News » sey-authentic/]Terrell Owens Jersey[/url]. Texa

On February 9, 2014, Michael Sam publicly declared he was a homosexual. Tavon Austin Cowboys Jersey . The Missouri Tigers Defensive End and SEC Defensive player of the year is eligible for the upcoming NFL draft in May. The watershed announcement gives rise to a bit of a legal minefield and the league and teams will look to ensure that no lines are crossed. Lets break it down. Does the NFL have any rules any place protecting homosexuals from discrimination? They do have protection for homosexual players, although it wont apply unless Sam gets drafted. Article 49 of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement provides that you cant discriminate against a player on the basis of "race, religion, national origin" or "sexual orientation". The reference to "sexual orientation" is brand new in the CBA, and the other 3 major sports also have a similar provision. Heres the catch: the CBA wont apply to Sam if hes not drafted. While the CBA provides that it covers all "present and future" players, it still restricts that player pool to drafted rookies or undrafted players who are negotiating with a team. If undrafted, Sam wouldnt qualify as either type of player. So that means if Sam goes undrafted, the NFL CBA wont apply to him. Is that it? Is there nothing else protecting a player like Sam? There is, but its not perfect. Theres no federal law prohibiting discrimination based upon sexual orientation. The existence of such a law would be ideal for Sam since it wouldnt matter where he would end playing since a federal law covers the entire country. There are laws at the state level, although not every state has them. In all, 21 states have laws on the books that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the context of private employers. So that shakes out to 27 of the 32 NFL teams being the subject of gay employment protection laws. So which teams are in states where there arent state or other local laws protecting gay people? The five teams are as follows: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans. Heres the big question: if Michael Sam is not drafted, can he sue and win? Indeed, that is the big question. Sam is projected to be a mid to late round pick. In order to be successful in a lawsuit against the league he will need to show that he was not drafted because he is a homosexual. That can be tough in the context of a draft – even if it is true. We have seen the draft stock of players inexplicably drop in all the sports. We routinely see players drafted a lot later (or earlier) than projected. Apart from the top prospects, drafts can be highly unpredictable. Indeed, drafts are complicated beasts and it can be hard to show that a player wasnt drafted simply because he is gay. To have a shot at winning a lawsuit, Sam would need strong evidence supporting his case. He would be looking for things like incriminating statements or emails that provide that a team conspired not to draft Sam because of his sexuality. That may not be easy to find. Teams may pass on Sam because he is gay, but just never say it. Ultimately, Sam would need a smoking gun, and absent that he would have a tough time winning a lawsuit. Do you think teams will take a pass on Sam because hes gay? Reason would suggest that some teams may shy away from Sam because he is gay. From a philosophical standpoint, some executives may not be comfortable with the idea of a gay player. Other teams may not have an issue with his sexuality, but may still take a pass because they fear he will become a distraction. Indeed, we have already heard anonymous executives express this sentiment. While some may believe he could become a distraction, and by extension adversely affect his team, it seems unlikely to be the case. The NFL is filled with real and legitimate distractions: DUIs, domestic violence, vehicular manslaughter, murder and whatever Dez Bryant did last Sunday. None of these events have led to the downfall of a team or the demise of the league. And most certainly something as innocuous and irrelevant as a players sexuality wont become a problem. Deonte Thompson Cowboys Jersey . After Mondays comments by Coach Claude Noel that its work first and skill second, and that more “A” games are needed, the Jets responded with a 47-shot effort. If not for terrific goaltending by Braden Holtby the Jets would have had two points in regulation. Dalton Schultz Cowboys Jersey . The 30-year-old Kottaras served as Kansas Citys backup catcher last season after being claimed off waivers from Oakland in January. http://www.footballcowboysshop.us/cowboys-leighton-vander-esch-super-bowl-jersey-authentic/ . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up.STILLWATER, Okla. -- Boosters and assistant coaches at Oklahoma State handed out tens of thousands of dollars to players for at least a decade as the program grew into a national power under coaches Les Miles and then Mike Gundy, according to a Sports Illustrated article released Tuesday. The article, which quoted several former players by name, said some players received $2,000 to $10,000 annually, with a few stars receiving $25,000 or more. Eight players told SI they received cash, while 29 others were named by teammates as taking money. The transgressions cited stretched from 2001 until at least 2011, the magazine said. Oklahoma State said it has notified the NCAA about the report and launched its own investigation. Sports Illustrated said its five-part series included interviews with more than 60 former players who played for Oklahoma State from 2001-10. Among the allegations of misconduct and potential NCAA violations are: -- An Oklahoma State assistant coach, Joe DeForest, paid cash bonuses to players of up to $500 for performance. -- Boosters and assistant coaches funneled money to players and provided sham jobs for which players were paid. -- Tutors and school personnel completed school work for players and professors gave passing grades for little or no work. -- The programs drug policy was selectively enforced, allowing some players to go unpunished for repeated positive tests. -- Some members of a hostess program used by the football coaching staff had sex with recruits. NCAA rules bar boosters from providing cash or other benefits based on athletic performance. NCAA spokeswoman Emily Potter declined comment when asked about Oklahoma State, citing the organizations longstanding policy. SI reported that eight former Cowboys told the magazine they had received cash payments tied and 29 others were named by teammates as having also taken money. Former player Calvin Mickens said he was handed cash in the locker room by a stranger after Oklahoma States 2005 season-opening victory, a game in which he played well. "I was like, Wow, this is the life!" Mickens told SI. "Im 18, playing football and I just got $200." He said he got money at other times, including $800 later that season after the game at Texas A&M, and saw teammates getting similar handouts. Former defensive tackle Brad Girtman said he saw some star players get "monster payments," while he once received $500 from a member of the football staff. Girtman said the rates were told to him by Joe DeForest, who ran special teams and the secondary under Miles and then was an associate head coach under Gundy, the current head coach, from 2005-11. Girtman also said he recalled DeForest handing him a debit card in 2003 with $5,000 on it and that it was periodically refilled. DeForest and assistant Larry Porter, the running backs coach from 2002-04, also made payments directly to players, SI reported. DeForest is now an assistant at West Virginia, which has launched an internal review. "While our assistant football coach has denied the allegations, it is the right thing to do to look into the matter and review practices here," athletic director Oliver Luck said. Terrell Owens Jersey. Texas mens athletics director DeLoss Dodds said Porter was questioned and "we do not have any issues with him at this time." Miles has said he didnt know of any improprieties while he was the Oklahoma State coach. "I can tell you this: We have always done things right," he said after LSUs game Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La. Energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens, the biggest booster of his alma mater, said he was disappointed the expose focused on Oklahoma State "a decade ago." "There have been wholesale changes at the school in recent years in leadership and facilities," he said. "During that time, I have given more than $500 million to OSU, for athletics and academics. Have I gotten my moneys worth? You bet. We have a football program that has a commitment to principled sportsmanship." Several former players under Miles told SI that boosters were highly visible -- in the locker room, on team flights and bus trips. After the Cowboys knocked off archrival Oklahoma in 2001, boosters approached key players and slipped cash into their hands, said former player Fath Carter. "We are talking about $500 handshakes," he told SI, which also detailed several examples of alleged sham jobs in which players were paid hundreds of dollars for little or no work by boosters. William Bell, a defensive end in 2004, said he and a teammate were directed by a member of the coaching staff to a boosters home to do a job. When they arrived, they were told their "job" for "a couple hundred dollars" was to fish for catfish at a nearby pond "And we got to keep all the fish we caught," Bell told SI. Gov. Mary Fallin said Tuesday that the allegations against her alma mater were "disturbing and disappointing" and that she is confident the schools administration will investigate the charges thoroughly. Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder said the school has notified the NCAA "and theyre going to assign an investigator." "Well reach out and get someone to stand with that investigator and go through the facts and at the end of the day, well come to some conclusions and well deal with those, prop ourselves back up, polish off that OSU brand and move on down the road," he said. Gundy, who is preparing the No. 13 Cowboys for their home opener on Saturday against Lamar, said he was confident the proper steps would be taken. The team said Tuesday no players will be made available to comment until after the game. "Im going to guess that once we get all the information and we see whats out there, then our administration, our people inside, will look at it and well see where we made mistakes," Gundy said. "And well try to make ourselves better and well correct it and then well move forward." Cheap Nike Celtics Jerseys Cheap Nike Nets Jerseys Cheap New York Knicks Jerseys Cheap Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys China Raptors Jerseys Wholesale Chicago Bulls Jerseys Wholesale Cleveland Cavaliers Jerseys China Pistons Jerseys Wholesale Indiana Pacers Jerseys Cheap Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys Atlanta Hawks Jerseys Online Cheap Nike Hornets Jerseys China Heat Jerseys Cheap Nike Magic Jerseys China Wizards Jerseys Cheap Nike Nuggets Jerseys China Timberwolves Jerseys China Thunder Jerseys China Blazers Jerseys Cheap Utah Jazz Jerseys China Warriors Jerseys Cheap Nike Clippers Jerseys Discount Lakers Jerseys Phoenix Suns Jerseys Online Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Dallas Mavericks Jerseys Online Wholesale Houston Rockets Jerseys Wholesale Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys Online Discount Spurs Jerseys ' ' '