LOS ANGELES -- Until about a month ago, Robbie Rogers had no interest in being one of the highest-profile openly gay athletes in the world. Rogers didnt want the pressure or attention, and he was weary of soccer itself. After coming out and simultaneously retiring in February, the former MLS champion and U.S. national team player planned to devote himself to fashion school and family, not soccer or social change. Rogers told The Associated Press he changed his mind when he realized how much he still loved his sport -- and how much good he could do by playing it instead of standing on the sideline. "I dont know what I was so afraid of," Rogers said. "Its been such a positive experience for me. The one thing Ive learned from all of this is being gay is not that big of a deal to people." Rogers joined the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer on Saturday, agreeing to a multiyear contract in another step by openly gay athletes in professional sports. The 26-year-old Rogers recently thought he would never pull on another jersey, imagining nonstop scrutiny and criticism. His concerns were eased by the strong support he received from family, fans and players, including Galaxy star Landon Donovan. Now Rogers is eager to be more than a footnote. He is determined to thrive as the leagues first openly gay player. "People are just really growing and accepting and loving," Rogers said. "Those other things are just not that important to them. I think as the younger get older and the generations come and go, I think times are just becoming more accepting." The two-time defending champion Galaxy traded top scorer Mike Magee to acquire Rogers, an MLS veteran who spent the last two seasons in England. He trained with the Galaxy in recent weeks and hoped to continue his career in his native Southern California. The Galaxy made it happen by giving up the popular Magee in a trade with the Chicago Fire, who held Rogers MLS rights. "I want to get back to soccer, which is what I love," Rogers said. "I get to do something I love, and I get to help people and be a positive role model. Im really excited to set a great example for other kids that are going through the same thing I went through. Its a perfect world for me, a perfect world." Coach Bruce Arena thinks Rogers already is in decent shape despite 18 months with little match experience. Arena figures Rogers could be a strong contributor to the Galaxy by July, but he could play in any upcoming match. "Certainly the league, and I think the fans, are going to be receptive in a real positive way," Arena told the AP. "But were not in this to pioneer social issues. Were trying to win games as a team, and were trying to produce the best team we can. Robbie has shown us that he has the potential to still be a real good player in our league, and thats what were hopeful of." Rogers is mindful of the place hell take in the culture when he steps on the field this summer, but the skilled, speedy winger is even more excited to contend for MLS titles and another chance to play the U.S. national team -- a stark contrast from his plans earlier this year when he was accepted to the menswear program at the London College of Fashion. "I had a lot of fear to come back to the game," Rogers said, remembering countless instances of homophobia everywhere from the stands to locker rooms. "I was just afraid I was putting myself in an environment that in the past had affected my mental health because I always felt like an outcast. I felt that I couldnt be myself." "But its been amazing," he added. "Its been normal, just as it should be. Im a soccer player. I happen to be gay, but Im a professional soccer player, and I have been since I was 18, 19. ... Im just really excited to go back to the game, and excited to deal with these stupid stereotypes that are out there with athletes and the gay community, just a bunch of different things." Hes certainly not alone in this movement. NBA veteran Jason Collins came out late last month, and Rogers spoke with Collins on the day of the centres announcement. U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who plays for Lyon in France, came out last year before the London Olympics. Shes expected to join the Seattle team of the new National Womens Soccer League in mid-June. Brittney Griner, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, and Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx are among that leagues openly gay players. Sheryl Swoopes, a retired WNBA All-Star and current college coach, came out in 2005 during her playing days. But any day now, Rogers is likely to become the first openly gay male athlete to play in North Americas biggest professional leagues, a fact thats still a bit surprising to both Rogers and Collins. "I would have thought more athletes would have taken that step, I guess," Rogers said. "People have seen how accepting everyone has been of Jasons and my story. I think its going to take just more time and more athletes coming out. Its all about seeing that its not something to be afraid of. Its not going to hurt your career." While MLS has a fraction of the NBAs popularity, Rogers has the potential to be more influential than Collins or featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz, who