BEREA, Ohio -- Michael Sam was laughing with teammates as they conducted a running-back drill for kids, each youngster stiff-arming and juking his way to a touchdown celebration dance in a makeshift end zone. Sam didnt stand out. He was just another rookie, simply one of the guys. The NFLs first openly gay active player, Sams first months in the league have gone just as he would have hoped. "Its very positive, its very fun," Sam said. "Im excited to be playing for the Rams, Im excited to be in the NFL." Sam was in town with the other NFC rookies, who took part in a PLAY 60 youth football clinic with local children at the Browns training complex, part of the leagues four-day rookie symposium. The AFC rookies will begin their symposium on Wednesday. The full orientation for the players includes presentations, workshops and speakers covering a broad range of topics that fit under four core teaching principles: NFL History, Total Wellness, Professional Experience and, yes, Workplace Conduct. But workplace conduct -- that is, experiencing workplace respect and maintaining positive relationships, two main outlined elements of the symposium -- hasnt been a problem for Sam. Not with his teammates and not among the other rookies. Its obvious he has the respect of those around him. "You dont see anyone not talking to him or against him," said guard Greg Robinson, Sams teammate in St. Louis and the second overall pick in Aprils draft. "They look at him as a football player." That doesnt mean Sam has to shy away from who he is, though. In a group meeting during the symposium, he was able to share some thoughts on his own life with teammates and rookies from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "Just know someones story before you judge them. Thats pretty much what it comes down to," said Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans. "Hes a normal guy, just like us. Just here to play football." Sam is also quickly becoming known for his sense of humour. "The Rams love him," Evans said. "They always joke around with him. He seems like a fun-loving guy." And like any rookie, he is adjusting to the stark contrasts between the college and professional game. Sam was the SECs Co-Defensive Player Of The Year last season and was taken with the 249th overall pick in the seventh round of the draft, but he is working hard to carve out a role on a loaded Rams defensive line, led by ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn, who was second in the NFL in sacks last season. He has also been finding work on special teams. "Its every fast. Everything is full speed," Sam said. "If you make a mistake, it could cost you that win in practice or that win in a game. That one mistake. So youve got to pay attention to details." As for the details that have followed Sam around since he came out to the media in February, they havent mattered to anyone in the league, especially those who have met him. "Hes just another guy in the locker room," Robinson said. "Hes really cool once you get to know him and I feel like he has a great story behind him." That story has resulted in a whirlwind year for Sam, without much time to reflect on the fact that he is finally an NFL player. Its a lifelong goal that made him not unlike every player on the field Tuesday, having fun with kids eager to show off their quick feet or sure hands. "It still hasnt hit me yet, its still like a dream," Sam said. And as he continues to cross through uncharted territory, there is still that one vital, important thing to keep in mind. The thing that truly makes Sams experience a worthwhile success. "They treat me like a rookie," he said. 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Custom Atlanta Braves Nike Jerseys .C. -- Cam Newton wasnt flawless on Sunday.SHAPES OF MLS Toronto FC had week one of the new MLS season off, but their first opponents, the Seattle Sounders, kicked the campaign off with a home match against current MLS Cup champions, Sporting Kansas City. Rain and a slippery surface made passing difficult for both sides, but Ryan Nelsen and his coaching staff were given more than a few glimpses at the way a new Seattle side will want to play. The Sounders would win the game 1-0 in the fourth and final minute of added time through substitute and former TFC striker Chad Barrett. Front Two With Clint Dempsey only named on the bench, the attention was already on the front two of Seattle before the game began. Once it started, it was interesting to see Kenny Cooper, acquired from FC Dallas last December, as the striker who dropped deep. Lamar Neagle and former Chicago Fire star Marco Pappa were named by Sigi Schmid to play out wide, but neither of these players hugged the touchlines, instead choosing to play narrower to help their midfield duo. Full backs, Dylan Remick and DeAndre Yedlin in particular, were asked to provide width. It is worth noting that Yedlin had a very good game and whoever plays on the left for Toronto FC next week will have to work very hard defensively on that flank. The choice of Cooper to drop in, while surprising, turned out to be effective. First of all, Cooper recognized his defensive responsibilities. He knows Sporting Kansas City like to play the ball out to the centre backs, so he sat well on their first outlet, Lawrence Olum, as this image shows, while also highlighting the narrowness of the three behind Obafemi Martins. Coopers ability to drop into space also confused the centre backs who were unsure how deep to defend once he was able to get into the channels between the lines. Aurelien Collin, on this occasion, found himself guessing whether to stay deep and track the run of Martins or go to win the aerial battle against Cooper. If Cooper starts against Toronto, his positioning will need to be tracked more by the defensive midfielder, likely Michael Bradley, to stop Steven Caldwell from stepping up and leaving space in behind him, which is what happened for Martins here. Finding space behind Alonso and Evans There are very few midfield pairings in MLS better than Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans. Thee two have an excellent understanding, but one thing Toronto FC will look to exploit next week is the space they leave behind them.ddddddddddddSeattles centre backs are not the quickest, so they like to sit deep and usually the midfield is diligent in its positioning, but when the team loses second balls, there is space behind them to exploit quickly on the counter. Toronto FC will need someone with the intelligence of Graham Zusi, who did it for KC, to recognize those times. Here you see Alonso lose concentration and Evans press, leaving space for Zusi to run into… Seconds later, Zusi is away to orchestrate a scoring opportunity for the visitors against an unprotected defence…. It helped that Sporting Kansas Citys 4-3-3 had someone with Zusis intelligence but Torontos likely 4-4-1-1 will have three candidates to get into that space with the wide men and whoever plays off the striker, likely Dwayne De Rosario, who, perhaps, wouldnt be best suited on the left against Yedlins attacks. Midfield structure essential to the end This game looked destined to end 0-0 when Benny Feilhaber was withdrawn in the 92nd minute, but a minute later his replacement, Ike Opara, was easily beaten by Alonso deep in his own half and suddenly Seattles DP had acres of space to sprint into. Suddenly, Alonso had their opponents where he wanted them, as he transitioned into their half and connected with Dempsey, who would lay it out wide for the cross that would win the match. It was a fairytale finish for Seattle who now head into next weeks game against Toronto FC with a perfect three points. We have seen that they do allow space in behind their full backs and the central midfield, but you have to be intelligent enough to exploit that when the opportunities arise. It will be interesting to see what they do with Dempsey. When he came on in the second half, he played just off Martins with Cooper moving out wide before he was later taken off. For that moment, there was room for all three on the pitch, but it will be rare to see that from the start. The key for Toronto will be tracking whichever player joins Martins in attack. The former Newcastle striker was quiet in this game, but this season will feast on slow defensive lines by running in behind when Cooper or Dempsey plays him in. ' ' '