Allgemein » J. Hunter. The guard from Georgia State was let

PHILADELPHIA -- The subject was Aaron Rodgers, and the two people discussing him not long ago were Tom Brady and another prominent NFL figure. Brady conceded to the man that Rodgers had much more physical talent than he had. Brady assured him -- half-jokingly -- that if Rodgers had the benefit of the New England Patriots system and the Bill Belichick think tank, he would throw for 7,000 yards every year.At the top of his game, leading the Green Bay Packers as assertively as Brady leads the Pats, Rodgers was always a fascinating performer to watch. He had the wheels to break away from defenders and race for a first down, yet he was more of a dancer than a sprinter. He was Baryshnikov in the pocket, making bigger, angrier invaders miss with his beautiful ballet.Only lately Rodgers hasnt been all that easy on the eyes. His team had lost four straight, and the quarterback who told his panicking fans to R-E-L-A-X two years ago had no right making the same plea. The Packers walked into Lincoln Financial Field on Monday night with no running back to speak of, no world-class speed at receiver, and no reason to believe their dreadful defense could stop even an offense as limited as the one being run by Eagles rookie?Carson Wentz.Rodgers was a bit of a problem, too. His season had been defined by relatively bad aim, relatively bad body language and reported fractures in his family relationships. He was playing under a persistent cloud, and he needed a whole lot more than his seemingly desperate boast that his then-4-6 Packers could run the table over their final half-dozen games to escape it.So this is why it was so much fun to watch No. 12 look like No. 12 again, opening Mondays?27-13 victory with two touchdown passes to Davante Adams on his first two drives and punctuating the first with a fist pump and the second with a Tiger Woods uppercut. Did you happen to catch that second one? Its pretty hard to believe Adams happened to catch it in the back of the end zone with Nolan Carroll draped all over him.Rodgers has spent his career throwing balls into what football people like to call tight windows, but this window was all but sealed shut. How many quarterbacks in the history of the game even attempt that 20-yard throw, never mind complete it to a covered receiver who was blinded by the stadium lights?I couldnt see the ball until the last millisecond, Adams said. The receiver would tell Carroll, whose back was to the incoming pass until, well, the last millisecond, The ball just landed in my lap.Rodgers didnt have the pleasure of watching it live, but while on his back he listened for the crowd reaction to tell him the story. It was a small cheer, the quarterback said, so I figured either something good happened or it was incomplete.Something pretty damn good happened if youre a fan of great players doing great things against the odds. The NFL is a better place when Rodgers is Rodgers instead of the shadow of his former self he has been for much of the past two seasons, when he has spent too many games completing fewer than 60 percent of his attempts.He would connect on 30 of 39 passes against the Eagles for 313 yards, and he would run twice for 25 yards and two first downs on an opening drive that suggested it would be a long night for the home team and its own faltering playoff hopes. Rodgers would also play through an injured hamstring in the second half, after ducking into a makeshift tent on the sideline to drop his pants and get the leg taped up.No, the franchise quarterback couldnt let down the franchise by talking about running the table before spending the second half sitting on the training table. His positive attitude has been consistent throughout his time, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. Hes grown as a quarterback since starting in 2008. Hes grown as a person all the way through. ... Hes an excellent leader and always has been. Its something we will build off.Rodgers had actually thrown 12 touchdown passes against three interceptions during Green Bays four-game losing streak that ended Monday night, but his team had lost its past two by a combined 40 points. He needed to do more Monday night -- a lot more -- and he responded by giving the gifted Wentz a snapshot of what a grown-up quarterback looks like.Rodgers talked with the rookie before the game and came away impressed by Wentzs intelligence and athleticism. Eagles fans, Rodgers said, should be excited about the future with Carson.But what about Packers fans? How excited should they be about the near-future with Aaron now that he has talked hopefully about winning the next five games?After he unstrapped his backpack from his shoulders and winced as he stepped up to a news conference podium, Rodgers sounded more relieved by the victory than he did emboldened by it. Its been a rough stretch, he said. Were human. You lose a few in a row and doubt starts to creep in on whether or not