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COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Michael Sam was just another recruit when he left his small Texas hometown and arrived in Missouri. Playing for the Tigers, he turned into a private loquacious leader ready to make a trailblazing announcement. The defensive star wants to become the first openly gay NFL player. "I told him: This is going to be mammoth," coach Gary Pinkel said Monday, a day after Sam came out to the world. "I dont have a word, OK, for how big this is going to be." Its a bigger deal for the older generation. Sams teammates and acquaintances easily made the adjustment, plus he proved himself on the field. "Hes a leader," former 49ers great running back Roger Craig said. "I would definitely welcome him on my team. Id play with him any day. I like people who stand up for themselves." Sam revealed he was gay at one of the football teams get-acquainted dinners last summer hosted by Pinkel and assistant coaches. The next day, Pinkel said, Sam told the entire team. Realizing the enormity of the situation, Pinkel left the next move up to the senior who blossomed into one of the best defensive ends in the country -- and one surrounded by teammates who didnt worry one bit about sexual orientation or reveal his secret until he came out on Sunday. Athletes across the campus approve. "Love is love," basketball guard Jordan Clarkson said. "Thats their personal life." Pinkel, athletic director Mike Alden and other school officials applauded Sams courage Monday at Faurot Field. As a backdrop, the first two letters of Sams last name were etched in snow to join the giant "M" just beyond the north end zone. "Pretty cool," Pinkel said. Coaches and Sam agreed that making an announcement during the season might be a distraction. It was Sams call to skip all the weekly media days and postgame news conferences, too, the better to avoid the risk of the topic coming up. Sam broke his silence prior to the Cotton Bowl and the conversation stayed on football, just like he wanted. Sam was prompted to make his decision to come out after the Senior Bowl, where it became apparent the players sexual orientation was widely known. This meant a declaration just days before the NFL combine and shouldering the pressure that goes along with the historic declaration. "Its very clear that everybody in the NFL knew," said Howard Bragman, a consultant hired by Sams agent to help manage the announcement in the media. The NFL and many others, including the White House, publicly applauded Sams decision. President Barack Obamas spokesman, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden all called him a courageous and inspirational athlete. But now, after a few high-profile interviews, its back to silent Sam. The fifth level of the stadium was jammed with dozens of reporters for Mondays news conference but there was no sign of the star attraction. Bragman said Sam was travelling Monday to a camp at an undisclosed location where hell prepare for the combine. Though hes been a most reticent public speaker, Pinkel described Sam as a virtual chatterbox. "He drove me crazy a lot of times, he doesnt shut up sometimes," Pinkel said with a chuckle. "He talks and talks and talks. "You always know hes in with my secretary because I can hear him and I have to close the door -- I cant concentrate." Sam arrived at Missouri without fanfare. Rivals.com gave him just two stars when he was coming out of Hitchcock High School. He had 10 career starts before his breakout senior season. The All-America defensive end led the Southeastern Conference with 11 1/2 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He was the co-SEC defensive player of the year. But Sam has been projected as a mid-level NFL draft pick, probably because hes a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds and is likely headed for a transition to outside linebacker. Pinkel doesnt think the announcement will hurt Sams draft status. "Our team was able to move past it and work together," defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski said. "So why shouldnt a bunch of professional football players be able to do the same thing?" There have been a few NFL players who have come out after their playing days, including Kwame Harris and Dave Kopay. "There will be some adjustments that will have to be made, sure," Craig said. "I think it will be a learning curve for the whole league." Custom Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys . Nikolai Khabibulin was yanked in the second period, and the Ottawa Senators looked ready to put away a big road win. Steve Pearce Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. http://www.officialbluejaysgearshop.com/...uk-Kids-Jersey/. