BLACKBOARD » several Madison Square Garden records UFC 205 is set to bre

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie cornerback Artie Burns cant wait to make his debut.It has been a long time coming for the Steelers first-round pick, who was hampered by a nagging quad injury throughout most of training camp, causing him to miss the teams first three preseason games.Burns is healthy and more than ready for his first taste of the NFL during the Steelers preseason finale Thursday at Carolina.Im most definitely excited, Burns said. Everybodys been kind of waiting to see what I can do and Ive been waiting to see how Im going to do out there, so Im ready.The Steelers selected Burns No. 25 overall, the first time the team took a cornerback in the opening round since Chad Scott in 1997. Burns, a former Miami standout, led the ACC with six interceptions last season.He welcomes the lofty expectations that come with being a first-round pick.Im just ready to go out there and show everybody what Ive got, Burns said. I had a good week of practice. I feel real good, real healthy.Burns missed about three weeks with his quad injury before fully returning to practice last Wednesday. Burns said it was frustrating, but he remained patient, watching film, learning route concepts and studying formations behind the play while on the field during practice.Im behind, but I dont feel like Im far behind because I was still able to get the mental part, Burns said.Burns also leaned heavily on teammate William Gay, a 10-year veteran at cornerback. Gay looks forward to watching Burns in action.Im just excited to see him healthy and ready to go, Gay said. You always look forward to big things from a guy of his caliber. Hes just excited to prove to the locker room that hes capable of helping out.Burns will have the first chance to prove himself on Thursday. He expects a heavy workload against the Panthers.Im prepared for it, Burns said. Whatever theyre going to throw at me, Im going to take it and run with it.Burns wont likely be a starter at cornerback when the Steelers open the regular season, but hes OK with that. Gay and Ross Cockrell will start on the outside and rookie second-round pick Sean Davis is expected to be the first-team slot cornerback.Burns will be happy as long as hes on the field.I want to play in every game, Burns said. Just being out there and getting these reps is enough for me. I feel like I can contribute a lot to the secondary, being a young guy with a lot of athleticism. Im here to do whatever the team needs me to do.Game notes The Steelers placed tight end Ladarius Green on the physically unable to perform list. Green, the Steelers biggest free agent signing in the offseason, underwent offseason ankle surgery and is ineligible to join the active roster until after Week 6 of the regular season. ... Coach Mike Tomlin said linebacker Bud Dupree underwent an evaluation on Tuesday for a groin injury he has battled throughout training camp. Dupree, the Steelers 2015 first-round pick, practiced in a limited capacity recently, but hasnt played in three preseason games. ... Tomlin said he will hold out a number of veterans Thursday at Carolina.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will attempt to make history on Nov. 12, when he challenges Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight championship at UFC 205 in New York -- and he intends to make some type of announcement shortly thereafter.McGregor (20-3) is hoping to become the first athlete to ever hold two UFC titles at the same time. Hes managed to maintain ownership of the featherweight title, despite the fact next weekend will mark his third appearance without a defense.UFC president Dana White has publicly referred to McGregors planned announcement as something out of left field. There have been some reports McGregor intends to take time off after the blockbuster event, but the Irishman downplayed those during a media call on Thursday.I think youre absolutely crazy to even mention a clickbait crowd like that, said McGregor, when asked about a report from Irish Mirror. I mean, the Irish Mirror, what the f--- is that? Who even is that? They dont know s--- about me or what Im doing.Look, stay tuned for what Im announcing but dont be listening to people like that. People like that know nothing about what I do or whats going on here. I will reveal all, in time.Fighting out of Dublin, McGregor, 28, will be stepping into the Octagon for the third time in 2016. He was originally supposed to fight for the lightweight championship in March, but that bout fell through when then-champion Rafael dos Anjos withdrew due to injury.Veteran lightweight Nate Diaz agreed to fill in against McGregor on 11 days notice, and the fight was booked at the welterweight limit of 170 pounds. Diaz upset McGGregor with a rear-naked choke in the second round, which ultimately led to a rematch at UFC 202 in August.dddddddddddd McGregor won the second fight via unanimous decision.That busy schedule has fed speculation he might wish to take time off, but McGregor refused to confirm anything close to that on the call. He noted several Madison Square Garden records UFC 205 is set to break, according to statements made by White.I dont know whether you can take time off from this life, McGregor said. Ill stay working, stay creating history, stay changing the game. Thats what Ive been doing since Day 1. Now, here we are, close to the New York debut at Madison Square Garden. We broke the [Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier] attendance of 21,000 I believe. Im hearing that we also broke the gate record of $14 million set by Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.Two amazing contests, two historical fights, and Ive broken both. So, its an honor to do that.The UFC has stated McGregor will vacate either the featherweight or lightweight title should he win on Nov. 12. McGregor, as hes done in the past, suggested on Thursday theres no guarantee he will willingly part ways with one of the belts.Alvarez (28-4), who is seeking his first defense, says it will never reach that point.The guys hes faced are nothing close to the caliber of fighter I am, Alvarez said. He will see the night of the fight, S---, Ive been going up against s----- opponents that were good style matchups and this ones not. ' ' '