ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Champ Bailey finally gets a chance to live up to his name. The 12-time Pro Bowler is headed to his first Super Bowl in his 15th -- and most trying -- NFL season, one in which he missed 11 games and parts of two others because of a nagging foot injury. "It hurt not being out there," Bailey said after Denver topped New England in the AFC championship game, "but here I am. Im on the field and my teams still in the running. Thats what its all about." Baileys subdued celebration and measured reaction in delirious Denver stood in stark contrast to the scene in Seattle later Sunday night, where Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman stole the spotlight with his game-saving deflection, his taunting of Michael Crabtree and his television rant on the field afterward. The two contrasting styles will draw much attention in the days leading up to the Super Bowl on Feb. 2. Sherman is the 25-year-old trash-talking leader of the leagues best defence, Bailey the 35-year-old sage of a unit thats been through the ringer this season, but has come on strong over the past month despite injuries that cost them several starters, including Von Miller and Chris Harris Jr. Bailey is one of the leagues top cornerbacks, but hes clearly on the downslope of his spectacular career that includes the most Pro Bowls by a defensive back in NFL history. Bailey was greeted in the locker room by former teammate John Lynch, who was with him the previous time hed come this close to the Super Bowl -- 2,919 days earlier. One week after sealing a playoff win with a 100-yard interception return to hand Tom Brady his first playoff loss back in 2006, Bailey had another interception in his grasp and the end zone in his sights, but Hines Ward somehow came down with the football instead and Pittsburgh went on to beat Denver 34-17 for the AFC title following the 2005 season. "I said hed play really big and I think quietly he really did," Lynch said. "Its been a tough year. Everyone thinks hes old, over the hill, but hes been a great player throughout his whole career and great players, when it matters most, play great." Bailey had no spectacular plays this time, no pick-6s or takeaways or forced fumbles or sacks, just his usual steady play and calming leadership. He was hardly tested by Brady at all and finished with three tackles. "I thought yesterday was his best performance of the season," coach John Fox said Monday. Peyton Manning, who knows a little bit about overcoming injuries and long odds to reach the Super Bowl, said he was "certainly happy for Champ, I know a lot of people are." "Theres a guy -- lets see, Champs one year younger than me so hes in his 15th season -- like I said, its hard to get to the Super Bowl. Its hard to win it, but Im telling you its hard to get there," Manning said. "... Im glad that hes back out there on the field. Hes battled through some injuries and has stayed at it and been committed to his rehab." Bailey started just three games this season, and he finished just one of those, against Jacksonville on Oct. 13. After aggravating his foot injury in his two other starts, he was relegated to slot duty by the time he finally got healthy in mid-December. That changed when Harris got hurt in the Broncos playoff win over San Diego and Bailey started Sunday opposite Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, then moved into the slot on passing downs to thwart the heart of the Patriots offence. "I knew Id be back at some point," Bailey said. "My coaches, teammates, they never gave up on me. They knew Id be back to 100 per cent at some point. Here I am, Im playing probably my best football of the year -- because I havent played much. Im just looking forward to the next one, making sure my body is right for the next game." And dont count on him getting caught up in the comparisons at the Super Bowl between him and Sherman, who represents this new breed of cornerback, the bigger, athletic DBs who trash talk as well as any of the receivers they cover. About the only trash-talking that came out of Baileys mouth Sunday was when he was asked about how the Broncos shut down the Patriots ground game. The Broncos held LeGarrette Blount to 6 yards on five carries a week after scoring four TDs against Indianapolis. "Well," Bailey said matter-of-factly, "they didnt play the Broncos last week." Notes: Fox said RB Knowshon Moreno is day to day after X-rays on his ribs were negative and CB Tony Carter has a pinched nerve but no concussion. ... The Broncos return to work Thursday. Cheap Nike Shoes Uk Online .