you can actually finish one of those games off.Asked how a professional athlete prevents the doubt from consuming him, Rodgers spoke of trusting his preparation and committing to a consistency in approach. Youve got to believe in yourself, he said, and believe in your teammates and not let that doubt or fear of failure cripple you. Youve got to harness it and channel it to the positive, and I think our guys did that this week.Just days after Rodgers talked about turning 4-6 into 10-6, the Packers converted on 10 of 14 third-down chances and played their first complete game of the season. Maybe this is the beginning of something special, maybe not.Either way, Rodgers reminded everyone Monday night that, at 32, he still has some prime-time football to play. If youre a fan of talent, star power and creativity, it was a hell of a show to watch. 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Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade got the ball in the corner, took a dribble to his left and stepped back for the dagger 3-pointer.He made a throat slashing gesture with his right hand after the ball swished through the net and started jumping around as the crowd roared.Wade scored 22 points in a triumphant Chicago debut, Jimmy Butler had 24 and the Bulls won their season opener, beating the Boston Celtics 105-99 on Thursday night.Wade hit the clinching 3 with 26.3 seconds left. Taj Gibson added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the new-look Bulls got off to a winning start after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008.To be able to make a shot like that and helps us get this win, its like the perfect storm, Wade said.Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 25 points. Avery Bradley had 16, and Jae Crowder 14 points, but the Celtics came up short after opening with a win over Brooklyn the previous night.We lost the game in a fashion we didnt want to lose, Crowder said. I feel like we got punked all night.The Bulls remade their roster in the offseason, jettisoning one hometown superstar and welcoming another when they traded Derrick Rose to New York and signed Wade to a two-year deal worth about $47 million in a move that stunned Miami.The three-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star is off to a good start with the Bulls after 13 seasons with the Heat. Wade hit 4 of 6 3-pointers in this game after making just 7 of 44 all of last season.Rajon Rondo, signed by Chicago after a resurgent season with Sacramento, added nine assists. Butler had seven rebounds, and the Bulls pounded the Celtics on the glass 55-36.They showed a scrappiness and edge that was missing last season. They were unselfish, passing the ball around, and hit 11 of 25 3-pointers.I think everybodys having fun out there, Butler said.HANGING ONThe Bulls were leading 95-81 midway through the fourth quarter after newcomer Michael Carter-Williams buried a 3 and a floater and Butler hit a floater of his own.The Celticcs scored 11 straight to get back into it, a driving layup by Thomas cutting it to 95-92.ddddddddddddIt was 101-99 when Bostons Jaylen Brown got called for a travel. Wade then nailed that 3 over Bradley to make it a five-point game with 26.3 seconds left, sealing the win for Chicago.Were learning each other, Wade said. Were learning what we have in those types of moments at the end of ballgames and those types of moments.TEMPERS FLAREButler had some heated words with college teammate Crowder late in the first half.Crowder rebounded a miss by Wade -- another Marquette product -- and charged into Butler, leading to a heated exchange.Rondo also got into it with Isaiah Thomas, and all four players got called for technicals.Jaes my guy, Butler said. Its the heat of the moment. Thats whats supposed to happen.TIP-INSCeltics: Boston coach Brad Stevens said Rondo made a good impression on him during their time together in Boston. I thought he was very bright obviously, he understood the game, he can make passes in small areas that I have never seen before, Stevens said. And I tried to coach him like I would coach anybody else. The only thing I would say that you have to be yourself so I coached him like I would coach anybody else.Rondo was working his way back from a torn ACL in his right knee and played in 30 games during Stevens first season -- 2013-14. He started 22 games the following year for Boston before being dealt to Dallas.Bulls: The Bulls signed former Celtics first-round draft pick R.J. Hunter. The guard from Georgia State was let go by Boston this week in what Stevens called a numbers crunch. We had more than 15 NBA players so it was just a matter of time who he was going to get picked up by, Stevens said. I think the way that he plays fits with how they like to play.UP NEXTCeltics: At Charlotte on Saturday.Bulls: Host Indiana on Saturday. Jerseys NFL China Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys 2020 Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '