Dein erstes Forum » bruiser, but I take great pride in my defensive game

KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- B.C. Lions head coach Mike Benevides wants his players to embrace the role of being Grey Cup hosts. He told them as much before CFL training camps got going Sunday. "I was pretty honest about it. You know what? Its additional pressure," said Benevides. "Every team across the country is saying the same thing -- we want to win a championship. Im not going to be dishonest and say Well its at home so its no big deal. It is a big deal." The Lions started a string of three straight host teams winning the title in their own backyards with their victory at B.C. Place Stadium in 2011 and will be looking to make it a four-peat for host cities this November. "We want to win it in front of our fans," Benevides continued. "Last time it was here thats exactly what occurred, and thats what we get paid to do. Distraction, focus, motivation -- call it whatever you want. Thats the No. 1 goal." The Lions have not won a playoff game since raising the Grey Cup three years ago, but running back Andrew Harris said he believes they have the horses to get it down in 2014. "The expectation for us every year is to be in the Grey Cup. Obviously theres maybe a little more added pressure, but last time it was here we won and that was a great year for us," said the Winnipeg native. "Were looking to do the same and I definitely think looking around and seeing the guys that we have solid chance to do that." That chance could rest heavily on Travis Lulays surgically repaired shoulder. The Lions quarterback was injured during last seasons 11-7 campaign and returned for their playoff loss before going under the knife. Lulay said Sunday "it remains to be seen" if he will be ready to go when B.C. opens its regular season on June 28. "Im still in a stage where camps going to be a continued progression for me, but it has steady upward progression throughout the off-season," said Lulay. "Im actually really anxious to see how it recovers on a day-to-day basis coming out here." B.C. traded for veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn at the CFL draft as an insurance policy, and while Benevides and Lulay were both adamant the Lions No. 1 quarterback is on schedule, the head coach added its his job to make sure his star gets back to 100 per cent. "All these guys that are elite athletes, theyre champions and MVPs," said Benevides. "You have to make sure you help them in understanding the overall picture. Hes intelligent, he understands it, hes been through this before but theres no doubt that well have various conversations and discuss it back and forth." Added Lulay: "Sometimes you think you can be Superman and overcome some of that stuff. Managing expectations is one of the biggest parts of coming off an injury and thats one of the things Ive learned and you have to learn to deal with that." The Toronto Argonauts won the Grey Cup as hosts in 2012, while the Saskatchewan Roughriders took the title on the Prairies in 2013. Both teams loaded up through trades and free agency in the off-season leading up to the CFLs marquee event, but the Lions had a quiet winter by comparison. What B.C. does have is a lot of fresh faces at camp both on the field and the sidelines. A number of veteran players were either traded, retired or moved on through free agency, while the club also has new offensive and defensive co-ordinators. Khari Jones has been brought in to kick-start an offence that was criticized for being too predictable, while Mark Washington was promoted to run the defence after six seasons coaching the secondary. "We have a lot of open positions," Benevides said of the competitions for spots at camp. "Were going to have a young team and we have to evaluate and find that talent. "Our football team is going to play fast. Everything we do is fast." Apart from a lot of new blood and fresh schemes, the Lions who have been around awhile believe theyre also wiser as hosts because of what they went through in 2011 after starting that season 0-5. "The biggest thing for us is just coming through adversity and staying on that one track and definitely building as a team," said Harris. "I think we did that in 2011 and we have some components this year to make that happen again. Its being persistent and staying at it. Its a full 18-game season and you never know how it ends." Benevides was the defensive co-ordinator with that championship team and will be looking for his first playoff win as a head coach in a season he hopes will culminate with a victory for the Lions in Vancouver on Nov. 30. "Its a long, long journey. Its a long, long season," he said. "Its about making critical plays at critical times and winning that critical game. "Nobody can tell you how the script is going to be written, but its going to be written and someones going to stand on the podium." Notes: The Lions had a meeting with CFLPA representative Paul McCallum before Sundays first practice, a session the veteran kicker said helped clear the air of any questions players might have with regards to the threat of a strike. The leagues collective bargaining agreement expired on Thursday night. ... The Lions first pre-season game is scheduled for June 13 on the road against the Edmonton Eskimos. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China .com) - Generally you want to be the guy who replaces the guy who replaced the legend. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings take aim at an eighth straight victory on Monday night as they wrap up a road trip versus the Calgary Flames. Nike NFL Jerseys China .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man. NFL Jerseys China . - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin has cleared league-mandated concussion protocol and has returned to practice as a full participant.PHILADELPHIA - Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff wasnt looking for one specific way to improve his team at the 2014 NHL draft. Instead, he focused on acquiring depth, of both players and picks, casting a wide net over the two days in Philadelphia. "We had a smattering of everything," said Cheveldayoff. "We got some high skill in the first round, we got a big two-way defenceman early today, and we picked up some more skill, some grit on the wing and then we got some big centremen at the end as well." The Jets made two trades as well, sending the 159th pick and the rights to goalie Eddie Pasquale to the Washington Capitals for the 164th and 192nd picks in this years draft and a seventh-round pick in 2015. The Jets also acquired Ottawas sixth-round pick in 2015 for their 189th pick this year. "We came in with seven picks, and we ended up picking seven players," said Cheveldayoff. "We stockpiled some picks for next years draft, and we did come in saying that if we felt we were going to get our players later in the draft that we could get to see if we could move down. "We ended up acquiring an extra pick when we moved the rights to Eddie Pasquale, so we had some picks that if we could find a way to move into next year to have those assets moving forward, that was something we were looking forward to." The Jets took Jack Glover from the United States under-18 team with the 69th overall pick, their highest pick on the second day of the draft. "Hes got good size, he moves very well, and hes a good two-way defenceman," said Cheveldayoff. "Getting him in the third round is something we were very excited about, becausee where we had him on our list was not in that realm.dddddddddddd When he was available we actually looked at trying to package something to move up into the later parts of the second round, but we couldnt find a match, so we were happy to get a player that we liked." "I like to push the pace," said the six-foot-three, 190-pound Glover, "and to get the puck to the forwards. I definitely think that Im a guy that relies on my skating and my vision, and I think those are my two biggest assets. Im not a big hitter, Im not a big bruiser, but I take great pride in my defensive game." With their fourth-round picks, the Jets took two players from the WHL: centre Chase De Leo from Portland and defenceman Nelson Nogier from Saskatoon. The team used its lone fifth-round pick on left wing Clinston Franklin of the USHL, and wrapped its activity in the sixth and seventh rounds with centre Pavel Kraskovsky from the Russia-Jr. team and centre/left wing Matt Ustaski from the BCHL. De Leo will join his childhood best friend and WHL rival, goalie Eric Comrie, as a Jets prospect. Comrie is the half-brother of NHL players Mike and Paul Comrie. "When we were 10 years old we had a piece of paper and we both signed it, saying that we were going to be teammates in the NHL one day," said De Leo. "Its pretty special and very exciting." Cheveldayoff likes the familiarity between the two prospects. "Its great to see the players in our organization have a bond already even before they get to development camp or training camp," said Cheveldayoff. "We are trying to build one family here, and its great to have a head start on it." ' ' '