REGINA -- Theyre the overwhelming favourite as Grey Cup hosts and are carrying the weight of an entire provinces expectations. But the presssure is off the Saskatchewan Roughriders, according to head coach Corey Chamblin. He says getting to Sundays CFL championship was the real challenge. "The biggest pressure for our team was making sure no one else sat in our locker-room," Chamblin said Wednesday at the annual Grey Cup coaches news conference. "Its about working all off-season, all year to protect your house and that was the biggest thing and the biggest pressure we had. "Were in it now and as I tell the guys, if were good enough to be in it were good enough to win it. Its time for it to be decided now on the football field, not in the media, not with trash talking." Riders general manager Brendan Taman made it clear early this off-season he was serious about fielding a Grey Cup contender with Regina hosting the big game. He acquired receiver Geroy Simon from the B.C. Lions before adding defensive linemen Ricky Foley and John Chick and defensive back Dwight Anderson in free agency. Not only are Simon, Foley, Chick and Anderson all CFL veterans but each has a Grey Cup ring, Chick earning his with the Riders in 07 before heading to the NFL. However, adding experienced performers to an already solid core only served to jack up expectations in football-mad Saskatchewan, especially after both B.C. and Toronto had captured Grey Cup titles as the host city the past two years. The Roughriders, who will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Moasic Stadium on Sunday, lived up to that billing, winning its first five regular-season games and eight-of-nine before suffering three straight losses. After rebounding with three consecutive victories, the Riders were relegated second in the West Division behind Calgary after dropping a 29-25 decision to the Stampeders on Oct. 26. Saskatchewan (11-7) lost its final two-regular season games before beating B.C. 29-25 in the West semifinal, then emphatically dispatching Calgary 35-13 at McMahon Stadium in last weekends division final. "The thing about pressure is how you deal with it," Chamblin said. "By having some of the veterans we added and just having the core of our football team, we took that pressure and applied it to ourselves. "Were extreme competitors in our room and we use all the outside pressure to help make sure were where we want to be." To claim Saskatchewans fourth Grey Cup title, Chamblin will have to beat someone who was instrumental in leading the franchise to two championships. Hamilton coach Kent Austin guided the Riders to the 89 crown as the clubs starting quarterback, then in 07 as its head coach. The Riders clearly havent forgotten -- a large banner of Austin hangs outside of Mosaic Stadium and a parking lot still bears his name. "I actually come in the other way," Chamblin said when asked about seeing Austins banner every day he comes to work. "Theres great history here in Saskatchewan and Kents been part of that and the one thing I never want to do is remove those ancient landmarks. "Thats part of the foundation . . . so for me to see that is an honour and I try to build on all the things those guys did in the past." Austin will forever be associated with Saskatchewans Grey Cup success, but he has also jilted the teams loyal fans. In 94 while mired in a contract impasse with the club, Austin demanded to be traded and was to B.C., helping the Lions win the Grey Cup. In 07 after leading the Riders to their CFL title, he abruptly left Regina to become the offensive co-ordinator at Ole Miss, his alma mater. In 2012, he was mentioned as a head-coaching candidate with both the Riders and Ticats but opted to remain at Cornell before ultimately returning to the CFL a year later with Hamilton, again drawing the ire of some Saskatchewan football fans. But Austin said he will forever cherish his memories of playing and coaching in Regina. "Im very honoured to be recognized," he said. "This organization has meant a lot to me and my family and were proud to have had a history here both with the team and the community. "Its hard to get here and every one of the Grey Cups are special but that being said, its best to face Saskatchewan. If I was going to play a team, it would be Saskatchewan. If were not going to win it, which we hope very much that we do, it will be good to see Saskatchewan in there." Austin led Hamilton to a 10-8 record and second in the East Division in his first season as the clubs vice-president of football operations, coach and GM. The Ticats are in the Grey Cup for the first time since 99, but Austin said thats more a testament to the clubs players and not its coach. "This is a team game and there a lot of people you need to do things at a very high level to win championships across the board," he said. "We (head coaches) are just a part of it, a small part of it. "Players win football gams, not coaches." The