KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- B.C. Lions head coach Mike Benevides says his team has a better handle on what makes Khalif Mitchell tick this time around. The hulking defensive tackle helped the Lions win the 2011 Grey Cup, however a series of incidents on an off the field the following season precipitated a trade to the Toronto Argonauts prior to the 2013 campaign. The mercurial Mitchell rebounded in Toronto and asked for his release from the Argos to pursue NFL opportunities this winter, but when those failed to materialized the Lions surprised the rest of the CFL by bringing him back into the fold. "I think hes a person thats matured. Hes a person thats experienced some things," Benevides said at training camp this week. "The biggest thing I see is everybody else understanding who he is. "I think hes very conscious of whats occurring and whats going on around him. What people need to know is he is not a bad person. Hes a good person." Benevides would know. He was the Lions defensive co-ordinator back in 2011 when Mitchell had his best season, compiling 33 tackles and six sacks. "I see everybody understanding who he is and sometimes you have a misconception or you dont understand someone and that sometimes creates issues," said Benevides. "Khalif is a very charismatic guy, hes a very passionate guy. He enjoys the game. His teammates and his team and the guys around him are very important to him." But it was those teammates who wanted him out the door after the six-foot-six, 315-pound Mitchell made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2012. The league suspended him two games for violently hyperextending the arm of an opponent that July before fining him an unspecified amount for making multiple throat-slashing gestures in another game. Mitchell was then fined and suspended again for violating the CFLs social media policy after using a racial slur on Twitter. Benevides said the teams leadership group was consulted when the idea to was first floated to bring Mitchell back, and it was agreed that all parties could move on and work towards winning the Grey Cup, which the Lions host in November. "It was a long process and discussion. There was a lot of guys that I spoke to and they were the ones who said Bring him back in the room," said Benevides. "At the end of the day we all have a job to do and thats win." But while his coach has seen growth and maturity, the 29-year-old Mitchell emphasized hes still the same person in many ways. "I havent changed who I am. Even when I came back to B.C. I was like Im going to be Khalif and they were like We understand that," said Mitchell, referring to himself in the third person. "I think a lot of people dont understand who Khalif is because a lot of people only see me in football or from the negative things that Ive produced in the media." Lions running back Andrew Harris expressed delight when Mitchell was traded last year, tweeting "Good riddance!!!!" after the deal with the Argos was announced. The Winnipeg native said hes willing to move on because of Mitchells unique skill set and a hope that he has learned from his mistakes. "Khalif is a beast. Hes a guy that can help us win football games, and thats the most important things," said Harris. "All the off-field stuff that happened in the past, its just maturing from that now. Things happen with people and youve just got to move on from that and trust that there will be better judgement in the future. "Theres definitely no animosity between us. Were teammates now and were just working together for the one goal and thats the Grey Cup." Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian added that there werent any awkward conversations when Mitchell walked back into the locker-room. "I think the guys all know Khalif, and thats the biggest thing for us," said Elimimian. "We know that hes a good guy. We know he means well. We know that hes a very bright man. But also the thing is hes a great football player and thats what we need in the locker-room and on the field." Lions defensive back Ryan Phillips said it was made clear to Mitchell upon his return that he can be himself as long as it doesnt hurt the team. "Just understand that theres consequences to mistakes," said Phillips. "Hes grown up from that. We know the dominant player he can be as long as hes focused on football." Theres no doubt that Mitchell will help an already solid defence get better. The Lions surrendered the second fewest rushing yards per game (94.4) in 2013, but allowed the second most rushing touchdowns (17) and recorded the third fewest sacks (45). Mitchell put the drama from 2012 behind him and nearly matched his 2011 numbers while playing with Toronto last season, registering 32 tackles and five sacks. "In order to be successful in our division, youve got to be very good against the run. Youve got to be big inside," said Benevides. "Hes another big, effective body that can have an impact in the interior line of scrimmage, and good teams win at the line of scrimmage." Mitchell said he never expected to return to the West Coast after his messy divorce with the Lions last year, but is ready to do what he does best -- stop the run and get after the quarterback. "I definitely wasnt expecting to come back. Im sure when they told me Good riddance and Bye they werent expecting me to come back either," he said. "Im here now and regardless of what the situation was, at the end of the day weve got to win a championship." Kenny Britt Patriots Jersey . Not because it was right, but because referees werent allowed to determine it was wrong. Cordarrelle Patterson Jersey . