KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- B.C. Lions head coach Mike Benevides says his team has a better handle on what makes Khalif Mitchell tick this time around. The hulking defensive tackle helped the Lions win the 2011 Grey Cup, however a series of incidents on an off the field the following season precipitated a trade to the Toronto Argonauts prior to the 2013 campaign. The mercurial Mitchell rebounded in Toronto and asked for his release from the Argos to pursue NFL opportunities this winter, but when those failed to materialized the Lions surprised the rest of the CFL by bringing him back into the fold. "I think hes a person thats matured. Hes a person thats experienced some things," Benevides said at training camp this week. "The biggest thing I see is everybody else understanding who he is. "I think hes very conscious of whats occurring and whats going on around him. What people need to know is he is not a bad person. Hes a good person." Benevides would know. He was the Lions defensive co-ordinator back in 2011 when Mitchell had his best season, compiling 33 tackles and six sacks. "I see everybody understanding who he is and sometimes you have a misconception or you dont understand someone and that sometimes creates issues," said Benevides. "Khalif is a very charismatic guy, hes a very passionate guy. He enjoys the game. His teammates and his team and the guys around him are very important to him." But it was those teammates who wanted him out the door after the six-foot-six, 315-pound Mitchell made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2012. The league suspended him two games for violently hyperextending the arm of an opponent that July before fining him an unspecified amount for making multiple throat-slashing gestures in another game. Mitchell was then fined and suspended again for violating the CFLs social media policy after using a racial slur on Twitter. Benevides said the teams leadership group was consulted when the idea to was first floated to bring Mitchell back, and it was agreed that all parties could move on and work towards winning the Grey Cup, which the Lions host in November. "It was a long process and discussion. There was a lot of guys that I spoke to and they were the ones who said Bring him back in the room," said Benevides. "At the end of the day we all have a job to do and thats win." But while his coach has seen growth and maturity, the 29-year-old Mitchell emphasized hes still the same person in many ways. "I havent changed who I am. Even when I came back to B.C. I was like Im going to be Khalif and they were like We understand that," said Mitchell, referring to himself in the third person. "I think a lot of people dont understand who Khalif is because a lot of people only see me in football or from the negative things that Ive produced in the media." Lions running back Andrew Harris expressed delight when Mitchell was traded last year, tweeting "Good riddance!!!!" after the deal with the Argos was announced. The Winnipeg native said hes willing to move on because of Mitchells unique skill set and a hope that he has learned from his mistakes. "Khalif is a beast. Hes a guy that can help us win football games, and thats the most important things," said Harris. "All the off-field stuff that happened in the past, its just maturing from that now. Things happen with people and youve just got to move on from that and trust that there will be better judgement in the future. "Theres definitely no animosity between us. Were teammates now and were just working together for the one goal and thats the Grey Cup." Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian added that there werent any awkward conversations when Mitchell walked back into the locker-room. "I think the guys all know Khalif, and thats the biggest thing for us," said Elimimian. "We know that hes a good guy. We know he means well. We know that hes a very bright man. But also the thing is hes a great football player and thats what we need in the locker-room and on the field." Lions defensive back Ryan Phillips said it was made clear to Mitchell upon his return that he can be himself as long as it doesnt hurt the team. "Just understand that theres consequences to mistakes," said Phillips. "Hes grown up from that. We know the dominant player he can be as long as hes focused on football." Theres no doubt that Mitchell will help an already solid defence get better. The Lions surrendered the second fewest rushing yards per game (94.4) in 2013, but allowed the second most rushing touchdowns (17) and recorded the third fewest sacks (45). Mitchell put the drama from 2012 behind him and nearly matched his 2011 numbers while playing with Toronto last season, registering 32 tackles and five sacks. "In order to be successful in our division, youve got to be very good against the run. Youve got to be big inside," said Benevides. "Hes another big, effective body that can have an impact in the interior line of scrimmage, and good teams win at the line of scrimmage." Mitchell said he never expected to return to the West Coast after his messy divorce with the Lions last year, but is ready to do what he does best -- stop the run and get after the quarterback. "I definitely wasnt expecting to come back. Im sure when they told me Good riddance and Bye they werent expecting me to come back either," he said. "Im here now and regardless of what the situation was, at the end of the day weve got to win a championship." DaeSean Hamilton Broncos Jersey . First reported by FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, its unknown if the impetus for the deferral proposal came from players or management, but it never left the preliminary stages. Royce Freeman Broncos Jersey . 