they shared cake -- and another kiss. Sam will start his professional career not ffar from the place where he played his college ball, with three former Missouri teammates.dddddddddddd The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Sam was considered a mid-to-late round pick, far from a sure thing to be drafted. He played defensive end in college, but hes short for that position in the NFL and slower than most outside linebackers, the position hell need to transition to at the professional level. He was taken with the 249th overall pick out of 256. Players from Marist, Maine and McGill University in Canada were selected before Sam. "In the world of diversity we live in now, Im honoured to be a part of this," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said during an interview on ESPN. The impact of Sams selection goes far beyond football. At a time when gay marriage is gaining acceptance among Americans, Sams entry into the NFL is a huge step toward the integration of gay men into professional team sports. Pro sports have in many ways lagged behind the rest of society in acceptance. Publicly, most people in and related to the NFL have been supportive of Sam. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said Sam would be welcome in the league and judged solely on his ability to play. A few wondered whether teams would be reluctant to draft Sam because of all the media attention that would come with it. Fair or not, the NFL -- coming off a season in which a bullying scandal involving players on the Miami Dolphins was one of the biggest stories in sports -- was looking at a possible public relations hit if Sam was not drafted. He would likely have been signed as a free agent and given a chance to make a team in training camp, but to many it would have looked as if he was being rejected. Now that hes there, it could be seen as an opportunity for the NFL to show that crass locker room culture is not as prevalent as it might have looked to those who followed the embarrassing Dolphins scandal. ' ' '