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Art Shell Womens Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. --
Its a warm, overcast summer afternoon, and Rinku Singh is offering food and
water to the homeless people who gather downtown at Williams Park.Hes dressed
casually in a plain white T-shirt, blue shorts and backward gray baseball cap,
and the people he approaches have no idea hes a professional athlete whose life
story helped inspire a movie. They are simply grateful that someone thought
enough to stop and help.He makes his way around the park, speaking with a dozen
or so men and women and handing out snacks. He shakes hands, asks questions and
learns about their lives and circumstances. A middle-aged woman rises from a
bench to give him a hug, and he shares a laugh with three middle-aged men who
are sprawled across the lawn with duffel bags.Eight years after Singh made
international headlines by signing a baseball contract with the Pittsburgh
Pirates, the 28-year-old native of India finds himself at a crossroads in his
career and life. He has battled injuries for most of the past four years, and
after becoming a free agent on Nov. 8, his professional future is
uncertain.There is little doubt, however, that Singh will continue to help
others. For him, its a core belief, and hes determined to use his story to
motivate people everywhere.When we leave this world, we will be remembered for
the good things we have done for the community, Singh said.When he first arrived
in the United States, Singh was a wide-eyed 19-year-old who spoke only Hindi and
was in awe of American culture. Less than two years later, he was presenting a
Pirates jersey to President Barack Obama at the White House. Now, hes poised,
confident and worldly, and multinational companies hire him as a motivational
speaker to share his experiences with executives and employees.He knows how
fortunate he is that the Pirates took that chance on him eight years ago.This
organization has totally changed me, Singh said. They havent just built me as a
baseball player. Theyve built me as a man.In 2007, sports agent J.B. Bernstein
teamed up with investors Will Chang and Ash Vasudevan to launch the Million
Dollar Arm reality television competition in India. The show sought to tap into
Indias millions of young cricket bowlers to find the most promising pitching
prospects. More than 35,000 contestants tried out, hoping to win a cash prize
and a trip to America to learn the sport of baseball.As it turned out, the top
two finishers werent cricketers at all. Both Singh, who won the competition, and
runner-up Dinesh Patel were javelin throwers and Olympic hopefuls from a sports
academy in the city of Lucknow.Singh and Patel then traveled to Los Angeles,
trained with pitching guru Tom House and tried out for major league scouts in a
six-month whirlwind. When the Pirates decided to take a chance on the duo, many
observers viewed the move as a publicity gimmick. Regardless, by signing with
Pittsburgh in November 2008, Singh and Patel took a huge leap of faith. They
left their families, friends, educational pursuits and Olympic dreams behind in
order to learn a new vocation from scratch in a foreign culture where they didnt
speak the language.If youre afraid to be challenged, then you cant have success,
Singh said. Thats what my journey has taught me. Dont be afraid of doing
something new. Dont be afraid of doing hard work.It was a tale seemingly made
for Hollywood, and Disney turned it into a movie with the international release
of Million Dollar Arm in 2014. The film concludes with Singh and Patel signing
their pro contracts.But the story didnt end there.Singh grew up in a rural
village near the Ganges River in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. His
father worked long hours as a truck driver, while his mother cared for Rinku and
his three sisters and three brothers. While modest by American standards, Singh
describes his upbringing as middle class, and he recalls joining his family in
donating food to the homeless as a child. It was a custom that made a lasting
impression on him.The Pirates organization mandates that players perform
community service, and the work Singh did on the teams behalf as a minor leaguer
reinforced the charitable beliefs he learned at home. He began to see how he
could use his status to help people and change lives.Hes been actively seeking
these opportunities and actively contributing his time and energy, said
Vasudevan, who became a close friend and advisor to Singh. Its remarkable to
see. Hes a believer in using his platform for good.In speaking with Singhs
family members, Bernstein learned that the pitcher has made a point of going out
of his way to assist others since he was a child.He was always the one who would
stand up to bullies, Bernstein said. He was always the one who would be there
for his friends, for his brothers, for his family. He was always the one willing
to make whatever sacrifice necessary to help somebody else.Singh has provided
school tuition for children in India, where hes also committed to womens rights
issues and the abolition of sex trafficking. To wit, Singh shares the story of a
girl he befriended in New Delhi several years ago. The teenager was uneducated
and had turned to prostitution to support her family. He arranged a job for her
in a hotel, and she ultimately rose to a managerial position. In turn, she went
on to find jobs for other girls in similar situations.Sometimes people need
direction, Singh said. Once you point them, it can truly change their life.Singh
regularly visits childrens hospitals in the United States, and Jessica Merar
joined him when he recently spent time with pediatric cancer patients in
Chicago. Merar is an events coordinator at Lurie Childrens Hospital who has
accompanied celebrities on many similar visits, but she came away inspired by
Singh. He talked, played and signed photos with patients. Noticeably absent were
the television cameras and media that often follow athletes as they make the
rounds.He was truly focused on making patients smile and interacting with our
families, Merar said. It was not about him.When patients asked which of Singhs
arms was the million-dollar one, he showed them the scar on his left elbow from
Tommy John ligament reconstruction surgery and urged them to maintain a positive
attitude. On his way out of the hospital, Singh told Merar about one teenage boy
who had made a particular impact on him that day.He took off his jersey, signed
it and asked me if we could go back to give the patient his jersey, Merar said.
