When thinking about the best way to describe what the 2013 season will be like for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the one word that comes to mind is awkward. Make no doubt about it, playing your home games at the University of Guelph means you have little or no home field advantage. This is not a criticism of the athletic facilities at Guelph; I had four Argonauts training camps there and know its ability to host a CFL team for a season; it will work out well, but it is not the same as playing in your home city. It doesnt mean you cant win it just means you have to focus better. Hamilton is a two-thirds team. Their offence was productive last year: they were first in points scored at 29 per game, first in passing yards at 298 per game, and second in net offence with 298 yards per game. But they also has the highest number of two and outs in the league, so sustaining drives was a major problem. Special teams were also a strength last year and, depending of course on whether or not Chris Williams plays in 2013, it should again be a strength. Hamilton was first in punt return yards and third in kick-off return yards. Now, defensively they had problems. Whether it was pass rush, pass coverage, or co-ordination, there is truly nowhere to go but up this season. In the eight most relevant defensive categories the Ticats were dead last in six, and seventh in another. It was an issue in almost every game, but I repeat: nowhere to go but up! The third issue will be the transition at head coach from George Cortez to Kent Austin. Its hard not to be excessively optimistic about Austin. He has won the Grey Cup twice as a player and twice more as a head coach. And he has a quarterback that ages slowly in Henry Burris! If the Ticats can get a couple more good years out of Henry that will buy them enough time to find or develop the next Henry. It many ways the present Ticats are a success story over recent years. I remember not that long ago conversation that there would be no Ticats to succeed with. Now, with a new stadium on the way – it should be completed on time – to generate revenue, turning a profit appears closer than ever. Luca Congi hit 40 of 35 field goals on the year; the Ticats were 1- 8 on the road. This team almost leaves you in wonderment with its extremes, both successes and failures. There were certain aspects of Ticat football that were great, only to be followed by ones that were extremely bad. The seasons low though was the season-ending loss in Toronto to a fourth-string quarterback (Zack Collaros). I also remember the misshandled field goal attempt that led to a loss against Calgary. If Hamilton can bring those extremes of excellence and disaster closer to the middle, than they have as good a chance as any team. One major point of optimism though: Burris threw for 5,367 yards and 43 touchdowns last year, and as a collective offence the Hamilton produced 538 points. Sometimes it is easier to recreate success the second time than it is the first time. If he does again in 2013, you never know!Cheap Asics Shoes Online . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Wholesale Asics Shoes . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.cheapasics.us/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Cheap Asics Shoes Sale . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Asics Shoes Clearance Sale . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies.Nationals ace Max Scherzer was named the National League Cy Young Award winner in a landslide on Wednesday, garnering 25 of the 30 first-place votes to become the teams first recipient of the award.The winner of the 2013 American League Cy Young Award for the?Detroit Tigers, Scherzer becomes the sixth pitcher to win Cy Youngs in both leagues, joining Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Roy Halladay, Roger Clemens and Gaylord Perry.The award was announced live on MLB Network, with a vacationing Scherzer joining the broadcast via videoconference from a scuba diving boat off the coast of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.Its such an accomplishment, Scherzer said. I mean, theres so many people to thank -- all my teammates, for going out and competing the whole season, for everything they did for me. I cant thank them enough for everything they did. ?Scherzer said he wants to find a way to be better in 2017.Ive been dreaming up different ways to do it, but until we get to spring training, that will be my thing -- to find a new way, Scherzer said. But right now, its all about celebrating what happened in 2016.Cubs ace Jon Lesster was the runner-up, with one first-place vote from members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.dddddddddddd Chicago teammate Kyle Hendricks came in third with two first-place votes. The other two first-place votes went to the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, who finished fifth overall in voting.Scherzer led the majors in strikeouts (284) and WHIP (0.97), while leading the NL in wins (20), innings (228.1) and pitching WAR (6.2) and being tied for first in quality starts (26) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.07). Unfortunately for Scherzer, he also led the NL in home runs given up (31), making him the first pitcher since Johnson in 1999 to give up at least 30 homers and still win a Cy Young Award.Perhaps most notably, Scherzer authored just the fourth 20-strikeout performance in baseball history this season, as he baffled the Tigers in a May victory.For the writers to choose me for everything I was able to accomplish this year, Im so grateful, Scherzer said on the MLB Network broadcast. ' ' '