e blue-line this season and will get plenty of time on

TORONTO -- The CFL has ratified its collective bargaining agreement with the CFL Players Association. The leagues board of governors accepted the five-year deal during a conference call Friday. The CFLPA voted in favour Thursday night. "This agreement provides stability for our teams at the same time it improves pay, health and safety, and mobility for players," CFL commissioner Mark Cohon said in a statement."Were looking forward to a successful season and working together to grow this great league." Added CFLPA president Scott Flory: "The players are committed to putting the best possible product on the field and are excited to get back to the game that we all love." With both sides having signed off on the agreement, the 2014 regular season will kick off June 26 as originally scheduled. The new deal runs through May 15, 2019 or the first day of training camp that year. But if the combined revenues of the nine teams -- excluding Grey Cup -- increase by more than $27 million in any year of the agreement, both sides will renegotiate an increase to the cap starting in the 2016 season. The deal also changes how players are classified. Instead of being known as non-imports and imports, theyll be called nationals and internationals. A player will be considered a national under three scenarios: if he was a Canadian citizen at the time of signing his first contract; was classified as a non-import prior to May 31; or was a Canadian resident for an aggregate period of five years before turning 18. In the past, a player could be born in Canada and have Canadian citizenship but not qualify for non-import status if he received his football training outside of Canada. A example would be the sons of former CFL players who were born in Canada but learned their football in the U.S. The CFL said while theres been a persistent argument non-imports should be called Canadians, there are players in the league who were counted as non-imports despite not being Canadian citizens. Other agreement details include: -- Increasing current salary cap per team from $4.4 million to $5 million this year and an additional $50,000 annually to a total of $5.2 million in 2018. -- Setting the cap minimum at $4.4 million this year and an additional $50,000 annually to $4.6 million in 2018. -- Increasing minimum salary from $45,000 to $50,000 this year, increasing $1,000 annually to $54,000 in 2018. -- Increasing pension contributions from $3,600 for clubs and $3,600 for players to $3,700 each in 2014 and an additional $100 annually to $4,100 each in 2018. -- A $1,500 ratification bonus for rookies and $7,500 for veterans, with the union determining the veteran scale. Each bonus will be paid to players on rosters as of June 22. -- Boosting active rosters from 42 to 44 players while decreasing reserve roster from four to two players. -- Eliminating the nine-game injured list and replacing it with a six-game list. Clubs can pull a maximum of two players off the six-game injury list early, without it counting against the cap for any player who continues to be on that list for more than six games. -- Amending training camp protocol to allow only one practice daily with contact. -- Amending in-season provisions to allow only one weekly practice with contact. -- Eliminating the option year required on all future contracts with the exception of rookie deals. -- Expanding practice rosters from seven to 10 players per team and 12 to 15 players come the fall. Curry Shoes From China . Nine years later, he might have finally figured it out. He had only five rounds in the 60s in his previous eight trips. Discount Curry Shoes . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. http://www.curryshoescheap.com/ . Four years after winning gold on home ice in Vancouver, the Canadians will get a chance to make it two in a row Sunday against Sweden after beating the United States 1-0 in the Olympic semifinals Friday at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Cheap Stephen Curry Shoes . Cornet won six straight games to rally from a 2-0 deficit and take the first set. The 25th-ranked Frenchwoman broke back twice in the second set before Bacsinszky saved a match point at 5-4. Clearance Curry Shoes . Villarreals victory in Valencia kept it in fourth place and in control of Spains last Champions League spot. Uche broke free in the area in the 10th minute and was brought down by goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who was shown a direct red card.The thing about being granted exceptional player status is people expect immediate exceptional results.For Sean Day, those results did not materialize last season.Day, who was born in Belgium, played most of his minor hockey in Michigan and is a Canadian citizen, scored six goals and had 10 points in 60 games with the Mississauga Steelheads. He was a chilly minus-35.Day was the fourth player awarded exceptional status — which allows a player to enter the OHL draft before reaching the minimum age of 16 — following John Tavares (2005), Aaron Eckblad (2011) and Connor McDavid (2012), but the first not to be chosen first not to be chosen first overall in the Ontario Hockey Leagues Priority Selection.Day slipped to fourth overall, chosen by Mississauga behind Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67s), Dylan Strome (Erie Otters) and Matthew Spencer (Peterborough Petes).So you might think at the ripe old age of 16, Day is feeling pressure to have a breakout year.Not at all, said the six-foot-two, 225-pound defenceman. I still have another season before my draft year. I think its good for me that I played in the league last year and to still have this season to work on my game before my draft year.When Day first joined the Steelheads he played the way he did in minor hockey, which was to get the puck and take off with it. He was always bigger, stronger and faster than the majority of his opponents. Suddenly up against older players who were just as big and quick, Day found himself overmatched and his mistakes often ended up in the back of his teams goal.So when he returned to the Steelheads after participating with Team Ontario at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Day dialled back on his offence and started concentrating on being a more competent defensive player.Mississauga coach-GM James Boyd was impressed with Days development. Boyd said the Steelheads traded their top two scorers at mid-season and thus did not score as often, so Day was given more defensive responsibility and reacted favourably.His plus-minus improved dramatically and thatt was with his ice time going up, Boyd said.dddddddddddd In the playoffs against a really good Oshawa team he played extremely well. There were times during the year I would scout a minor midget game in the evening and I just couldnt imagine Sean playing at that level. I couldnt picture him with his peers. I think it was a very good decision for him to play in the OHL.One problem with playing three years in the OHL before being eligible for the NHL Entry Draft is scouts have lots of time to dissect your game. In Days case, some scouts have questioned his hockey sense.Boyd is not only convinced Day will improve his decision making with experience, he believes Day is well on his way to becoming an impact player. Boyd said critics of Day should understand that when he joined the Steelheads, he basically had to learn the defensive game from scratch and there was steady improvement in his game.Boyd said Day will play in the Steelheads top four on the blue-line this season and will get plenty of time on special teams as well.This year Sean has really embraced the physical part of the game, Boyd said. Hes a big guy — really big guy — who skates extremely well and he has been finishing his checks. He is a lot more constant and assertive defensively.Day is a quiet kid who does not seek attention and takes things in stride. Asked about not being the first overall pick in 2013, Day suggested the teams that drafted ahead of Mississauga may not have needed a defenceman or perhaps they didnt like his game. No big deal, really. And how exactly did a 15-year-old fit in with his older teammates?I never really thought of myself as being younger than everyone and I dont feel they treated me differently, Day said. I came into the league thinking I was a rookie like every other rookie. I didnt use my age as an excuse if I made a mistake.Taking a more assertive role on the Steelheads, Day is excited for his sophomore season.Hopefully I can get more points, but still be a defensive threat, Day said.Sounds like an exceptional plan. ' ' '