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Hosting the Grey Cup game was often the kiss of death for CFL teams. Prior to 2011, only three clubs had ever won it as the host city -- the 1994 B.C. Lions, 77 Montreal Alouettes and 72 Hamilton Tiger-Cats. But B.C. and the Toronto Argonauts have bucked that tradition with convincing Grey Cup victories in their home stadiums the past two seasons. This years Grey Cup will be played Nov. 24 at Mosaic Stadium. But recent history has convinced Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin that his team is destined to reap the benefits of home-field advantage playing the big game before its rabid fans. "If it was guaranteed like that, then Id start playing the 6-49 and find a pattern there," Chamblin said with a chuckle. "If I had to put a percentage on it, Id say Ive thought about that (continuing recent Grey Cup trend) maybe one per cent. "I honestly think it just happens that way, I dont think guys play with any extra juice or anything like that. Now, it would be great being at our house but I dont think about whats happened the last two years." The 2013 season kicks off Thursday night with Winnipeg hosting the Montreal Alouettes at Investors Group Field. The Bombers were scheduled to move into the new stadium last year but construction delays forced them to remain at Canad Inns Stadium. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit Toronto on Friday night to renew their long-standing rivalry. The Argonauts are scheduled to unfurl their 2012 championship banner prior to the contest. Later on Friday, the B.C. Lions are at Calgary in a rematch of last years West Division final won by the Stampeders. The Edmonton Eskimos host Saskatchewan on Saturday to cap the opening week. Saskatchewan last won the Grey Cup in 2007 but came agonizingly close in 2009 when Damon Duvals 33-yard field goal on the final play earned Montreal a 28-27 victory. Duval had missed from 43 yards out to seemingly give the Riders a 27-25 win, but a too many men penalty gave Duval a reprieve from 10 yards closer. The Riders will look to improve last years 8-10 record that left them third in the conference before losing a 36-30 semifinal decision to Calgary. GM Brendan Taman took steps in that direction this off-season, signing defensive back Dwight Anderson, linebackers Rey Williams and Tristan Black and defensive linemen John Chick and Ricky Foley as free agents while trading for defensive lineman Jermaine McElveen. But his biggest move was acquiring slotback Geroy Simon from B.C. in January. The six-foot, 198-pound Simon is the CFLs all-time receiving yards leader and needs just 29 catches to break Ben Cahoons league mark of 1,017 career receptions. "Theres definitely a sense of excitement around here with all the additions that have been made," said Foley, the top Canadian in Torontos 35-22 win over Calgary in the 100th Grey Cup last year. "As a veteran, I know you dont win the Grey Cup on paper and every team made moves in the off-season to put themselves in a position to win it. "But I think its known around the league what this team has done, the guys theyve brought in and what theyre trying to do and theyre making that push for the hometown Cup." Simon was a two-time Grey Cup champion and six-time all-star over 12 seasons in B.C. but missed five games last year with hamstring ailments. He finished with 54 catches for 700 yards and two TDs, the first time in 10 seasons Simon hadnt cracked the 1,000-yard receiving plateau. Saskatchewan is counting on the 37-year-old returning to form and taking some heat off speedy Weston Dressler (94 catches, 1,206 yards, 13 TDs). "Obviously, his on-field play speaks for itself," said Taman. "His value to our team on and off the field is going to be immense. "Geroys got some points to prove to a lot of people he still can play so I think theres a lot of bonuses to doing it." The addition of Simon certainly boosts Saskatchewans experience level, but Chamblin said a successful squad needs a blend of veteran savvy and youth. "If I was a position coach, Id just take the younger guy because Id want to mould him my way," Chamblin said. "But as far as being a head coach, youve got to have a balance of both." Getting out of the West Division wont be easy for the Riders as B.C. (league-best 13-5 record last year) and Calgary (defending conference champions) both look strong. New Edmonton GM Ed Hervey takes over a team that despite its 7-11 record still made the playoffs last year. Meanwhile in Toronto, quarterback Ricky Ray and CFL MVP Chad Owens both return to help the Argos defend their title. But gone are defensive linemen Foley, Ron Flemons and Kevin Huntley (both released), Armondo Armstead (New England Patriots, NFL) and Adriano Belli (retired), linebackers Black and Ejiro Kuale (free agent, Montreal), defensive backs Jordan Younger (retired), Pacino Horne (released) and Evan McCollough (free agent, Hamilton) and kicker/punter Noel Prefontaine (released). Two East Division clubs will sport new head coaches in 2013. Kent Austin, who guided Saskatchewan to its 07 title, returns to the CFL sidelines with Hamilton while Dan Hawkins takes over in Montreal. Austin takes over a Tiger-Cats squad that finished tied with Winnipeg with a league-worst 6-12 record. Austin, a Grey Cup champion as a player, assistant coach and head coach, faces two big challenges with the Ticats. Theyre minus big-play receiver Chris Williams, who remains embroiled in a bitter contract dispute, and must play their home games in Guelph, Ont., while a new facility is