When the 2014 iteration of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hits the turf at Investors Group Field for Thursday nights CFL regular season opener, fans of the Blue and Gold may have their noses buried in their line-up cards more often than they might prefer. Justin Faulk Authentic Jersey . The roster changes have been constant and continuous since late last year, but even with their 46-man roster set for the start of the season, the banged-up Bombers will be kicking off Week 1 with a handful of fresh faces and back-ups in the starting lineup. The most noticeable difference on offence will be the yet-to-be-determined starting tailback spot, as 2013 East Division All-Star Will Ford has missed both of Winnipegs preseason games with a hamstring issue that arose early in training camp. Ford has taken in just a handful of practices this past week as he eases himself back to 100 per cent health. Explosive newcomer Paris Cotton will be out a few weeks with a "tweaked knee" according to Mike OShea, so fellow first-year ball carrier Nic Grigsby looks to get the start against the Toronto Argonauts. "Im just going to go do my job," said Grigsby, who has also been a little banged-up as of late but has battled through since the Ford and Cotton injuries. "Coach told me to lock in — lock and load — so thats what Im going to do. Im preparing myself for the long-haul." "Youve got to grow up. Be a pro," added Grigsby, who OShea has spoken admirably of in the tailbacks desire and ability to stay active enough to take full reps through camp despite some bumps and bruises. "Youve got to be a leader out there. Be enthusiastic, and just seize the moment right now... Everybody out here is bumped and bruised up. Everyone from Toronto is out there bumped and bruised up. Come Thursday, Coach OShea is going to get us ready, prepared, and calmed down — our bodies ready to go to play a good game." Starting centre Steve Morley, who worked on snapping the football all winter, shifts to the middle from the right guard spot for the upcoming season. The 11-year-pro didnt practice Monday with a tweaked hamstring and is listed as "hopeful" for Week 1. In his place taking first-team reps at centre this week is 2014 second-overall draft pick Matthias Goossen. Fourth-year national lineman Patrick Neufeld, acquired from the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 2013 sack leader Alex Hall, will start at right guard. Dan Knapp, a former tight end at Arizona State who joined Winnipegs practice roster in mid-September last year, has won the starting right tackle job. "I lost the majority of my fat, basically, and worked as hard as I possibly could this offseason and its really, really paying off on the field," said Knapp, whose ultra-muscular build is much more akin to that of a speed-rush defensive end. "I was working out twice a day, five days a week. Speed training... That was consistent all through the offseason. My head was on straight and I knew what I needed to do to come out here to be successful." On the other side of the ball, defensive backs Alex Suber (hamstring) and Marty Markett (ankle), linebacker Korey Banks (back), and national Donovan Alexander (calf) — who is the expected starter at field corner — are all on the one-game injured list to start the season. To keep the ratio, national Matt Bucknor will start in place of Alexander on Thursday night. "Thats my role coming in. If I have to back-up then Im willing to do that. If I have to start Im definitely excited to do that as well," said Bucknor, who will look to make his first CFL start since his 2012 rookie season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. "Any chance you get to step on the field and put on the jersey is an opportunity to perform and showcase your talents. Definitely, its something that Im looking forward to." A former NFL starting cornerback will line up in place of veteran field halfback Alex Suber. "Im versatile. Im quick. I can move around. I got speed," said Bruce Johnson, who spent the 2009 through 2011 seasons with the New York Giants. "Just getting adjusted to the waggle and the new things like that, it took me a little bit going through the camps, but Ive adjusted very well." 2008 Kansas City Chiefs rookie of the year Moe Leggett has won the starting safety job, while Chris Randle — acquired via trade with the Calgary Stampeders this past offseason — and third-year Bomber Demond Washington will man the boundary corner and halfback spots. The defensive line, which OShea has described as a team strength, has two new faces from the 2013 unit in Jason Vega (back after a two-team NFL stint) and former University of Manitoba Bison, Louie Richardson. The perpetual rotation of Vega, Richardson, Bryant Turner, Greg Peach, Zach Anderson and Jake Thomas has made deciphering the starting unit a near impossibility. Chris Terry Jersey . -- Sacramento Kings coach Michael Malone didnt hold his tongue about his teams shortcomings on the defensive end following its lopsided loss to Miami. Cam Ward Hurricanes Jersey . The Impact (2-6-4) host D.C. United tonight before a two-week respite from Major League Soccer, and Bernier says a tough defeat against third-place United (6-4-4) could