Its another year and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are once again tying their fate to quarterback Buck Pierce. Pierce has been the Bombers starting QB the past three seasons, but has played far less than 54 regular season games across that span; the 31-year-old has made 28 appearances in his three seasons in Winnipeg. Theres no doubt if Pierce is healthy the Bombers are a better team - even a contender. But that is likely the biggest ‘if in the entire league. Pierces reckless style of play makes him even more of a target than most quarterbacks. Hes missed time with injuries to his knee, elbow, and head during his Bombers tenure. For his part, the New Mexico State product said hes feeling healthy and strong heading into the season. Pierce said he knows his health is a hot topic for fans and media, but its not something he is fixated on. Hes also lost 25 pounds this off-season in an attempt to be more agile in the pocket. Head coach Tim Burke and the rest of the Bombers organization have also stated their faith in the veteran QB, and the team made no moves to add any CFL experience to their backup ranks in the off-season, instead eschewing the only two backups on their roster – Alex Brink and Joey Elliott – to have started multiple games in the league. Behind Pierce, the Bombers have just Justin Goltz - he of 14 career CFL passing attempts - and rookie Max Hall on the depth chart. Its no coincidence the Bombers East Division-winning 2011 was also Pierces healthiest year in Winnipeg, but the other two years of the Pierce era resulted in a combined 10 wins. Is Pierce too much of an injury risk at this point in his career to consider Winnipeg a legitimate contender in 2013, or can he recapture the magic – and health – of his 2011 season? The Rouge asks: What do you expect from Buck Pierce in Winnipeg this season? Youve heard what weve had to say; now its your turn. As always, its Your! Call. Devin Hester Womens Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Akiem Hicks Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. https://www.bearssportsgoods.com/Womens-Khalil-Mack-Inverted-Jersey/ . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Richard Dent Bears Jersey . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Mike Singletary Bears Jersey . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- By Kyle Buschs standards, it has been a pretty quiet year.Sure, he got fined for blowing off media commitments after a disappointing Xfinity Series finish at Fontana, and he also incurred the wrath of NASCAR for destroying the rear fenders of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with an over-the-top burnout after winning the spring Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.But for the most part, Busch has been a model of decorum throughout 2016. He didnt (publicly) pitch a fuss when his JGR teammate Carl Edwards moved him to steal a Cup win at Richmond, and he was contrite after accidentally knocking teammate Matt Kenseth out of the NASCAR Chase playoffs last weekend at Phoenix.The most controversy he has generated has come from his continued desire to compete in NASCARs lower ranks, where he won 10 times in 16 Xfinity Series starts while also taking two of the three Camping World Truck Series races he ran.Even though Busch hasnt often make waves in the Cup series, he put together a rock-solid regular season with four race wins and a dozen top-5s. Now hes right back where he was a year ago: among the four drivers competing for the Sprint Cup championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Last November, Busch defeated Kevin Harvick in a straight fight at Homestead to win his first Cup series championship, and he believes he is poised to repeat that result on Sunday evening even though he hasnt recently tested at the title-deciding venue.I went there last year without testing and we did pretty well, so its all about the preparation and the things that our team does behind the scenes, as well as just executing on race day, Busch said.Its nice to be able to look back on what you did, and being able to do it before, you can kind of try to follow the same format of what happened, he added. But the three other guys are different and the race cars are different this year, and the tracks going to be one more year worn out than it was last year. Out of all the variables, it doesnt seem like there are that many constants.Adam Stevens, crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota, is confident about the teams chances.Im excited to go back down there, Stevens said. I feel like we really had a great weekend down there last year. Theres no reason why we cant go do that again.Buschs formula for making it to the championship final is similar to the one he used last year. He hasnt won a race since taking his second consecutive Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in late July, but he has snatched six top-5 finishes in the Chase. His average Chase finish is 7.3 despite intentionally running at the back to wind up 30th at Talladega.By finishing in the top 10 in eight of the nine Chase races, capped by that hectic run to second place at Phoenix, Busch has positioned himself to score rare back-to-back Cup series crowns.Aside from Johnsons run of five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010, the only other drivers in the past 30 years tto claim back-to-back Cup trophies are Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip.dddddddddddde havent showed our strength here in a few weeks, but weve showed consistency, Busch said after the race at Phoenix. We always talk about in this sport how top-10s lead to top-5s and top-5s lead to wins. Eventually were going to keep finishing in the top five and we just had three top-5s in a row.After racing Gordon for the championship in 2015, Busch downplayed the notion that beating six-time titlist Jimmie Johnson for this years honor would be any more meaningful.Edwards and Joey Logano are the other two championship finalists.I dont think Jimmie being in the final four makes it any more significant than Carl or Joey, Busch said. I think theyre all really good. Jimmie has been a six-time champion, but he hasnt done it in this format.You might also look at how guys have run in the past at Homestead, and it seems like Carl is probably one of the best on that, Busch continued. Joey has finished real well there the last few years also. This group is certainly way high up there as far as being challenging to race, and thats why I feel like it could honestly be any guys race.Busch is also content with Homestead as the venue for the championship finale. The 1.5-mile oval is a similar length to other intermediate ovals, but with a markedly different symmetrical layout.I think Homestead is one of the better tracks for us to have the last race at, he said. Youd much rather go there to a place where its kind of wide, where tires fall off and where you can race people from the bottom of the track all the way to the top of the track versus going to a place like Phoenix or Loudon, where its really hard to pass and hard to get the guy in front of you, with not too many racing grooves.With Gordon retired (again) and Tony Stewart calling it quits as a driver after Sundays race, Johnson could be NASCARs only multiple Cup champion in the field next year.Unless Busch repeats as champion, that is. At 31, in the prime of his career, he knows its important for the sport to have legacy stars for future generations to measure up to. And he knows that winning consecutive Cup titles would guarantee that kind of long-term status.You look at these younger-generation drivers that come in and youve got to stack yourself up against somebody, Busch said. I got to stack myself up against Jeff Gordon, against guys late in their career like Dale Jarrett, and Ive raced against guys like Tony Stewart and Jimmie -- a lot of guys who have been champion.Although I never raced against the likes of Richard Petty or David Pearson or guys that were champions before my time, you certainly get to understand how good they were in their day and how important they are to the sport even though you never got a chance to race them yourself. ' ' '