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. Adidas Shoes Buy Online Uk . LOUIS -- The Tampa Bay Rays have placed right-handed pitcher Joel Peralta on the 15-day disabled list with an undisclosed illness. http://www.wholesaleadidasshoesuk.com/. Erik Cole scored on a breakaway with 4:49 to play, and the Stars rallied to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Saturday night. Adidas Shoes Online Store Uk . Left back Armero opened the scoring in the fifth minute when his deflected shot rolled past Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Striker Teofilo Gutierrez poked in Colombias second goal from a deflected corner in the 58th and James Rodriguez capped it off with a low shot in stoppage time after a slick backheel flick from Juan Cuadrado. Cheap Adidas Shoes Wholesale . Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive co-ordinator Monday after spending the previous four years in the same role with the Washington Redskins.TORONTO -- Dave Bolland is skating again. Thats significant progress more than two months after Zack Kassians left skate blade severed a tendon in the back of Bollands left ankle. But the Toronto Maple Leafs centre still doesnt know when hell return to practice, let alone game action. "Who knows?" Bolland said Saturday after skating solo for the fourth time this week. "I want to be out there with the guys, and I want to skate with them. Thats the next goal." Thats a reasonable goal but not one the Leafs are going to rush toward, even though Bolland will miss his 35th game Saturday night and likely several more. Toronto is 14-15-5 since Bolland went out, but coach Randy Carlyle affirmed that the 27-year-old wont be back until hes 100 per cent. "We cant afford to take any type of risk with this type of injury," Carlyle said. "We all know that its a tough one to come back from. Its a long, tedious process, and specifically where it was in the tendon that was injured, its pretty dramatic." Bolland knows all too well just how long and tedious this process has been. He wasnt able to put weight on the ankle for a long time and only this week was able to get his foot in a specially-designed boot and get back on the ice. "Its a slow rehab," Bolland said in his first comments to reporters since November. "Its not like any other rehab when you break an ankle and you can just say six weeks and youre back and its healed. You cut a tendon and its got to re-heal itself. Youve got to do the rehab, do the movements in with the trainers and in at the gym. Its not fun. Its gruelling." The gruelling part isnt just physical pain, its the mental anguish of the man who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks knowing he cant help his hometown team while sitting out. Bolland said he has gotten "a little mentally broken down" along the way. "When youre watching and youre off the ice it does screw with your head a lot, mentally, beccause I think when you cut a tendon, its a big deal," he said.dddddddddddd"You never know." Bolland still doesnt know. All that he can recall is how Ottawa Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson returned 10 weeks after having his Achilles tendon sliced and the struggles Mike Modano dealt with when he had a similar injury. The Toronto native didnt consult with Karlsson or Modano about their experiences, but he knows what they went through. "I remember (Modano) saying that it wasnt fun coming back from that," Bolland said. "I could feel that pain, too." Physically, Bolland still feels the pain. He hopes the good days outweigh the bad as he works back. "It gets sore once in a while when Im on the ice," Bolland said. "When youre skating, youre doing cross-overs, youre stopping, when youre using that tendon, youre going to feel the pain and youre going to have some situations like that." Bolland said hes learning how to do everything all over again because of how long he has been kept off the ice. While away, he was able to do off-ice workouts, but nothing compares to skating. Skating with teammates would put him another step closer. Its possible Bolland goes on the Leafs upcoming Western Conference road trip, but Carlyle said that decision had not been made yet. Bolland, who had six goals and four assists in his first 15 games with the Leafs, wants to go. But he understands the need for caution. "You want to be out there," he said. "You think some days you can push it and you push it too much and you set yourself behind. Youre just hurting yourself. I think for myself its being patient and being ready when Im ready." Notes -- Leafs centre Peter Holland wasnt feeling well and was given Saturdays morning skate off. Carlyle said he expects Holland to play against the Montreal Canadiens. ... Toronto recalled forward Troy Bodie from the AHL, and hes expected to replace the injured David Clarkson in the lineup. ' ' '