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FLORENCE, Italy -- United States-born forward Giuseppe Rossi was left off Italys final 23-man squad for the World Cup on Sunday. Coach Cesare Prandelli apparently judged that Rossi hadnt fully recovered from his latest right knee injury in January. It was likely a difficult decision since Rossi has always been one of Prandellis favourite players. Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne was selected instead. Rossi played 71 minutes in Italys 0-0 draw with Ireland on Saturday but failed to make much of an impact. Rossi was also one of the final cuts by then-coach Marcello Lippi in 2010, although Lippi said last week that he regretted that decision. Now, Rossi will have to wait until 2018 -- when hell be 31 -- for a chance to play in the World Cup. Also cut from Prandellis 30-man preliminary squad were: forward Mattia Destro; Brazilian-born midfielder Romulo, who has been dealing with a muscle problem; and fullbacks Manuel Pasqual and Christian Maggio. Key midfielder Riccardo Montolivo was ruled out after breaking the tibia bone in his left leg against Ireland. Center back Andrea Ranocchia was selected as a 24th man to go to Brazil as a possible replacement for Andrea Barzagli, who has been fighting injury all season. Rossi was born in New Jersey to Italian parents and was offered a chance to play for the United States at an early age but he has always said it was his dream to play for the Azzurri. Rossi led Serie A with 14 goals in 17 matches with Fiorentina until he re-injured his right knee in January, sidelining him for four months. He returned a month ago but has not played a full 90 minutes since coming back and occasionally appeared hesitant against Ireland. Rossi initially tore his right anterior cruciate ligament during a match with Villarreal against Real Madrid in October 2011 and needed three operations before returning with Fiorentina in May 2013. Insigne scored twice when his Napoli club beat Rossis Fiorentina 3-1 in the Italian Cup a month ago. That was Rossis first match back. Besides sure starter Mario Balotelli, Antonio Cassano and Torino strike partners Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci were also chosen up front. Cassano made the squad following a resurgent season with Parma. After two years away from the national team, his appearance against Ireland was his first since the 2012 European Championship final. Immobile led Serie A with 22 goals in 33 appearances and Cerci is a reliable winger. Torino fullback Matteo Darmian, who made his Italy debut against Ireland and can play on either the right or the left, was also included, along with Argentine-born centre back Gabriel Paletta. In midfield, the newcomers are Paris Saint-Germains Marco Verratti and Parmas Marco Parolo. Verratti, in particular, shined against Ireland and is considered an eventual replacement for Andrea Pirlo. Four-time champion Italy opens its World Cup campaign against England in Group D on June 14 then faces Costa Rica on June 20 and Uruguay on June 24. The Azzurri play Luxembourg in Perugia on Wednesday then fly out to Brazil a day later. ------ Italy: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain). Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma). Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain). Forwards: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli). Air Force 1 Dámské . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Air Force 1 Just Do It . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. http://www.airforce1levne.com/air-force-1-panska.html . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena. Nike Air Force 1 Bílé . That assertion is getting harder and harder to make, especially given the way 23-year-old Danilo Gallinari has been playing this season. Nike Roshe One Pánské . -- Chris Tillman paid no attention to the Baltimore bullpen as it started to stir in the ninth inning.NEW YORK -- Michael Sam was picked by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday, becoming the first openly gay player drafted by a pro football team. Sam played at Missouri, and came out as gay in media interviews earlier this year. His team and coaches knew his secret and kept it for his final college season. He went on to have the best season of his career: He was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year. "Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. Im using every once of this to achieve greatness!!" Sam tweeted with a frenzied typo moments after he was picked, including a picture of himself wearing a Rams cap and a pink polo shirt. The pick came after several rounds of suspense. The first round of the day came and went, no Sam. Then the second, and the third, and finally, the day was down to just a handful of picks. When Mike Kensil, the NFLs vice-president of game operations, walked to the podium at Radio City Music Hall in the drafts final minutes to announce the Rams second-to-last pick, the crowd got a sense something was up. Very few of the last day picks were announced at the podium. Twitter lit up with suggestions the Rams were about to make news. When Kensil said: "The St. Louis Rams select ... Michael Sam..." the fans gave a hearty cheer, chanting "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and "Michael Sam!" Sam was in San Diego watching with friends and family at the home of his agent, Joe Barkett of Empire Athletes. ESPN and the NFL Network had cameras there and showed Sams reaction. Sam was on the phone bending over, with his boyfriend hugging him and rubbing his left bicep. When Sam got off the phone, the tears started. He gave his boyfriend a big kiss and a long hug as he cried and his eyes reddened. After, they shared cake -- and another kiss. Sam will start his professional career not ffar from the place where he played his college ball, with three former Missouri teammates.dddddddddddd The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Sam was considered a mid-to-late round pick, far from a sure thing to be drafted. He played defensive end in college, but hes short for that position in the NFL and slower than most outside linebackers, the position hell need to transition to at the professional level. He was taken with the 249th overall pick out of 256. Players from Marist, Maine and McGill University in Canada were selected before Sam. "In the world of diversity we live in now, Im honoured to be a part of this," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said during an interview on ESPN. The impact of Sams selection goes far beyond football. At a time when gay marriage is gaining acceptance among Americans, Sams entry into the NFL is a huge step toward the integration of gay men into professional team sports. Pro sports have in many ways lagged behind the rest of society in acceptance. Publicly, most people in and related to the NFL have been supportive of Sam. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said Sam would be welcome in the league and judged solely on his ability to play. A few wondered whether teams would be reluctant to draft Sam because of all the media attention that would come with it. Fair or not, the NFL -- coming off a season in which a bullying scandal involving players on the Miami Dolphins was one of the biggest stories in sports -- was looking at a possible public relations hit if Sam was not drafted. He would likely have been signed as a free agent and given a chance to make a team in training camp, but to many it would have looked as if he was being rejected. Now that hes there, it could be seen as an opportunity for the NFL to show that crass locker room culture is not as prevalent as it might have looked to those who followed the embarrassing Dolphins scandal. ' ' '