» The centre aggravated

VANCOUVER - After more than two decades in the CFL, Paul McCallum has finally become a specialist. McCallum, entering his 22nd CFL season, will focus on field goals in 2014 with the B.C. Lions, who signed him to a two-year contract Thursday. He has previously held all three kicking duties - kickoffs, punts and three-point efforts. But the reduction in responsibilities will not necessarily translate into a sign of his impending retirement at the conclusion of the season. "Im not looking at it like this is my last year, because I really dont understand how people do that," said McCallum. "For me, just looking at this year, this season, is what Im going to concentrate on, and then Ill look at it. Im not saying this is my last year. Im saying this is the year that Im going to concentrate on." McCallum, a 44-year-old Surrey, B.C., product, signed on for a 10th season with the Lions. He has also played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa Rough Riders. The Lions also announced the signing of kicker Ricky Schmitt, who was a member of Saskatchewans Grey Cup-champion team in 2013. Schmitt, a 28-year-old Virginia Beach, Va., native, who is entering his second full CFL season, will take over McCallums former punting and kick-off duties. "The reduced role, I think, is a positive thing for the club, especially with the fact that (Schmitt) is here," said McCallum. "Schmitt has got, probably, the strongest leg in the league for punting and kickoffs. So, for me, I think thats a benefit for the club. So I only look at it as a positive, not a negative." B.C. coach Mike Benevides attempted to limit McCallums duties, and the wear and tear on his right leg last season by placing the since-departed Hugh ONeill on the active roster at the start of the campaign. ONeill, who had spent the previous two years on the Lions practice roster without getting into a regular-season game, handled all three duties in the pre-season and early in the regular season while McCallum was sidelined with a groin injury. Once McCallum returned, ONeill was assigned kickoff responsibilities, but it was difficult for the Lions to balance two Canadian kickers on the active roster with the ratio of imports and non-imports. ONeill fell out of favour and was released in mid-season because he would not agree to a contract extension. General manager Wally Buono was also not satisfied with his progress after three seasons in the organization. ONeill quickly signed with Edmonton and remains with the Eskimos. Upon releasing ONeill, the Lions brought back Steven Shott after cutting him in the pre-season. Shott, a 24-year-old Vancouver native, remains on the B.C. roster as a long-term prospect. But its anyones guess on when he or Schmitt will challenge McCallum for the full-time position booting field goals. "I think last year was a bit of a different situation," said McCallum. "I could understand the direction the club wanted to take last year, and I was willing to (accept) that last year. But last year, my thought process was that I wanted to compete for the job still. Now? No, I dont want to compete for that job. There is no real competition as far as leg strength goes." McCallum is a two-time CFL All-Star (2010, 2011) and took home the leagues most outstanding special teams player in 2011, when he connected on 50 of 53 field-goal attempts. He is one of just five players in the CFL or NFL to play in 20 or more seasons, and ranks as the only CFL kicker to record 10 or more consecutive seasons with a field goal success rate of 80 per cent or better. "I have, believe it or not, as a kicker, looked after my body," said McCallum. "Kicking is a mental game. So the whole aspect of going out and competing, I still have it there. Its not what it was when I first started playing, but I still believe that I still have enough leg strength to kick the important field goals at 50-yard-line." McCallum kicked 28 field goals on 33 attempts in 2013, with the longest coming from 47 yards. But Schmitt holds a distinct advantage in the punting department. He posted a 45-yard net average last season with the Roughriders on 136 attempts, and his punts are known for their long hang time. McCallums career average net punting yardage is 41.4. McCallum pledged to mentor Schmitt and Shott if they seek his advice. "I think Ive proven over the years that Im a team guy," said McCallum. "So if whoevers there is going to need some help, then Im willing to do that." Schmitt said he hopes to learn as much as he can from the veteran while helping both lead the league in every kicking statistical category. The former Roughrider attributed his departure from Saskatchewan to the CFLs import and non-import ratio after the first phase of free agency. "They lost a bunch of good Americans (at other positions)," said Schmitt, who played collegiately for NCAA Division II squad Shepherd in West Virginia and had could not stick with five NFL clubs. "We were in contract discussions but, ultimately, it just came down to the