He literally took the jersey off his back. He made instant connections with our
patients. They felt comfortable opening up to him, and he did it for the right
reasons.Singh faced an uphill battle in the world of pro baseball after joining
the Pirates organization, but he eventually showed potential.Singh and Patel
debuted in the same rookie-level Gulf Coast League game in July 2009. Soon
after, Singh became the first pitcher from India to win a professional baseball
game in the United States. Patel was released by the Pirates in November 2010,
but Singh remained committed to chasing his major league dream. The 6-foot-2
left-hander became fluent in English, competed hard and traveled around the
world to hone his craft. In 2011 alone, he played for teams in Florida,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the Dominican Republic and Australia.Tony Harris,
an international scout for the Pirates and longtime assistant coach for the
Australian national team, was Singhs manager with the Adelaide Bite of the
Australian Baseball League. He said Singh quickly made an impression with his
commitment and desire to improve. Singh sought feedback after every performance
and asked lots of questions about the finer points of the game.He was an
absolute pleasure to have on board, Harris said. I rank him 10 out of 10 as far
as makeup and commitment are concerned. The kids and fans loved him. He
integrated very, very well down here.Singh pitched fearlessly despite lacking a
blazing fastball, Harris said. Like many minor leaguers, however, his execution
in Australia was inconsistent. He did pitch well in 2011 and 12 at Class A West
Virginia, three levels below the major leagues, posting a 3.03 ERA with 78
strikeouts and 25 walks in 51 games out of the bullpen.Youre talking about one
of my favorite guys Ive ever managed or coached, said Pittsburgh third-base
coach Rick Sofield, who managed Singh at West Virginia in 2012. He wanted the
ball so badly he couldnt see straight. [He was] in my office once a week telling
me that he was the answer -- just give him a chance and give him the ball.Then
came a series of injuries, which derailed Singhs progress, undermined his goals
and tested his will. He underwent three elbow surgeries, including the Tommy
John operation in 2013.Those setbacks kept him from a chance for promotion to a
more advanced Class A league or higher.I thought he was capable of pitching in
Double-A, Sofield said. That means [improving] makeup and command, [adding]
another pitch and always investigating how to be better. I thought he could
compete and pitch out of the bullpen in Double-A, and as he progressed, [with]
his work ethic and his attitude ... you never know where it all goes.Undeterred,
Singh persevered through more than three years of arduous rehab. He and other
injured Pirates players motivated each other, and he kept watching and studying
the game. All the while, coaches, office staff and teammates at the Pirates
facilities in Florida were incredibly supportive, he said. That meant a lot to
him, and in late 2015 the team offered him a one-year contract that would allow
him to continue his rehab.That was like new energy for me, knowing [the Pirates]
have got my back, Singh said. Theyve treated me like more than a player. Theyve
treated me like family. I have huge respect for them.Singh maintained a rehab
regimen this summer in hopes of getting healthy enough to play again in 2016. He
threw a scoreless inning on July 1 in a rookie-level game, but it would be his
only appearance of the year. No matter how diligently he worked, his arm just
wouldnt perform as it once had.Singhs motivation to play baseball was initially
just to provide a better life for his family. Now he also sees himself as an
evangelist for the sport in India, where it remains a niche activity. Patel,
with whom Singh remains in touch, has done work to promote the game in his home
country as well.Baseball is what made me the person I am today, Singh said. I
can never imagine being the person I am today [had I stayed] in India.But the
grind of physical rehabilitation and injury setbacks, coupled with not seeing
his family for two years, took an emotional toll. Last month, he traveled home
to India to spend time with his parents, rest his body and recharge his spirit.