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/...owl-Jersey/.com) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quickly found themselves a new offensive coordinator, and one thats quite familiar with the NFC South. Jason McCourty Jersey .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. Jordan Matthews Jersey . Locke overcame a shaky start to pitch seven innings and Josh Harrison had three hits to extend his hot streak as the Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Wednesday night.GENEVA -- The two sides of being FIFA President Sepp Blatter are on display just before the troubled World Cup kicks off on June 12. Acclaimed by world football leaders but held in contempt by many football fans. Blatter should arrive at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo to watch host Brazil play Croatia confident that this tournament -- his fifth as president -- wont be his last leading the worlds favourite sport. One day earlier, the 78-year-old Blatter should ask for, and get, consent from 209 FIFA member federation bosses to seek another four-year presidential term. "Yes, I would like to do it," Blatter said earlier this month about his expected candidacy for the secret ballot scheduled May 29, 2015. "My mandate is almost over but my mission is not finished." The endorsement at the Transamerica Expo Center might be a personal high point of Blatters stay in Brazil, a country which loves football but not the cost levied on taxpayers to stage the month-long show. When Blatter appears on a public stage he faces inevitable boos and jeers -- just as at previous World Cups and the Confederations Cup held in Brazil last June. The fact FIFA pays no tax to Brazils public finances from its $4 billion revenue for broadcasting and commercial deals tied to the 2014 World Cup is an added provocation. Even if it is a standard demand on countries wanting to host a World Cup or Olympic Games. Blatter, who often travels and is feted like a head of state, is a useful target for social activists and for football fans familiar with the corruption cases that have involved some of its senior officials in recent years. A change to usual World Cup protocol means that presidents of FIFA and the host nation will not make speeches in the stadium during the formal opening ceremony. Not after he and state President Dilma Rousseff were booed when addressing the crowd before Brazils match which opened the Confederations Cup last year in the new Brasilia stadium. "Friends of Brazilian football, where is the respect and the fair play, please?" the multilingual Blatter asked spectators in their Portuguese language, as their head of state stood beside him. So, no chance in the 65,000-capacity Sao Paulo stadium for spectators to upstage the presidents. "If you know that these things could happen, that at the end the two persons who are giving a speech will feel bad, why (do) you put them in this position?" FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said. Still, the protocol plan calls for Blatter and Rousseff -- who faces her own re-election contest withinn months -- to jointly present the trophy on July 13 to the winning captain in Rio de Janeiros Maracana stadium.dddddddddddd Four years ago, Blatter and South Africas President Jacob Zuma both had a hand on the gold trophy which they passed to Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas without any public disapproval. That came three hours earlier when the FIFA leaders name was announced as he entered the Soccer City pitch during pre-match introductions to the players. "I was only aware there were less vuvuzelas," Blatter said the next day. "We went on the field of play and it was a great moment." In 2006, Blatter skipped the on-field trophy presentation to the Italy team in Berlin. "History will say that it was an error" he acknowledged to Italian media several months later. "I wanted to avoid creating an ugly scene because the Germans had shown they would whistle at the word FIFA." Blatter should face no such disrespect on June 11 at the FIFA Congress, an event which the skilled Swiss administrator controls with mastery. In the depths of public disdain with FIFA in June 2011, Blatter was re-elected as the only candidate. He got 186 of 203 votes cast despite a turbulent few months of bribery scandals and widespread doubts about the integrity of awarding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively. "We have been hit and I personally have been slapped. I dont want that ever again," Blatter said from the congress stage in Zurich, committing FIFA to a reform program which critics saw as richly ironic that he would lead. "The FIFA ship is in troubled waters but this ship must be brought back on the right track," he said before the poll. "I am the captain of the ship." When the England delegation broke ranks and tried to postpone the vote, Blatter marshalled a global spread of loyal members to march up and join a brutal verbal attack on the founding football association. Blatter can surely expect similarly support in less tempestuous times in Sao Paulo. Apart from some wealthy member nations, few of FIFAs 209 seem anxious to change a system and leadership which has let millions of World Cup dollars trickle down to them during Blatters 16-year rule. Though UEFA President Michel Platini clearly covets the top job, FIFA history since 1974 shows that a bedrock of European votes is far from enough for victory. Should Blatter continue to enjoy good health, he can look forward to a more agreeable welcome at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony. Side by side with Vladimir Putin. NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Gear China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys China ' ' '