TORONTO – Blue Jays manager John Gibbons is still waiting for his first win under Major League Baseballs new challenge system; the skipper is 0-3 in the regular season, 0-6 including Grapefruit League play. Gary Payton Jersey . Still, hes a supporter. "I think in the long run it will be good," said Gibbons. Gibbons didnt challenge a play in Wednesday nights win over the Astros, which, upon further review, may have been overturned. Ryan Goins was picked off first base in the sixth inning but it appeared first baseman Marc Krauss glove swept the dirt and tagged Goins high on the shoulder after the runner had touched the bag. The Blue Jays didnt have access to all replay angles; the angles they had were inconclusive. Gibbons has previously expressed regret that the challenge system has sapped the intensity of manager/umpire arguments. Hes worried about the in-game delays and the effect on pace of play. Rather than just complaining, Gibbons proposes a solution. "Keep it the way it is but dont give the teams the benefit of being able to look at it behind the scenes," he said. "I think if, itd be like the old days, you could go out and argue if you think the guy missed it that bad you go out and argue. Of course theyre not going to look at it. This way, then they can say, Okay, you think I missed it that bad, check it out. I think what happens when you have the ability to look at it behind the scenes, you can go out there on every close play there is. "In a lot of ways youre guessing. I think that slows the game down. If youre that serious about a particular call and you think he missed it, roll the dice without the benefit of looking at it." Gibbons incorrectly challenged a call in the fifth inning of Thursday nights game against Houston when the replay system confirmed Melky Cabrera was out on a bang-bang play at first base. WAGNERS LONG DAY Neil Wagner threw two scoreless innings in Torontos 7-3 win over Houston on Wednesday night. It was the culmination of a long day of travel for Wagner, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Wagner was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the Bisons were getting ready to play the LeHigh Valley Ironpigs. He took an hour and a half taxi ride to the Philadelphia airport, flew to Toronto and arrived at the stadium 10 minutes before first pitch. "It was actually just kind of easy," said Wagner. "I just woke up, did my normal thing in the morning and then instead of going through the normal pre-game routine I was just travelling, got here and I was able to play a little catch." Wagner got his arm loose playing catch with left fielder Melky Cabrera at the start of each defensive inning. Casey Janssen and J.A. Happ are both expected to come off the disabled list sooner rather than later, which will create a logjam in the bullpen. Wagner is in his final option year, the reason he got sent down last month, and knows he could again fall victim to the business of the game. "Options are the one thing for free in this game that you dont want," said Wagner. "I cant control having them, I cant give them to other people so I have them and if I get optioned against at some point, so be it. Just keep doing what I do and hopefully at some point, be back." DELABAR RESTS Reliever Steve Delabar was in good humour one day after taking a line drive off the outside of his right leg, below the knee. The ball ricocheted to Edwin Encarnacion at first base, who stepped on the bag for the easy out. "That was the plan," said Delabar. "When I came out of the bullpen they said, if you get hit with a line drive make sure your leg is angled." Delabar is using the RICE treatment method with the bruising: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. While Delabar wont pitch on Thursday, he doesnt expect to miss any time. "I could go, yes," said Delabar. "But I think theyre going to be cautious with it." Patrick Patterson Jersey . Among the six changes: Drivers are now eligible if they have competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR or turned 55 in the calendar year before nominating day. Previously, drivers were not eligible until they had been retired for three years, so drivers can continue to compete and still reach the hall. Russell Westbrook Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. http://www.authenticthunderauthority.com/doug-mcdermott-thunder-jersey-c-21/ .5 million. The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2.CLEVELAND -- Once Michael Sam is drafted in the NFL, the Missouri defensive end will be judged strictly on whether he can play and whether he can help his team win. Everything else -- even that hes gay -- will be trivial. As the first openly homosexual player to enter the draft, Sam could face scrutiny unlike any player before him. But many of the greatest players and coaches in football history dont believe hell be subjected to any hatred, harassment, discrimination or bullying by teammates. "I dont think hell have any problem in the locker room. I dont think hell have any problems on the field," said Hall of Fame offensive tackle Art Shell. "The one thing about football players, theyre inclusive. They will take you for who you are, not what people try to portray you as. "Its who you are: Youre a football player, then you can play with us. I dont see that as being a problem in the National Football League." Shells stance was shared by several other Hall of Famers, including Lions running back Barry Sanders, Buffalo coach Marv Levy, and Giants linebacker Harry Carson, who appeared along with nearly 100 other inductees at a two-day "Fan Fest," the largest gathering ever of football legends outside Canton, Ohio. Sanders, who retired at the peak of his career following the 1998 season with 15,269 career yards rushing, believes theres an unwritten code among football players to ignore anything other than a persons skills and talents. "From the time youre a kid and you start playing, youre almost programmed for Can a guy play or not?" he said. "By the time you get to the NFL, thats well ingrained. Im pretty sure every guy in this league has been around gay individuals before, and so I dont think it will be much different." Sams courageous decision to reveal his sexual orientation was an important personal milestone. It was also an historic moment for the NFL and all major sports as it provides a deeper reflection of societys openness and willingness to accept his individuality. Sams revelation may not have been met with such overwhelming approval just a few years ago. In the macho arena that is pro football, Sam may have been an outcast in previous generations. "Hes a very bold guy to come out," said cornerback Michael Haynes, a nine-time Pro Bowler elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997. "The timing is good. If hed done that in the 60s or 70s, maybe not so good because everybody was really struggling with how to understand differences like that in people. Ray Allen Jersey. "Diversity has become a critical topic, people are talking about it all the time and I think the world is different. Remember Magic Johnson with AIDS? It starts with education. Hell be judged on football." Carson, who retired in 1988 after 13 seasons in New York, said he was "proud" of Sam for choosing to be open about his sexuality. Carson recalled that one of his Giants teammates, offensive lineman Roy Simmons, was suspected as being gay and was never ostracized. "It never really swayed anyones opinion of him," Carson said. "But its something he lived with and he didnt have to by himself because he had teammates, and the teammates he had were guys who supported him. Even though he never said anything, were a team and guys on the team who are unselfish are going to support their teammates regardless of how they choose to live their lives." Simmons, the first player to acknowledge he was HIV positive, died early this year. He was 57. Its possible there will be some awkwardness for Sam in the locker room, where he could be subjected to jokes and playful ribbing. Sanders believes those days are long gone. "Guys are more forward thinking than you think," he said. "It helps that hes a big guy. No one will mess with him." The 6-foot-2, 261-pound Sam has been projected to be drafted from the third round on. Sam didnt perform well on the field at the scouting combine, where he calmly handled tough questions about his decision to "come out." Levy, who led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls, said his criteria before deciding to draft Sam would be pretty simple. "Is he the best guy at his position when were on the board, and do we need a guy at that position?" the 89-year-old Levy said. "If so, Ill take him. Id like to know his character qualities and other things, but that would not factor into my decision." If he were coaching a team that selected Sam, Levy said he would not feel any need to address his players. That may not have been the case 10 or 20 years ago. "I wouldnt make an issue of it," Levy said. "I think society has adjusted to the point where its an acceptable thing and why make an issue of it? That would be my approach. Things change, plus Ive got to worry about how to pick up the blitz."
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