CINCINNATI, Ohio -- On one of the first plays of training camp, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick found himself covering All-Pro receiver A.J. Green. The first-round draft pick was getting tested right away. Green made a move and took off down the sideline, a place thats his domain. Kirkpatrick not only stayed with him but edged into him, breaking up the pass. This is what Cincinnati has waited a year to see. The Bengals took Kirkpatrick with the 17th overall pick last year, thinking he could grow into a starting role quickly. He hurt his left knee while working out last summer, forcing him to miss all of training camp and the first seven games. He played in five games before a concussion and more knee problems ended his season. Finally healthy, he has looked like a premier player in the opening days of training camp. "He had A.J. on the ball on the sideline," coach Marvin Lewis said. "That guy last year would have run smack into A.J., but this time he got in great position, got A.J. cut off and turned and played the football. "It will come back pretty quick. He understands the process, but its just time on task out here against real guys." For Kirkpatrick, its about time. He won a national championship with Alabama, where his unlimited confidence earned him the nickname "Swagga." He brought that confidence to the NFL, and it quickly took a hit. The knee injury sidelined him for training camp and eliminated him from the teams plans for the beginning of the season. When he started practicing again, the knee got sore, forcing him to back off. It made for a lot of tough weeks. "It was a lot of stress and a lot of depression," Kirkpatrick said. He got through it by talking to his father, Charles, who is a minister, and several teammates who have been through injuries. He was finally cleared and played in five games before a concussion and the knee sidelined him the rest of the way. The experience has tampered the swagger. "Hes another one of those guys who when he came in here, he thought the world revolved around him a little bit," defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer said. "I think hes finally woke up and said if we dont do it the way they want it done, if we dont understand that this is how its going to be, theyre not going to play. "I think hes come a long way, too, from what I can tell. Well see what he does on the field. And he might be a little bit rusty to start out with. But you can never have too many good corners. Those guys are like, theyre brittle." The Bengals have Leon Hall and Terence Newman as the starting cornerbacks, with Adam "Pacman" Jones next in line. Jones has a trial scheduled next month on an assault charge and could face discipline from the NFL. Kirkpatrick was visibly excited about training camp. Newman gave him a little advice. "Dont take this as something where youve got to come in and make sure you show that youre tough," Newman said. "Make sure youre healed. Youve got all the physical ability in the world. Youve got to be able to harness it and be able to go out on the field and show it." So far, hes given a good accounting of himself, showing that hes ready to be an NFL cornerback. "Its quite a change from college football to NFL football playing in the secondary," Lewis said. "And I see that transition out here." Notes: The Bengals wore shoulder pads on Saturday after working out without pads the first two days. Theyll wear full pads on Sunday for the first time. ... Newman was looking forward to watching the teams version of the Oklahoma drill on Sunday, which pits a blocker against a defender. He was especially eager to see linebacker James Harrison get his first chance to push somebody around. "It will be fun to watch No. 92 over here, a little pit bull," he said. "Theyre going to take his leash off and let him go bark at a couple people, so it will be interesting to watch." ... Green watched practice again in a T-shirt and shorts with a wrap on his left knee, bruised as he dived for a ball on Thursday. RT Andre Smith (calf injury) also watched for the second straight day. Jets Jerseys Store . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Sam Darnold Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. http://www.authenticjetsshopnfl.com/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Jets Youth Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Trenton Cannon Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. BOSTON -- Back on Oct. 29, the Boston Celtics scored a 104-98 victory over the Hornets in Charlotte.Isaiah Thomas had 24 points and seven assists in the win, while Kemba Walker delivered 29 points in the loss.Friday night, the teams face each other for the first time since -- and there is a chance neither will play in the rematch at TD Garden.While Thomas, who leads Boston with 26 points and 6.2 assists per games, hopes to return from a four-game absence with a groin strain, word came down Thursday that Walker and his 22.6 points and 5.2 assists will sit this one out because of a personal issue. He will rejoin the team for the game in Atlanta Saturday night for the final game of a five-game road trip.Both teams lost on the road Wednesday night, the Celtics dropping their third in a row in a loss at San Antonio and the Hornets, the only team over .500 in the Southeast Division, losing in Washington.The Celtics won their first game without Thomas, beating the Orlando Magic on the road. The Magic were just coming off a successful road trip and were flat in that game. Boston moved the ball around and surprised people with smoothness and ease without Thomas -- one local talk show host even saying they were better off without their Little Big Man.But reality soon reared its ugly head in a home loss to the Toronto Raptors and a two-game road whiff at Oklahoma City and San Antonio -- losses to three teams with a combined 53-23 record through Wednesdays games.Were still trying to figure it out, Bostons Jae Crowder said after Wednesdays loss that dropped the Celtics to 13-12 on the season.dddddddddddd Havent got there yet, obviously, and it shows in games like this. From top to bottom, we just havent figured it out.The hope is theyll have Thomas back for this one.The Hornets have also lost three straight to fall to 14-12. They didnt play well in Washington, and their coach, Steve Clifford, wasnt happy.The game came down to physical play, Clifford said. If guys arent willing to be more physical, well be an up-and-down team, well struggle to make the playoffs.If we want to play with the physicality we choose to at times, we have a chance to be a good team.The Hornets averaged the second-fewest turnovers in the league at 11.8 per game before Wednesday, but coughed it up 18 times in the loss to the Wizards.Ramon Sessions will get his first start as a Hornet, starting for the first time since he played for the injured John Wall in Washington last season.This is my 10th year in the league and Ive been thrown in these situations a lot, Sessions told the Charlotte Observer Thursday. Just take in the flow of the game. Get guys their shots and be aggressive, also, with the extended minutes.Starting or not starting, theres not that much difference. Just play my game.Thomas was 9 for 20 from the floor, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, in the first meeting, finishing a plus-14. 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