rned so much from Whisenhunt and that the men worked well together. "It will be fu | Forum

TORONTO -- Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons leaned back in his chair Monday afternoon, spat some chewing tobacco juice into a cup and smiled as he answered questions from the dozen reporters gathered in his office for a pre-game media availability. T.J. McDonald Jersey . Gibbons knows most of the scribes by name and is quick with a joke and a laugh. He seemed as relaxed as ever even though the optimism that reigned here last spring is long gone. The Blue Jays are mired in last place in the American League East and are playing out the string on what playoff-starved Toronto fans had hoped would be a turnaround campaign. Some columnists have written the time is right for a managerial change while calls to the local all-sports radio stations have been getting angrier by the day. Gibbons has been an easy target given that his club took a poor 58-73 record into Mondays series opener against New York. The 51-year-old manager still has the same laid-back demeanour that he had back in April when Rogers Centre was abuzz after an expensive off-season roster overhaul. Naturally Gibbons is disappointed that his team has underperformed. But he doesnt seem the least bit bothered by the stories or calls for him to be replaced. "I dont get into whats fair and whats unfair," Gibbons said in his friendly Texan drawl. "Its a tough business man, and youre in the arena. So its open season. So have at it, I guess you could say." His supporters point to the fact he has been hamstrung by an injury-riddled roster throughout the season. His critics question his teams ability to execute basic fundamentals on a consistent basis. Toronto struggled out of the gate this season and never really recovered. The much-hyped starting rotation was largely a disappointment, making things all the more challenging in one of the toughest divisions in the major leagues. Gibbons previously managed the Blue Jays for parts of five seasons before being fired in June 2008. He said he doesnt fear the possibility that a managerial change could be made again. "My life is good. I enjoy competing every day out there," he said. "You play to win that game and in the end, people make decisions on things like that. I mean really, whats there to fear?" The Blue Jays struggled mightily over a 2-8 road trip that wrapped up Sunday. The team is back home for a six-game homestand at Rogers Centre, beginning with a three-game set with the Yankees. New York is fighting to stay in the American League wild-card hunt. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have to settle for their usual late-summer role of spoiler. Gibbons, who is reportedly signed to a two-year deal with options, is expecting his players to step up and play hard over the last few weeks of the season. "Its easy when things go bad to tuck your tail and run, no question about it," he said. "And its easy to play when things are going good. Its tough to play when things are going bad, youre feeling the heat and everybody is breathing down your neck. "But youre a professional, getting paid good money, a lot of people are still coming to watch and they expect a good effort." The manager can be an easy scapegoat when the results arent there. The calls for the Blue Jays to make a change will only get louder if the losing continues. Gibbons doesnt pay much attention to it. "I dont read a whole lot (of reports), occasionally I might," he said. "I watch highlights and stuff on TV. But that goes with the business. Everybody gets fired in this business sooner or later. You really havent done anything if you havent." The Blue Jays still have a decent foundation in place and some solid prospects in the system. Many of those minor leaguers will get a look over these last few weeks. "We think this team could play better in the future," Gibbons said. "Were banking on that." Kurt Warner Rams Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Cheap Marshall Faulk Jersey . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. http:///...l-faulk-rams-jersey/ . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay.NASHVILLE -- Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt has hired Chargers assistant Jason Michael to be Tennessees new offensive co-ordinator as he continues to fill out his coaching staff. The Titans announced the hiring on Friday. Whisenhunt, who was hired Monday, plans to call the plays offensively. But he said that Michael really impressed him with his knowledge of the run and pass games and that the coach was a big part of putting together plans in San Diego this season. "He is very familiar with the offensive system that we want to implement here, which includes bits and pieces from a number of offensive systems," Whisenhunt said in a statement. "He is intelligent and a good communicator. He was responsible for presenting a couple of game-plan packages to our offence each week and he was impressive." Michael, 35, worked this past season with Whisenhunt in San Diego. Michael spent the past three seasons coaching tight ends for the Chargers with San Diego ranking in the NFLs top 10 offensively in two of his three seasons. He also was first an offensive assistant and then quarterbacks coach with San Francisco in 2009 and 2010. Womens Nolan Cromwell Jersey. He has local ties having played quarterback helping Western Kentucky win the 2002 Division I-AA championship. Michael started coaching at the University of Tennessee as a graduate assistant before moving to the NFL in 2005 with Oakland, then the Jets. Michael spent 2008 coaching tight ends at the University of Tennessee in Phillip Fulmers final season. Michael called this a great situation with the chance to work with Whisenhunt in Tennessee exciting both professionally and personally. He said he learned so much from Whisenhunt and that the men worked well together. "It will be fun to come there and create an offence that is built around a new group of players," Michael said. "Nine years ago, this would have been the job I dreamed about - with my wife from Knoxville and going to school in Bowling Green -- an opportunity to come home to be the offensive co-ordinator for the Titans." Cheap JerseysWholesale Jerseys Wholesale JerseysCheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys' ' '