being built where venerable Ivor Wynne Stadium once stood. The Ticats are scheduled to move into the new stadium, which will host the 2015 Pam American Games soccer competition, next season. Hawkins, 52, begins his first season in Canada with huge shoes to fill. He replaces Marc Trestman, who guided Montreal to a 59-31 regular-season record and two Grey Cup titles in five years before becoming the Chicago Bears head coach. Hawkins spent the last two seasons as a college football analyst at ESPN but possesses an extensive NCAA coaching resume. He has little familiarity with three-down football, but Trestman also had no previous CFL coaching experience when he arrived in Montreal. Fortunately for Hawkins, quarterback Anthony Calvillo, 40, returns for a 20th CFL season. Pro footballs all-time passing leader flourished under Trestman, winning two Grey Cups and two CFL outstanding player awards while being named a league all-star three times over their five seasons together. But Calvillo isnt the leagues oldest player. That distinction belongs to B.C. kicker Paul McCallum, 43, who is gearing up for his 20th CFL campaign. Ironically, with Ottawa slated to return to the CFL next season, McCallum is the lone remaining active player to have played for the former Rough Riders franchise, which folded in 1996. The CFL wont have RONA as a national sponsor this year and Scotiabank is scheduled to leave at seasons end. But its new TV deal should soften the blow. League sources say the CFLs five-year agreement with TSN/RDS is worth about $43 million annually, almost triple the existing deal which expires at seasons end. This years 77 league games (72 regular season, four playoff and Grey Cup) will be televised. The 2014 broadcast schedule will expand to 84 contests with Ottawas expected return. wholesale china jerseys for sale .5 million, two-year contract that runs through 2015. Venable, the son of former big leaguer Max Venable, will make $4. wholesale nfl jerseys .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions. http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinaforwholesale.com/. -- The Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Sidney Rice have agreed to terms on a deal. cheap soccer jerseys china . Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. wholesale soccer jerseys .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday.COLUMBUS, Ohio - Jack Skille, Ryan Johansen and Matt Calvert scored goals and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets past the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Friday night.Calgary trailed 3-0 when Mason Raymond broke up the shutout early in the third period. Josh Jooris narrowed the lead with a goal in his NHL debut, scoring off a pass from Mark Giordano with over eight minutes left.The Flames, five games into a six-game road trip after opening at home, threatened to the end.Calvert had an assist to go with his goal. Mark Letestu had two assists as the Blue Jackets wrapped up a three-game homestand.The Blue Jackets were 4 for 4 on the penalty kill to stay perfect this season in nine attempts.Raymond scored seconds after a power play ran out, converting after a pass from Curtis Glencross, formerly on the Blue Jackets.Then Jooris, a free-agent signing out of Union College, converted Giordanos long pass with a forehand high over Bobrovskys glove to make things interesting.The Flames weathered a Columbus power play and then applied heavy pressure in the waning moments. Bobrovsky blocked a high, hard shot by Giordano in the final minute and the Flames also had a shot ping off the post with just under two minutes left.Fedor Tyutin and Johansen cleared the puck in the final 90 seconds to hold off Calgary.Karri Romo, who had 23 saves, lost for the first time after a 2-0 start.In their first loss on Tuesday night, a 4-2 setback to Dallas, the Blue Jackets had been passive in the opening period and fell behind 2-0. They reversed that against the Flames.Columbus had thee first seven shots, by which time it had a 2-0 lead.ddddddddddddMark Letestu wheeled from the left corner toward the crease and fed Skille, who was charging the net, for a one-timer and a 1-0 lead at the 2:59 mark.On the power play just over 2 minutes later, Cam Atkinson worked hard to control the puck in the offensive zone before feeding Nick Foligno, who swept toward Ramo and then slipped a backhanded pass to Johansen for a quick shot to double the score at 5:21.Johansen, who missed almost all of training camp in a holdout before signing for $12 million over three years, has three goals and three assists in the first four games. Foligno also extended his points streak to four games.The Flames regained some momentum later in the period with the last five shots on goal.The Blue Jackets made it 3-0 at 7:55 of the second. James Wisniewskis drive blast from the point was deflected by Ramo to Letestu. Ramo stopped Letestus offbalance shot with the toe of his right skate, but Calvert swooped in to jam the puck in as it sat near the goal line.NOTES: Sporting a nasty bruise on his face, forward Lance Bouma returned for Calgary after missing a game. ... Calgary rookie forward Johnny Gaudreau was a healthy scratch after just one shot on goal in his first five games. ... As a part of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, the Blue Jackets wore purple sweaters during pregame warmups that were then auctioned off for the charity. ... Flames forward Devin Setoguchi was scratched for an undisclosed reason.___Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP ' ' '