nature of the business." When asked if he wants to kick field goals for B.C. eventually, Schmitt, who handled all of his teams kicking duties in college, said he is willing to do whatever team asks. "I know that (McCallum) is going to be doing the field goals for as long as he can," said Schmitt. Wholesale Yeezy 700 . Next years tournament is also within sight for Bosnia-Herzegovina, which has never played in a World Cup, but Cristiano Ronaldo looks destined for the playoffs with Portugal after a night when the qualifying picture in the nine groups became much clearer. Balenciaga Outlet . Pearce had a career-high four hits and drove in two runs, and Wei-Yin Chen shut down Texas again as the Orioles completed a four-game sweep of the Rangers with a 5-2 victory on Thursday night. http://www.fakejordancheap.com/wholesale...-350-china.html. The defending champions’ roller coaster season included trading offensive star Percy Harvin in the midst of the team’s 3-3 start. That move that reportedly irked several Seahawk players, but one management saw necessary to save the team’s chemistry. Wholesale Jordan 1 China . -- Keith Aulie has joined the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fake Air Max 90 . Next years tournament is also within sight for Bosnia-Herzegovina, which has never played in a World Cup, but Cristiano Ronaldo looks destined for the playoffs with Portugal after a night when the qualifying picture in the nine groups became much clearer.NEW YORK -- Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points and the New York Knicks opened the Phil Jackson era by beating the Indiana Pacers 92-86 Wednesday night for their season-high seventh straight victory. With their new team president watching from a midcourt seat, the Knicks dominated the first half, then pulled away after the Eastern Conference leaders finally got untracked in the second half. Fans stood to cheer Jackson in the first quarter and were on their feet again in the final minute to watch the Knicks beat the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. Lance Stephenson had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped and failed to extend their three-game lead over the Miami Heat, who lost to Boston earlier Wednesday. Roy Hibbert scored 20 on 8-of-10 shooting, but All-Star Paul George missed all six first-quarter shots and finished 4 for 17 for his 17 points. New Yorks previous six wins had all come against non-playoff teams, but this was against a team that seemingly had returned to form after dropping a season-worst four in a row. Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who are four games behind Atlanta for the final East playoff spot. Jackson met with coaches and players earlier Wednesday, then watched the game from a seat above centre court, receiving a loud standing ovation when shown on the overhead screen during a first-quarter timeout. The 11-time champion as a coach also was on the Knicks only two title-winning teams as a player, and there was a different energy in the building during whats been a hugely disappointing season before recent days. Mike Woodson said before the game he wasnt angry that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan had orriginally talked to Jackson in December about the coaching job, adding that "the city should be buzzing" over his return.dddddddddddd (Not all of it is; a group of fans frustrated with Dolans mismanagement of the franchise went through with a previously planned protest outside the arena before the game). Anthony said he was excited about the hire, but that it was difficult to think about that with the players trying to focus on the game as they try to make a late run for a playoff spot. Hibbert scored 14 points in the third quarter to help Indiana wipe out nearly all of a 16-point deficit, and it was just a one-point game early in the fourth when George made just his second field goal. But the Knicks answered with eight in a row, going ahead 75-66 on Stoudemires basket with 7:57 remaining, and Anthony spun for a dunk and knocked down a jumper for consecutive scores after Indiana trimmed it to five with under 4 minutes to go. Woodson improved to 45-16 in March and April as Knicks coach, but New York faces an uphill climb to dig out of the hole a 2-11 February created. The Knicks shot 24 per cent in the first quarter, missing all five 3-point attempts, but had a 21-14 lead after going 9 of 10 from the free throw line. New York ran off 12 in a row to open its biggest lead at 39-23 on Stoudemires basket midway through the second, and the Pacers could only trim that to 47-35 at halftime NOTES: Andrew Bynum will be out the rest of the week resting his sore right knee. The centre aggravated his troublesome knee after playing Saturday against Detroit, his second appearance since signing with the Pacers. He has averaged 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds thus far. ... Indiana won both earlier meetings and was trying to sweep the series for the first time since 2007-08. ' ' '