INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning still holds Indianapolis in a special place. Even if Denver is opening the season against his former team. Two days after Manning found out his rematch with the Colts would be the first Sunday night game of the NFLs season, the reigning MVP returned to town for a very different reason -- to help host an annual fundraiser for the Peyton Manning Childrens Hospital at St. Vincent. Its the first time Manning has been back since his emotional October homecoming ended with Denvers first loss of the season. "I had a pretty good feeling that game (Colts-Broncos) would be on TV," Manning said as reporters laughed. "Its a tough schedule with three playoff teams (Indy, Kansas City and Seattle) right off the bat and we play the Colts right at the start. Theyre a good team, they were right there at the end and we know theyll be an excellent opponent." Manning expects the Colts to be so good, in fact, that after taking a quick peek at the schedule Thursday, the record-breaking quarterback changed his plans and immediately returned to the weight room. His teammates soon followed. What else are players to do when they see the only five-time MVP in league history going in for another overtime session? For Manning, theres plenty at stake this season. Hes coming off a year in which he proved he was back to his old ways by breaking NFL records for yards passing and TD passes and then won a third AFC title before a devastating blowout loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl. He wasnt even sure hed be back this year until doctors examined his surgically-repaired neck. Now, the 38-year-old Manning says, he intends to keep playing as long as his body allows it and as long as the Broncos want to keep him. But this weekend is one of those rare times Manning pushes football to the back burner. Following Thursdays workouts in Denver, Manning flew to Indianapolis and spent Friday with patients and their families at the hospital that bears his name. On Saturday night, he planned to add to the $7 million-plus total he helped raise over the last six years at the Celebration of Caring Gala. This is the third straight year hes come from Denver to attend the event. "Its one of the best teams that Ive ever been part of," Manning said, referring to the people hes met at the hospital. "Im not sure who are the bigger heroes -- the patients or the staff. Its truly inspiring." Reporters were not allowed inside the FedEx Aircraft Hangar where the event was held because of security reasons, but Manning has traditionally raised money by auctioning off a vast array of autographed items from some of the biggest names in sports and beyond. Two years ago, the prizes included an autographed item from Mother Theresa and a clipping from a contract signed by Marilyn Monroe. Manning became such an ingrained part of the Indianapolis community that its still hard for some Colts fans to accept he plays for Denver. Its not any easier for Manning. Before his first career game against the Colts, Manning interrupted his pregame warm-ups to mouth the words "thank you" after a two-minute video tribute played on the stadiums large video boards. Denver wound up losing 39-33. A couple of weeks ago, Manning and some of his ex-Colts teammates got together for a golf trip and they started texting some of their former teammates who werent there. And when team owner Jim Irsay was arrested last month on suspicion of intoxicated driving and other charges, Manning said he contacted Irsay though he wouldnt elaborate on what the message was. "Thats a private topic," Manning said. "Its very private and very personal." So it wouldnt be surprising if Mannings emotions come rushing back again when he faces Andrew Lucks Colts again on Sept. 7, this time in Denver. And to the surprise of nobody, hes already working on a solution. "Its nice that the schedule comes out during our off-season workouts," he said, "because its a reminder of how hard you have to work to get where you want to go." Michael Hoomanawanui Womens Jersey . On the day Louis van Gaal announced his final 23-man squad for Brazil, the Netherlands coach looked to have picked his strongest side for the match at Feyenoords De Kuip stadium, with the vastly experienced striking partnership of Van Persie and Arjen Robben fed by playmaker Wesley Sneijder. Bobby Hebert Womens Jersey . beat Ryan Blaney off a restart with 21 laps to go and hung on to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Sunday at Iowa Speedway. http://www.jerseysaintsshopofficial.com/black-anthony-spencer-saints-jersey/ . Kekuta Manneh unleashed a 25-yard bomb that even the cat-like Jaime Penedo couldnt catch up to. Jairus Byrd Jersey .I. -- Andrew Bodnarchuk scored 18 seconds into overtime as the Providence Bruins beat the St. Ramon Humber Saints Jersey . In their first significant move of the off-season, the Mets agreed with outfielder Chris Young on a $7. BOSTON -- Boston Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck went onto the court right after the final buzzer sounded to pull aside the game ball for coach Brad Stevens. It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night. Brandon Bass scored 20 points and Jeff Green added 18 to lead Boston to its first win of the season. The game reunited Stevens, the former Butler coach, with Gordon Hayward, the Bulldogs star who took them to the 2010 NCAA championship game against Duke and just missed a shot from inside half court that would have won it. "We exchanged greetings before the game," said Hayward, who had 28 points and nine rebounds. "But being the competitors we are, we both wanted to win the basketball game." Now one of the two remaining winless teams in the NBA this season along with the Denver Nuggets, Utah trailed by 25 points in the third quarter and opened the fourth down 22 before scoring 17 of the next 20 points. Hayward had eight points, five rebounds and three assists in the fourth quarter, but the Jazz never got closer than six points. "Hes a lot better than when I coached him. And he was pretty good when I coached him," Stevens said. "I was there when he was a puppy. ... But I wish he would have backed off a little at the end." The attendance of 17,130 was about 1,500 fans short of a sellout, ending a streak of 289 games dating to the end of the 2006-07 season. That was the last game before the Celtics brought in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce for a New Big 3. The trio helped Boston win the 2008 NBA title and took the Celtics back to the finals two years later. But the team was dismantled this summer when Garnett and Pierce were traded to the Brooklyn Nets and coach Doc Rivers left for the Los Angeles Clippers. Stevens, who guided Butler to consecutive NCAA championship games, took over the Celtics -- his first NBA experience as a coacch or player.dddddddddddd The rebuilding Celtics lost their first four games, including last weeks home opener in which they blew a 22-point lead. But the Celtics held on in Stevens second game in front of the home crowd, thanks largely to a second quarter in which they outscored Utah 27-8 and turned a three-point deficit into a double-digit lead. "Eight points in the second quarter. Eight points in the second quarter," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "Thats where we lost the game right there." Gerald Wallace had nine points and nine rebounds for Boston. Derrick Favours had 10 points and 14 rebounds and Enes Kanter scored 22 points with eight boards for the Jazz, who open a season with five straight losses for the first time since 1974, when they were still in New Orleans. "Its a long year," said Corbin, whose team goes to Chicago and Toronto. "Were in a bad stretch right now, losing five games in a row. Youve got two more tough ones on this road trip and youre still shorthanded. But you know what, nobodys going to feel sorry for us." The Jazz opened a 16-3 lead in the first 5 minutes but Boston scored the next seven points and cut it to 26-23 by the end of the quarter. The Celtics made the first four baskets of the second to take the lead, and they scored 12 consecutive points at the end of the half to take a 16-point lead. "You had two hungry teams that needed a win. We got off to" a fast start, forward Richard Jefferson said. "But we didnt come out in the second quarter." It was 70-45 midway through the third quarter and 84-62 heading into the fourth before the Celtics missed eight of their next nine shots. Kanter made a layup to cut it to 89-83, but Bass made a jumper and Jared Sullinger made a baby hook with 3:16 to play to make it 93-83. NOTES: The Celtics entered the night averaging 21 turnovers per game; they had 15. Utah averaged 19.8 turnovers and committed 22. ... The Celtics avoided starting the season 0-5 for the first time since 1946, when they lost the first five games in franchise history. ... The Jazz played the "old Celtics," also known as the Brooklyn Nets, on Tuesday night and lost 104-88. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
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