TORONTO – Amid the pomp and circumstance of the home opener, the great Roy Halladay throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and the major league debut of Yankees phenomenon Masahiro Tanaka, it could be easy to lose the significance of Dustin McGowans role in Friday nights festivities. Yet there he was, toeing the rubber to throw the first pitch of the first inning for the first time since September 26, 2011. Even greater an accomplishment, considering his significant injury history, is that McGowan is healthy to begin a season for the first time since 2008. Not many pitchers undergo three shoulder surgeries and another on a knee and continue to throw in the best league in the world. McGowan is a rare exception. Hes allowing himself to enjoy the experience but not enough to distract him from the task at hand. "I have a little bit but the last few days, my focus has been on what Ive got to do to get the Yankees out," McGowan told TSN.ca. "It feels like Ive got a lot of stuff going on in my head but thats part of it. Im ready." The shoulder surgeries chronicle like this: in 2008, to repair fraying of the labrum; two years later, in 2010, to repair a torn rotator cuff; in 2012, an arthroscopic procedure. McGowan underwent the knee surgery in 2009. Yet there he was on April 4, 2014, starting Torontos first home game of the season. His wife Jilly and their two children were in attendance. At the time McGowan spoke to TSN.ca, he was trying to arrange for his brother-in-law to be in the crowd, too. The result matters because the game counts in the standings. But in its own way, the fact McGowan is on the mound in the first place, the fact he went to the Blue Jays late last season and told them he wanted to take one more shot at being a starting pitcher and the fact he achieved the goal seems just as important as the result itself. "To be honest with you, I am," manager John Gibbons said, admitting to surprise. "All hes been through, hes defying all the odds really. So many guys thats happened to disappear and then to be able to maintain most of it, I mean hes not popping it like he once did but theres still plenty there." There really is no plan for McGowan because nobody knows what lies ahead. Hes tired of being asked how his shoulder feels after every bullpen session and each outing but those are important questions. The Blue Jays intend to monitor McGowans innings for as long as this experiment goes. The club, should it choose, could utilize its three April off days to push McGowan back, giving him extra off days in between appearances. If his shoulder starts to ache, or "bark" as players often say, McGowans bosses want to hear about it. "Ive told him multiple times, any concerns at all, youre not doing this for us, youre doing this because you want to do it," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "He had no problems at all last year. We would have loved to have been able to stretch him out but we werent in a position to do it." Halladay tosses ceremonial first pitch It was an all-too-familiar scene: the great Roy Halladay back on the mound for the home opener in Toronto. But he wasnt in full uniform and he only had the ceremonial first pitch to deliver. It was a strike. "Its pretty cool to be back," said Halladay. "It doesnt seem that long ago when you walk in. It feels like I was just here. Its exciting. Im enjoying retirement but this is pretty cool to be able to come back here." Halladay has settled in the Tampa Bay area and went to the Jays season opener against the Rays on Monday at the behest of his son. He worried that sitting in the stands would be uncomfortable so soon after his retirement. "I had my doubts," said Halladay. "But, honestly, I enjoyed it and I have no regrets, no disappointments. Im actually really happy with the choice I made and it was the right choice I made." Air Force 1 For Sale . While plenty of statistics illustrate Torontos turnaround in the second year of manager Ryan Nelsens tenure, stopping goals is not one of them. Air Force 1 Discount .Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. https://www.cheapairforce1outlet.com/. Eller said the Oilers were a "junior team" that was "all over the place" before Edmontons 4-3 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins took offence to Ellers comments and used it to motivate his youthful team. Air Force 1 Online . -- Kyle Busch edged teammate Joey Logano at the Bristol Motor Speedway finish line Friday night to become the all-time winningest driver in Nationwide Series. Air Force 1 Wholesale . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.Its been a stormy bye week in Bomberland, with the winds of change knocking over both team president & CEO Garth Buchko and general manager Joe Mack in one fell swoop. But the temporary shelters have been erected; acting CEO Wade Miller and acting general manager Kyle Walters will form the new Blue Bombers brain trust moving forward alongside head coach Tim Burke. And what is the first order of business? "With all of the exterior distractions that have been going around this team the last couple days," said Walters, "(Burke) needs to get the team refocused and dialed in for Friday night because really thats all that matters. And all this other stuff, we need to eliminate these distractions from the players and get them going for Hamilton." But, as it has been for the last few seasons, the quarterback situation remains at the forefront. Two days after Mack and Buchko were canned, Miller, Walters, and Burke named Max Hall the teams starting quarterback - just 11 days after the club publically stated Justin Goltz would be the starting QB "for the rest of the season." "I think like most CFL teams, as the quarterback goes the teams go," Walters told TSN 1050 Radio. "And theres been constant flux and turnover and turmoil - all of this at that position - and there hasnt been real consistency. Weve had a bunch of different guys go through there with varying levels of success. Weve had injuries. We just havent had the stability that you need at that position which is the most important in Canadian football." So now the team has hitched their wagon to Max Hall - at least for this week - a CFL rookie who had a brief stint in the NFL and came out of Bombers training camp the No. 3 option. And while the new brain trust says this is a decision made unanimously by the offensive staff as a whole, struggling second-year offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who recruited Hall to Brigham Young University in 2004 while he was head coach, has his fingerprints all over this move. "You always try to use the plays in your playbook that help each quarterback," said Crowton. "And the thing that (Hall) does, he can throw in a good rhythm. He gets the ball off quickly with accuracy, and hes aggressive. With that in mind, Ill use the plays in our playbook that will compliment that style of play." "Im very excited, and I think the team is responding. I want to take this thing over and run with it," said Hall, who has shown his penchant for leadership. "Ive spent extra time with the guys iin the film room and on the field, and I can feel an excitement and everybody eager to play this game.dddddddddddd" Hall knows he is being pressed into his first CFL action, but is determined to take advantage of the opportunity. "With more experience you get better, so Im going to fast-track that a little bit by being a starter, but I feel like Im in a spot to where I can go and be successful and keep developing at the same time, and I can make the plays on offence that were missing right now." Crowton, meanwhile, has been on the hot seat all season as his offence has failed to find any sort of rhythm or consistency. "I feel comfortable with the CFL game. The biggest thing that we have to do is with our own personnel. No matter what team youre on you have to use your personnel to get the most out of them to win games." With the team ranking either last or next-to-last in 17 offensive categories, former Tiger-Cats head coach Marcel Bellefeuille was brought in this week as an "offensive consultant" to oversee the offence and provide suggestions. "Obviously Im a humble person right now, but at the same time I know Im a good football coach," added Crowton. "Ive won a lot of games. Ive won many championships. And I think I can do it here. Im trying to get the right combination for our team, for this particular team. Getting the right run-pass mixture. Getting the right up-the-field to underneath throws. Taking shots at the right time. One of the biggest disadvantages anybody has that hasnt been in the league… like myself who hasnt been in the league for a long time, is understanding the other coaches in the league. Theres some good coaches on the defensive side. And so the more I play, the more I go against these teams then the better Ill be because Ill have more of that experience." Notes... Veteran kicker Sandro DeAngelis was signed this week and seems to have impressed enough in practice as he will start in place of Justin Palardy this week… Demond Washington returns after missing a game with a suspected abdomen injury… Paul Swiston will start at right guard in place of Steve Morley. When asked if Morley played his way off or Swiston his way on, Tim Burke stated bluntly, "A little bit of both."… Fourth-year running back Chris Garrett, who has yet to dress for a game this year after tearing his Achilles in training camp in 2012, was released on Wednesday, along with import defensive end Marquis Frazier and import defensive back David James. ' ' '