REGINA -- Two years ago, GM Brendan Taman went outside the box to find a new head coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On Thursday, he rewarded Corey Chamblin with a contract extension through the 2017 season after leading the Riders to just the fourth Grey Cup title in franchise history. "I went with my heart and some people may viewed it outside the box but I knew we had the right guy," Taman told reporters at a news conference. "Corey brings is a lot of things to the table I was looking for when we were hiring a head coach for this organization. "Hes knowledgeable, hes very confident, he can deal with people which is very important as a head coach, hes got a very very good ability to put a very good coaching staff together. The last two years weve been able to do that and were going to have another one this year and I think thats a huge credit to Corey." Taman hired Chamblin, then Hamiltons defensive co-ordinator, following the 2012 season after Saskatchewan posted a league-worst 5-13 record. The Riders finished third in the West Division with an 8-10 record in Chamblins first season, losing 36-30 to Calgary in the conference semifinal. Last year, Saskatchewan won eight of its first nine games before suffering four straight losses. The Riders finished the regular season with an 11-7 record -- second only to Calgary (league-best 14-4 mark). After dispatching B.C. 29-25 in the West semifinal, the Riders upset Calgary 35-13 to advance to the Grey Cup game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Before a rabid Mosaic Stadium gathering of 44,710, the Riders capped their season by downing Hamilton 45-23 for their first CFL title ever on home soil. "It was great for Brendan to think outside the box," Chamblin said of Taman. "He talks about making that decision from the heart, well, I coach from the heart and I thought that was a good match for us." The countrys sports editors and broadcasters rewarded the Riders for their accomplishment by voting them The Canadian Press Team of the Year for 2013. And in February, Chamblin was also named the CFLs coach of the year. And now, Chamblin has a deal that gives him the long-term security often sought by a pro football head coach. But Chamblin isnt about to rest on his laurels. "Its not something for us to sit back and say, Yeah, hey, this is what weve done," he said. "I think the biggest thing it does is it gives us a chance to work together to continue something. "We dont want to be one and done. Theres a lot of things that I think we still have left on the table that we have not accomplished." Chamblin heads into his third season having amassed a 19-17 regular-season record. Hes also 3-1 in the playoffs, including the Grey Cup victory. But hell have a much different team to coach in 14. Running back Kory Sheets -- the Grey Cup MVP -- and veteran slotback Weston Dressler both signed NFL deals with Oakland and Kansas City, respectively. Among the other players no longer with the Riders are defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Ottawa, CFL expansion draft), defensive back Craig Butler (Hamilton, free agent), running back Jock Sanders (Calgary, free agent), receiver Kierrie Johnson (Ottawa, free agent), linebacker Abraham Kromah (Hamilton, free agent) and punter Ricky Schmitt (B.C., free agent). However, Taman said one of Chamblins biggest strengths is his ability to communicate with players. "One of the main things we wanted was to have a head coach who was able to walk into this lockerroom and get the message across to the players," he said. "Corey does a very good job of that, obviously. "Whether the message is good or bad or indifferent, he gets it across. He also brings a definite passion to win, hes driven to win on a daily basis. He wakes up every day with ideas and knowledge to try and improve this team." Cheap Jordan 11 Low . 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. Cheap Jordan 11 Free Shipping . Judging by his performance Saturday night, Cotto has plenty left in the tank. Cotto became the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world championships in four weight divisions, stopping Sergio Martinez in their WBC world middleweight title fight Saturday night. http://www.cheapairjordan11.com/ . The England international raised his middle finger toward Manchester City supporters during Saturdays game at Etihad Stadium, which Arsenal lost 6-3. The incident was not seen by match officials at the time but the FA charged Wilshere retrospectively after a study of video footage. Cheap Jordan 11 Wholesale . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Cheap Jordan 11 Retro . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.“We just didn’t get the bounce of the ball.” “Some of the decisions just didn’t go in our favour.” “We just didn’t capitalize on our chances.” These are all common excuses that are offered up by losing teams. Whether general managers, coaches or players voice them, they always sound like hollow clichés; attempts to find meaning in a failed season without ever addressing the real problem. Contrast these excuses with what you hear from winning teams. “Every player on this team is behind the manager and what he is trying to do at the club.” “We have an incredible spirit in this group; there are no bad characters in our locker room.” “When one of us is beaten on the pitch, the others dig him out of trouble and pick up the slack.” Do you see the difference? Losing teams make excuses about bad luck, about being cheated by the referee or about failing to execute in decisive moments. Winning teams talk about the strength of the relationships they have between their players. The strength of those relationships is often referred to as team chemistry. Winning teams have it and losing ones don’t. Signing new players can often disrupt a team’s chemistry because doing so introduces new variables into the team dynamics. There is a hierarchy in every locker room; there are leaders and there are followers, there are big personalities and there are quiet ones. When new personalities come into the group in the form of new signings, it can often upset the equilibrium that has been carefully crafted by the manager. It makes midseason signings even more precarious, because the team has already established its own hierarchy. It is one reason why midseason signings often need a full preseason with their new team to fully settle; they need to find their place within the team’s hierarchy, and this is often done over the course of preseason. This makes it a real challenge for any manager to integrate new players into his team during the season. Which makes the Vancouver Whitecaps’ midseason additions of both Kendall Waston and Mauro Rosales even more impressive. Both players have settled into the Whitecaps’ team very quickly and have played vital roles in Vancouver’s push to the MLS playoffs. Waston scored the only goal of the game in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids, while Rosales has added genuine pedigree to the Whitecaps’ midfield alongside Pedro Morales. Their value on the field is the easiest thing to assess. When Waston won everything in the air in the final 15 minutes of the Whitecaps’ 1-0 victory in Seattle over the league-leading Sounders two weeks ago, fans could see the importance of finally having a dominantt central defender in the team.dddddddddddd When Rosales set up both of Sebastian Fernandez’s goals in Vancouver’s 2-0 win over FC Dallas the week prior, fans could see the importance of getting quality service from wide areas in the team. Their value off the field is much more difficult for fans to quantify. Fans often don’t get to see what goes on behind the scenes, so making that assessment is largely down to guesswork. But there are clues to be seen if one looks closely enough. Waston is a gentle giant who walks around with a perpetual grin on his face. He has a huge personality, which comes across in his interviews and promotional appearances. But on the field he is not to be messed with, and he has brought a considerable physical presence to the Whitecaps’ lineup. When he scored on Saturday, he was mobbed by his teammates – all of them appreciative of what the “big man” has brought to the team. When Kekuta Manneh came into Saturday’s game as a substitute, he brought energy and urgency to the Whitecaps’ play. He forced Colorado onto the back foot and gave their defenders fits with his direct running. After Waston scored the go-ahead goal, Manneh continued to drive forward looking for another goal. In one sequence, after taking on three defenders, Manneh was sent sprawling to the turf but no foul was called. The Rapids immediately took possession and looked to hit Vancouver on the counter attack. Yet who was the first Whitecap to sprint 40 yards to put pressure on the ball with Manneh caught out of position? 33-year old Rosales. Given Rosales’ background in the game – he has played for storied sides like Dutch club Ajax and Argentina’s River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys – it would be easy for him to rest on his laurels and let his teammates carry the workload. But Rosales has done the opposite. He has knuckled down and worked his socks off since arriving in Vancouver, often leading the charge in games when possession needs to be recovered. His technical ability is superb, but it is his work-rate and professionalism that has been most impressive to his teammates. He routinely works with Vancouver’s younger players, passing along the years of knowledge he has gained to the next generation. That attitude is infectious, and it is one reason why the Whitecaps clinched a playoff berth in Carl Robinson’s first year in charge of the club. With four wins and 13 points from their last five games, Vancouver is one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer heading into the playoffs. The Whitecaps travel to Texas on Monday to prepare for their MLS Playoff Knockout Match against FC Dallas, live on TSN on Wednesday night. ' ' '