offense. Narduzzi anticipates Whitehead returning to

NEW YORK -- Huston Street believes in some of baseballs oldest, tried-and-true traditions, and the reliever knows team building can be a real benefit, so he considers the elimination of rookie dress up in the new labor deal the loss of a healthy ritual.The Los Angeles Angels closer, like many players expressing their views Tuesday, disagrees with Major League Baseballs ban on the hazing ritual of dressing up rookies in costumes that could be considered offensive, including womens outfits.An effort to show our childlike spirit, or humble ourselves in wearing something funny as a team building moment, is now gone, Street wrote in an email to The Associated Press, but rest assured some other ritual will rise, will be kept far more secret and hopefully its as safe and harmless as uncomfortable clothes.Baseball owners and players ratified their five-year labor contract Tuesday, which contains a new Anti-Hazing and Anti-Bullying Policy formulated by management, rules the union agreed not to contest.New York Mets rookie outfielder Brandon Nimmo was among the last group to participate this past season. In September, he had to wear a wig and dress in the style of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own while fetching coffee and doughnuts in Philadelphia.I guess Im sad to see that go. Im glad that I got to partake in it last year. Wouldnt trade that, Nimmo said at the teams Citi Field holiday party. I felt like it just kind of brought the team closer together, lets have a little fun together.Many retired players were outraged, taking to social media to show their disgust.What a joke!! tweeted Mark Mulder, a big league pitcher from 2000-08.Yet for baseball officials, the decision goes far beyond just good-natured fun.Billy Bean, a big league infielder and outfielder from 1987-95 who came out as gay in 1999, spoke with MLBs labor lawyers as the policy was developed as part of his role as vice president for social responsibility and inclusion.To me its important to be cognizant of the images that our players project to our fans, and I think where for many where it would seem that its common sense that its just all in good fun and being silly, there are many sides to the story and I just think that its a responsible thing to do, he said during a telephone interview. Many players didnt like this tradition but were afraid to speak up.Still, players were stunned.Remember, youre doing this not because you look different or because youre from some far corner of the globe. In fact youre doing this for reasons that couldnt be more opposite, former pitcher Dallas Braden wrote to The AP. Youre one of us. Youre here now, youve made it, youve earned it. Youre a BIG LEAGUER and in the big leagues we dress up and sing just like the Cy Youngs & MVPs who came before us.Many took to social media to express disappointment.Seriously?! Had to wear a Hooters outfit going through customs in Toronto and wore it proudly (because) I was in the Show, former Boston star Kevin Youkilis wrote before deleting the tweet, adding Way more important topics and problems in the world that need attention.Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling tweeted a photo of himself and teammates sporting cheerleading uniforms , saying, honored to be one of the last players ever to be dressed up as a woman.Cody Ponce, taken by Milwaukee with the 55th overall draft pick in 2015, tweeted: I looked forward to the whole dressing up as a rookie in the MLB! I never saw it as hazing, just some fun!MLB executives were concerned about photos of rookie dress-ups that appear on social media and might offend some fans and business partners.The world has gotten 2 damn sensitive! This has been a time honored tradition, tweeted Aubrey Huff, a major leaguer from 2000-12 who liked to show off his lucky red rally thong. The world is full of sensitive snowflakes.Vernon Wells, a three-time All-Star during a career that spanned 1999-2013, wondered what was next.BREAKING NEWS: Fans are no longer allowed to heckle players because it hurts their feelings, he tweeted.Many outside the sport thought it was about time baseball comported with the norms of other industries.By banning the hazing of rookies by having them dress in feminine presenting clothing, MLB draws closer to minimizing and hopefully ending discrimination and harassment based on gender identity and expression, wrote Hudson Taylor, founder and executive director of AthleteAlly, an advocacy group that describes itself as a straight ally that stands in solidarity with the LGBT community.Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich views costumes as distinct from hazing that involves violence.If were getting so P.C. either as an industry or as a society that we cant make fun of ourselves at times, that would be, I think, harmful to the game in a certain way, he said.Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, a veteran of Dartmouth, Harvard Law School and the Marines, said he had not heard any complaints but still had some concerns.Ive seen it in the military and, for all the camaraderie its supposed to promote, its divisive and I think undercuts morale and so youve got to be very careful about that, he said. Is it constructive? Is it useful? Is it juvenile? Its probably juvenile. Its probably not useful or constructive in too many ways.Superheroes such as Batman and Spider-Man are still allowed, but Wonder Woman, Hooters Girls, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, the U.S. Olympic womens gymnastics team, ballet tutus and Lady Gaga are now banned.Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard described teammate Curtis Granderson as the ringleader when the rookie right-hander dressed as the title character from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe at Cincinnati in 2015.Its not really embarrassing for us, Syndergaard said. It was a fun time. Its part of it. Just got to embrace it.---McCauley reported from Oakland, California.AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report. Paul George Shoes Deals . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. 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Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. PITTSBURGH -- Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi watched his team let Navys meticulously executed option offense have its way in a lopsided loss in the Military Bowl last December and knew something needed to be done.So the coach who stresses taking it one week at a time did something a little different during fall camp. He looked ahead. To be more specific, he looked ahead to Georgia Tech, who will bring a scheme the Midshipmen used to roll up 417 yards rushing to Heinz Field on Saturday.Narduzzi called the cram sessions Panther Periods.We need to stop the run, Narduzzi said. Whether its a spread offense or a triple offense, we need to make the plays necessary to stop them. We looked at it during the summer just so we could get our kids further along.Pitt (3-2, 0-1 ACC) will get a chance to see if the extra studying pays off on Saturday when the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2) visit Heinz Field.They a have lot of magic done behind the line, a lot of stuff youve got to look at, Pitt linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu said. You need to have honest eyes.The Panthers edge Georgia Tech on a late field goal last season and figures to be in another tight one this time around. Each of Pitts past four games have been decided in the last 2 minutes, including a late 13-point outburst in the final 1:04 to put away Marshall last Saturday.That hasnt been the case for the Yellow Jackets, who are coming off consecutive home losses to No. 2 Clemson and No. 10 Miami, games in which they never led. Any chance of upsetting the Hurricanes evaporated when Miami returned a pair of second-quarter fumbles by Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas for touchdowns in the second quarter. Thomas knows those miscues need to stop immediately.Weve just got to stay consistent, quarterback Justin Thomas said. It will come but right now its just in spurts. We do something good a few drives and come back and we start going backward.TOUGH GRIND FOR YELLOW JACKETS OFFENSE: Each of Georgia Techs first three ACC opponents -- Boston College (1), Clemson (12) and Miami (7) -- rank among the top 12 nationally in total defense. Thats not the case with Pitt which is No. 72, allowing 406.6 yards per game. Those numbers are a bit skewed, however, and not necessarily in Georgia Techs favor. The PPanthers have struggled against the pass but are fourth in the country against the run, allowing 69.dddddddddddd8 yards per game.The Yellow Jackets struggled to a 17-14 win over Boston College in Dublin and were shut down in a 26-7 loss to Clemson. Their 124 total yards against Clemson were a low mark for the spread-option offense in nine years under Johnson.Johnson took a more hands-on approach in practice last week and Georgia Tech rebounded with 361 yards, including 267 yards rushing, in last weeks 35-21 loss to Miami.WHITHER WHITHEAD?: Pitt sophomore safety Jordan Whitehead dressed but did not play against Marshall, the 2015 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year watching from the sideline as the Panthers pulled away late to seal the victory. Narduzzi initially declined to get into Whiteheads status but earlier this week described Whiteheads absence on the field due to reasons personal in nature. Whitehead is second on the team in tackles and has rushed for 63 yards while moonlighting occasionally on offense. Narduzzi anticipates Whitehead returning to the lineup Saturday.BEEN HERE, DONE THAT: Georgia Tech also was coming off two straight losses to Duke and North Carolina in 2014 when it turned its season around with a 56-28 win at Pitt. That team finished 11-3, played in the ACC championship game and won the Orange Bowl.A lot of people were about to give up the ship and jump off and we ended up winning 11 games and the Orange Bowl, Johnson said. Theres still a lot of football to be played. Youve just got to take it one game at a time and play. Id like for us to be playing better than we are playing but who knows? Maybe this is the week.PASS HAPPY? Against Marshall the Panthers threw for more yards than they ran for, the first time thats happened this season. It was a welcome jolt for quarterback Nate Peterman and wide receiver Jester Weah, who connected on the game-sealing 54-yard touchdown with 64 seconds left.I feel my confidence is right up through the roof, Weah said. I feel like when Im on the field I can do whatever I want.---AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report. ' ' '