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LOUISVILLE, Ky. Jarrett Allen Jersey . -- Looking back, Bobby Petrino said the first of his many mistakes in recent years was leaving Louisville, which provided the first of several head coaching opportunities on the college and professional levels. Upon returning Thursday to the Cardinals after seven years, Petrino promised his second stint would be permanent because this was always his destination -- even with collegiate stops at Arkansas and Western Kentucky and a 13-game foray with the NFLs Atlanta Falcons. Petrino returns to a Louisville program that has changed a lot since he left, one thats gearing up to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season with a home game against newly-crowned champion Florida State. The coach insisted that hes a changed person as well as he enters the next -- and hopefully final -- stop in his career. "Its great to be back home," Petrino said during a sometimes-emotional news conference. "Its really unbelievable to get the opportunity to come back here. For (wife) Becky, and (children) Nick and Bobby and Katie, this is our home and were excited to be able to come back." Petrino coached Western Kentucky to an 8-4 record last season in his only year with the team. He led the Cardinals to a 41-9 mark from 2003-06 including a BCS Orange Bowl victory his final season. He succeeds Charlie Strong, who left last weekend after four years to accept the Texas job. Petrino inherits a team coming off a 12-1 finish and is 23-3 the past two seasons with two bowl wins. Petrino received a seven-year contract with a base annual salary of $3.5 million. It includes a $10 million buyout for leaving that decreases after four years. But the well-travelled coach said that will not be necessary because this is his "destination job." Petrino is 83-30 as a college coach. His record includes a 34-17 mark at Arkansas that ended amid scandal in April 2012. He came to the Razorbacks after a 3-10 season in 2007 with the Falcons that ended with the coach announcing his departure by letters left at the players lockers. "I made mistakes, both professionally and personally, and thats something Im not going to do again," Petrino said. "The first mistake was leaving Louisville, and Im hoping that the fans and everybody will forgive me. Im more energized, more excited than Ive ever been." Petrino had been mentioned for the Louisville job almost from the moment Strong left for the Longhorns, but the coach said he became aware of the opening only after Cardinals athletic director Tom Jurich approached WKU athletic director Todd Stewart for permission to interview him. Jurich said he was angry at Petrino early in the Tuesday interview because of the coachs behaviour in his previous Louisville stint, one that included player disciplinary issues. The AD also said he was mad at Petrino for leaving after the Orange Bowl win for the pros, though he acknowledged the coach was honest about his interest in the job. On Sunday, Jurich said he and Petrino had previously resolved their differences. But he wanted to see if the coach had truly changed as he has professed since Arkansas fired him for "a pattern of misleading behaviour" following a motorcycle accident in which he revealed his mistress was a passenger. Jurich came away convinced he was getting a different man from the one who left, reinforcing his belief that Petrino was the right fit for the Cardinals. "If it was the same Bobby that was here 10 years ago, I wasnt interested," said Jurich, adding that he kept coming back to Petrino as he went through a list of seven finalists. "He is definitely a changed person." While Petrinos critics have been skeptical about his commitment, public sentiment for his hiring has been mostly favourable on sports talk radio, online polls and social media. Petrino has been contrite since the embarrassing matter and reiterated Thursday he has been humbled by his experiences. Asked how he would quell skepticism, the coach said, "the thing you do is just show (it). I have a sign in the locker room that says its a show-me world." Petrino is already off and running on his staff. A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that UAB coach Garrick McGee is stepping down and has agreed to become Petrinos offensive co-ordinator. The new Cardinals coach added that he will retain defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, penalized in October by the NCAA for violations committed as a Miami (Fla.) assistant. Louisvilles hiring of the offence-minded Petrino excited Cardinals players, such as leading rusher Dominique Brown, because of the potential of maintaining a high-powered unit Strong left behind. He acknowledged there were questions about his commitment but said those doubts disappeared after the coach met with players. "There were a couple of on the fence, but now all the players are convinced," Brown said. "We knew what we had while he was here, a top-10 offence. He had a good track record while he was here. I knew he liked to use big backs like Michael Bush. I was kind of worried, but now we are all convinced." Petrino said he was excited to get started with his second go-round with Louisville. "Its certainly a privilege to see how everything has moved, and now were going into the ACC," he said. "Its a great challenge to see the schedule we have coming up, and I cant wait to play that schedule." Cheap Swingman Nets Jerseys . 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. Ed Davis Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. http://www.cheapnetsjerseys.com/ . Pekovic had an MRI test Tuesday on his right ankle that revealed bursitis, which is inflammation of the fluid-filled pad that cushions the joint.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Blake Griffin buried bank shots, turnaround jumpers and spinning layups. DeAndre Jordan gobbled up rebounds and opposing shots, often flexing his muscles and letting out a roar. The high-flying finishers who spawned the nickname "Lob City" are doing far more than dunking in the playoffs. The frontcourt tandem has carried the Clippers to a 2-1 lead in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors, who have found no answer for either with centre Andrew Bogut out with a fractured right rib. "Just two animals out there just beastin right now," Clippers guard Darren Collison said. And both are finally performing in places they havent always flourished -- on defence, in the playoffs and at the most pivotal points of games. Since losing Game 1 in Los Angeles, Griffin has dominated David Lee and every other defender the Warriors have thrown his way. And Jordan -- who tied a franchise playoff record with 22 rebounds and five blocks in the Clippers 98-96 win in Game 3 on Thursday night -- has been the kind of rim protector coach Doc Rivers had long believed he could become. The two big men, both just 25 years old, have caused so much disruption that Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Friday hes considering changing his starting lineup for Game 4 on Sunday. The most likely swap would insert Draymond Green at power forward and push Lee to centre for Jermaine ONeal in a smaller, quicker lineup. "Weve got to figure out a way to present some resistance. I think things are going a little too smoothly for Blake," Jackson said during a light shootaround at Golden States downtown Oakland headquarters. Griffin has scored 32 and 35 points the past two games, respectively. Hes shooting 64 per cent from the floor in the series and has been at his best in the biggest spots. The All-Star power forward made five straight baskets -- three bank shots, a mid-range jumper and a short turnaround -- against Lee to open the third quarter in Game 3, part of a run that put the Clippers ahead by 18 points. "Just continuing to believe," Griffin ssaid, speaking to reporters at the teams downtown San Francisco hotel Friday. Dzanan Musa Jersey. "My teammates give me the confidence to go out there and shoot every time Im open." Lee promised hed be better against Griffin in Game 4. He has mostly been tasked with guarding Griffin by himself, though Jackson hinted more double-teams might be on the horizon. "Hes playing at a high level right now," Jackson said. "We forced him to be a jump shooter, and hes making jump shots. On the block, hes aggressive. Hes having an outstanding series capping off an outstanding year." While Griffins star has shined brightest, Jordan has been the insult-to-injury figure. The Warriors tried to lure Jordan away from Los Angeles in the summer of 2011, signing him to a four-year, $43 million offer sheet as a restricted free agent. Instead, the Clippers matched the deal. Now the Warriors -- who waived Jeremy Lin and amnestied Charlie Bell to make room for the offer -- can only watch Jordan make a major difference on defence while Bogut -- acquired in a trade with Milwaukee in March 2012 to be Golden States franchise centre -- sits out with another injury. Three years ago, though, Jordans game was not nearly what it is now. Jordan fell out of favour at times under former coach Vinny Del Negro, who was let go after the Clippers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of last years playoffs. Jordans rising game speaks to the Clippers commitment on defence under Rivers, who challenged the young centre to focus on rebounding and protecting the rim this season. Jordan finished third in voting for the NBAs defensive player of the year award behind winner Joakim Noah of Chicago and runner-up Roy Hibbert of Indiana. "These guys really rely on me a lot defensively, and when Im out there, they have all the confidence in the world in me," Jordan said. "So its definitely a huge step for me in my career, but at the same time, its always something to build on and its more motivation for me. As long as Im my teams defensive MVP, thats all that matters to me." ' ' '