Riders might be playing on their home field but Chamblin is attempting to reduce distractions by putting players in hotels and imposing a nightly curfew. "When you look at the Grey Cup, its a championship game (involving) the two best teams in the league," he said. "The biggest thing is I want them to stay in the routine theyve been in, that they only think football. "I just dont want them to deviate from the norm of what theyve had." Replica Shoes . Instead, Nonis and Kessel were sorting through the fallout of a wild melee with the Buffalo Sabres, one that saw Kessel suspended for the duration of the pre-season. Fake Yeezy . Vincent Lamar Carter is no longer the lean, athletic dynamo who dazzled Raptors fans with eye-popping dunks that posterized even the leagues best defenders. https://www.fakeshoes.net/. Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Wholesale Fake Shoes . - The Oakland Athletics say they are stopping negotiations to extend their lease at the Coliseum. Fake Sneakers . Numbers Game looks at the As getting Jon Lester from Boston, sending Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox along with a deal involving the As and the Minnesota Twins. The Athletics Get: LHP Jon Lester, LF Jonny Gomes, OF Sam Fuld and cash. The Texas Rangers first tried to get Tommy Hanson as part of what was a franchise-changing trade seven years ago. Now they have signed the free agent right-hander to a one-year contract in their search for depth in a rotation dealing with injury concerns. Hanson signed for $2 million plus possible incentives Friday, two days before Rangers pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Surprise, Ariz. "Hes a guy we followed for a long time," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Probably back to the Mark Teixeira trade in 07, followed his career and happy to have the opportunity to bring him in and looking forward to seeing him compete." Texas also avoided salary arbitration with first baseman Mitch Moreland by agreeing to a $2.65 million contract for this season, a raise of more than $2 million. The two sides were scheduled for an arbitration hearing Wednesday, but agreed to a number just more than midway between the salary figures they exchanged. The 27-year-old Hanson was 4-3 with a 5.42 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) in a difficult season with the Los Angeles Angels that included a right forearm injury and the death of his stepbrother. "Mentally, I dont think I was where I needed to be last year," Hanson said. "It wasnt only me. My whole family was dealing with that. Its hard to see your family struggle. Its difficult, something I dont really like to talk about. I feel like Im in a lot better place now than I was last year." Hanson said hes glad that is in the past. Physically, he said he feels great after two months of throwing. The Rangers made room for Hanson by putting left-handed reliever Joseph Ortiz on the 60-day disabled list with a broken left foot. He had surgery last month after he was run over by a motorcycle while home in Venezuela. The Angels traded for Hanson after he won at least 100 games in all four major league seasons (2009-12) with Atlanta, the organization he was with when the Rangers traded Teixeira in the deal that brought shortstop Elvis Andrus, left-hander Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz -- all since All-Stars and part of two teams in Texas that reached the World Series.dddddddddddd Daniels and the Rangers also inquired about Hanson in that deal. "But he was a guy that Atlanta rightfully didnt want to give up on," Daniels said. Texas lefty Derek Holland, who had a Rangers-high 33 starts and career-high 213 innings last season, could miss more than half the season after microfracture surgery on the left knee injured when he was tripped by his dog on the stairs at his home. Harrison, last years opening day starter, is coming off a season when he made only two starts before two operations on a herniated disk in his back. Hanson said there were "quite of few teams" interested in him, but that Texas was the best fit for him. "Being able to go in and make the rotation, and be a big part of the team," Hanson said. "Ultimately we thought Texas was the best choice and here we are now." Moreland was displaced as a starting first baseman when Texas acquired slugger Prince Fielder in a trade from Detroit. The Rangers still plan to use the left-handed Moreland as a designated hitter while playing some first base and maybe the outfield. In a career-high 147 games last season, Moreland hit .232 with 24 doubles, 23 home runs, and 60 RBIs. He made his major league debut in the second half of the 2010 season, and was the only Texas player with a hit in all five World Series games against San Francisco, when he hit a team-best .462 (6 of 13) and homered in the only Rangers victory. The Rangers havent had to go a salary arbitration hearing since 2000, against Lee Stevens. ' ' '