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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." Fernando Valenzuela Womens Jersey .Y. - His opponent couldnt stop him, and LeBron James didnt quite know what to think when his coach tried. Kenley Jansen Womens Jersey . 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A police inspector told The Associated Press the crane operator is not yet suspected of any wrongdoing but is considered a key witness to the accident at the Arena Corinthians.BARCELONA, Spain - Canadian Daniel Nestor and Serbian partner Nenad Zimonjic dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to Jesse Huta Galung of the Netherlands and Stephane Robert of France in the mens doubles final at the Barcelona Open on Sunday. Huta Galung and Robert surprised the fifth-seeded pair in 54 minutes for their first career ATP title as a duo. Nestor, who teamed with Zimonjic for victories here in 2009 and 2010, called the day "a disaster." "It was not a good match from start to finish," Nestor said. "We made too many mistakes, That gave them confidence as the match went on and they played well. "Today was our worst match of the year." Nestor, from Toronto, reached the Barcelona final last year with former partner Robert Lindstedt of Sweden. They were beaten by Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares in three sets. In this years final, Nestor and Zimonjic lost serve three times in the opening set and never got on track against Huta Galung and Robert, who entered the main draw as lucky losers. "In general we had a good week here, we won a couple of matches that we were in a position to lose,&" Nestor said.dddddddddddd "We came back in the semifinal which was certainly our best performance of the week. But then there was today ... it would have been great to win a fifth title here but it didnt happen." Nestor also won at Barcelona in 2004 and 2006 with former partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas. The Canadian has started the season with some impressive results with Zimonjic. They won at Sydney in January and reached the final in Dubai the following month. They are assured a seeding and a first-round bye in the Madrid Masters next month. The extra time off will also allow Nestor to cross the Atlantic for some time with his family before returning for the big push through the clay season. After Madrid, Nestor and Zimonjic plan to play at the Rome Masters and the French Open. Nestor has four career mens doubles titles at Roland Garros. The Canadian also missed a chance to take over sole ownership of third place in the list of post-1968 Open era doubles title leaders. He remains tied with Australian Todd Woodbridge with 83 victories, behind Americans Mike Bryan (100) and Bob Bryan (98). ' ' '