While standing on the field, the sense of history is palpable. The natural grass of old Varsity Stadium may have been replaced by the artificial surface of the current configuration, but the pre-season game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes will be played on the closest thing the CFL has to sacred ground. Before the brick facade of the old structure succumbed to the wreckers ball in 2002, the venerable facility hosted 30 Grey Cup games, more than any other host venue, the final one coming in 1957. Ghosts of the legends that played at the stadium simply known as Varsity may be eager to peek through the wrought iron fences on the north or west side of the facility on Thursday to see how players like Calvillo, Ray and Owens would stack up against Etcheverry, Krol and Copeland. The horseshoe stands are gone, replaced by one set of bleachers on the east side. Passersby on Bloor Street West will be able to look down to the playing field to see what all the fuss is about. Kids will try to figure a way to sneak in and join the fans who will assemble on the track surrounding the field, much as they did in the stadiums heyday. Someone standing there may try to trip a player whos running down the sideline, a feat that remains another part of Varsitys history. Technology ensures that another famous game of days gone by will not be replayed, the Mud Bowl Grey Cup final of 1950. There will, however, be one constant between that soggy battle and the pre-season game that will be played there 63 years later; Nick Volpe. Volpe was a defensive halfback and place kicker for the Argos that November day and remains with the Argos as a consultant to football operations. He also played at Varsity Stadium for four seasons as a member of the University of Toronto Blues and still scouts the OUA for the double blue. Hes thrilled about Thursdays game. "I thought it was great but I wondered where the fans would sit" Volpe joked with TSN.ca "I go and watch U of T play all the time and its a great field. The sight lines are great. The seats are high enough that you get a beautiful view." Somewhat amazingly, Volpe kicked a pair of field goals and also made a touchdown saving tackle in the Argos 13-0 win over Winnipeg in the Mud Bowl and was presented with the game ball by Head coach Frank Clair. It remains the most cherished memento of his lengthy football life. Volpe left the Argos for several seasons, but stayed close to the game as an isolation director for CTV Sports when it covered the CFL. His talent as a player and scout been rewarded handsomely over the years and after last Novembers victory over Calgary he collected his seventh Grey Cup ring; two as a player, five in personnel. Does he think he may be in for number eight this season? "I like what we have. We lost a lot of good defensive players, but boy Ill tell you the guys that theyve brought in certainly look terrific. As long as we give Ricky Ray time to throw the ball and let (Chad) Kackert run with it, the receivers look so much better this year that I have a feeling we could win it again". Ray, Owens and the ghosts of Krol and Copeland all hope that hes right. Notes: All-star cornerback Patrick Watkins rejoined the team on Wednesday. He had been in the States dealing with what has been described as "personal issues." He says the timing was right to come back. "Sometimes when you play football life gets in the way." He says that when he decided to come back the first call he made was to Defensive Coordinator Chris Jones. He said the coachs first words to him were "When are you getting up here? When? When? When? When?" Watkins says he doesnt know when hell be game ready...Trent Guy is hopeful that he can follow in a new teammates footsteps. When Chad Owens arrived in Toronto from Montreal he was looked upon as an undersized returner who had to prove himself as a receiver. We know what happened there. Can lightning strike twice for the Argos? Guy hopes so. "I have to be a well-rounded receiver as well as a good returner. Chad was looked at as one of those guys, just a returner, and hes done great things in this league. I can learn a lot from him." Guy caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in the first pre-season game in Winnipeg...Andre Duries job is safe after a 71 catch, 845 yard season. The local product spent a few days with the Grey Cup at several off-season functions, but one stop was particularly special to him, a visit to his alma mater, York University. "The people there were such a help in my recovery from my knee injury, so just bringing it back to all of the doctors and therapists who helped me out through everything (felt great)"...When asked by TSN.ca how many veterans are on the bubble Scott Milanovich replied "Seven or eight." He was quick to follow up by saying that cutting a veteran is never easy. "Guys that you have relationships with and that you care about, its always hard with anybody, but when youve accomplished some of the things weve accomplished together, its tougher." Thursdays game can be heard on TSN 1050 or TSN1050.ca at 7:00pm with Mike Hogan and Sandy Annunziata. Nike Air Force 1 Just Do It Kaufen . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Air Force 1 Low Danmark . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. http://www.danmarkairforce1.com/air-force-1-hvid-outlet-danmark.html . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Nike Air Presto Dk . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Air Force 1 Herre Tilbud . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. DENVER -- Philadelphia Phillies starter Adam Morgan was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after another rocky outing.Manager Pete Mackanin broke the news to the 26-year-old left-hander in the clubhouse after the Phillies fell to the Colorado Rockies 11-2 on Thursday night.You never like to send anybody out, said Mackanin following a 40-minute meeting with Morgan. He knows what he has to do to improve. I believe hes going to improve.Morgan (1-7) allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings and dropped to 0-7 in his last nine starts.Morgan gave up runs in the first three innings, starting with Nolan Arenados RBI double in the first.Reynolds then led off the second with his ninth home run, and in the third, with LeMahieu and Carlos Gonzalez aboard, Story drove a 3-2 offering from Morgan into the left-field bleachers for his first homer of the game and a 5-1 Rockies lead.Story put the Rockies up 6-2 in the fifth with his second homer of the game.To me lately it hasnt been fun, Morgan said. Ive been putting a lot of pressure on myself. This break coming up I feel like will be good. And also going down (to Triple-A) and being able to work on things and not feel so much pressure ... it can really go up from here.Ryan Howard homered in the second, his 12th of the season and 369th of his career to tie Ralph Kiner and former Rockies first baseman Todd Helton for 78th place on the career list. Maikel Franco doubled and singled but had his home run streak snapped at four games.Story, one of five players on the ballot for the last NL All-Star sppot, joined Dave Kingman (1972) and Albert Pujols (2001) as the only NL rookies to hit 21 home runs prior to the break.ddddddddddddChad Bettis (7-6) allowed two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings for Colorado.PHILS STAY POSITVE AFTER BLOWOUT LOSSThe Phillies won five of six games on their recent homestand only to get shelled in the opener of a four-game set in Colorado.Mackanin stayed positive, looking at the bigger picture.Theres a long-term goal, and thats what this year is all about, Mackanin said. Now weve been successful, especially recently -- the first two months and then recently weve been successful. The guys are starting to swing the bats well. Were getting there little by little. Were taking baby steps. A lot of encouraging things are going on.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: RHP Andrew Bailey (left hamstring strain) should be activated Saturday when he is eligible to be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list. ... RHP Aaron Nola, who was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday to give him a breather before the All-Star break, was scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game Saturday.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Vince Velasquez (7-2) has won his last two starts since being reinstated June 27 from the 15-day disabled list. He spent time on the DL because of a right biceps strain.Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (5-4) is slated to make his seventh start this season at Coors Field, where he has gone 3-0 with a 5.05 ERA. ' ' '