FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady is nursing a calf injury that forced him to miss practice for New Englands opener Sunday at Miami. The Patriots announced the reason for the quarterbacks absence Thursday in their daily participation and injury report. He was the only player added to the teams first report of the week that was issued Wednesday. Tight end Rob Gronkowski and defensive linemen Michael Buchanan, Chris Jones and Sealver Siliga practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and Thursday. "Practice is practice," safety Devin McCourty said. "Ive been here now five years. Its not the first time he hasnt been out there at practice. So practice still goes on even without Tom." Coach Bill Belichick did not meet with reporters Thursday. The Patriots planned to practice Friday before leaving for Miami. Brady appeared in good spirits at his weekly meeting with reporters Wednesday morning before that days practice. Rookie Jimmy Garoppolo, the Patriots second-round draft choice, is the only other quarterback on the 53-man roster. He beat out Ryan Mallett, Bradys backup the past three seasons, for the No. 2 job, and the Patriots traded Mallett to the Houston Texans last Sunday for a sixth-round or seventh-round draft choice in 2016. Nike Womens Shoes Australia . The 23-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., defeated Germanys Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Sony Open in just 89 minutes. Nike Shoes Australia Outlet . "Ive got a lot of work to do on this team and the sooner that I can get back to my office and start that work, itll be better," he said straight-faced as the rest of the room erupted in laughter. http://www.cheapnikeaustraliashoes.com/. LOUIS -- David Ross never expected to be on a World Series podium. Nike Shoes Wholesale Australia .com) - Even on the day his New Hampshire football team became the nations top-ranked team two weeks ago, coach Sean McDonnell conceded something about the team they replaced at No. Australia Cheap Nike Shoes . "Win basketball games," Collins said. He will get at least a few more chances. Collins played the final minutes of a winning home debut with the Brooklyn Nets, who cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 96-80 victory Monday night.VANCOUVER, BC – Thursday night in St. Louis, Alex Edler will play his 500th National Hockey League game. Cynics would suggest the big Swedish defenseman has played 250 good games for the Vancouver Canucks and has had 249 tough ones with no middle ground. That’s not entirely accurate although it does speak to the inconsistency that has plagued Edler’s nine years in the NHL – from shift to shift and from season to season. So it is safe to say that while Edler will reach the 500-game milestone tomorrow, questions remain about what is possible for the 28-year-old with the tantalizing combination of size, skill and skating ability. Throughout his career, Edler has teased the Canucks and their fans with glimpses of the kind of blueliner who can control games at both ends of the ice. When living up to his potential, he clearly has the ability to play with remarkable efficiency making quick and effective decisions with the puck. Edler has also brought a physical edge to his game leaving his mark on opposing forwards in open ice, in front of the net or in battles along the boards. But last season, Edler was none of those things. He was a shell of his former self enduring a disastrous season in which anything that could go wrong did – and far too often. Perhaps it was a new coach or a new system, maybe it was confusion caused by an early season suspension in which he was penalized for being a touch too aggressive or it may have been the weighty expectations that accompanied his six-year $30 million dollar contract extension which kicked in last season. Whatever the reasons, Edler’s 2013-14 was a write-off with just 22 points all the while saddled with the embarrassment that goes along with a league-worst -39. Paired with reliable partner Chris Tanev from the outset of training camp and in Willie Desjardins’ up-tempo system in which defenseman are encouraged to jump into the rush, Alex Edler finds himself in a situation to thrive. However, the early season results are mixed. He has a ggoal and two assists and leads all Canucks defensemen in scoring, but there have also been a handful of the kind of miscues that dogged him last season.dddddddddddd Edler doesn’t have to be a super hero for the Vancouver Canucks, but given the amount he plays and the situations he finds himself in he certainly has to be an offensive contributor and a 40-point season shouldn’t be out of the question. But for his offensive numbers to matter, he has to be significantly better in his own zone than he was a year ago. The Canucks would love to see Edler take charge out on the ice, but for that to happen the soft-spoken Swede needs to ramp up his intensity. Far too often, he looks indifferent and at times as if he doesn’t really care. That’s probably an unfair criticism, and yet because he shies away from the media and isn’t heard from often, it’s hard to get a read on what’s going on in Edler’s mind. Reaching the 500 game mark is an accomplishment for any NHLer – and, in this day and age, to do it with the same organization makes it that much more significant. Edler’s is a remarkable story of a kid from a small town near the Arctic Circle making the big time and earning all the trappings that come along with it. But the big question is – and it’s a fascinating one – have the Vancouver Canucks already seen the best Alex Edler has to offer? Or is there still room for growth in his game? While unlikely to ever enter the Norris Trophy discussion in an era of so many elite defensemen, Edler possesses the tools to be an All-Star. But in recent years there have been too many nights where you wondered if he had forgotten how to play the game. This is a new season and Alex Edler’s trying his best to wipe the slate clean as he tries to recapture the talent he has displayed at times throughout his NHL career. Thursday in St. Louis is a milestone to be sure. The Canucks have to be hoping that it’s also a stepping stone to the best hockey the big defenseman has ever played. ' ' '