The Original Game » as only been on campus for just more th

A day before Louisville opened fall camp, receiver Reggie Bonnafon was flipping through his Twitter account ?killing some time, when he came across a video of his quarterback, Lamar Jackson, mugging for the camera at the end of the student centers basketball court. Vapormax Ireland Sale . Jackson palms a basketball then heaves it the length of the court, a high arc sailing over the hardwood and landing right on target, swishing through the net.Bonnafon shook his head. This is actually one of Jacksons more practiced tricks, but its still stunning to see the ease with which he unleashes his talent.Its like, man, hes ridiculous, Bonnafon said. But nothing really surprises us at this point.Jackson has only been on campus for just more than a year, but his mythology has already grown so vast that no story of his athletic prowess seems unbelievable.In May 2015, before hed even gotten to Louisville, he posted a high school highlight reel on Twitter with the caption, Louisville takeover, I promise accompanied the hashtag #Humble. Four months later, hed won the Cardinals starting QB job over three more experienced competitors. By years end, he was one of the hottest names in college football, torching Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl, a game he now refers to as his Kodak moment.Theres the story of Jackson bumping into Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo on campus just a few days into summer session last year. Jackson was returning to his dorm with some teammates when he caught Rondos attention. The NBA star challenged the Louisville then-freshman to a foot race. Jackson had just come from a weightlifting session, and he wasnt sure he was up to it.You scared? Rondo prodded.Thats all it took. Jackson grinned, took his spot at the starting line, then left Rondo in the dust.Or theres the legend of how Jackson won his starting job at Boynton Beach High School. Hed transferred in from a small school nearby after his freshman year, and his grades were too low to play immediately. Still, he walked into coach Rick Swains office and announced, Im going to be your starting quarterback.Swain had heard raves from other players about Jacksons talent, but he wasnt convinced the kid was for real.I thought, either this kids got a lot of moxie, Swain said, or hes full of crap.The next semester, Jackson had earned straight As to revive his eligibility, and during a 7-on-7 game that spring, Jackson was so impressive that Swain revamped his offense from a Wing-T to a pistol to allow his new QB to showcase his skill set.Ive coached a lot of players that have gone on to play in the NFL, Swain said, but this kid has some intangible thing that not many people have.So when Louisville coach Bobby Petrino sat at ACC media days last month and suggested the Cardinals were a real threat to win the national championship in 2016, it didnt seem like such a lofty goal. Hes got Jackson on his side, and from there, anythings possible.Theres another video that made rounds on social media shortly after Jacksons first start for the Cardinals. In it, Jackson launches a football from the goal line on the far side of his high school football field. The ball soars high, gets lost briefly in the stadium lights, then emerges on the other side, dropping into the hands of a waiting receiver on the opposite goal line.Nevermind all the clicks that video earned. Somehow questions remain about Jacksons arm and his ability to win football games from inside the pocket.Petrino understands the concerns. He had them, too.We knew how good an athlete he was, Petrino said of Jacksons recruitment. The question was always whether he could throw and be a quarterback.It took just two practices for Petrino to be convinced hed found his QB. After a week of camp last year, Petrino decided Jackson would play as a freshman, and by halftime of Louisvilles opener against Auburn, Jackson had won the starting job.Still, one small problem remained.I know I can make any pass, Jackson said, but I didnt know anything [about the playbook].Instead, Jackson improvised.Behind a porous offensive line, Jackson zigged and zagged his way out of trouble, accelerating past linebackers and defensive backs with ease. By years end, hed racked up 1,143 rushing yards (excluding sacks), the fourth-most of any quarterback in the country. In the season finale against Texas A&M, he ran 22 times for 226 yards and two touchdowns.That was the easy part, Petrino said. This spring was about harnessing that big arm and putting the brakes on Jacksons legs.In 2015, Louisvilles spring scrimmages were open season on the quarterbacks, who werent given non-contact jerseys in order for the staff to get a better feel for eachs ability to scramble. This year, Petrino went the opposite direction. He refused to let Jackson leave the pocket.Hed run, Id blow the whistle, and hed get mad at me, Petrino said. Hed say, But coach, I couldve scored. But he needed to throw.As spring progressed, there were fewer debates. Jacksons eyes stayed up, his feet stayed quiet, and the offense exploded.It was Lamar Jackson 2.0, an upgraded edition of an already impressive piece of machinery. In the Cardinals spring game, Jackson completed 24 of 29 passes for 519 yards with eight touchdowns and no picks. He played just one series into the second half of the game.A lot of people dont think I can throw at all, Jackson said, so Ive got to show everyone.Jackson sat perched at a table surrounded by media at the ACCs annual kickoff event last month when one reporter flipped over the notepad Louisville had handed out earlier in the day. On the front was an action shot of Jackson, a sophomore with just eight career starts under his belt, now the face of the program.Thats pretty cool, Jackson said. Ive got to get one of those for my mom.The crowd laughed and Jackson beamed. The coronation seemed inevitable. By days end, the platitudes about Jacksons poise and confidence and maturity had devoured social media platforms. But the funny thing is, that might be the one place Jackson doesnt feel comfortable.I was uptight and nervous, he said of doing interviews last season. I didnt want to make a mistake.Jackson insists he doesnt even watch TV, so he has no idea what type of hype or criticism has been aimed his way, so the questions and the cameras mark the only time all the attention on him actually comes into focus.Yet here he was, cracking jokes and telling stories and interchanging boastful predictions with disarming charm.My feeling was hes going to be a big part of our program, and he needed to go learn how to enjoy it, Petrino said of bringing Jackson to ACC Kickoff. Hes a guy who likes life. He always has a smile on his face. Everyone got to see his personality and understand how special a young man he is.A reporter asked him if he was ever concerned