ne. \'Ive been training since December for this . . . for me, it

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif cant wait to strut his stuff Thursday. nfl jerseys china . The McGill Redmen offensive lineman will hold a private workout in Montreal for NFL and CFL scouts. And after spending much of the last four months preparing for the audition, the six-foot-five, 315-pound tackle is ready for it to finally happen. "I dont know if I should say this but I just want to do it and be done with it," he said with a chuckle Tuesday via telephone. "Ive been training since December for this . . . for me, its been so long. "I felt a little stressed last weekend but I went on the field (Monday) where Im going to hold my pro day and ran some very good times in my shuttle and three-cone so I think Im ready." The 23-year-old med student said he feels terrific right now but understands nerves and the pressure to perform could weigh heavily upon him at his pro day. If that happens, Duvernay-Tardif will take a rather philosophical approach to deal with the situation. "Nerves and pressure can help so much with your adrenalin," he said. "You just have to control that." Duvernay-Tardif was able to control being well rested and fresh for his workout. To ensure that, he took half of last week and all of this one off from his duties working the night shift at a Montreal hospital, expecting to return either Sunday or Monday. The articulate native of St. Hilaire, Que., finished the season as the top-ranked prospect for this years CFL draft, slated for May 13. But Duvernay-Tardif has also drawn plenty of NFL interest and is projected as a third- or fourth-round selection in this years draft, which will be held May 8-10. Not bad, considering Duvernay-Tardif began his college career as a 253-pound defensive lineman and only switched to offence in 2011. McGill also accommodated his heavy academic workload by reducing his practice commitments during football season. But that didnt stop Duvernay-Tardif from twice earning All-Canadian honours and capturing the 13 Metras trophy as Canadian university footballs top lineman. He was invited to participate in last weekends CFL combine in Toronto but opted instead to focus on his pro day. Its unclear how many scouts will attend Duvernay-Tardifs workout. Both the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills have said publicly theyll be there but some CFL teams are expected to take a miss because Duvernay-Tardif is likely to be go in the NFL draft and start his pro career there. Regardless, Duvernay-Tardifs people are erring on the side of caution. "We agreed to prepare food for 50 people, I dont know what that means," Duvernay-Tardif said. "Ive been told if we had 15 (NFL scouts) wed be super happy and if we had 20, that would be incredible." Duvernay-Tardif said hell begin the workout with his jumps — standing broad and vertical — then run the 40-yard dash. Afterwards, hell do timed agility events and the bench press before performing position drills requested by the scouts. "I want to show them Im athletic," Duvernay-Tardif said. "Im not going there to show my technique, Im going there so they can see I can move, Im smooth and flexible but also explosive and I think my broad and vertical jump will show that." Duvernay-Tardif wont be done auditioning for NFL teams after his workout. He said he has visits already lined up with Arizona, the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns. Duvernay-Tardif has benchmarks he wants to hit Thursday. Hed like to reach at least nine feet in the broad jump and 31.5 inches in the vertical while posting a 40-yard dash time around 5.1 seconds and showing excellent quickness and mobility in the agility drills. Positioning the bench press late in the workout is surprising because many athletes prefer to do strength movements early when theyre freshest. But Duvernay-Tardif isnt concerned about fatigue being a factor when he goes under the bar. "After I bench, I feel Im tight in my chest and my arm motion so when I run its not as good," he said. "Id like to do a really really good number (in bench) but I know already Im probably going to go over 37 so Im not sure if it really matters if its 37 or 40. "I just want to jump well and do a good shuttle. The bench isnt really a concern for me." But Duvernay-Tardif admits to having a little fear of the unknown regarding what drills scouts will ask him to perform. "Its been a while since Ive done anything football-related," he said. "I want to work out for them but at the same time I dont know what theyre going to ask and you never really know what theyre going to look for." How Duvernay-Tardif performs and handles himself Thursday will be crucial. For many pro football personnel, it will be their first chance to see and speak with him and formulate that all-important first impression. But Duvernay-Tardif is approaching the workout like any other. "Im going to eat what I normally eat, maybe some cottage cheese, toast and fruit," he said. "Then Ill head to the gym and do a good warmup because I feel thats key when you run, you want to sweat a little bit before you do. "I think everything now is on my side, I just have to go and deliver." The scouting report on Duvernay-Tardif says he has the size, strength, athleticism, temperament and intelligence to play at the next level. However, there are concerns about his inexperience as an offensive lineman and having played a yard off the ball at McGill, prompting some scouts to question if Duvernay-Tardif can get into blocks quickly enough in the NFL. Then again, Duvernay-Tardif has experience playing the American game. He participated in the East-West Shrine game in St. Petersburg, Fla., last January. "I am looking forward to this but at the same time Im keeping myself occupied," Duvernay-Tardif said. "That way you stay fresh and then you run." cheap jerseys from china . An excellent start from Drew Hutchison and the return of Jose Bautista helped provide a little breathing room in the divisional race while ending a three-game losing skid at the same time. cheap nfl jerseys . The 11-year NBA veteran scored 18 of his 28 points in the third quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 104-96 Tuesday to match their season best of five victories in a row.PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Ever since the game was invented, before television or even radio existed, baseball counted on the eyes and ears of umpires on the field. Starting this season, many key decisions will be made in a studio far away. Major League Baseball vaulted into the 21st century of technology on Thursday, approving a huge expansion of instant replay in hopes of eliminating blown calls that riled up players, managers and fans. "I think its great," San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Its about getting it right." Acknowledging the human element had been overtaken in an era when everyone except the umps could see several views over and over in slow-motion, owners and players and umpires OKed the new system. Now each manager will be allowed to challenge at least one call per game. If hes right, he gets another challenge. After the seventh inning, a crew chief can request a review on his own if the manager has used his challenges. "I tell you the fans will love it," baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said after owners met and voted their unanimous approval. "Its another in a long list of changes that will make this sport better than it already is." Baseball was the last major pro sport in North America to institute replay when it began late in the 2008 season. Even then, it was only used for close calls on home runs. The NFL, NBA, NHL, some NCAA sports and major tennis tournaments all use a form of replay, and even FIFA and the English Premier League have adopted goal-line technology for soccer. Not that managers wont still occasionally bolt from the dugout, their veins bulging. The so-called "neighbourhood play" at second base on double plays cannot be challenged. Many had safety concerns for middle infielders being wiped out by hard-charging runners if the phantom force was subject to review. Ball-and-strike calls cant be contested. Neither can check-swings and foul tips. Nor can obstruction and interference rulings -- those are up to the umpires judgment, like the one at third base in St. Louis that ended Bostons loss in Game 3 of the World Series last October. All reviews will be done by current MLB umpires at a replay centre in MLB.coms New York office. To create a large enough staff, MLB agreed to hire six new big league umpires and call up two minor league umps for the entire season. A seventh major league umpire will be added to replace the late Wally Bell. The umpires on the field will be able to talk to the command centre. The replay umpire will make the final decision -- that could include where to place runners if, say, a call is reversed from out to safe on a trapped ball in outfield. In addition, managers and others in the dugout will be allowed to communicate by phone with someone in the clubhouse who can watch the videos and advise whether to challenge a call. "Im excited to see how it works out. I am interested to see how the flow of the game is affected," Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said. "Its a good use of the technology that we have, the fact that we will be able to get more calls corrected and fixed." Joe Torre, MLBs executive vice-president of baseball operations, said work continues on a proposed rule that would ban home-plate collisions between runners and the catcher. The rule has not been written and talks on its content are ongoing bbetween MLB representatives and the players union, he said. jersyes nfl wholesale. Even since William McLean became the first professional umpire when he worked a Boston-Philadelphia National League game on April 22, 1876, baseball has celebrated its old-fashioned traditions. Having umpires make the calls on the field was one of them. So were arguments between managers and umpires, often to the delight of fans. Worries that replays would slow the pace even more were offset by this: Replay decisions cannot be argued. Replay umpires will make their final rulings in no more than a minute to 90 seconds, MLB Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations Joe Torre estimated. "With our technology today we can do that in a way I dont think we will interrupt the flow of the game," Bochy said. To make reviews uniform, cameras will transit 12 angles from each ballpark. MLB Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred said it was uncertain whether the replay system will be in place in Australia for the season-opening series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. "For some, the discussions regarding expanded replay appeared to move too slowly, too deliberately," said Brian Lam, the lawyer for the World Umpires Association. "But there were technical and operational challenges that needed to be addressed, and that took time. With so many competing interests and opinions, it is unlikely that all will be completely pleased at the end of the day, but thats often the nature of things." MLB had talked for a few years about expanding replay to include fair-or-foul calls and traps. Several missed calls in the post-season ratcheted up the debate. The players union gave its approval for the 2014 season. "The players look forward to the expanded use of replay this season, and they will monitor closely its effects on the game before negotiating over its use in future seasons," union Executive Director Tony Clark said in a statement. Selig said the replay expansion ranks "very, very high" when compared with other moves made during his time on the job. The new rule allows ballparks to show fans the same replays on stadium video screens. But only plays under review can be shown on the screen in slow motion. "Its the first time in the history of the game that a manager has the opportunity to change the call of a play that may have adversarily affected their team," said Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz, who chaired the committee that came up with the replay plan, "that may have cost them the game, that may have cost them the division, that may have cost them a World Series." The existing rule on umpires calling for a review of whether a hit was a home run or not will remain, although the review will be done by the umpire in New York. Torre said the number of manager challenges were limited to a maximum of two to maintain "the rhythm of the game." "Were going to start this way and if we feel something has to be adjusted were certainly going to be aware of that," he said. Torre and MLB executive Tony La Russa, both ex-managers, joined Schuerholz on the replay committee. "Were really going for the dramatic miss, not all misses," La Russa said. "...This is a challenge for a game-changing play that goes against you, and now you can correct it." cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' '