"Theres no place like home" -- Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz. Vapormax Off White Canada . The road to the 2012 Grey Cup was not comprised of yellow brick. There were no lions, scarecrows or even tin woodsmen along for the journey. The final ingredient that provided the Toronto Argonauts with enough extra courage and heart to win the championship may have come from what the memorable quartet from movie lore was searching for all along - home. Eleven players on last years championship squad hailed from the Greater Toronto Area, a total of 15 called Southern Ontario home. While some of those players, most notably Ricky Foley, have left for various reasons, four new players on this years active roster are from the GTA. Jonathan Hood and Jermaine Reid are CFL veterans who have found their way into double-blue uniforms, while Shane Herbert and Jermaine Gabriel have the opportunity to take their first pro football snaps in front of family, friends and hometown crowds. Gabriel is a native of Scarborough, in the citys east end. He played in the fall at Cedarbrae Collegiate, while his summers were spent starring with the Toronto Thunder of the Ontario Varsity Football League. He also spent some time coaching at Lester B. Pearson Collegiate. The rookie defensive back is arriving just as his favourite player, long-time defensive star Jordan Younger, is leaving after announcing his retirement on the eve of training camp. Gabriel says that the two have crossed paths in the past. "I used to sit all the way up in the nosebleeds and watch the games growing up as a child,” Gabriel said. “I always used to watch the defensive backs, I watched Younger. I met him at e-camp, he was giving me a couple of pointers when we were doing the drills; it was pretty cool." Meeting your idol is one thing, but lacing up the cleats with your favourite CFL team blows that off the charts. "Its unbelievable, the love I get from everybody. Everyone is always checking up on me asking how Im doing and hows the team doing” Gabriel continued. “I feel like ever since I became an Argo everyone is like, Im going to buy an Argos hat, Im going to buy an Argos jersey and come out to all the games. Ive got a bunch of friends with season tickets now, so its been an unbelievable experience." Gabriels fellow freshman has been through the pro experience before, but like the heroine from the movie, things turned out to be a bad dream. Herbert is also from the east side of Toronto, hailing from Ajax. He played at Pickering High School and for the Pickering Dolphins and Oshawa Hawkeyes before heading to Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was a member of the Golden Hawks. He was signed as a free agent by the boatmen in 2011, but didnt make it through camp before being released. He looks like a completely different player this season. "For the past year Ive been working hard on my speed and strength,” Herbert said. “Jim (General Manager Barker) knows the potential I had and when he saw me at the workout I know I impressed him through my off-season training and my hard work and effort. I was fortunate to get invited back and Im just taking it step by step, day by day." At 61" and 190 pounds, the defensive back has the body type and attitude that Argos defensive coordinator Chris Jones loves. In turn, Herbert loves playing in the system that the DC employs. "Im a more in your face DB. Ive got long arms, Im a more rangy guy so its easier for me to get up in someones face and press a receiver and thats what Chris Jones loves. He loves the taller defenders that dont mind getting physical so I feel like I fit this defence quite well." Herberts favourite player as a kid was Damon Allen and he understands the unique opportunity to wear the same jersey as his idol. "Its an honour actually to play for your home team and to have your family and friends come out to the games and support you." Hood comes over from Hamilton after three seasons in black and gold. He appreciates the colour change and is thrilled to be donning the double blue. "It feels awesome. When I was growing up thats all we saw, we saw the Argos practices, we saw Pinball Clemons and everyone. Its amazing, we used to look up to those guys and now Im that guy, it feels great." The man who lit up stadiums wearing number 31 was idolized by just about everyone who saw him play, but what was it about Clemons that drew the native of Mississauga, west of Toronto, to the running backs style? "He was exciting to watch. He always brought energy,” Hood said. “It didnt matter that he was a smaller guy, it didnt matter who he was up against, he was just go, go, go and he made the best of everything and he won a lot of championships and he had lots of success." Hood graduated from Father Michael Goetz Secondary School and also played for the Etobicoke Eagles before heading to a CIS career at both St. Francis Xavier and Western Ontario. Hes certain that playing at home will be good for a jolt of adrenaline every game. "I definitely think so because you have a lot of family and friends that get more involved in the league,” Hood continued. “Even when I was