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WINNIPEG -- Maybe its third time lucky for linebacker Ejiro Kuale, who has bounced around a bit since he was released by the Toronto Argonauts after the 2012 season ended with their Grey Cup win. As the Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened their main training camp Sunday, Kuale is one of the newcomers brought in to bolster a sagging defence that ranked overall where the Bombers finished 2013, in the CFL cellar with a league high 585 points against. After brief stints in Montreal and Saskatchewan in 2013, Kuale is entering his fifth year in the CFL in Winnipeg, where the Bombers are now coached by former Toronto special teams co-ordinator Mike OShea. The two have a lot of good things to say about each other. "He understands what its like to be a player," says Kuale, who played special teams in Toronto when OShea was there. "He approaches the game differently from any of the coaches Ive ever been around." The Bombers are in need of a middle linebacker after star Canadian Henoc Muamba jumped to the NFL and Kuale, six-foot-two, 238 pounds, is certainly a contender. "Theres good competition at that middle linebacker spot but Kuale is, having coached him in Toronto, hes a different type of player," said OShea. "Hes very physical. Hes always in great shape and he can be a leader, that sort of emotional type of leader for guys. Hes come in and hes not let us down." For someone who will turn 31 in July, Kuale showed no ill effects Sunday from a four-and-a-half-hour practice in weather that wouldnt have been out of place in his hometown of Daytona Beach, Fla. "I feel great today although I should have brought my old cleats, my brand new cleats have my feet hurting a bit. . . I pulled a rookie move, Im a vet, I should know better." Veteran offensive lineman Glenn January liked what he saw at camp. The O-line is another place the Bombers are looking to add talent. "Everybody thinks they look good May 31 or June 1 but I think were looking pretty good," said January, entering his eight season in the CFL and sixth with the Bombers. After disappointing fans with as 3-15 season in 2013, January wasnt getting too bold in his predictions. "They should be expecting a better season than last year." But he says the labour dispute between the league and players isnt getting in the way of business on the field. "Its Day 1, lets focus on football." OShea agreed, saying he sees no signs the players have anything but playing football on their minds The defence is coached this season by Gary Etcheverry, another favourite of OShea who is known for taking an unusual approach. "We have to forget everything weve learned about football and buy into what coach Etch is trying to teach us," says Kuale. Defensive back Johnny Sears says its going to be unique and the kind of defence opposing teams may have a hard time preparing to battle. "You cant get a bead on it, its different," he says. "I might not be playing the position you see me playing today... The scouting report says `This guy plays here. Next week when they see us, I might play there for the first snap, who knows the rest of the game... I think thats a good advantage for us." The first day of camp brought its share of injuries. Former Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith was sidelined with a hamstring pull when he jumped to make a catch early in practice. Canadian wide receiver Jordan Brescacin also had a hamstring injury. Canadian linebacker Jesse Briggs was favouring an arm but OShea said they didnt have a report on what might have happened. Offensive lineman Paul Swiston wasnt on the field and is still recovering from off-season surgery, said the coach. Defensive lineman Willie Moseley is expected to return in a couple of days from a muscle strain. Wholesale 76ers Jerseys . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. 76ers Jerseys 2020 . The eighth-year point guard played in his 500th career game on Sunday, a 98-93 win over the Orlando Magic. Does he feel like hes played in that many games? "No," he said initially, before reconsidering. https://www.cheap76ers.com/. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon; a brief, poor outing that served to highlight two trends that have developed this season. Fake 76ers Jerseys . - Kobe Bryant and LeBron James traded hugs, big shots and verbal jabs all night with warmth and humour. Cheap 76ers Jerseys .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player.One is a legend in the CFL. The other is in his first pro training camp. For Ricky Ray and Anthony Coombs, the connection they share is more than just playing on the offensive side of the ball; more than just wearing the same double-blue uniform. They are brothers -- union brothers. While members of the CFLPA were in CBA negotiations with league officials in a hotel conference room near Torontos Pearson International Airport, 20 kilometres to the northeast the Argonauts were holding their first practice of the season for rookies and quarterbacks. The most recognizable player on the field on Wednesday was Ray. Entering his 12th season in the league, his third with the Argos, the Northern Californian is pragmatic in his approach to the labour situation, which to a large extent, is out of his control. "We just have to wait and see," said Ray. "Obviously I stand by the players union and what were fighting for and hopefully well be able to come to an agreement." What has he thought of the process to date? "Im not in the meetings," said Ray. "Its hard for me to comment on things because I havent been in there listening to whats going on, but theyre fighting for what they want, were fighting for what we want, and hopefully we can come to an agreement and share whats going on with this league. I think a lot of good things are happening in the CFL - new stadiums, a new team coming back, seems like were growing pretty well, so hopefully we can find some middle ground and all benefit. There are few players in the league that garner the same respect, on or off the field, than the 34-year old does. When he gives advice people usually take notice. He took the opportunity to pass along a helping hand to those rookies who may be going through this type of distraction for the first time. "All you can focus on, especially the rookies, is out here (on the field)," Ray continued. "They cant be thinking about whats going on and whats going to happen. Theyve just got to take the time they have right now and do the best they can to be focused and make the team." Ray is very mild mannered and leads by example as opposed to being overly vocal. That said; hes used to the give and take with members of the media and there are days when its easy to tell that hed rather be doing something - anything - else than being interviewed.dddddddddddd. This topic seemed to hit home, however, and in an answer that was longer than the norm for him, the signal caller continued his advice for those newcomers trying to become his teammate. "Thats what youve got to do sometimes when youre an athlete. There are a lot of outside distractions, whether its at home or anywhere else, and when you step on this football field, be able to focus and do your job." Coombs is one of those youngsters in an uncommon situation in the long history of the CFL. Hes entering his first season in the shadow of a work stoppage. Selected with the third-overall pick in the CFL draft a fortnight earlier, Coombs arrived at camp focused on the on-field activities, not what was happening in the labour dispute. "Theres a lot of stuff going on," said the running back. "I tend to just focus on what I can control. As a rookie Ive already got a lot of playbook stuff coming at me so Ive got a lot of stuff that I need to learn, so Im trying not to focus on the business side or whatever politics that are going on around me, it would just distract me from my play." A pretty mature answer for a 21-year old. He says hes read some articles on the dispute, but says even some of the veterans dont seem to know everything that going on. He just wants to maintain his focus. "The advice I was told is just worry about what you have to do," said the University of Manitoba product. The first game on the Argos schedule is Monday, June 9. Its a preseason game in Winnipeg, not only the city where he grew up, but the game would be played on the same field that he starred for the Bisons last year. If the game isnt a casualty of the labour dispute and hes fortunate enough to play, he has one wish. "Hopefully my hometown will cheer for me, not boo me," Coombs said with a chuckle. The rookie RB is hopeful the game will be played, as is the veteran QB Ray, who in one sentence summed up perfectly the feeling of players, owners, and most importantly, CFL fans. "I think all of us want to see training camp start and the season get underway on time, so hopefully they come to an agreement." Amen. ' ' '