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    • August 8, 2019 11:27 AM IST
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      ss analytical optimism for many reason

      This is going to be a good team. Josh Bell Pirates Jersey . I realize I tend to say that about almost every team in my CFL previews this year, but with Montreal it is easy to express analytical optimism for many reasons. First is quarterback Troy Smith. There is nothing really physically outstanding about Smith; he is 60, 224 pounds with a good arm and good mobility. I sum him up as thick and quick. But there is something about him, a genuine confidence expressed through experience in football at a high level. An articulation and intelligence that you "pick up on" when he is in front of a camera talking about himself and the league. And a unique level of humility that says in order to perform, I have to learn; not the other way around. I have always looked at humility as a strength and maturity; arrogance as a weakness and insecurity. When you consider the short amount of preparation time Smith experienced last year, his solid on field performance in yes, limited games, was very impressive. You have to feel good that as the teams starter from the outset, improvement is inevitable. I know of the other Alouettes QBs, but I would be immensely surprised if, outside of injury, Smith is not the No. 1 quarterback wearing No. 1. And with Anthony Calvillo retired, I am sure Smith looks at this training camp as a career opportunity, not a wait-and-see situation. On the defensive side of the ball, the Alouettes have an exceptional unit with just one unknown: who will play middle linebacker now that Shea Emry is an Argonaut? This issue is more a ratio adjustment problem than a personnel problem. It would be great if you could replace a Canadian with another good Canadian but if not, you will have a market of linebackers ready throughout the United States. The two positions of numeric wealth in NCAA football are running back and linebacker; simply said there are a lot of them. Last year Montreal was first in some significant defensive categories: fewest yards allowed at 314 per game, fewest rushing yards allowed at 88 per game; fewest 2nd down conversions allowed, most two and outs forced, most quarterback sacks with 59, and a key one, most takeaways with 56. All they need is to find or develop a new middle linebacker. Thats a manageable situation. On offence, Brandon Whitaker will be back and with Jamel Richardson and SJ Green it is hard to argue that the two best slot receivers are anywhere but Montreal. The Chad Johnson experiment will be an interesting one. Hes closer to 40 than 30 but the bottom line is can he still move like he is 20? Answers will be given early but if he is competing for a roster spot with someone younger and equal in talent, the younger guy will get it. The single biggest mediating factor in athletic performance is age. You know it is coming but you cant stop it, you can only slow it down. Special teams will improve with Larry Taylor and Duron Carter as returners, but also a rededication to blocking effectively for the returners as a priority. And finally there is Tom Higgins, the new Alouettes head coach. More than a few years removed from coaching, Higgins is about as much a polar opposite from the previous full-time head coach as you can get. And that is a good thing. Higgins is pragmatic and calculated; hes an administrator and no one knows the rules better. Hes been named CFL coach of the year and is a Grey Cup-winning coach. He is not the next youthful flash of success, quite the opposite. This decision comes from the experience of decades being the front man of the organization. This one is logical and safe compared to last years decision, which was risky and a novelty. It does not happen very often but every now and then games are determined by experience or inexperience with CFL rules. This year, thats an advantage with Higgins in Montreal. In the East, Toronto has to keep Ricky Ray healthy for 18 games because assuming the next Zack Collaros is on the roster is unrealistic. Hamilton has to continue to improve and may be the team to beat early. Ottawa is brand new, if they make the playoffs it will be a successful season. So where does that leave Montreal? With a new coach, new quarterback, new receivers, and maybe more adversity than any CFL team last year, they still finished 8-10, only three games out from first place. Another 8-10 finish this year is very unlikely; expect Montreal to surprise come November in BC. Corey Dickerson Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Erik Gonzalez Jersey . After falling 5-0 on home ice in a game that could have tied them for second in the wild card standings, Washington head coach Adam Oates had some strong words for Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin.HALIFAX - Georges St-Pierre is on the verge of returning to mixed martial arts training. But whether he fights again is still up in the air.Longtime coach Firas Zahabi believes the former UFC welterweight champion is not short of motivation as he continues his comeback from knee surgery during his hiatus from the sport.Zahabi, in Halifax to corner five fighters including No. 2 welterweight Rory MacDonald on Saturdays televised UFC card, says GSP is scheduled to take his training up a notch. Hes been cleared now to do some martial arts training, Zahabi said this week. Were going to take it one step at a time. Were going to get back in the gym, try to have some fun. You know he hasnt kicked and punched in a long time so were going to have some fun with it first.St-Pierre (25-2) vacated his title last December saying he needed time away from the sport. But he kept training.He underwent surgery in April after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during a workout. GSP had reconstructive surgery on his other knee in December 2011.The 33-year-old St-Pierre has denied recent reports that he is returning to action.No decision, St-Pierre said in a text Friday to The Canadian Press. Zahabi says he cant speak for the former champion.But I believe theres still a lot of fire in him, said Zahabi. I just think he needs to balance his life a lot more. When you run, you trip.He did too many fights too soon, too much. I think hes just got to space them out. He can handle that. He just needs to have some personal life as well.After a controversial razor-thin split decision over Johny (Bigg Rigg) Hendricks at UFC 167 last November, the battered champion seemed a man on the edge.I cant sleep at night now. Im going crazy, he said in the post-fight news conference. I have issues.. Felipe Vazquez Pirates Jersey. I need to relax. I need to get out for a while. I dont know what Im going to do.He announced his hiatus weeks later, without going into detail on the issues bothering him.Hendricks went on to claim the vacant 170-pound title, beating (Ruthless) Robbie Lawler. The two are scheduled to fight again Dec. 6 at UFC 181.Like Zahabi, UFC Canada boss Tom Wright also has his own opinion on St-Pierre.I dont have any facts whatsoever. My hunch is that Georges will come back, said Wright, who also heads up UFC operations in Australia and New Zealand. But Georges will want to come back on his own terms.Id like to see nothing better.Since stepping aside, St-Pierre has talked of the need for more stringent drug testing in his sport.Wright points to the two different camps on GSPs fighting future. One wants St-Pierre to retire at the top of his game. The other says he has unfinished business and perhaps wants to go out on different terms.Who knows, said Wright.UFC president Dana White has said that St-Pierre could return to a title fight.St-Pierre has already cemented his legacy in the sport. The win over Hendricks was a record 19th in the UFC for St-Pierre, one more than former welterweight champion Matt Hughes. It also moved GSP past former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for most wins in UFC title bouts at 12.St-Pierre holds the record for career fight time in the UFC at five hours 28 minutes 12 seconds.He also owns the UFC mark for most championship rounds fought (52). UFC 167 was St-Pierres 14th championship fight, one behind Randy Couture.St-Pierre exited leading the UFC records in total strikes landed, significant strikes landed, takedowns landed and takedown accuracy rate, according to FightMetric.---Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter ' ' '

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