Steve Bunce is a freelance television and radio sport pundit and newspaper columnist. He has regularly appeared as a pundit on the BBC sports programme Inside Sport and on BBC Radio Five Live's Fighting Talk. Bunce most recently presented a boxing programme on Setanta Sports called Steve Bunce's Boxing Hour until June 2009, when the organisation ceased broadcasting in Great Britain. He has a regular column in magazine Boxing Monthly.

In 2010, he published his debut work of fiction The Fixer.

He currently presents the ESPN UK version of the American sports talk show Pardon the Interruption

Fighting Talk Appearances

Steve Bunce appears on the show regularly. He is one of the most loved guests and hopes to one day host the show.

External links

NCI Management profile

Category:Living people Category:British sports broadcasters

Name	Aaron Rodgers
Width	280px
Caption	Rodgers during the 2008 preseason.
Currentteam	Green Bay Packers
Currentnumber	12
Currentpositionplain	Quarterback
Birthdate	December 02, 1983
Birthplace	Chico, California
Heightft	6
Heightin	2
Weight	220
Debutyear	2005
Debutteam	Green Bay Packers
Highlights
College	California
Draftyear	2005
Draftround	1
Draftpick	24
Pastteams
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	TD–INT
Statvalue1	87–32
Statlabel2	Passing yards
Statvalue2	12,723
Statlabel3	QB Rating
Statvalue3	98.4
Nfl	ROD339293

Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983 in Chico, California) is a professional football player, the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Rodgers was selected in the first round (24th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers. Rodgers played college football at California, where he set several school records, including lowest interception rate at 1.43%.

Professionally, Rodgers is the NFL all-time career leader in passer rating during the regular season (98.4), and during the playoffs (129.4) among players with at least 100 playoff passing attempts. and pass interception percent (2.0%).

Early years

Rodgers is from Chico in Butte County, California. He attended Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, starting for two years at quarterback and garnering 4,421 passing yards. He set single-game records of 6 touchdowns and 440 all-purpose yards. Rodgers also set a single season record with 2,466 total yards in 2001 and graduated in the spring of 2002.

College career

2002

Rodgers garnered little interest from Division I programs with only one offer, that of a walk-on, from Illinois. He declined the invitation and attended Butte Community College in Oroville, about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Chico. During his freshman season, Rodgers was discovered by California head coach Jeff Tedford, while recruiting Garrett Cross of Chico High School.

2003

As a junior college transfer, Rodgers had three years of eligibility at California. He was named the starting quarterback in the fifth game of the 2003 season, against the only team that offered him a Division I opportunity out of high school, Illinois. As a sophomore, he helped lead the Golden Bears to an 8–6 record, including an upset overtime win over then-No. 3 ranked USC in his second career start and an Insight Bowl victory against Virginia Tech. In 2003, Rodgers tied the school season record for 300 yard games with 5 and set a school record for lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 1.43%.

2004

As a junior, Rodgers led Cal to a top-five ranking at the end of the regular season, with their only loss coming in a closely contested and well-played game at #1 USC, 17-23. In that game, Rodgers set a school record for consecutive completed passes with 26 and tied an NCAA record with 23 consecutive passes completed in one game. Rodgers set a school single game record for passing completion, completing 85.3% of his passes in that game. Rodgers also holds the school career record for lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 1.95%.

After Texas was picked over Cal for a Rose Bowl berth, the fourth-ranked Bears earned a spot in the Holiday Bowl, but lost to Texas Tech, 45-31. After the season, Rodgers decided to forgo his senior season (without a redshirt) to enter the 2005 NFL Draft.

College career statistics

Awards and honors

2003 Honorable mention All-Pac-10

2003 Insight Bowl Offensive MVP

2004 Cal Co-Offensive MVP 2004 First-team All-Pac-10 2004 Second-team Academic All-Pac-10 2004 Honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated

Professional career

Green Bay Packers

Backup seasons (2005–2007)

Rodgers was expected to be selected early in the 2005 NFL Draft and was thought of as the potential number one pick overall. He had posted impressive numbers as a junior with Cal, throwing for 2,320 yards with a 67.5 completion rating. He had tied an NCAA record when he completed 23 consecutive passes against the eventual national champions, USC. He threw for 24 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions in his last college season, impressing many NFL scouts. His slip to the 24th choice became one of the biggest stories of the draft, though he was still the second quarterback selected. In addition to the fact that many teams drafting between second and 22rd positions had positional needs more pressing than quarterback, Rodgers' moderate height (6'2") may have contributed to his precipitous slide. Rodgers is one of six quarterbacks coached by Jeff Tedford to be drafted in the first round, joining Akili Smith, Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington, and Kyle Boller.

In August 2005 at age 21, Rodgers agreed to a reported five-year, $7.7 million deal that included $5.4 million in guaranteed money and had the potential to pay him as much as $24.5 million if all incentives and escalators were met.

Rodgers spent a disappointing 4–12 2005 season as the Packers' back-up quarterback behind Brett Favre. Rodgers had little playing time during the year, but played in a win against the New Orleans Saints and in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

When Favre decided to continue his career into the 2006 season, Rodgers was forced to continue in his role as the second quarterback on the depth chart.

On November 19, 2006, Rodgers broke his left foot against the New England Patriots in a 35–0 defeat at home while filling in for an injured Brett Favre and missed the remainder of the 2006 season. Rodgers made a full recovery and was ready for the start of the 2007 season.

Weeks after an emotional interview with NBC's Andrea Kramer following the team's season-ending victory at Chicago, Favre announced he would stay with the Packers for the 2007 season, again postponing Rodgers' hopes of becoming the Green Bay Packers' starting quarterback. Prior to the 2007 season, rumors surfaced about a potential trade involving Rodgers in which he would be traded to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Randy Moss. However, Moss was traded to the New England Patriots during the second day of the 2007 NFL Draft, and Rodgers stayed in Green Bay. The Oakland Raiders received a fourth round draft choice in the trade for Moss.

Rodgers stepped in when Favre was injured in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football on November 29, 2007. Rodgers completed 18 passes for 201 yards, with no interceptions. He also threw his first touchdown pass, but was sacked three times. Rodgers brought the team back from a 17 point deficit to a 3 point deficit, but the Cowboys went on to win 37–27.

Starting seasons

2008

Brett Favre's retirement announcement on March 4, 2008, opened up the Packers' starting quarterback position to Rodgers for the 2008 season. Although Favre decided to return from retirement, he was traded to the New York Jets, meaning Rodgers would remain the starter.

With Rodgers making his debut as a starter, the Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 24–19 at Lambeau Field. This marked the first time since 1992 that a quarterback other than Favre started a regular season game for the Packers. Rodgers ended the game with 178 yards passing and 2 touchdowns (1 passing/1 rushing). In just his second NFL start the following week, Rodgers was voted the FedEx Air award winner after passing for 328 yards and three touchdowns in a win against the Detroit Lions. During the fourth week of the season, Rodgers streak of 157 consecutive pass attempts without an interception ended when he was intercepted by Derrick Brooks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The streak was the third longest in franchise history behind Bart Starr (294) and Brett Favre (163). Rodgers suffered a severe shoulder sprain in the game but continued to start and played well in a win against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks later which to many proved his toughness. Despite early successes, Rodgers had been unable to win a close game during the season despite seven opportunities to do so. On October 31, 2008, Rodgers signed a six year, $65 million contract extension through the 2014 season.

2009

For the opening game of the 2009 season, Rodgers recorded his first win in a comeback situation. The Packers were trailing at the beginning of the 4th quarter when Rodgers completed a fifty yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings with about a minute remaining in the game to contribute to the 21-15 victory over the Chicago Bears. Rodgers was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October 2009, when he passed for 988 yards, completed 74.5 percent of his passes, and recorded a passer rating over 110 for all three games played during the month. After a mediocre 4-4 start to the season and a devastating loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team began to heat up. Rodgers led the Packers to five straight wins, in which he threw for a total of 1,324 yards, 9 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. Rodgers and the Packers won two of their last three games, finishing the second half of the season with a 7-1 record and an overall 11-5 record; good enough to secure a wild card playoff berth and clinch the fifth seed in the playoffs. Rodgers also made the record books, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history ever to throw for 4,000 yards in both of his first two years as a starter. His passing yardage made him second all-time in Packers history, behind only Lynn Dickey's all-time single-season record.

In his first action as a starter in the playoffs against the Arizona Cardinals, Rodgers's first pass was intercepted by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Rodgers settled down after that miscue, however, and finished the game 28 of 42 for 422 yards with four touchdowns. Despite Rodger's offensive efforts, the Packers lost the game when he fumbled on the last play of the game in overtime. The ball was returned by Karlos Dansby for the winning touchdown in the 51-45 Cardinals victory. It was the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history.

Due to his regular season performance, Rodgers earned a trip to his first Pro Bowl as the NFC's third Quarterback behind Drew Brees and Brett Favre. However, after Favre dropped out due to injury and Brees was replaced due to his participation in Super Bowl XLIV, Rodgers became the NFC's starter for the game. He finished the day 15 of 19 passing with 197 yards and two touchdowns, despite the NFC losing the game.

2010

After leading his team to a 2-0 start in 2010, the Packers lost three of their next four games including back-to-back overtime losses. The two overtime defeats brought Rodgers' record in overtime games to 0-5. During Week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons, Rodgers threw 35 passing attempts, putting him at 1,505 for his career – making him eligible for all official NFL quarterback records as recognized by the NFL. In Week 14 of the season, Rodgers sustained his second concussion of the season. The rarely used Matt Flynn was put into the game as Rodgers' replacement. The Green Bay Packers lost the game 7-3 to the Detroit Lions. Rodgers missed the next week's regular season start ending his streak of consecutive starts at 45 which is tied for the second longest in team history.

Professional statistics

References

External links

Packers.com - Aaron Rodgers

Cal Bears.com - Aaron Rodvers

Pro Football Reference.com - Aaron Rodgers

Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:American football quarterbacks Category:California Golden Bears football players Category:Green Bay Packers players Category:People from Chico, California