ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Kevin Faulk Womens Jersey . -- Peyton Manning flew to New York this spring to pay his respects to Derek Jeter and David Letterman, two much-admired superstars in the middle of their long goodbyes. "Im sad to see some of these guys retiring," the Broncos quarterback said at the time. "Im not far behind." Yet retirement really isnt on Mannings radar as he prepares for his 17th NFL season, his third in Denver. Coming off the best two-year stretch of his career, Manning is keeping tacklers, tedium and time itself at bay. At 38, Manning said hell keep playing as long as hes still productive and loves the game. That passion and productivity were on full display last season when he won his fifth MVP award and set single-season records by passing for 55 touchdowns and more than 5,500 yards. There are no signs of his affection or efficiency ebbing anytime soon, either. "You see it in how he prepares every day," centre Manny Ramirez said. "Were here in the off-season and hes still putting the same amount of focus as he does in-season, preparing, trying to get better every day, trying to pick apart the defences." "I still enjoy the work and preparation," said Manning, who lost wide receiver Eric Decker to the Jets but gained coveted free agent Emmanuel Sanders and prized rookie Cody Latimer. That turnover actually helps keep Manning young at heart, coach John Fox suggested. "Theres so much change in the NFL nowadays that I think that keeps the juices flowing, whether thats getting Emmanuel Sanders up to speed or last year, Wes Welker. Anytime you put a new cog in there, thats an adjustment," Fox said. "I think he takes pride in that and he attacks that. He seems to me to be having a great time." Manning would like to play out his contract, which runs through 2016. Yet, while hes not pondering retirement, he said in an interview with The Associated Press that he has certainly contemplated what it will be like. "Sometimes I sort of kick back and I pause and I think what sorts of things would I miss the most if I wasnt playing," Manning said. The answer hits him like one of those teeth-rattling sacks by Robert Mathis. "Being in the huddle," Manning said. "Thats what I missed most when I was injured, Ill say that. I mean, theres no other type of unity or bond that I think any other job can provide. I know there are meetings, there are video conferences. But that huddle, because of where it takes place: its often on the road, in the middle of the field, in front of 80,000 people, its unique." Its what excites him even at an age when many quarterbacks have retired to the broadcast booth or are hitting the links instead of the weights. "When you dont play football anymore, you can broadcast, you can coach, you can be in management, whatever, but you are not allowed to go into the huddle anymore," Manning said. "That huddle is just for players. You can go into the locker room after the game and you can speak to the team, but I think any retired player would probably tell you they miss the huddle." The way Manning has guided the Broncos to a 28-8 record over the last two years belies how far he had fallen when he was forced to sit out the 2011 season in Indianapolis and even had to look in a mirror to relearn his release point after a series of neck surgeries weakened his throwing arm to the point he could hardly grip, much less throw, a football. Mannings reboot has turned into a blessing. "Yeah, although I have to say, some guys might need a year off to whatever, relight to fire, whatever it may be. I didnt need a year off to remind me of how much I love football," Manning said. "But when you have it, it sure does reinforce what you kind of always thought, that I do love it." Working with play-caller Adam Gase and new teammates has revitalized Manning. "Sometimes it, the monotonous routine, the boredom, that pushes guys out, not the physical part of it," Manning said. "And I have been stimulated the past two years working with Adam and working with different teammates, so it does sort of keep the bounce in you, I think." Manning doesnt view himself so much as a 17-year NFL veteran but as Denvers third-year quarterback. "I really feel because its a new team, post-injury, its kind of a new me. Thats how I have to look at it," Manning said. "Im a different player from before I was injured. Im not saying better, worse, whatever, just a different player. And so what I can compare myself most accurately to is my first season here in Denver and kind of how I am physically and how I am with my teammates and with Adam and so its helped to have now two years to build off that baseline." He no longer feels like a visitor in his own locker room. "And I like going into that huddle," Manning said. "I like the guys that I get to work with. I like lifting weights, working with Wes Welker, doing a set of bench press with Jacob Tamme, I like working with the guys that I play with and I still like learning. I like being challenged by Adam every day to be a better football player. There are a lot of things that I still enjoy about it. "And I look forward to driving over here every day. I think as soon as you go, Golly, I do not want to go over there today, thats when youve got to get out." Stephon Gilmore Youth Jersey . The All Blacks played their best rugby of recent years when they beat South Africa 38-27 in Johannesburg two weeks ago, clinching the Rugby Championships in a match which has been hailed as one of the best ever played. Sony Michel Patriots Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-John-Hannah-Patriots-Jersey/ To listen to the level of discontentment surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs this week, you would have thought the Leafs had fired Randy Carlyle after failing to win a game the entire first half of the season. In fact, the Leafs record on the day they fired Randy Carlyle was 21 wins, 16 losses and three losses in overtime ... good enough to be in position do something Toronto has failed to do in each of the past eight 82-game seasons – make the playoffs. So why was the firing of Carlyle pretty much universally approved by everyone in this city? Where are his defenders, those willing to take issue with a team that fired a coach who had his team in position to do something it hadnt done in a decade? A team that was cosidered the hottest team in hockey just before Christmas? The answer is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have become the only sports franchise in existence where wins and losses are not the most important thing. No, these days in the centre of the hockey universe, its become all about how you play the game. Think about it ... if at the start of the season you had said the Leafs would be 21-16-3 on Jan. 7, in playoff position and ahead of the Boston Bruins, would anyone have said – fire Randy Carlyle? Of course not. But the recent history here – three straight epic collapses by teams whose analytics have trended in the wrong direction -- has everyone paying more atttention to the shot clock than the scoreboard. Julian Edelman Patriots Jersey. Consider the assertion by the Toronto Suns Steve Simmons in a column this week that the conversation to fire Carlyle heated up among Leaf upper management DURING THEIR WIN STREAK in December, because of the poor habits the team was displaying, which is another way of saying they were getting beat at the puck posession game. Consider also the manner in which Dave Nonis praised the Leafs 3-1 loss to Minnesota last Friday night because of the way his team played, seeming to ignore the fact they had lost the game by two goals. The Leafs have become the equivalent of the grade-school pupil in math class who is told that getting right answer is secondary to showing your work. Because right now in Toronto the results dont matter as much as the process, a belief reflected by the post-game comments of their new coach – Peter Horachek – after a 6-2 loss. Our possession numbers were better, we outshot em. Would Randy Carlyle be fired by this point in an era without analytics? Its an interesting question. It wasnt all that long ago the Leafs were accused of being a team that was blind to the numbers inside the numbers, that Toronto was seen as the home of the analytics abyss. As this weeks decision to fire a coach with a winning record proved, at least that much is not the same old, same old in Leaf Land. ' ' '