ll. Sonny Bill returns for NZ All Blacks star is fighting fit after a k

Tom Brady is finally ready to laugh at Deflategate.The New England Patriots quarterback, who was forced to sit out four games earlier this season for allegedly being aware of a scheme to deflate footballs in the 2015 AFC title game, is featured in a new spot for Foot Locker that debuted Wednesday.Leading up to Thanksgiving, the shoe and apparel retailer concentrates a week full of shoe releases that it calls its Week of Greatness.In the spot with Brady, two fans walk into a diner having picked up their shoes and wonder aloud how its possible that the company is sustaining success.Brady overhears the two and launches into a speech, which eventually becomes about him.Just because something is great year after year doesnt mean anything is going on, Brady says to the fans. Why cant some things just be great? It starts with questions, and then questions turn into assumptions, and then assumptions turn into vacations. So why would you punish the Week of Greatness for something that never even happened?Foot Locker wrote the spot for Brady, and the quarterback was all-in.We like our spots to allow athletes to poke fun at themselves, and people enjoy that, said Jed Berger, the companys vice president of brand marketing. Our fans and customers like to see these athletes as humans. I dont think anyone has seen Tom Brady like they see him in this spot.Because the ads run for only 10 days, its important that they resonate, Berger said.Three years ago, the companys Week of Greatness ads were based on the idea that all was right in the world. Mike Tyson gave Evander Holyfield his ear back; Dennis Rodman was given a one-way ticket to North Korea; and Brett Favre finally knew just when to retire.In the 2014 ad, Derrick Rose called up Tim Duncan to express his excitement over the week, and Duncan mustered as much excitement as he could -- which, of course, wasnt much.Todd Gurley II Jersey . 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Deacon Jones Jersey .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker.Brian ODriscoll believes Olympics fever can eventually catapult Rugby Sevens onto a par with the 15-man game.Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions captain ODriscoll has tipped Sevens to one day sit alongside rugbys traditional format.Sevens will make its Olympic debut in the summers Rio Games and a new report highlighting rugbys future predicts rapid growth for the sports short format incarnation in the next 10 years. Banking giants HSBC and strategic planning consultancy The Futures Company have published The Future of Rugby, a report predicting the sports global participation to double in the next decade.With the market and the eyes that will see Sevens for the first time because of the Olympics, the sport has the potential for exponential growth, said ODriscoll.Sevens should grow into new areas, places in Asia like China, to grow far more in the United States as well.It can grow alongside the 15s game, I dont think it will replace it, but I definitely think it has the scope to be as big as the 15s game is currently. Simon Amor looks ahead to the Hong Kong stop of the HSBC World Sevens Series Global governing body World Rugby rates rugby unions current worldwide participation figures at 7.2 million. This new report projects that figure climbing to 15m by 2026.Women are also expected to account for 40 per cent of the worlds active rugby players in 10 years time.The coaching mastermind of Englands 2003 World Cup triumph Sir Clive Woodward has branded Sevens as rugbys sleeping giant in the report, while former dual-code star Jason Robinson predicted rugby league players may in future convert specifically to Sevens as opposed to simply rugby union.ODriscoll won 141 Test caps across 15 years with Ireland and the Lions but despite his numerous accolades he now admits pangs of jealousy seeing current top stars chasing the Olympic dream.The report claims Sevens could even boast franchise-based short tournaments in 10 years, creating rugbys answer to crickets Indian Premier League (IPL) or Australias Big Bash. Could Sevens become rugbys answer to Twenty20? ODriscoll believes Sevens must still prove its global appeal in Rio before realising such lofty aims, but admitted to excitement at the notion of a fast-growing discipline that ccould offer rugby an equivalent to crickets increasingly popular Twenty20 concept.ddddddddddddIm not a cricket connoisseur by any stretch but its hard not to like Twenty20, its exciting and fast, said ODriscoll. Its exactly what Sevens rugby is delivering - its fast, its exciting and it creates a huge party atmosphere.I think theres definitely potential for that. We have to get by the first Olympics first though.Im very excited about seeing rugby in the Olympics, but we have to just allow it to evolve afterwards. Quade Cooper scored his first Sevens try against England in Las Vegas New Zealands World Cup-winning centre Sonny Bill Williams and Australia fly-half Quade Cooper are just two superstars from 15s bidding to make the Sevens switch in time for the Olympics.Assimilating into Sevens lung-busting fitness and tactical nuance have not proved plain sailing for the Test stars aiming to make the conversion, and ODriscoll believes that only underscores the formats strength.The carrot of an Olympic gold later this year, thats luring a number of players from the 15s game, said ODriscoll. Sonny Bill returns for NZ All Blacks star is fighting fit after a knee injury Sonny Bill is unique in trying to cover every sport and medal going. So you wouldnt bet against him being in the mix with the All Blacks come August.Not all of those players coming from 15s have slotted in seamlessly. Its a different type of athlete, fitness and skill set and understanding of how the game works.Probably a lot of Sevens players have had a wry smile on their faces when theyve seen some 15s players not having a seamless transition across. The big names arent certainties within their national squads because of the quality of players who are already there. And thats a great thing too.The profile of players coming from 15s is brilliant. But it puts in perspective just how good these Sevens players are.Watch the Hong Kong Sevens live on Sky Sports this weekend, starting on Friday at 5.50am on Sky Sports 2 HD.Also See:WATCH: Amor eyes Hong Kong successWilliams back for New ZealandEngland Womens travel blogRugby on Sky ' ' '