INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning still tugs on the heartstrings of Indianapolis football fans. Friends and former teammates are happy hes made it back to the NFLs biggest stage, and the general public is excited to see if No. 18 can win a second Super Bowl ring this weekend, too. Many in this town just wished this incredible season had come in Colts blue rather than Broncos orange. "I think as fans of Peyton, people hoped he would stay with the same team and finish it out," said Jeff Saturday, Mannings longtime centre. "But that wasnt possible. Peyton wanted to still play. The Colts released him and that happens in our business. As a player, you have to move on to the next team and hes done what hes supposed to do." Hes continued to win at a record-breaking rate. Many in Indy never doubted Manning would continue to play at this high level — if he could get healthy. But after missing the entire 2011 season to recover from a damaged nerve in his neck and facing a salary cap dilemma, Colts owner Jim Irsay made the toughest decision of his career — cutting ties with Manning and using the No. 1 draft pick to begin anew. Immediate reactions in Indy were mixed when Irsay tearfully tried to explain he wanted Manning to have another shot at the Super Bowl before his career ended, while the Colts were attempting to remain a Super Bowl contender for the next decade with a completely new cast. So far, so good. Since drafting Andrew Luck, the Colts have posted back-to-back 11-win seasons and reached the playoffs twice. Manning, meanwhile, has posted two straight 13-win seasons, just completed perhaps the greatest regular season by any quarterback in league history and will make his third Super Bowl start Sunday in New York. Indy fans arent surprised by Mannings success, especially after watching him turn this basketball bastion into a football-friendly town. "I think everyone is pulling for him," said Joe Gray, a 59-year-old Colts season ticket holder who was impressed by the standing ovation Manning got when he returned to Lucas Oil Stadium in October. "Im not saying I dont like Luck, I just wish Peyton was still here." Grey finds himself in a crowded group. Even longtime friends, such as Saturday and former linebacker Gary Brackett, acknowledge it was tough to see Manning leave, though theyre happy to see him playing well. Some Indy football fans say they cheer for Manning first and the Colts second, which may explain why so many orange No. 18 jerseys — or some variation of them — have been seen around town the last two years. Manning has remained close to the community, too, returning each of the last two springs to host fundraisers for the childrens hospital that bears his name. On Sunday, the Peyton Manning Childrens Hospital at St.Vincent is even planning a Super Bowl viewing party for patients and their families. "We are fortunate to partner with a selfless individual who has given his time and resources off the field for the betterment of children and our overall community," said Vince Caponi, executive chairman of the hospitals board. "Peyton has the highest respect for our health ministry, and values his time spent with its pediatric patients." But to those who know Manning best, this goes far deeper than rooting for an ex-teammate. "My career is over, so now I can sit back and cheer for the guys I respect and hes definitely on top of that list," said Brackett, who served as Indys defensive captain while Manning was the offensive captain. Saturday concurs. "Hes a friend, so Im always pulling for him that way. But to see a guy coming back from all the neck surgeries hes had, at 37, going to another team, going to a Super Bowl, its fun to watch," Saturday said. "Peyton Manning was everything youd want our of a franchise quarterback while he was in Indy. He won the way you wanted to win. It was exactly what you wanted out of a franchise quarterback." Fake Yeezys 2019 . Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds made his longshot request of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit upheld Bonds conviction in September. Fake Yeezy Boost 350 V3 . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U. http://www.fakeyeezysforsale.com/fake-yeezy-boost-350-v2/. Signs of a turnaround have emerged in this series at Minnesota. Brian Roberts had three doubles and a triple for the first four-extra-base-hit game of his 14-year career, and the Yankees used their bullpen to preserve a 6-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Fake Yeezys Boost . -- Andy Dorman and Kelyn Rowe scored in the second half to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Saturday night. Cheap Fake Yeezys . - Urijah (The California Kid) Faber finds himself in an unaccustomed position Saturday night at UFC 175 — on the preliminary card.NEW YORK -- Kobe Bryant called for younger players in the All-Star game, and the fans listened. They still want Bryant, too. Stephen Curry, Kevin Love, Paul George and Kyrie Irving were voted NBA All-Stars Thursday, putting four first-time starters in the Feb. 16 game in New Orleans. Bryant was elected by fans to his 16th All-Star game, second-most in NBA history, but this one is shaping up as a kids game. Curry, perhaps the biggest snub last season, will join him in the Western Conference backcourt. Love passed Dwight Howard in the final days of voting and will start in the frontcourt along with Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant and the Clippers Blake Griffin. "Hey, Im popular now," Love joked. "Its very humbling to me to be starting in the All-Star game. I tip my hat to the fans in the Twin Cities and all over Minnesota and beyond." The four first-time starters are all 25 or younger. Curry went to All-Star weekend as a kid when his father, Dell, competed in the 3-point contest, and now hell finally get to play in the game. "Its kind of just a surreal feeling," Curry said. "I saw Kobe come on the screen and you knew that next person on the screen was going to be me or I was going to get left off that list. Just when I saw my name it was a real emotional kind of experience and glad my wife and daughter were here to watch it with me." LeBron James was the leading vote-getter with 1.4 million and Miami teammate Dwyane Wade also was voted in Thursday. George, who has led Indiana to the leagues best record, and New Yorks Carmelo Anthony are the other East forwards, and Irving will start at guard. Bryant has been limited to just six games this season because of injuries and will be out until at least early next month. He said recently he hoped fans wouldnt vote for him and would instead look toward younger, more deserving players. Fans picked him anyway. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 19, was selected to more All-Star games.dddddddddddd But even Bryant could finish only second to Curry among West guards, a remarkable turnaround for the Golden State sharpshooter. He was the highest-scoring player not chosen last year, but moved past the Clippers Chris Paul in the third returns of balloting, then passed Bryant in the final days to finish with more than a million votes and become the Warriors first All-Star starter since Latrell Sprewell in 1995. "I understand how big a deal it is to be selected on the team," Curry said. "And just how different the feeling was from last year, having gone through that experience and just trying to get back healthy, first and foremost, to give myself a chance come All-Star selection time." Love also made a late move to surge into the top three, finishing about 8,000 votes ahead of Houston centre Dwight Howard to become Minnesotas first All-Star starter since Kevin Garnett in 2007. "I was hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and knowing the worst was I was going to still probably end up in the All-Star game (as a coachs pick) and represent the West and the Wolves and the Twin Cities." Love said. "Right now, Im very happy." Indiana hadnt had one since Jermaine ONeal a year earlier, but now George will get to play for Pacers coach Frank Vogel, who has already clinched the Easts coaching spot. "It means a lot because that means the fans are really watching us as a team," George said. "For us to have the No. 1 record in the league, and playing at a high level, I think the fans are starting to follow us as a whole and I think thats the biggest thing with me being a starter." The reserves will be announced next Thursday. Head coaches in each conference will vote for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players regardless of position. AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis and Antonio Gonzalez in Oakland, Calif. contributed to this report. ' ' '