MONTREAL -- Troy Smith is ready to hear Anthony Calvillos name mentioned every time he lines up at quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes. Soccer Jerseys China . The Heisman Trophy-winning pivot, who joined the Alouettes midway through last season, will be the clubs first opening-game starter other than Calvillo in 15 years when Montreal plays its first game of the 2014 CFL regular season at Calgary on Saturday. They are massive shoes to fill, with Calvillo having retired in the off-season as the leagues all-time passing leader. "Ill never stop hearing those references," Smith said this week. "I think its great to be mentioned with a great name like that. "I havent done nearly the things he has, and just holding onto his coattails a bit has been fun so far. But as a man, I definitely want to make my own path. Thats why Im here." Smith takes over the key position on a team that was a powerhouse for most of Calvillos time behind centre, but which has been sliding in recent seasons. And even though they remain well-stocked with top talent at many positions, the Alouettes are perceived as a team in decline. Last season was a disaster, with the inexperienced Dan Hawkins fired as head coach only five games into the season, followed shortly by a season-ending, and career-ending, injury to Calvillo. They finished 8-10, tying their worst record since they returned to Montreal after a 10-year gap in 1996, and lost to Hamilton in the East Division semifinal. This season hasnt started well either, with team architect Jim Popps bid to keep the head coaching as well as general managing job turned down. Tom Higgins, who was out of coaching since 2007, was named the new head coach, but the offensive co-ordinator he hired, Rick Worman, was fired midway through training camp. Then the club lost both its pre-season games, including a 26-10 setback at home against expansion Ottawa in which they failed to score a touchdown with new OC Ryan Dinwiddie calling the plays. Smith was not sharp while playing just over half of that game, but neither were backups Tanner Marsh and Alex Brink. All three got starts last season, with Smith emerging as the most promising to take over the top job. Now he has to play well enough to keep it. "I dont look at it as a transition year," said Popp. "That was last year. "Theres going to be a transition, but we were faced with this starting in Game 6, and we played two thirds of the year without Anthony Calvillo, knowing he probably wasnt coming back. "We had four different quarterbacks that won games and the team realized they could win without Anthony. That was a big hurdle. Its a little nerve-wracking, but like with all great players you lose, you just have to march on. Its not so much to replace that guy, but to find someone you can win with. How great theyll be, well find out." There were two main positives to come out of the off-season. One was the return of Larry Taylor, who gives them a kick return threat they havent had in recent seasons. Another was the signing of former NFL star receiver Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson, who so far looks to have a positive influence on and off the field. The 36-year-old Johnson has been out of football for two years, but Popp said he showed up in shape and has been a "great fit." "I think he can do great things for us," Popp said. "Every time we play somebody, their attention is on him, and not on S.J. Green and Duran Carter. So if hes an attention grabber and everyones talking about him, great. Chads used to that. And Chad, with each game and experience he has in this league, is only going to get better as the season goes along." Smith will have an impressive set of receivers with Green, Carter, Johnson, Taylor, Brandon London, Eric Deslauriers and the repatriated Dave Stala. Gone are Jamel Richardson, who had a knee injury and was cut, and veteran Arland Bruce. "Weve got the best receiving corps in the league," said Popp, who is particularly high on Carter, the son of former NFL great Cris Carter, who gained 909 yards in only 12 games after making his CFL debut in August. "All I say is CFL, enjoy what youre watching because youll be watching him in the NFL next season, Hell have the majority of NFL teams after him, and were not talking about as a third or fourth receiver. He can go in and have an impact like Cam Wake. Hes at that level." There is a first-rate running back in Brandon Whitaker and a solid offensive line anchored by left tackle Josh Bourke, despite the retirements of Scott Flory and Andrew Woodruff and the departure of Michael Ola to the NFL. The defence lost starting middle linebacker Shea Emry to Toronto, but should remain among the leagues best under defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe with veterans like rush end John Bowman and linebacker Chip Cox leading the unit. The Alouettes kick teams have been weak for the last three seasons, including when Marc Trestman was head coach and didnt name a full-time special teams co-ordinator. But they looked good both on returns and kick coverage in the pre-season and they may be a key area of improvement. Taylors ability to avoid the first wave to pick up extra yardage should be a bonus. It will likely take some time for the offence to jell. And if it turns out that Smith doesnt have what it takes to be a regular CFL starter, it could be a long season indeed. Starting the campaign against Calgary, followed by a home game against B.C., should give Higgins and idea of what it will take to re-establish Montreals reputation as a Grey Cup contender. "Every indication is that Troy Smiths going to be our guy, but sometimes there are growing pains," said Higgins. "If you look at Anthonys career, at the start it wasnt as stellar as it was at the end. "All that being