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MONTREAL -- Dan Hawkins likes the idea of starting his Canadian Football League coaching career with a winner. But the veteran U.S. university coach has a tough act to follow on the Montreal Alouettes in Marc Trestman, who left after five seasons and two Grey Cup titles to become head coach of the Chicago Bears in the NFL. "We may come wrapped in a different cloth, but deep down inside were very similar when it comes to our feeling of what football is about and what the culture of a successful organization is," Hawkins said Friday on a conference call. "It doesnt matter if Im the new guy or Ive been here five years, I always think the same way, that we can continue to improve and chase greatness." Since the Alouettes returned to Montreal after a 10-year hiatus in 1996, first-year coaches have mostly done well. Dave Ritchie in 1997 went 13-5, Charlie Taaffe in 1999 was 12-6, Don Matthews in 2002 went 13-5 and won a Grey Cup, while Trestman was 11-7 as a CFL rookie. Of course, this was on a team that has had winning records every year in that period except 2007 (8-10), when general manager Jim Popp took over in a transition year, and 2001 (9-9) under Rod Rust and Popp. "The reason that happens is that you win as an organization," said Hawkins. "It takes everyone. "Everyone wants to point at the head coach and understandably so, but there are so many other factors. Jim sets the tone and brings the players in. To me, if you look at the first-year success, thats a real trademark and credit to the organization because thats the culture, the situation, that a new person walks into." Hawkins said he was impressed with the level of talent he saw both at a recent mini-camp in Orlando, Fla., and on the tapes hes watched of an Alouette team that went 11-7 in the regular season in 2012, but then lost at home to Toronto in the East Division final. He starts out with the leagues all-time passing leader at quarterback in Anthony Calvillo, although the 40-year-old is coming off surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Theres a tall and talented group of receivers led by S.J. Green and Jamel Richardson and bolstered by the acquisition of veteran Arland Bruce. And they have perhaps the leagues best offensive line. The defence has some question marks, particularly on the line, but it is special teams that will likely need the most improvement after an often grim 2012 campaign. But Hawkins was most impressed with his players work habits and attention to detail at the mini-camp, especially among the veterans. "Theres a tremendous level of talent, experience and leadership," he said. "Theyve won at the highest level. "You can have all the talent in the world, but if you dont have the right culture, youre going to struggle." Like Trestman before him, Hawkins came to Canada with no experience of the 12-man game. Trestmans adaptation took less than a season. It remains to be seen how Hawkins adapts to a new game and a new country. "We keep using a saying here: blessed are the flexible because theyll never be bent out of shape," he said. "Everything is new. "Thats part of the beauty of it -- its football here, but its a whole different brand of football." An new staff of assistants join Hawkins for his first season, including assistant head coach and offensive co-ordinator Mike Miller, who has been doing most of the off-season work with Calvillo on shaping the attack for 2013. Meanwhile, Popp brought in an experienced backup in former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Quinton Porter. Other veterans signed included defensive backs Byron Parker and Geoff Tisdale, and running back Jerome Messam. Also in camp will be NFL veteran running back Dominic Rhodes, who won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis in 2007. But Popp denied angling to bring popular and oft-debated former Denver and New York Jets pivot Tim Tebow to Montreal, which holds his CFL rights. "I can report Ive never had a conversation with him or his agent and I really dont expect to unless I hear them say they have interest in coming to our team," said Popp. "So theres nothing new on that front." Calvillo cant last forever, although hes giving it a good try, and the Alouettes know they will need to find his successor one day. The battle in camp will be between Porter, returning third-stringer Josh Nieswander and a Canadian, former McMaster star pivot Kyle Quinlan. "We try to have a plan every year,"said Popp. "When the day comes that the star quarterbacks not the guy any more, whether he retires or injuries force him out, you really dont know what you have until the other guy starts playing. "When they get their chance, thats when you find out whether they can do it." He likes all three candidates. "Porters had some very big games against the Montreal Alouettes," he said. "Nieswander is a smart, intelligent guy. "Quinlan is very intriguing. He throws a (deep pass) like Ricky Ray does. And its abnormal. And he can really do it well. He drops the ball right in. Thats exciting. It will be fun to see them compete in camp and see where it goes. Quinlan will get a lot more reps. Hes coming to camp to compete for a job." The club will start camp with two players still recovering from off-season surgery. Rookie fullback Patrick Lavoie had a ruptured disc fixed while defensive back Seth Williams had ankle surgery. Vapormax Cheap Sale .