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Chapman was hit by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19, breaking his nose and a bone above his left eye. The left-hander looked strong while throwing 43 pitches in batting practice before Saturday nights game against the Braves.DENVER -- Clayton Kershaw and a few of his teammates gathered on the couch, eyes glued to the flat-screen TV. They were rooting on Arizona against rival San Francisco. No such luck, though. The Giants won and the NL West race just got a lot tighter. Nothing went right for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. Justin Morneau tied a season high with six RBIs, including five as part of an eight-run first inning against spot starter Carlos Frias, and the Colorado Rockies routed the Dodgers 16-2. Los Angeles now leads the Giants by two games in the division. Frias (0-1) gave up 10 hits, including seven straight to start the game, and eight runs before being pulled after recording only two outs. According to information provided to the teams by the Elias Sports Bureau, hes the first pitcher in the modern era to allow 10 hits while getting less than three outs. Still, manager Don Mattingly is contemplating bringing Frias back for another turn in the rotation. He doesnt have many options if the sore left shoulder of Hyun-Jin Ryu isnt better by next week. Ryu will test it out later this week in Chicago. "You only have X amount of starters for that spot," Mattingly said. "You choose whats best for that spot and you move on." The harder Frias seemed to throw, the harder the Rockies seemed to hit the baseball. "It was a bad day," Frias said through a translator. "Cant really chalk it up to anything other than a bad day. "All I can do is put it behind me and look forward to the next outing." Morneau hit a three-run homer and a two-run single in the opening frame as the Rockies chased Frias after just two outs. Morneau and Carlos Gonzalez are the only Rockies players to drive in five runs in an inning. "You play this game a long time you see some things youve never seen," Morneau said. "Obviously, having guys on base is important. You wouldnt expect us to come out against a guy like that whos got really good stuff. He was a guy we were ready for and we were able to get some hits." Charlie Blackmon went 5 for 5 with a solo homer as the Rockies took two of three from the Dodgers, who trailed 15-0 after six innings against the tteam with the worst record in the league.dddddddddddd Morneau had three hits and a sacrifice fly, raising his average to .320 and leaping over Pittsburghs Josh Harrison for the NL batting lead. Jorge De La Rosa (14-11) gave up two hits in six scoreless innings to improve to 10-2 at home this season. "Youve seen some strange things in this park," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Theres a lot of game left and Jorge did a good job of keeping them down." The hard-throwing Frias didnt record a traditional out, either, in his 38-pitch appearance. He got one when catcher Tim Federowicz threw out Corey Dickerson on a steal attempt and another when Wilin Rosario tried to score from third on a squeeze play. "Its almost like everything you call gets hit," Federowicz said. "Just one of those things." This hardly looked like the same Dodgers team that was coming off a big series win in San Francisco that included a 17-0 romp over the Giants. Los Angeles is chasing Washington for the best record in the NL. The Dodgers needed an eight-run sixth inning to get by the Rockies on Monday, and then stranded runner after runner Tuesday in a 10-4 loss. Once the Rockies roughed up Frias, Mattingly steadily began taking out his position players as the Rockies set a season high for runs. "I was just getting guys off their feet," Mattingly said. TRAINERS ROOM Dodgers: SS Hanley Ramirez wasnt in the starting lineup for a second straight day due to a strained right elbow. Mattingly said he thinks Ramirez will be ready to play in Chicago. Rockies: 3B Nolan Arenado remains sidelined with a bruised chest and pneumonia. UP NEXT Dodgers: RHP Zack Greinke (15-8) takes the mound Thursday to begin a four-game series in Chicago against the Cubs. The righty needs nine strikeouts to reach 200 for the season. Rockies: LHP Yohan Flande (0-5) moves back into the rotation after spending the last month as a reliever. Hell try for his first major league win when the Rockies host Arizona on Thursday. ON THIS DATE Former Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo threw the only no-hitter at Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996, in a 9-0 win. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL T-shirts Cheap Jerseys Online Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Jerseys NFL Cheap Wholesale NFL Hoodies ' ' '