Hes uncertain about what comes next.The past three years Ive been rehabbing, it
has become more challenging than coming to America when I didnt know anything
about baseball, Singh said. At some point in life, people need to reset the
button, and I think thats where I am at.He is considering writing a book about
his journey and isnt quite ready to shut the door on his playing career. After
all, hes a year younger than former college football star Tim Tebow, who has
just begun a much-publicized baseball career with the New York Mets organization
at age 29.Hes never lost sight of his original goal to become the first [major
league] pitcher from India, Vasudevan said. Its going to be challenging, but I
cant think of a better person who can take on the challenge.Whenever Singh does
ultimately decide that hes done playing, he would be a logical choice to coach
or serve as a baseball ambassador in India. MLB would very much like to
cultivate a fan base in the worlds second most populous country, and it would
make perfect sense to involve the most successful player in the nations
history.But that day isnt here yet.Deep down in my heart, Im an athlete, Singh
said. Im not thinking of dropping baseball forever. Right now, Im just taking
time off. ... Im a big believer in God, and its all going to work out.
Jerry Rice Raiders Jersey . The Nashville
Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and
two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to
a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night.
Latavius Murray Jersey . LOUIS -- Attorneys
for the St.
http://www.raidersapparelsshop.com/art-shell-raiders-jersey-c-7/
. The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and
scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New
Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last
score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in
the CFL. RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll have
agreed on a contract extension, keeping the oldest head coach in the NFL locked
up beyond the 2016 season.Team owner Paul Allen tweeted confirmation of Carrolls
deal on Tuesday.The move with the 64-year-old Carroll came just two days after
the team locked up general manager John Schneider to a contract extension.Both
Carrolls and Schneiders current deals were set to expire after the 2016 season,
but the tandem pairing that has brought the Seahawks unrivaled success in their
franchise history will be teamed together for another few seasons.Carroll is
60-36 in the regular season since becoming Seattles head coach in 2010. Hes
taken the Seahawks to the playoffs in five of six seasons, including two Super
Bowl appearances and the only title in franchise history.Carrolls deal was first
reported by ESPN and said the extension goes through the 2019 season.Whenever
asked during the offseason about his contract situation, Carroll would shrug off
the question saying Im good.But the lack of an extension fueled speculation that
Carroll may be ready to take on a new role and walk away from being a head
coach, no matter how often he indicated he was set on continuing in his position
with Seattle.Everything is great. Im under contract, Carroll said at the
conclusion of minicamp in June.Carrolls somewhat unconventional coaching methods
have been proven successful in his third stint as an NFL head coach.Givven the
autonomy over player personnel in concert with Schneider, the Seahawks are on a
run of success never before seen in the Pacific Northwest with four straight
playoff appearances that included the Super Bowl title after the 2013 season and
a return trip to the Super Bowl a year later that came up 1-yard short of a
possible repeat.
Derek Carr Jersey. Seattle had five 10-win
seasons in franchise history before Carroll arrived, and has reached
double-digit victories in each of the past four seasons.Carroll has constructed
a team based around a core that includes the likes of Russell Wilson, Richard
Sherman, Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner and Doug Baldwin to name a few, and
supplemented with talent around that targeted group.The Seahawks have been
competitive in nearly every game since the beginning of the 2012 season, never
losing by more than 10 points since the middle of the 2011 season -- regular and
postseason combined.And not surprising considering his background, Carrolls
defenses have been among the elite of the NFL despite going through three
defensive coordinators in the past four seasons.The Seahawks have been the best
scoring defense in the NFL each of the past four seasons, becoming the first
team since the Cleveland Browns in the mid-1950s to accomplish that feat.---AP
NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
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