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Nike Vapormax Ireland . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. http://www.vapormaxirelandsale.com/ . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. Vapormax Cheap Online . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Cheap Vapormax .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Star flyhalf Dan Carter has again been forced by injury to miss an All Blacks test against France, conceding the No.10 jersey to Aaron Cruden for Saturdays first test at Eden Park. Carter suffered a cracked bone in his hand during a Super Rugby match last weekend and was omitted on Thursday from the All Blacks lineup for the match; the first meeting between the teams since New Zealands 8-7 win in the 2011 World Cup final. A serious groin injury forced Carter to miss that match, also handing the starting role to Cruden who in turn suffered a severe knee injury and was replaced. The All Blacks lineup named by coach Steve Hansen includes two uncapped players on the bench -- Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush and Chiefs prop Ben Afeaki. Hooker Dane Coles has been awarded his first test start, ahead of veterans Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore, after making four previous test appearances off the bench. Mealamu has been named as reserve. Utility back Ben Smith, who has also played at centre and fullback, has been named on the right wing, allowing the New Zealand selectors to play the out-of-form Israel Dagg at fullback. The lineup is notable for the number of players chosen despite poor form during the Super Rugby season. Cruden will play outside scrumhalf Aaron Smith and inside centre Maa Nonu, both of whom have struggled to command starting places for the Dunedin-based Highlanders, the last-placed team in Super Rugby. Nonu will play his 77th test, renewing his long-standing midfield combination with 66-test veteran Conrad Smith, to provide the nucleus of a backline that is otherwise light on experience. Julian Savea has been named on the left wing for his 10th test match after a disrupted season during which he has appeared in court on charges of domestic violence. Kieran Read will captain the team from No. 8 in his 49th test and in the absence of Richie McCaw, who is taking a "sabbatical" from top rugby and wont return until the Rugby Championships iin August.dddddddddddd Sam Cane will start in McCaws place on the openside flank. Luke Romano and Brodie Retallick, who share 24 test appearances, will combine in the second row as New Zealands only fit and experienced locking partnership. An injury to Sam Whitelock and the retirement of Ali Williams left Romano and Retallick as guaranteed starters and fast-tracked Thrush into the test lineup when the selectors next candidate, Dominic Bird, was also injured. Coles will start at hooker between Crusaders prop Owen Franks and Wyatt Crockett while two looseheads, Ben Franks and Afeaki, have been included on the bench. Tawera Kerr-Barlow has been named as the scrumhalf reserve in place of Piri Weepu who has a concussion while Beauden Barrett will understudy Cruden. Auckland Blues centre Rene Ranger could play his first test in three years if he gets a call from the bench. "Though the week has been disrupted with injury and illness, we have still been able to have a good weeks preparation and there is no doubting that our two (training) camps have been invaluable in assisting with this," Hansen said. "To their credit, everyone has worked hard off the field and we couldnt be happier." ------------ New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Maa Nonu, Julian Savea, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Kane, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crocket. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Ben Afeaki, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Rene Ranger. France: Yoann Huget, Adrien Plante, Florian Fritz, Wesley Fofana, Maxime Medard, Camille Lopez, Maxime Machenaud, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Yoann Maestri, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Luc Ducalcon, Dimitri Szarzewski, Thomas Domingo. Reserves: Guilhem Guirado, Vincent Debaty, Daniel Kotze, Alexandre Flanquart, Yannick Nyanga, Jean-Marc Doussain, Frederic Michalak, Maxime Mermoz. ' ' '