Mon Feb 11, 2019 6:19 am
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. Brad Hand Jersey .com) - Jahlil Okafor had 21 points, Tyus Jones scored 16 with 10 assists and No. Yangervis Solarte Jersey . - Diego Fagundez scored his team-leading 13th goal of the season in the 76th minute to lift the Revolution to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night that kept New Englands playoff hopes alive. http://www.authenticpadrespgear.com/pad ... rg-jersey/ . Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team. On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game hell want to forget. Dave Winfield Jersey . The Broncos quarterback earned the offensive award Wednesday after passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-21 win over the Raiders Monday night. Manning completed 32-of-37 passes and had a passer rating of 135. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout.LOS ANGELES -- Carlos Quentin drove in three runs, Alexi Amarista homered and Jesse Hahn pitched six solid innings, leading the San Diego Padres to a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Hahn (5-2) allowed a run and three hits, struck out six and walked four in his seventh major league start. The 24-year-old right-hander has a 1.46 ERA over his last six outings since Pittsburgh beat him 4-1 on June 3 in his big league debut at Petco Park. Padres right-hander Blaine Boyer took over for Hahn, giving up a leadoff double to Drew Butera and a walk to Carl Crawford. That ended Boyers season-opening string of 26 consecutive plate appearances by right-handed batters without a hit or a walk -- the longest such streak since STATS LLC. began tracking data in 1974. First-time All-Star Yasiel Puig chased Boyer with an RBI double, the first run off him this season in 14 innings. Adrian Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly against Alex Torres, but Quentin turned it into an inning-ending double play by throwing to third baseman Chase Headley for the tag on the over-aggressive Puig after Dee Gordon crossed the plate. Joaquin Benoit escaped an eighth-inning jam, striking out Juan Uribe and Miguel Rojas with runners at second and third and retiring Crawford on a fielders choice grounder with the bases loaded after a full-count walk to pinch-hitter A.J. Ellis. Huston Street pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save in 25 chances. Quentin, who entered Friday batting .165 with 14 RBIs in 42 games, hit an RBI double in the fifth off Dan Haren and extended the Padres lead to 6-1 in the sixth with a bases-loaded two-run single against Jamey Wright. The three RBIs gave the Padres left fielder two more than he had in his previous 34 at-bats combined. The Dodgers thirdd loss in four games, coupled with San Franciscos 5-0 win over Arizona, dropped the defending NL West champions into a virtual tie with the Giants for the division lead.dddddddddddd Haren (8-6) gave up four runs and six hits in his third start against the Padres and second loss to them in three weeks, throwing 102 pitches in four-plus innings. He came in 4-1 with a 2.96 ERA in his eight previous home starts this year. Matt Kemp opened the scoring in the Dodgers first with an RBI single, but the Padres responded in the second with Amaristas third home run after Will Venable reached on a strikeout-wild pitch past Butera. Haren has allowed 19 homers -- tying the Padres Eric Stults for second-most in the NL behind the 27 served up by Milwaukees Marco Estrada. The Padres increased the margin to 4-1 with two runs in the fifth. Headley, whose homer in Thursdays series opener ended Clayton Kershaws string of 41 consecutive scoreless innings, drove in Seth Smith from first base with a double. Quentin followed with another double on Harens 103rd and final pitch. NOTES: Former Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng was the eighth candidate interviewed by the Padres to replace fired general manager Josh Byrnes. Ng, currently the senior vice-president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball, is attempting to become the first female general manager of any major pro sport. Dodgers vice-president of amateur scouting Logan White also was interviewed for the job. So was Padres senior vice-president of baseball operations Omar Minaya, the former Mets and Montreal Expos GM. ... Haren has allowed at least one home run in 11 of his last 12 starts. But none of the last 30 home runs hit against him have come with more than one man on base. ... The Padres rotation has a 1.74 ERA over the last 11 games. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '