Getting called out by former NFL star receiver Chad Johnson was a welcome break from the monotony of training camp for Tyron Brackenridge. Johnson, now with the Montreal Alouettes, took aim at the Saskatchewan Roughriders safety Tuesday on Twitter. Brackenridge was still chuckling about it Wednesday. "Was it entertaining?" Brackenridge asked with a laugh during a telephone interview. "I had fun with it. "When youre dealing with the pressure of training camp, these two-a-days and meetings, its good to have a little laugh here and there. He felt like I was the one he wanted to call out, I just entertained his antics." It began innocently enough on Twitter when a fan asked Johnson, a popular social media figure with 3.6 million followers, which team was he most looking forward to facing this season. "#41 from the Rough Riders," Johnson tweeted, referencing Brackenridge. After Brackenridge said, "Cant wait!" Johnson turned up the heat, tweeting: "I will run through you or around you, whichever you prefer." Brackenridge responded: "your cfl career will be short messing with me! You better ask your teammates or better yet find out for yourself." Johnson countered: "They speak highly of you but youll be dealt with." Added Brackenridge, "they speak highly of me for a reason. Its a thin line between tough & stupid. If your not looking for #41 youll regret it.." The colourful Johnson, in his first CFL season following a two-year hiatus from football, certainly didnt select a shrinking violet. The six-foot, 190-pound Brackenridge was a league all-star last year and voted the CFLs hardest hitter by his peers. Johnson referenced that when a fan asked who Brackenridge was. "The person wholl force me to keep my head on a swivel August 16," Johnson tweeted. Johnson ended the lively banter asking his supporters to follow Brackenridge. "I need at least 2 million of you to follow the homie @Tbrack41 please," Johnson tweeted. Brackenridge, 29, who has over 7,000 Twitter followers, said Johnsons comments were unsolicited although the two have a history. Theyve faced each other in the NFL and worked out together during the off-season with the same trainer. "We dont really know each other personally, like buddy buddy," Brackenridge said. "But at the end of the day, things like this make it fun to play the game and look forward to . . . its all fun and games." That is until June 29, when Saskatchewan opens its season hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a Grey Cup rematch. Brackenridge hasnt circled Aug. 16 on his calendar — when Montreal visits Regina — because as defending champions the Riders are expecting the best from every opponent this season. "Yes, we have a target on our back but we must defend the title week in and week out and just continue to be consistent and play like pros," he said. "Thats what keeps me on my toes . . . knowing I must continue to elevate my game." However, Brackenridge appreciates the recognition he received from Johnson. "It feels good to know you have respect around the league but you have to continue to earn that every week," he said. "Each year is a new year, you constantly have to get better otherwise somebody will come in and try to take your job or expose you." As for facing Johnson, Brackenridge will worry about that in August. The two teams will meet again in October in Montreal. "I approach every game the same . . . like its a championship game," Brackenridge said. "Im a competitor and I want to win each game, I want to win every play. "When we play them, Ill have the same mentality as I do when we play Hamilton in Week 1." Johnsons tweets did prompt one Riders fan to offer on Twitter a $100 donation to charity if Brackenridge legally hits Johnson hard enough to separate him from the football. The Riders team that will defend the Grey Cup title will differ vastly from the one that won it. Among those departing are running back Kory Sheets (Oakland, NFL), receivers Weston Dressler (Kansas City, NFL) and Geroy Simon (retired), linebackers Rey Williams (retired) and Craig Butler (Hamilton, free agent) and defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Ottawa expansion draft). "Unfortunately, its the nature of the game," Brackenridge said. "Each year youre going to have new personnel, youve just got to make it work. "Training camp is about building the chemistry to goes on throughout the season." Brackenridge was a key contributor last year with 48 tackles, a league-high five forced fumbles and three interceptions. He was a league all-star and voted the Riders top defensive player. Brackenridge spent time in the NFL with Kansas City (07-08), the New York Jets (09) and Jacksonville (09-10). Entering his fourth CFL campaign, Brackenridge says hes very comfortable with the nuances of Canadian football. "Ive learned a lot in this league," he said. "I was a little raw when I first came in but now the game is normal again . . . Id say Im pretty comfortable right now." And that includes life off the field as Brackenridge was married this off-season. "Everything is complete," he said. "They (wife, Christine, and three-year-old daughter Brooklyn) make it fun for me every day. "Im very blessed and thankful and enjoy this game with a smile on my face." Hes also thankful to be playing in Saskatchewan, home to the CFLs most passionate fans. Last November, a loud, predominantly green gathering of 44,710 watched the Riders defeat Hamilton 45-23 for just their fourth CFL title and first at Mosaic Stadium. "Ill tell you what, they make it extremely fun to play this game," Brackenridge said of Rider Nation. "They make it easier for guys like me who are away from home and our families. "Everything we do is dedicated to them as well as our families. It (13 Grey Cup) is very special to people born and raised in this province . . . that moment will live on forever." Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . As if he had been rehearsing it, Vasquez looked around with a grimacing stare as he clinched two fists and flexed his muscles. What do you think of DeMar DeRozans face after he hits a big shot, he was asked moments earlier. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . Finlands Kari Lehtonen made 26 saves to lead Dallas over the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 Saturday night. He received plenty of help from the Stars defence and got goals from Ray Whitney and Russias Valeri Nichushkin. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/. The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Pittsburgh Penguins Store .Y. - Phil Varone was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Rochester Americans edged the Toronto Marlies 3-2 on Sunday in American Hockey League action. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 7:30pm et/8:30pm at.ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – Heading into Thursday nights action, Dioner Navarro had caught 14 innings combined from starters Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle. Neither allowed a run; both pitched with purpose. The catcher is the only position player on the field the entire defence can see; the others pick up the vibe the backstop puts down and after Wednesday nights 3-0 win over Tampa Bay, Jose Bautista made it clear he notices a difference this year over last. "Ill tell you what, I could really get used to the chemistry that I see between our catcher and our pitchers," said Bautista. "If they manage to keep that going for an extended period of time, were going to have a lot of fun playing this year." One can draw a number of conclusions from the statement. The first, and most basic, is that Bautista is commenting on what hes witnessed from his spot in right field. One could also deduce Bautista is firing some verbal retaliation at ex-teammate J.P. Arencibia, who suffered through a dreadful offensive season while continuing to struggle defensively and with his handling of the pitching staff. Arencibia, in a media scrum last month, said it was "refreshing" to be in Texas because the atmosphere was "baseball emphasized." Later in the same scrum, he appeared to call Torontos leadership into question. "Elvis (Andrus,) (Adrian) Beltre, you have these guys who are leaders and have been around for a while. They make it easy. Its not like you come in here and youre walking on egg shells." While this falls short of what should be qualified as a verbal spat, theres little doubt that Bautista, as informed a player as there is, hadnt heard or read Arencibias comments. Regardless, Navarro is making an impression. "Even during spring training, he came in with a real interest in learning the pitchers as fast as he could and I think it shows riight now," said pitching coach Pete Walker.dddddddddddd"He spent the spring getting a feel for these guys and I think the evidence was (Wednesday) night with Mark. I think they worked great together." "Bottom line is, the pitchers got to make the pitch, but if they have confidence in what the catcher is throwing down, thats one of those little things where they have more conviction," said manager John Gibbons. In fairness to Arencibia, it must be pointed out that the Blue Jays used 13 different starting pitchers during an injury-riddled 2013 campaign. Names like Ramon Ortiz, Aaron Laffey and Chien-Ming Wang werent long-term solutions, regardless of who was behind the plate. But the game preparation, the ability to work smart as much as work hard, is setting Navarro apart. "I wont go there," said Walker, when asked to compare Navarro to Arencibia. "Its a different feel behind the plate. In the past, weve had some good catchers here and he just brings a different element this year that Ive enjoyed watching and working with so far." If Arencibias departure was considered addition by subtraction, Navarros arrival has more than filled the void. Its calmed the pitching staff. Janssen Update Casey Janssen, whos been seen working his weighted ball program in the clubhouse over the last couple of days, threw off flat ground from roughly 120 feet on Thursday. Hes being careful as he works his way back from an abdominal/back strain. "Im trying to not piss it off," said Janssen. "It might if I do certain things but Im staying in that comfort level and I havent pissed it off. It could be completely gone but I havent tested it enough to know. I dont think today is the day to test it." Janssen is eligible to come off the disabled list on April 13 in Baltimore. Its too early to predict whether hell be back on that date. ' ' '
