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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." Wholesale Jerseys China . Kenny Miller scored from the penalty spot and Camilo Sanvezzo came off the bench to add two late goals as the Whitecaps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over the sagging Impact on Saturday afternoon. 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Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages.SOCHI, Russia -- Team Canada isnt making any last-minute changes for its Olympic semifinal showdown against the United States. Save for Matt Duchene replacing the injured John Tavares, the lines and pairings are the same as they were in the quarter-final victory over Lativa and from Thursdays practice. Coach Mike Babcock was fired up not to have to make any changes. "Im pumped," Babcock said. "Were starting to look like a team and be like a team and youre organized like a team and you feel comfortable because youre not running around trying to do a million things. Its great." Duchene is back in after playing in two of Canadas first four games. Playing centre on the fourth line is part of the reason hes not worried about shaking some rust off. "Im back at my natural position, which is going to be nice," Duchene said. "And I played a lot of games on the big ice last year at centre so I know kind of what to expect in terms of that part of it as opposed to maybe playing on the wing." Duchene has represented Canada at three world championships, something that could give him an edge in recalling how things went wrong. "Helps a lot," he said. "Ive played a lot of games at Worrlds last few years.dddddddddddd Weve had some heartbreaking losses. You kind of have a little chip on your shoulder because you dont want to feel that again. Weve had some real heart-breakers there. Its time to win." Having been with this team for almost two weeks now, Babcock couldnt get a read on his team from a brief twirl at Bolshoy Ice Domes practice rink. But thats nothing new. "I cant get a feel in the morning skate in Detroit, either," he said. "Sometimes I think were the (76) Canadiens and the pucks going all over and then we dont do anything and sometimes I think our hands look like feet and we get out there and we play great. "Now we got to go out, we got a good plan, we got good people, now we got to go out and execute." PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Patrice Bergeron Jamie Benn - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry Patrick Marleau - Jonathan Toews - Jeff Carter Patrick Sharp - Matt Duchene - Rick Nash / Martin St. Louis Defencemen Duncan Keith - Shea Weber Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Drew Doughty Jay Bouwmeester - Alex Pietrangelo Dan Hamhuis Goaltenders Carey Price - Roberto Luongo Scratches John Tavares (injured) - P.K. Subban - Mike Smith ' ' '