he wouldnt fit in Petrinos offense.Nah, Jackson said. Im coachable.Another asked what he learned in last years loss 41-21 to Florida State.That we need to score more points, Jackson said.When pressed on his recruitment -- a late affair that didnt hit high gear until his senior campaign -- Jackson shrugged off the coaches who might have doubted him back then.High school is a small stage, he said. Im on the big stage now.One question after another, he responded with brevity and optimism. And this was Jackson in his least comfortable surroundings.Of course, thats not to say Jackson cant be flustered. When he screws up during practice, hes apoplectic. Its an issue Coach Swain struggled with during Jacksons prep career, and Nick Petrino, Louisvilles QB coach, has worked to address it this offseason, too. Swain once pointedly asked Jackson why he was so hard on himself. Jackson was unsurprisingly succinct in response: Im not supposed to make mistakes, he said.Perhaps that is Jacksons only true kryptonite this season. The expectations are so high, not just from outside the program, but from inside Jacksons own mind. Hes heading a team that is picked third in its own division, but Louisville fans believe Jackson can even the playing field with heavyweights Florida State and Clemson. His teammates spent the offseason building that hype machine, telling anyone who would listen about the huge strides Jackson made as a passer and how prolific this offense could be. And Jackson, too, hasnt shied from the bluster.This year, he said, when asked about his understanding of the playbook, its going to be easy.The bar is set high, but thats where Jackson likes it.Swain remembers pulling his prized protégé aside after practice one day at Boynton Beach. Swain had once considered law school, he told Jackson, but he loved football too much to give it up. He went into coaching instead, embarking on a hall-of-fame career. His one regret, he said, is that he didnt have the raw talent that Jackson possessed.If Id had that, Swain said, youd never be able to chase the records Id have set.Jackson grinned at his coach and shook his head.I dont know, coach, he retorted. I like doing things like that. Cheap Vapormax Wholesale . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Vapormax Ireland . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. http://www.cheapvapormaxireland.com/ . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. BERLIN -- With Uli Hoeness back in charge again, Bayern Munich bounced back from two straight defeats to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at home and keep pace with Bundesliga leader Leipzig on Saturday.Hoeness, who returned as president the night before, watched as Thiago Alcantara and Mats Hummels scored to ease the pressure on coach Carlo Ancelotti with the sides first win in four games across all competitions.There are moments in the season when its more important to win than play well, Ancelotti said. Were going to improve.Leverkusen made the better start with Admir Mehmedi and Hakan Calhanoglu both going close before Joshua Kimmich headed straight at Bernd Leno at the other end.Alcantara was well-placed to head the opener from close range in the 30th minute after Leno saved Philipp Lahms initial effort.But Calhanoglu equalized five minutes later after eluding Lahm and playing a quick one-two with Julian Brandt to score from a narrow angle.Poor defending allowed Hummels to restore Bayerns lead with a header to Kimmichs corner early in the second half. It was the Germany defenders first league goal for Bayern.Javi Martinez used his hand to deny Kevin Volland an equalizer late on but the incident was missed by the match officials and Bayern held on to stay three points behind surprise leader Leipzig.Its difficult to see for the referee and Martinez was very clever, Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt said.Before the game, Hoeness apologized for calling Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund enemies at his election the night before.In football there are no enemies, only opponents or rivals, said Hoeness, who returned after serving half his prison term for tax evasion.EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 2, BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1It was supposed to be Dortmund pressuring the leaders after defeating Bayern the weekend before -- and following up with an 8-4 demolition of Legia Warsaw in the Champions League -- but the visitor slumped to its third defeat and remain nine points behind Leipzig.Unheralded Frankfurt replaced Dortmund in third place.Timothy Chandler crossed for Szabolcs Huszti to put the home side ahead right after the break.Frankfurt was runnning more, and Dortmund was struggling. 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Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel reacted with three substitutions at once before the hour mark, sending on Marco Reus, Sebastian Rode and Ousmane Dembele.Dembele crossed for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalize in the 77th, only for Huszti to set up Haris Seferovic at the other end just over a minute later.Dembele summed up Dortmunds afternoon when he struck the crossbar in injury time, when a penalty appeal added to the visitors frustration.HAMBURG 2, WERDER BREMEN 2Neither Hamburg, bottom after 12 games without a win, nor Bremen, only four points better off, would be happy after sharing the points in the northern derby.Michael Gregoritsch headed the home side into a flying start in the third minute but Fin Bartels equalized for Bremen inside the first quarter-hour.However, the visitors were defending like a relegation-threatened team and Nicolai Mueller set up Gregoritsch to score his second inside the half-hour mark.Hamburgs defense looked even worse when Serge Gnabry equalized before the break.BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH 1, HOFFENHEIM 1Moenchengladbachs patchy form continued after letting a lead slip against unbeaten Hoffenheim, which is level on points with fourth-place Cologne.Mahmoud Dahoud scored midway through the first half to give `Gladbach a boost after five straight games without a win across all competitions.Yann Sommer produced a great save before the break to deny Eugen Polanski the equalizer against his former side, but couldnt prevent Nadiem Amiri from scoring after the break.INGOLSTADT 1, WOLFSBURG 1Wolfsburg rode its luck early against Ingolstadt, with Moritz Hartmann hitting the post and then having a penalty saved by Diego Benaglio.The home side deservedly went ahead through Anthony Jung.Ingolstadt had nine efforts at goal compared to none from Wolfsburg in the first half, but the visitors improved after the break and Daniel Caligiuri grabbed a late equalizer.Cologne was held to a scoreless draw at home by Augsburg. 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