Jason Collins is the NBAs only openly gay athlete and he also happens to be an unemployed free agent. Clippers Jerseys . Coincidence? When Collins shared his sexuality with the world six months ago, he was hailed as a trailblazer and applauded for his courage. But Collins is a decade removed from anchoring the New Jersey Nets on back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals, and even the causal basketball fan knew he was on the downside of his career. Collins isnt Jackie Robinson, a young undeniable force poised to break down barriers, so when his name wasnt on an NBA roster on opening night, few were surprised. Collins sexuality wasnt what was holding him back from being in the league, but his talent. The 34 year-old centre had lost a step over the years and was always limited offensively, to the tune of 3.6 points per game for his career. But Collins strength is his ability to provide interior defence, rebound and supply relief minutes off the bench. His age also works in his favour as a veteran who acts accordingly, and as a solid locker room presence. However, those are costly positives at the NBA veterans minimum of $1.4 million, as teams are wary of entering the luxury tax. Collins absence in the league can be reasonably chalked up to one of the best blanket explanations in all of sports: "basketball decisions." According to Ric Bucher at Bleacher Report, several general managers said in October the apprehension of signing Collins didnt stem from concern about the locker room and his teammates, but the non-stop media hype that would come from it. "If it were just an initial blast and you knew it would settle down after that, it would be one thing," said one executive. "But you know this is something that he and his teammates are going to be asked about everywhere they go, all season long, and all it takes is one guy to say something a little off and it could really blow up. Hes still good enough to play in the league, but when you throw in the ongoing media frenzy, most teams are going to decide its just not worth it." Already this season, three starting centres (Tyson Chandler, JaVale McGee, Larry Sanders), have suffered injuries that will keep them off the court for 5-6 weeks or more. In the quest for back-up support, Collins was again overlooked. When Golden State Warriors reserve Jermaine ONeal went down with a knee injury last week, the Warriors braintrust, "entertained the idea of asking assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to come out of retirement to fill the void." Scalabrine would also be entitled to the veterans minimum and ironically came into the league with Collins as rookie teammates on the Nets. The Warriors subsequently called up rookie Dewayne Dedmon from their D-League affiliate. While the notion of going with a younger, cheaper player is just smart business, the idea that there is a not-worth-the-hassle notion amongst general managers when it comes to Collins shows that his sexuality is an issue. Jason Collins isnt as talented as Jackie Robinson; he is a serviceable NBA player on the fringe. But if opportunities exist and teams continue to look past him due to concerns over the media fallout of his sexuality, he is being discriminated against just the same as Robinson was in 1947. This isnt a basketball decision and no one, not even Collins wants to be in the league because hes gay; he just wants to play and feels he can contribute. This isnt a situation of players acting ignorant or insensitive, but shortsighted gatekeepers, of which one wouldve likely signed Collins this season, if they were unaware of his sexuality, and thats a bigger problem. Blake Griffin Jersey .J. Hardy finally got in on the fun Saturday, against a likely opponent. Tobias Harris Jersey ., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. http://www.clippersnbateamshop.info/wesley-johnson-clippers-jersey/ . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick.SAN FRANCISCO - Miami Marlins manager Mike Redmond has no explanation for why his club has played so well at home and struggled so much on the road this season. Wins like Friday night will help erase those questions. Casey McGehee singled home the winning run with one out in the ninth inning to atone for a costly error and help the Marlins earn a rare road win, 7-5 over the San Francisco Giants. "I think were still trying to figure it out," Redmond said. "If I had an answer to why were so much better at home to on the road, wed fix it, right? But these guys keep battling. They keep fighting. You saw that tonight. We dont quit. We keep grinding. We might make a few mistakes, but we keep going." The Marlins made plenty of mistakes. They also made some big plays, too. Derek Dietrich and Christian Yelich homered, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia snapped an 0-for-26 skid by tying his career high with four singles to stop Miamis slide. The Marlins entered the game losers of six of their past seven games and a majors-worst 4-16 record away from home. They also are a league-best 17-5 at home. "Weve seen those games go the other way sometimes, especially on the road right now. It was huge for us to be able to stick in there and get that one," McGehee said. Santiago Casilla (1-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, but couldnt escape trouble in the ninth. The right-hander allowed two baserunners before McGehees tiebreaking grounder to right field. "It just had eyes and got through the infield," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Thats the way the game goes." Garrett Jones added an RBI single off lefty Javier Lopez and made a leaping catch in the netting of the photographers pit in foul territory in the bottom of the ninth. Mike Dunn (4-3) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Steve Cishek converted his eighth save for Miami. Neither starter pitched well but did just enough to give his team a chance in the final innings. Henderson Alvarez allowed five runs — four earned — and 10 hits in six innings for the Marlins. He struck out four and walked none. Giantts right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, filling in while Tim Hudson rested his nagging hip, gave up five runs — four earned — on seven hits in five innings. Chris Paul Jersey. He struck out five and walked none. "I lost a little bit of my command in the first inning. I tried to stay close in the game," Petit said. After wasting a 4-1 lead in a loss Thursday night to San Francisco, Miami moved ahead 4-1 again but rallied back late this time. The Giants had three RBI hits with two outs, including pinch-hitter Gregor Blancos bloop single in the sixth that tied it at 5-all. Blancos hit came after McGehee couldnt corral a grounder at third. "I still feel terrible. Alvarez battled through and it wouldve been nice to get him the win," McGehee said. Defence — or a lack thereof — proved pivotal in the late innings. Redmond successfully challenged a transfer rule call in the fifth. After a replay review, umpires ruled Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton caught Hunter Pences fly in the web of his glove and dropped the ball trying to transfer it to his hand for a throw. Buster Poseys flyout to right later scored Angel Pagan, who had advanced to third on Stantons botched transfer. Stanton made up for the play with an outstretched catch of Michael Morses fly near the wall in the eighth. Pagan also made a spectacular over-the-head catch on Dietrichs deep fly for the first out of the seventh and held on after running into the padded wall in left-centre. And Casilla got pinch-hitter Ed Lucas to ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the eighth. NOTES: It was the fifth time Saltalamacchia had four hits in a game. ... Stantons career-high 17-game hitting streak ended after going 0 for 5. ... San Francisco hosted "Metallica Night," which included members of the heavy metal band playing the national anthem, drummer Lars Ulrich throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and singer James Hetfield announcing San Franciscos starting lineup. ... RHP Tim Lincecum (3-2 4.78 ERA) starts for the Giants opposite Miamis RHP Tom Koehler (3-3, 2.57) on Saturday. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '