RENTON, Wash. -- Richard Sherman finally got his moment of being a top pick. He stood on the stage with spotlights beaming directly on his bow tie. With the coach on one side and general manager on the other, Sherman held up a Seattle Seahawks jersey with his named across the back. When Sherman entered the NFL as a fifth-rounder, there was no fanfare. That all came on Wednesday as Sherman became the latest piece of the Super Bowl champions to be locked up for the long term. "I guess this is how it feels to be a first rounder," Sherman said after signing a four-year contract extension with the Seahawks that will make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history. Much in the tenor of doing things the way he wants, Sherman unveiled the extension on his website before the team could make the announcement. The two-time, first-team All-Pro selection wrote the deal will pay him $57.4 million with $40 million guaranteed and will keep him in a Seahawks uniform through the 2018 season. The deal includes a reported $11 million signing bonus. Its a massive deal for a player who earned $375,000 in base salary as a rookie in 2011. But Sherman insisted the money will not change the approach or attitude that has made him one of the top defensive players in football and a magnet for attention. "Im still the guy scrapping for a spot. You never lose that mentality. You can take a ragged dog that has been living on the streets for 10 years and put him in a brand new house with steak and lobster every night and hes still the ragged dog that you got off the streets," Sherman said. "So Im still the ragged dog off the street. That mentality isnt something that I can change I dont think. Even I wanted to, I cant do it, Its not a switch that I have." Shermans deal wraps up a solid off-season for the Seahawks prior to the NFL draft. Seattle re-signed defensive end Michael Bennett before the start of free agency. They then reached extensions with coach Pete Carroll through 2016 and a four-year, $40 million extension with All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas. "Id like to thank Paul Allen for anteing up," Sherman said. Sherman said it was important to get the extension done before the start of the 2014 season and take any lingering doubt about his future out of the equation. He made a point of thanking nearly everyone on the Seahawks defence during his opening remarks. Sherman wanted to spend his career playing alongside Thomas and Kam Chancellor as part of a secondary that has developed into the best in the league. Sherman and Thomas will be under contract through 2018 and Chancellor is under contract through 2017. "It was headed in the right direction for several weeks," Seattle general manager John Schneider said. "I thought it was time to get it tied up and let everybody move forward." Despite the pedigree of being a fifth-round pick, the one thing Sherman has never lacked is bravado. Whether it was getting in the face of Tom Brady after a win in 2012, off-season social media arguments with other players or his comments about Michael Crabtree after the NFC championship game, Sherman has never hidden the swagger. "The thing I struggle with Richard on is his confidence level," Schneider joked. Displaying his self-confidence has made Sherman a target for criticism. It was never louder than the gap between the NFC championship and Super Bowl when Shermans shouting postgame rant on national television overshadowed the play he made to clinch the conference title against rival San Francisco. But all those moments have made Sherman known outside of football and his consecutive seasons with eight interceptions. Its why he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine and invited to the White House Correspondents dinner last weekend. "Its a great statement about a young man that demonstrated an extraordinary belief in himself and dedication to be a nerd in high school way back in his Dominguez (High School) days when he was a track star and a football player," Carroll said. "He was always in the classroom working on his stuff. He had a real vision on what he could become way back then and see it come all the way through to this day today, it is a new beginning for Richard and his career with all that goes along that makes this guy up. Hes really special." Blank Belgium Jersey . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. Belgium Blank Jersey . Watch all the action unfold live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. You can also watch the game live with the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey on TSN.ca and chat throughout the game with TSN. http://www.belgiumsoccerauthority.com/de...belgium-jersey/. - The Oakland Athletics say they are stopping negotiations to extend their lease at the Coliseum. Jan Vertonghen Jersey . His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. Dries Mertens Jersey . The (14-15-5) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 33 points. They trail sixth place Nashville and fifth place Dallas by two points.NEW YORK, N.Y. - An arbitrator Friday threw out Ray Rices indefinite suspension by the NFL for hitting his then-fiancee and now wife in a hotel elevator, freeing him to play again.The NFL said Rice, a free agent, is eligible to play upon signing a new contract. Whether any team will consider signing him is another matter.Former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones said Commissioner Roger Goodells decision in September to change Rices original suspension from two games to indefinite was arbitrary and an abuse of discretion.Jones was deciding whether the NFL overstepped its authority in modifying Rices two-game suspension after video of the Baltimore Ravens running back punching Janay became public.Rice was released by the Ravens when the video went public. Rice and the union contended he was essentially sentenced twice, and Jones agreed, saying Rice did not lie to or mislead the NFL.She noted in her decision that after Goodell increased the punishment for a first offence under the personal conduct policy from two to six games, the commissioner called Rice to assure him that the new policy would not affect him — that it was forward-looking and his penalty would not be increased.The punishment changed, though, after the video was released.In her decision, Jones also wrote:Because Rice did not mislead the commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the commissioner could base his increased suspension, I find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary. I therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on Rice.The provisions of the first discipline — those regarding making continued use of counselling and other professional services, having no further involvement with law enforcement, and not committing any additional violations of league policies — still stand.The NFL said it accepted the decision.We respect Judge Joness decision to reinstate Ray Rice from his indefinite suspension for violating the leagues personal conduct policy in an incident of domestic violence, spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press.Ray Rice is a free agent and has been eligible to be signed by an NFL team since he was released by the Ravens. Based on Judge Jones decision, he will be eligible to play upon signing a new contract.But Rice has not played all season, and was coming off a weak 2013 season. And there is the immeasurable public relations issues that could accompany any team signing him — this season or in the future.Rice said Friday in a statement released by the players union:I would like to thank Judge BBarbara Jones, the NFL Players Association, my attorneys, agents, advisers, family, friends and fans — but most importantly, my wife Janay.ddddddddddddI made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions. I am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue. I will continue working hard to improve myself and be the best husband, father and friend, while giving back to my community and helping others to learn from my mistakes.Goodell and the Rices testified at the hearing, as did NFL security chief Jeffrey Miller and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome. During his appearance, Goodell told Jones: I do accept that I have to be consistent with consistent circumstances, and ... I think thats about fairness, and fairness would be, you should be as consistent as possible in your discipline.The NFL Players Association claimed a victory for a disciplinary process that is fair and transparent in a statement. The union called again for collective bargaining to produce a new personal conduct policy.To which NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy added:Judge Jones ruling underscores the urgency of our work to develop and implement a clear, fair and comprehensive new personal conduct policy. We expect this policy to be completed and announced in the weeks ahead. Our focus is on consistently enforcing an improved policy going forward.The National Organization for Women again called for Goodells resignation and an independent investigation into the NFLs response to domestic violence incidents.Instead of listening to the multiple domestic violence experts that have approached Goodell throughout his tenure, NOW President Terry ONeill said in a statement, he continues to diminish, evade, and deny the realities of the problem. Instead of working to keep Janay Rice safe, he removed economic security from her and her abuser — a known cause of increasing the risk of domestic homicide.One fan in Baltimore supported Rice, but not Goodell.I dont condone what hes done, but the commissioner was way out of line, said Andrew Offord. Double jeopardy? You cant do that. Public opinion and backlash made the NFL change its mind on the punishment and that was wrong.I think for a team in a desperate situation — not this year, but maybe next year if someone gets injured — Rice might get another shot. But I dont know if the commissioner deserves another shot.___AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP Writer Juliet Linderman contributed to this report.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Stitched Jerseys ' ' '