because theres a whole lot of younger guys that could do the job. So I was thrilled. When you think about being able to be

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Hes baaack.And minus a surprise setback Sunday against Buffalo, its almost like Tom Brady never left.Despite being without their franchise centerpiece for the past month while he served his four-game Deflategate suspension, the New England Patriots welcome Brady back on Monday 3-1 after a 16-0 loss to the Bills.When Brady returns to the Patriots facilities, it will put an official stamp on the 21-month odyssey that has hovered over the franchise since an NFL investigation concluded the Patriots intentionally underinflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game on Jan. 18, 2015.A federal judge initially overturned the suspension, allowing Brady to play last season, but an appeals court reinstated it this spring. Prior to training camp in July, Brady announced he would end his legal challenges and accept the leagues punishment.The NFL won that fight, but with a nearly unblemished start to 2016, the Patriots have barely missed a beat.Thats not to say they havent had their trials. New England won games it wasnt expected to and watched the balance of the AFC East struggle to keep up. It did it all with a roster that has had its issues with health at key positions.As much as the team has rallied behind Brady understudies Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett the past month, there is also no denying the eagerness in the Patriots locker room to see No. 12 back in uniform.Its going to be great, receiver Julian Edelman said. Its one of your best players on the team. A guy that leads us. ... Anytime one of your best players isnt there, theres something missing.The wait is now over.A recap of the Patriots month without Brady:---THE REPLACEMENTS: Neither Garoppolo nor Brissett had made an NFL regular-season start prior to this season. Garoppolo made his debut a memorable one , throwing for 264 yards and a touchdown in New Englands 23-21 road win over the Arizona Cardinals.Garoppolo was having an even better outing against the Miami Dolphins at home the following week, throwing three touchdown passes, before being knocked out of the game in the second quarter after having his right shoulder slammed into the turf. Brissett took over and helped the Patriots hold on for a 31-24 win .With Garoppolos shoulder still sore, Brissett ran for a touchdown the following week in his first career start in a 27-0 win over the Houston Texans. He tweaked his right thumb in the second half but recovered enough to start Sunday against the Bills, which ended in his first career loss.GRONKS SLOW START: Rob Gronkowski hasnt been himself since suffering a hamstring injury late during training camp. He missed the first two games of the season and has played sparingly since. But he finally broke through with his first reception of the season late in Sundays loss. He, too, is looking forward to having Bradys presence back in the huddle. I mean, I dont even have to answer that, Gronkowski said when asked about Bradys impact. Youve got to give hats off to Jacoby going out there. Much respect to him going out there and doing what he did (Sunday) as a rookie, so hats off to our quarterbacks. They did a tremendous job the first four weeks and obviously its exciting to get Tom back.INJURIES: Along with the quarterbacks and Gronk, the Patriots continue to deal with a handful of injuries at key positions. Linebacker Donta Hightower has been slowed by a knee issue, and guard Jonathan Cooper has yet to play because of a foot issue.NINKOVICH RETURNS: Brady isnt the only player the Patriots get back Monday. Defensive end Rob Ninkovich also returns after he received a four-game ban for violating the NFLs policy on performance enhancing substances. But there is still a question of how healthy he is after suffering a triceps injury that sidelined him early during training camp.BLOUNT TO THE RESCUE: Running back LeGarrette Blount was a saving grace for New Englands offense with Brady out. Through three games, he was leading the NFL in rushing with a 99.3 yards per game average. His efforts earned him the AFCs offensive player of the month award for September. He finished with just 54 yards against Buffalo, but should help take the early pressure off Brady as he eases back in.UP NEXT: Bradys first taste of the 2016 regular season will be at Cleveland on Sunday. He returns to Gillette Stadium on Oct. 16 when the Patriots host the Bengals.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower Discount Air Jordan 11 . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Free Shipping .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. http://www.wholesaleairjordan11.com/ . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 Cheap . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. LAS VEGAS -- Gregg Popovich is probably never going to get over basketball without Tim Duncan.Theres a big hole in my belly, Popovich said of Duncan, the future Hall of Famer he coached for his entire 19-year career in San Antonio, who retired last week.I think about the culture and his humor. Ive been used to that for 20 years and now its gone. I have to find that in some other way, some other power, some other player. I have to do something. But life goes on for all of us.This week, life without Duncan begins in earnest as Popovich coaches the Select Team at USA Basketballs training camp in Las Vegas. Its a way to get to know some of the players hell likely be coaching when he succeeds Mike Krzyzewski as head coach of Team USA after these Summer Olympics. But its also become an exciting challenge in the august of Popovichs own Hall of Fame career.It was always believed Popovich, 67, would retire at the same time Duncan walked away. Now hes committed to coaching the San Antonio Spurs and Team USA for at least the next four years.You know what happened? I just got roped in, Popovich joked. I had to keep making promises. Manu [Ginobili] was going to sign a few years back and he was like, Are you going to be here? Tony [Parker], then Kawhi [Leonard]. Then when we were recruiting LaMarcus [Aldridge], he was like, Are you going to be here? it just goes on and on. So I guess I can never stop, I can never retire.Theres gotta be some time when were trying to sign a free agent and he goes, Pop, are you going to be here? and I say, Nope, Im leaving next week.While letting go of Duncan last week was incredibly emotional, Popovich said its been good for him to work with the younger team at this camp.Its really fun. When you look at the group, its almost like men and boys, he said. I look at the Olympic team and then I look at the Select Team, and theyre so young and thin, their faces look like theyre little kidss.dddddddddddd I think about that, but then I think 10 of the 12 Olympians went through that program. Its a pipeline, its a culture. These guys will be the same thing.Krzyzewski compared the succession process with himself and Popovich to platoon leaders succeeding each other in the military.The fact that were both military guys we understand that I have the unit right now and hes going to take command of the unit and we both want the unit to do well, said Krzyzewski, who coached at West Point and served as a field artillery liaison in South Korea. We understand that. Weve been good friends but this has been great for me and I think for him too; just for us to bond even more.Popovich played basketball at the Air Force Academy, served five years of active duty and returned as an assistant coach for the Air Force Academy.Two academy guys following each other, Popovich said. I dont think its a requirement for the job by any means. But it worked out that way.Im totally surprised and shocked when Jerry Colangelo called me because theres a whole lot of younger guys that could do the job. So I was thrilled. When you think about being able to be with these guys and represent your country, you say yes. You dont say, Ill think about it, Ill get back to you. You say yes.In some ways, Im scared to death. I gotta fill some pretty big shoes. This program has been pretty great for a decade after it was a debacle before. I feel that. Id be lying if I didnt say I feel that pressure. Im going to bust my butt and get it right. Im going to squeeze all the information I can out of Coach K and Jerry [Colangelo] and everybody who has been here. Thank heavens Jerrys still going to be with the program. Im sure Coach K will too. So Im in good shape that way. I have all kinds of people I can lean on. ' ' '