said, (Smith) comes with good intangibles. Hes from a good program. Hes got the system down. Practices are going good. So lets see him get measured up against the best." Stitched Soccer Jerseys . The Toronto Blue Jays star won his second consecutive Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL on Monday after votes by fans and a panel of Hall of Famers were tallied. Cheap Soccer Jerseys China . Ryan Getzlaf certainly got them started in the second. Getzlaf scored the first two goals in the second, and Teemu Selanne scored the go-ahead goal late in the period as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ . -- Washingtons Bradley Beal seemed to make every shot he took in setting a career high with 37 points.VERNON, B.C. -- Derek Falloon could not have asked for a better way to end his junior hockey career Sunday. Falloons goal at 15:01 of overtime sealed the Yorkton Terriers first RBC Cup championship with a 4-3 victory over the Carleton Place Canadians. He jammed in a rebound to cap Yorktons comeback from a 3-1 deficit with less than three minutes left in regulation time. "Its unbelievable. Its just the best feeling and I dont think Ill ever score a bigger goal than that for the rest of my life," said Falloon, 21, who has used up his junior eligibility. Falloons goal gave the Terriers their first Canadian Junior A championship in their fifth trip to the tournament. Yorkton placed second to the Burnaby Express, led by current Ottawa Senators centre Kyle Turris, in their last trip to the RBC Cup in Streetsville, Ont., in 2006. The Terriers had finished no better than third in their three other trips, all in the 1990s. The puck barely crossed the line as Carleton Place goaltender Guillaume Therien attempted to cover it. While the crowd waited, the referee confirmed it was a goal. After trailing 3-1 at the end of the second period, the Terriers forced overtime with goals from Tanner Lishchynsky and Dylan Johnson eight seconds apart in the last three minutes of the third period. Daylan Gatzke had Yorktons other goal and Kale Thompson made 31 saves. Anthony McVeigh, Stephen Baylis and Andy Sturtz scored for the Canadians while Therien stopped 42 shots in the losing effort. Falloons overtime winner was his second of the tournament. He also scored in extra time against Dauphin in the round robin. "I guess I just happened to be at the right place at the right time," said Falloon. "Im sure any of the boys could have (done) it. Lucky me, I guess." Falloon missed the first three games of this tournament with his third concussion of the season, suffered in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs. He missed most of the Western Canadian championship tournament, from which Yorkton qualified for the RBC Cup. Yorkton coach Don Chesney said Falloons return brought life to Yorktons lineup. "He has a flair for the dramatic," said Chesney. "I joked around (saying) his first (overtime goal) didnt make the back of the net. (The RBC Cup-winning) one, I think, made it -- maybe a few inches over the goal-line. But in 10, 20 years, thatll be the nicest goal he ever scored and the biggest goal he ever scored." Johnson also provided some drama as his tying goal, at 17:20 of the third period atoned for an interference penalty he took at 14:05. "To bee honest, when we got that penalty with five minutes left, it was not looking too good, and they shut us down pretty good," said Chesney. Fake Soccer Jerseys. "We didnt create a lot of high-quality scoring chances." Added Johnson: "That (goal) felt great, especially after getting that penalty a couple minutes before that. Getting that goal was unreal. It brought the life back into the fans. After we got that, we knew this was ours." Until then, the Canadians had a good reason to think they would claim the crown in their first RBC Cup appearance. "Looking back on it now, maybe I should have called a timeout after the second goal," said Carleton Place coach Jason Clarke. "But weve just been so resilient all year. Things didnt really seem to bother us." Baylis put the Canadians ahead 2-1 at 4:12 of the second period as he fired a shot from the slot after his teammates fought to keep the puck in at the blue-line along the boards with little space to work with. Sturtz increased the Carleton Place advantage midway through the second, stealing the puck from a Terrier in one corner and skating to the opposite side to put in a backhand. But just when it looked like the Canadians could begin to rest easy, Lishchynsky and Johnson sent the game to overtime, setting up Falloons special moment. "Were proud (of getting to the final), but its a sour taste, for sure," said Clarke. Falloon received advice from his cousin Pat Falloon, the former NHLer who was drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks after Eric Lindros in 1991. "(Pat) was talking to my dad," said Falloon. "We family-farm with him (in Foxwarren, Man.) We keep in touch with him. He was texting my dad and telling me to keep calm and just do what I can do." The RBC Cup adds a second Canadian junior crown to the extended Falloon family. Pat Falloon won a Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs in 1991, when he was named the tournaments most valuable player. "Ive heard stories," said the younger Falloon. Falloons hockey future is far from certain. He only knows how he will spend his summer. "Were just going to celebrate, and then Im going to go back (home)," he said. "Ive got to get to work on the farm." Notes: The game marked the first time in 19 years that the Canadian Junior A final went to overtime. ... Los Angeles Kings centre Jarret Stoll sent a congralutory tweet to Yorkton for reaching the final. Stoll grew up in the Yorkton/Melville area. a Yorkton assistant coach John Odgers is the son of former NHLer Jeff Odgers. ' ' '