playing in Hamilton it was close, but not everyone got involved. Now that Im in Toronto everyone is coming to the games. I have to make sure 50 people get tickets, its crazy. So it gives you that boost knowing that the support is there. Support is huge and it just gets you fired up to go and play your best." The other veteran is Reid, who suited up for Hamilton and Edmonton before heading home. His six years of pro football may be a bit of a surprise, seeing as he never played any amateur football aside from at St. Marys Catholic Secondary School in Pickering. He may have come to the game late, but it was certainly a case of love at first contact. "It was probably after the first hit. It was an inside run drill. I just shed a block and I leveled the running back and that was it, it got me." He was good enough at St. Marys to head to the University of Akron, where he played for four seasons. Now hes heading home. Reid had heard his name mentioned in trade rumours and was ecstatic to find out he was on his way back to where it all began. "It was amazing, Im going home, my family gets to see me. It was a good feeling, I was just thrilled when I heard the news." But is there an added burden that comes with playing at home? "Besides trying to round up 16 tickets a game its really not that much pressure,” said Reid. “Everything outside of the lines is washed away as soon as you cross those lines every game day, so I try not to think of any of that, I just put all that to the back of my mind and just think about the game." The first game at home will be one the foursome will always remember. Not only is it against the Argos arch rivals from Hamilton, but the 100th Grey Cup Championship banner will be unfurled before kickoff. Fridays game between the Argonauts and Tiger Cats can be heard live on TSN 1050 and TSN1050.ca with Mike Hogan and Sandy Annunziata Vapormax 97 Sale .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City. Vapormax Flyknit 3 Canada . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. http://www.airvapormaxcanada.com/air-vapormax-plus-canada.html . And theyre pointing to the NHLs biggest market: Toronto. With Gretzky paid out for what is believed to be $7 to 8 million, Gretzky may be eager to get back into the NHL and TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Maple Leafs are very much interested in The Great Ones services.LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool beat Swansea 4-3 on Sunday to maintain its Premier League title challenge thanks to two goals each from Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson. The goals took Liverpools tally in the Premier League this season to 70, overtaking Manchester City as the top scorers, and left the fourth-place team just four points behind league leader Chelsea. However, manager Brendan Rodgers refused to be drawn on Liverpools title hopes. "I think for us, were concentrating on our performance," Rodgers said. "Were just concentrating on winning games. No one is really talking about us for the title anyway. Everything now is about Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal." Sturridges first came in the third minute when he received a through ball from Raheem Sterling before rounding Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm and firing into an open goal. The striker then provided the assist for Henderson to double Liverpools lead in the 20th from the edge of the area. Jonjo Shelvey pulled one back for Swansea against his former club three minutes later with a long-range strike that went in off the crossbar. He held his arm up in apology to his former club, a gesture that received applause from the Liverpool fans. But the home supporters were shocked into silence soon after when Wilfried Bony equalized in the 27th minute, with his header from Jonathaan De Guzmans free kick taking a slight deflection off Martin Skrtel. Nike Vapormax Canada. Sturridge gave Liverpool a 3-2 lead at halftime when he headed in from close range after a Luis Suarez cross had found him unmarked. Swansea levelled soon after the interval though when Bony scored a penalty after being fouled by Skrtel. Suarez went close to restoring Liverpools lead but Vorm saved well when one-on-one with the striker before De Guzman nearly gave Swansea the lead when he shot just wide from a free kick. Henderson struck the winner after receiving a pass from Suarez. His initial shot was parried by Vorm but the England forward reacted quickest to poke the ball in from close range. Despite the victory, Rodgers is hoping to see an improved defensive display against Southampton next weekend. "At 2-0, we should manage the game better," Rodgers said. "We are obviously very disappointed with the goals we conceded." Swansea manager Garry Monk tried to take the positives out of the defeat. "I cant complain about the effort from my players," Monk said. "Going forward, I think its a confidence boost to them that they can come to somewhere like this - where a lot of people thought they would wipe the floor with us, the way theyve been dismantling teams here - and we were in the game right up until the final whistle." ' ' '