has won two fights since coming out last year. Collins is a journeyman basketball player without a contract for next season, while Rogers is an accomplished international soccer player in his prime. Rogers won an NCAA title at Maryland in 2005 and an MLS title with Columbus in 2008 while making the all-league first team. He has played sparingly over the past two years for English clubs Leeds and Stevenage after leaving the Crew in December 2011. But his workouts at the Galaxys training complex in Carson, Calif., were enticing enough, even if Rogers acknowledged hes "definitely a bit rusty right now." The Galaxy will work on getting Rogers back into top form, and theyll also support him in his conspicuous new role. "Its going to take him a little time," said Arena, also the Galaxys general manager. "Hes got to adjust to the Galaxy. Hes got to get himself in better form with the ball and his fitness. That takes time for any player, as weve witnessed with Landon over the last six to eight weeks. Its going to take some time. We hope Robbie can turn the corner quickly." Rogers is joining his leagues highest-profile team, with Donovan and Irish captain Robbie Keane leading a roster expected to contend for a third straight championship. After six years as David Beckhams home before the English midfielders departure last December, the Galaxy know all about the spotlight that will be cast on Rogers. "Theres obviously going to be attention, and I think that we are no stranger to that," Galaxy President Chris Klein told the AP. "I think the biggest piece of this is the maturity of Robbie, and were quite confident in that. Were there to stand behind him as an organization. He has shown to be a guy that has a tremendous amount of character and integrity, and I think hes going to fit our organization really well." The deal is a risk for the Galaxy, who traded a beloved fan favourite for Rogers. Magee, a Chicago native, has won two titles and scored eight post-season goals in four years with the Galaxy, and he leads the club with six goals this season. But Los Angeles is enticed by the potential of Rogers, who has played 18 times for the U.S. national team, scoring two goals. He dreams of playing for the American team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but knows it wont happen unless he excels with the Galaxy. Rogers immediately felt comfortable training with the Galaxy and resuming his friendship with Donovan, meeting the U.S. national team star for coffee. Hes also confident his attacking game on the wing can help the Galaxy, who havent replaced Beckhams bending passes from the flank this season. "Theyve been very accepting to me and very cool with me," Rogers said. "Im just excited to get on the road with these guys and continue the season." Aware that a whirlwind of attention is approaching, Rogers plans to lean on his faith. He also hopes his decision to use soccer as a platform for tolerance and acceptance leads more gay athletes to come out, even while his primary focus is on the game he has loved since his youth. "Youre just going to be treated the same as any other athlete," he said. "Its going to take time, but its inevitable that the time will come when youre solely judged on your performance. Thats going to happen. You cant put a time frame on it, but I think its in the near future because I really have felt a shift in our society and acceptance in our sports world. I honestly think in the next few years, its not going to be an issue." Jordan Martinook Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Thomas Steen Jersey . LOUIS -- St. http://www.coyotesauthority.com/authentic-christian-fischer-coyotes-jersey/ . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Louis Domingue Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Max Domi Jersey . The visitors took a deserved lead in the 16th minute with midfielder Yohan Cabaye curling the ball beyond Adrian from inside the penalty area. If you had taken your seat at Chepauk on Friday morning having never seen Moeen Ali bat, you would have been forgiven for wondering how on earth he found himself batting in the top four.But had you only taken your seat in the afternoon session, you would have been forgiven for wondering how he had ever found himself batting down at No. 8 or 9.For this innings was a microcosm of Moeens Test career with the bat. Like Beauty and the Beast rolled into one, it was, in turns, awful and ugly and brilliant and beautiful. It rarely hinted at permanence, but contained several strokes of rare quality. As he persuaded some balls to the boundary and flirted footlessly at others, he provided a demonstration of all his strengths and all his weaknesses. It was just a little bit Goweresque.He was beaten like a snare drum in the early stages. He was dropped before he had scored - the second match in succession an England centurion had benefited in such fashion - after trying to flick one over midwicket, and then survived a couple of early wafts against Ravi Ashwin that suggested a lack of confidence in his own defensive technique. He also saw an attempted flick into the leg side dart towards point off a leading edge. That he made it to lunch unbeaten (on 7 from 