ST. LOUIS -- Before hiring Gregg Williams as his defensive co-ordinator for the second time, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher cleared it with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Williams was part of Fishers first staff with the Rams in 2012, but only for a few weeks before getting suspended for his role in the Saints bounty scandal. After a news conference to introduce Williams Thursday, Fisher said hed been in contact with Goodell throughout the process two years ago and "I wanted to inform him about the direction I was thinking about going." "He was very excited, and he endorsed it." Before signing Williams, Fisher said the two spent a few days revisiting the 2012 experience. The suspension left the Rams in a bind and they went without a co-ordinator in 12. Fisher said then that the suspension was "warranted" and asked if hed consider Williams in the future said hed "cross that bridge when we come to it." After the 2012 season he fired Williams son, defensive line coach Blake Williams. During his suspension, Williams had no contact with the Rams but said he attended all of the home games. He was a defensive assistant last year at Tennessee and called it a "good stop." "His handprint was all over the Tennessee defence, it was obvious that hed gone in there and had a significant impact," Fisher said. "Id say 60-70 per cent of our terminology is his. I just really felt strongly about just pulling together." Fisher initiated contact a few weeks after the season ended, and believes hed surprised Williams. He made room by firing Tim Walton after one season, telling Walton hed done nothing wrong but that Williams had been his first choice. The 55-year-old Williams was defensive co-ordinator under Fisher with the Titans from 1997-2000. "Things are in perspective, things are behind him, his past is his past," Fisher said. "The arrows going up with the defence and I just felt like Gregg was the person to make sure that happens." Williams shed no light on the discussions, saying "Those are things that are between Jeff and I." He deflected a question about how hes changed as a coach since his suspension, saying every coach must adjust, but thought the familiarity would make this a good fit. "Its fun to be back with people who think and believe the same way you are," Williams said. "So now you get a chance to spend more time with the players, because youre spending less time having to sell or defend yourself with your staff before you ever get with the players." Fisher said the hire got a big thumbs-up from players, adding "my phone was blowing up." Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, who was at Rams Park for a workout, anticipates a more aggressive approach. The Rams have one of the NFLs top pass rushes but enter free agency and the draft needy in the secondary. "Win or lose, I want to know that were going to go down swinging," Laurinaitis said. "Everyone Ive known that has played for him just absolutely loves the guy." Williams, who grew up in Missouri, said he hoped this was his last coaching stop. Williams scoffed at a claim from a player who said the coach bragged about using a stolen playbook to help Tennessee beat Jacksonville in the 1999 AFC championship game. Williams called the allegation by former Jaguars defensive end Renaldo Wynn "a joke" and added he had every teams playbook. "Every time a free agent walks in a building, he gives you the playbook," Williams said. "We all have everybodys playbook. When you turn the film on, do you have their playbook? "How much traction did Omaha get when Peyton (Manning) said Omaha 46 times one game on TV? Whats that mean? It doesnt mean anything." Williams said hes watched all of the Rams games from last season but declined to discuss specific needs. Fisher wants his new co-ordinator to concentrate on improving a defence that was ranked 15th overall. "I told Gregg this time around hes going to be the mad scientist," Fisher said. "Hes not going to do a lot of player evaluations, Im not going to take up his time evaluating unrestricted free agents and getting ready for the draft. "I want him to take this defence and run with it." Jay Novacek Youth Jersey . On Sunday, hell attempt to become the youngest driver to win a NASCAR Nationwide race on Iowas short track. The 20-year-old Blaney wont be the only kid pushing a podium finish. Dallas Cowboys Jerseys . - Gary Kubiak is John Elways No. http://www.shoptheofficialcowboys.com/El...Cowboys-Jersey/. Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring. Tony Dorsett Jersey . Join World Soccer Pickem 2014 for your chance to win $5,500 in cash prizes by picking the winner of each game all the way through to the tournament final. Will you ride a favourite such as Spain or Germany, or cast your lot with an underdog like Ivory Coast or Mexico? Perhaps key victories from Netherlands or the United States will be your key to victory. Randy White Cowboys Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario.DENVER -- Frank Morales didnt try to paint corners or make perfect pitches. Instead, his strategy was relatively simple: Just pitch the ball and see what happens. In this instance, a lot of good things. Morales was masterful on the mound as he outdueled Madison Bumgarner, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. "Frankies a tough competitor," manager Walt Weiss said. "He was absolutely huge tonight." Morales (2-1) knew it was his night when he unleashed his first sinker and it danced all over the place. He decided right then and there that he wasnt going to be too fine with his splitter or his cutter or even his sinker, just let the pitch do what it naturally does. The hard-throwing lefty allowed five hits over seven innings, which matches the longest outing of his career. His only mistake was a hanging slider to Hunter Pence in the fifth, which he hit for a homer. "I wanted to make sure the hitter is uncomfortable with my pitches," Morales said. Bumgarner (2-2) was nearly as effective as Morales, his only slipups on fastballs to Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado, whos solo shot in the fifth put the Rockies ahead for good. Bumgarner allowed nine hits in eight innings. It was the first complete game by a Giants starter in 2014 and third of Bumgarners career. "Im not frustrated for myself. We should be winning all these games right now, but just going through a rough patch," said Bumgarner, whose team has dropped five of six. "Its just about getting out of it as quick as you can." Morales hasnt fared all that well against San Francisco in his career, entering the game with a 0-3 mark and a 6.57 ERA. But he handcuffed the Giants most of the game. He worked his way into a jam in his seventh and final inning when he allowed a two-out double to his counterpart, Bumgarner. Morales struck out Angel Pagan with a sinking cutter -- his 99th pitch of the night -- to end the threat. Morales pumped his fist and let out a scream before heading toward the dugout. "All game I was throwing only fastballs away to (Pagan)," Morales explained. "I was like, OK, its time to throw my cutter down and in. Hes not looking for that pitch." No, he wasnt. PPagan wasnt the only Giant guessing at Morales assortment of pitches.dddddddddddd "Morales, hes just got good stuff," said Pence, who hit his second homer of the season. "A lot of life on his fastball." Things got a little shaky for Colorado in the eighth, when the Giants had runners on first and second with one out. Rex Brothers was summoned and enticed Pablo Sandoval to hit into a double play to quell the rally. Same thing with the ninth, when LaTroy Hawkins took over after Brothers got the first out of the inning. Hawkins walked pinch hitter Brandon Crawford and allowed a single to Gregor Blanco, who was also pinch hitting. Hector Sanchez, the third straight pinch hitter, struck out and Pagan bounced out to short to end the comeback bid. Arenado hit a solo shot into the seats in left to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games. Hes hitting .365 during the streak, with two homers and six RBIs. Tulowitzki flashed his fielding skills in the top of the fourth and hitting proficiency in the bottom half. With runners at first and second and one out, the smooth-fielding shortstop dove in the hole to snare Joaquin Arias grounder, quickly getting up and throwing to second for a force out. That prevented a potential run from scoring. Tulowitzki then caught Ehire Adrianzas shallow fly to left to get the Rockies out of the sticky situation. Leading off in the bottom of the frame, Tulowitzki homered to left-centre. It was his third homer of the season. Mixing a 93-mph fastball with a late-moving cutter, Bumgarner kept the Rockies off balance most of the night in a hard-luck loss. "Bum pitched great. He did a real nice job," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Complete game, two runs in this ballpark. Thats a nice effort." NOTES: Adrianza wore jersey No. 6 instead of No. 53. ... The last Giants starter to throw a complete game in a loss was Barry Zito on June 18, 2010, at Toronto. ... RHP Matt Cain (0-3) searches for his first win of the season in the series finale Wednesday. The Rockies will throw RHP Tyler Chatwood (1-0). ... The Rockies have won five of six. ... The previous time Morales pitched seven innings was June 28, 2012, at Seattle when he was with Boston. ' ' '