hurt the teams morale, and undo much of their recent success.Scottsdale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Tom Pernice, Jr. birdied the fourth playoff hole on Sunday to defeat Jay Haas and win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Playing the 18th hole on the Cochise Course at the Desert Mountain Club for the fourth time on the day, Pernice was able to make about a 6-foot putt for birdie in order to take down Haas, who had just made a long par putt to apply some pressure. Pernice, who held a share of the third-round lead with Kenny Perry, shot a 3- under 67, while Haas, the second-round leader, carded a 4-under 66. The duo finished regulation at 11-under-par 269. Im just honored. Its a privilege for me to be able to be out here and play and to be able to hold up this trophy is really special, Pernice said. Yesterday was a bit of a struggle and today I hung in there. Jay and I get together and we struggled a bit in the playoff, but Im thrilled to death. Perry used an eagle putt on the last hole to vault into a third-place finish at 10-under 270. Perry shot a 68 on Sunday. Bernhard Langer, who had wrapped up the season-long Charles Schwab Cup and the money title prior to playing this week, ended in a tie for fourth with Colin Montgomerie, who finished second in the race for the cup. Langer fired a 5- under 65, while Montgomerie shot a 67. The end of regulation was about as exciting as it gets. Playing in the penultimate group tied at minus-10 with Pernice, who was in the final pairing, Haas second shot on the par-5 18th found a waste area in front of the green. His next shot just barely crept onto the fringe, but Haas drained the long birdie putt to get to 11-under as he flipped his putter into the air. Pernices second shot found the back of the green well away from the hole. His putt was wide to the right and ran about five feet past the hole. Having not three-putted all week, Pernice drained it for birdie to force a playoff. Heading back to the 18th for the first playoff hole, both Pernice and Haas found the fairway with their drives. Haas put his approach shot just off the back of the green, while Pernice hit the green in two. They both two-putted for birdie to force a second playoff hole. Back on the 18th again, Pernice drove his ball well right into the waste area, where it sat down in a rut. Haas put his tee shot in the rough on the left. Pernice was forced to punch out into the fairway and his third shot was hit way to the right. Taking his second shot, Haas rolled his ball through the green and into a bunker behind the green. Pernice chipped onto tthe green with his fourth shot, while Haas shot out of the bunker found the green as well. Jay McClement Jersey. Haas just missed his birdie putt for the win to the right and Pernice was able to scramble to make his par to force a third hole. Now on the par-3 17th, Pernices tee shot went off the back of the green and Haas hit his shot to within 20 feet. Pernice chipped his second shot to within four feet. Again, Haas missed his putt to the right and settled for par, and then he watched as Pernice rolled his in for a par as well. Back on the 18th one more time, both Pernice and Haas found the rough on the right. Like in regulation, Haas hit into the waste area in front of the green, while Pernice hit into a bunker to the left. Haas barely made it out of the waste area again and his ball held up in the rough. Pernices next shot got to within six feet and Haas chip out of the rough was still about 20 feet short. Haas drained his par putt to put the pressure on Pernice, but Pernice knocked his in for birdie and the victory was his. It was certainly back-and-forth and neither one of us played terrific golf, but somehow I managed to make some pars and a couple birdies in there, Haas said. Hats off to Tom, hes wonderful around the greens. I knew he was going to make a four there. I had it twice in front of the green there in those rocks and I feel like Im just going to zing it out of there and I chunked it both times. In regulation, Pernice made birdies on one and six on the front nine and made the turn at minus-2 for the day. It was an up-and-down back nine for Pernice as he made birdies on 15, 16 and 18 to go along with bogeys on 14 and 17. Haas made the turn at minus-2 as well after making birdies on two, six and seven as well as a bogey on four. Haas stayed strong on the back nine as he made a birdie on 11. Following six pars in a row from 12, Haas made his big birdie on the last, which led to a playoff. NOTES: Pernice, who also won the Principal Charity Classic earlier this year, earned both of his wins in a playoff this season ... Since he finished inside the top six, Langer set the record for earnings in one season with $3,074,190 ... Langer had 18 top-10 finishes in 21 events this season ... With the win, Pernice earned $440,000 ... Haas has now finished runner-up at this event four times without winning it ... Pernice finished fifth in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup race, while Haas finished third ... The Champions Tour season is over, but the National Qualifying Tournament will begin on November 20. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