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (3) - Early goal against was on the power play. Dalton Pompey Jersey . Irving played 10 minutes Sunday night before going to the locker room. He had two points and four assists, missing all five of his shots. The All-Star game MVP is the top scorer among Eastern Conference point guards with 21. Joe Carter Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. OTTAWA -- There is still some life in the Ottawa Senators. Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris scored twice Sunday as the Senators defeated the Calgary Flames 6-3, giving Ottawa seven points in its past four games. The win moves the Sens to within six points of the Columbus Blue Jackets and the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with eight games remaining. "Well have to continue to play hard in those games and Ill like where well be at the 82-game mark. I might be dreaming but thats what I believe," Senators coach Paul MacLean said. Clarke MacArthur scored on a tip in 13 minutes into the third period after Jared Cowen had given the Senators a 4-3 lead a little over a minute into the third period. That third period was what allowed the Senators to keep their hopes alive. "We were very pleased with how we played the third period, giving up six shots, and the way we put the game away was good," MacLean said. Turris scored into an empty net and Robin Lehner made 37 saves allowing the Senators (31-29-14) to win back-to-back games on home ice for the first time since they won three straight in late December and early January. "In the third we continued to play our game and we were smarter and made better decisions," said Turris, who also had an assist. "We put the puck deep when we were up by one or two and we played our game the whole way through, we just made smarter decisions in the third." Matt Stajan, Paul Byron and Sean Monahan scored for the Flames (31-37-7) and Karri Ramo made 31 saves. The Flames could not have played a much better period than they did in the second as they outshot the Senators 21-9, but the best they were able to do after taking a 3-2 lead was go into the second intermission tied 3-3. Ottawa native Byron scored four minutes into the period for the Flames to tie the game as he corralled a rebound in the slot and put a shot into the top corner. It was only Byrons third career game in his hometown and he has a goal in two of those games. He scored his first goal in his second NHL game in early 2011 when he was a member of the Buffalo Sabres. "I always enjoy playing in Ottawa in front of friends and family and I appreciative of all the things theyve done for me over the years," said Byron, who played his junior hockey across the Ottawa River with the QMJHLs Gatineau Olympiques, where he staarred alongside Claude Giroux, now captain of the Philadelphia Flyers.dddddddddddd "Its hard to stay focused sometimes and you get distracted getting tickets and putting people on lists to see after (the game). I just try to stay focused and Im happy I have success here." A little more than three minutes after Byron tied the game, former Ottawa 67s standout Sean Monahan scored to give the Flames a 3-2 lead as he picked the corner over Lehners left shoulder. The goal was the 20th of the season for Monahan, making him the third rookie this season to reach that plateau along with Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (23) and Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning (22). Losing that lead wasnt something Monahan or the rest of the Flames were particularly proud of. "I dont know what it was but like I said its not a game we can lose and its pretty upsetting. They capitalized on their chances and they put the puck in the back of the net. Thats something that we can fix and theyre simple mistakes," Monahan said. "We had a lot of chances and unfortunately we couldnt capitalize on some of them. At the end of the day we have to find a way to pull out the win." The Senators had gone into the second period with a 2-1 lead as Michalek sandwiched goals around one from Stajan. Michalek opened the scoring when he redirected a point shot from Erik Karlsson past Ramo at 10:42. Less than three minutes later though, Stajan jumped into the slot and buried a pass from behind the net past Lehner. Michalek re-established a one-goal lead for the Senators thanks to some terrific patience from Jason Spezza. The Senators captain moved around a sliding Calgary defenceman behind the goal-line, cut back out in front and slid a backhand pass that Michalek buried for a 2-1 lead. Notes: Cody Ceci, Bobby Ryan and Colin Greening were scratches for the Ottawa Senators while scratches for the Calgary Flames were Bryce Van Bradrant, Ladislav Smid, Dennis Wideman, Kenny Agostino, David Jones, Ben Hanowski and Markus Granlund. ...The game was the first Ceci has missed in his career since he was called up from Binghamton in early December. He played in 41 straight games. ... The Flames have played in 45 one-goal games this season and remain one shy of establishing a new franchise record. Their record in those games is 22-16-7. ' ' '