44 balls) was little short of a miracle.At that stage, it seemed safe to conclude that this was Moeens last foray into the top order. This was, after all, his 11th innings in the top four (one at No. 3, four at No. 4 and six as an opener) and they had brought seven scores under 20 and a best of 50. Some of the dismissals - not least hooking a bouncer to the men placed for the shot in the first innings in Mohali, or scooping to mid-on in the second - were just too soft to sustain the experiment.But after the interval he was a different man. Apparently determined to be more aggressive, he slog-swept both left-arm and offspin, he skipped down the track and, even though Ravi Ashwin beat him in the flight and he didnt quite make it to the pitch of the ball, he carried through with the stroke and cleared the field. He played with the uncompromised conviction that is the mantra of Trevor Bayliss and provided a pretty decent advert for the virtues of the approach.He had some fortune. Having a man with the class of Joe Root at the other end for the first portion of his innings ensured there was little scoreboard pressure; Moeen contributed just 13 of the first 50 runs they added together. And, while the only bouncer that Umesh Yadav bowled at him resulted in an attempted pull that spooned just over midwicket, it was a line of attack that India failed to exploit. Ishant Sharma bowled him three more, but it seemed an odd oversight. There were a couple of decent lbw shouts after that but Moeen, learning the lessons from earlier in the series, ensured he had his pad outside the line of the stumps and, once he had reached 40, was hardly troubled. Amit Mishra, whose relative lack of pace allowed Moeen time to skip down the pitch to him, came in for particular punishment, but he also coped with Ashwin admirably after that torturous first hour. He had given England a decent chance of the sort of imposing first-innings total that could end this demanding tour with a consolation victory. Two more sessions of batting may be rrequired, though.ddddddddddddIt was Moeens second century of the series - the first was made while batting at No. 5 in Rajkot - and the fourth of a calendar year that has seen him become one of just five men to record 1,000 Test runs in 2016. While the inclusion of four England players in that list underlines the huge amount of Test cricket they have played, that still represents a fine achievement. His average for the year (48.00) is almost six higher than Alastair Cooks (42.10) and less than two fewer than Joe Roots (50.20).Where does it leave him in the future? Back at No. 7 or 8, probably. With Jonny Bairstow pencilled in to stay at No. 5 (he is clearly good enough to bat at No. 4 but the England management are keen to provide him with a break between batting and keeping) and Ben Stokes looking settled at No. 6, those are the obvious vacancies. Root could well return to No. 4 - especially if Keaton Jennings makes a strong case for his retention at the start of the next English season - leaving Moeen squeezed out of the top order. Besides, for all the charm and fluency of his batting, we have probably seen enough now to appreciate that consistency is unlikely to be one of his strengths. There are too many flaws, too many foibles. And top-four players need to at least offer the potential of consistency.Ideally, he would bat no lower than No. 7 and be given the chance to establish himself there without further confusion. Batting at No. 8 will be an obvious temptation - it allows room for Jos Buttler at No. 7 and still allows room for four seamers (including Stokes) - but Moeens record there is poor. Often forced to accelerate before he is ready, he averages only 28.06 in 19 innings there. At No. 7, high enough to placate his batsmans pride and low enough to alleviate the worst of the pressure of expectation, he averages 87.85 in 10 innings.The other issue he faces is the possibility that he has been replaced as Englands first-choice spinner. Adil Rashid has claimed far more wickets than him this series (22 to nine) and has been referred to as Englands best spinner by the coach, Trevor Bayliss. There wont be too many surfaces in England when they require two spinners, though they may conclude that, such is their allround strength, they have room for both Rashid and Moeen.Recognising this problem some weeks ago, the England management have given Moeen a chance to establish himself as a specialist batsman (and support spin bowler) in recent weeks. As Bayliss said after the Mumbai Test: We came here to give Moeen a chance to cement a spot in the top six and play more as a bat and, as we saw in the first three games, the third spinner.This century may convince them that he has taken the chance. But Moeen, who batted everywhere from one to nine in his first 35 Tests, has emerged as Englands ultimate utility player and is likely to remain in a floating role in the immediate future. If Englands priority is getting the best out of Moeen, they will probably bat him at No. 7 or higher, but if the priority is what is best for the side, it is understandable that, despite all the runs this year, he plays his next Test as a No. 8. 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