Black- and Whitelist » athletes can come together in

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Chargers will lose rookie cornerback Jason Verrett for at least one game and probably longer with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.Verrett originally hurt his shoulder in a victory at Oakland on Oct. 12 — which he sealed with a last-minute interception — and aggravated it in a loss at Denver last Thursday night.The first-round draft pick will miss the game at Miami on Sunday, when the Chargers (5-3) will try to snap a two-game losing streak. The Chargers then have their bye.Both Verrett and coach Mike McCoy said it wasnt a mistake for Verrett to play in Thursday nights 35-21 loss at Denver. Verrett left in the second quarter and stood on the sideline in the second half with his left arm in a sling.No, not at all, Verrett said. My goal is to always be ready every week. I tested it out pregame. I felt great. I just was trying to go out there because we were kind of short at corner. I just wanted to help my team.Said McCoy: Were not going to put anyone out there if we dont think theyre ready to play. Thats regardless of what the injury is, what body part. They spend a lot of hours in the training room to get better and get healthy and a number of players would play with certain things. Some play with his injury, some other players have played with it in the past, also. Hes not the first guy to do this.Its an injury that weve been dealing with for a couple of weeks. He gave it everything he had in the Denver game until it got to a point where he couldnt play any longer, McCoy said.Verrett played most of his senior season at TCU with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which was surgically repaired in March.Its definitely frustrating just because I was coming off one that I had to deal with in college. It comes with the game, Verrett said.The Chargers did regain a cornerback Thursday when Brandon Flowers was cleared to practice after missing the Denver game with a concussion. Flowers was hurt in a home loss to his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Oct. 19.It feels good to be back out there. Being out is hard, Flowers said.Flowers said itll be a challenge with Verrett out.One thing weve been doing as a team, the secondary especially, is responding to adversity, he said. I dont think weve had every guy on the field healthy at the same time yet this year. Hes definitely a playmaker, a key guy for our defence and our team as a whole. But weve just got to pick up the load. The next guy has got to step up and make plays out there.Safety Jahleel Addae has not been cleared after sustaining a concussion last week.Also Thursday, running back Ryan Mathews said his rehab is going well. He sprained the MCL in his right knee in a victory against Seattle in Week 2.Being able to run again is encouraging. Thats a big step, he said. Im very encouraged. The trainers are doing a great job and Im just following their plan. Every time they put me through something Im just trying to do my best.Mathews hopes to be able to play in San Diegos first game after its bye, at home against Oakland on Nov. 16.Thats a big target. I was trying to go for this game but Im just waiting for the go-ahead. Theyre the professionals, not me, he said. I cant wait to get back out there with my team.Mathews said he was able to play a little bit of golf during his charity tournament on Tuesday that benefited the Trish & Ryan Mathews Door of Hope Chest.I tried a little bit. I finally gave up after a while. Its been a while since I played, said Mathews, who wore a brace on his knee while on the course.___Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Pittsburgh Penguins Gear . Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval. Goergl finished the demanding 3-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1 minute, 47. Penguins Jerseys 2020 . -- Adrian Peterson remained in a walking boot to treat a high ankle sprain on his left leg on Wednesday, and coach Leslie Frazier said he will not play on Sunday against Atlanta if he cant hit the practice field in the next two days. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/. The same cant be said of last Saturdays 2-2 draw at Olympic Stadium against a very weakened New York Red Bulls side and one which had three stalwarts in Henry, Cahill and Olave back home in Harrison, NJ. Pittsburgh Penguins Store .75 million contract for the 2014 season and avoided arbitration. The team announced the agreement on Tuesday. Stitched Penguins Jerseys . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss.Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano came out on Thursday, two days after he was named to the U.S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow. The 1988 gold medallist had always kept his personal life private, saying in a statement that "being gay is just one part of who I am." But President Barack Obamas decision to include openly gay athletes in the delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies -- and not send high-ranking officials -- was widely seen as a message to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians. "First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance," Boitano said in his statement. "As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations." Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda," and some suggested the United States should boycott the Sochi Olympics in protest. Obama rejected that idea earlier this year, saying a stronger statement could be made by "gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze." But his choices for the U.S. delegation left little doubt about Obamas disapproval of the new Russian law. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Olympics. This years group is led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and others in the delegation include U..ddddddddddddS. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, deputy Secretary of State William Burns and presidential adviser Rob Nabors. Of the five athletes in the delegation, three -- Boitano, King and Cahow -- are openly gay. Boitano and King will attend the opening ceremony. Cahow, a two-time medallist in womens hockey, will attend the closing ceremony with Olympic speed skating champions Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. "I have been fortunate to represent the United States of America in three different Olympics, and now I am honoured to be part of the presidential delegation to the Olympics in Sochi," Boitano, who is in Europe, said in his statement. "It has been my experience from competing around the world and in Russia that Olympic athletes can come together in friendship, peace and mutual respect regardless of their individual countrys practices." Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. ' ' '