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EDMONTON -- Odell Willis is the happiest man on the Edmonton Eskimos who cant control his rage. Hes the ever-smiling great teammate who has become a CFL vagabond due in part to self-centred behaviour. In other words, the newest Eskimos rush end is a walking enigma -- with 200 pairs of size-13 sneakers. "Show me the mawnnnnaaaay!!!" Willis -- in his six-foot-two, 255-pound frame -- shouts as he walks amongst his teammates in the Eskimo fieldhouse, a mile-wide grin on his face, mimicking wide receiver Rod Tidwell in the movie "Jerry Maguire." Eskimos camp is the fourth stop in five years for the 28-year-old import. "Sports is one of the things you can get a clean slate at in life," said Willis. "So were just ready to start clean, start fresh, new team, new look. Give this city something to smile about and be proud of." It has been a long journey. He was born in 1984 in Meridian, Miss., two decades after the area became the nationally infamous dark heart of racial hatred for the murder of three civil rights workers. He starred at the University of West Georgia, then went on to dominate arena football, prompting the Calgary Stampeders to give him an audition in 2009. He played half the season for Calgary, then got traded to Winnipeg. His sack total was 10 that year. The next two years in Winnipeg were the high point, when Willis became an outsized, outspoken media darling, the self-styled "Mayor of Swaggerville." He registered 11 sacks in 2010 and 13 in 2011 to earn CFL all-star recognition. His big game was matched by a big heart. Sitting out a practice with a bad hip one time, Willis became the teams roving ambassador to a group of young fans, escorting them around the field, introducing them to players, making friends for life. His big game was also matched by big talk. "Whos Brent Johnson?" he once asked in a public war of words with the B.C. Lions legendary sack leader. He made highlight reels for lightning-fast end runs, turning offensive tackles into turnstiles, followed by devastating hits to the quarterback. But there were penalties, many penalties: facemasking, roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness. Midway through 2011 his indifference to defending the run relegated him to passing downs only. He was not pleased and during the Bombers preparations for the Grey Cup tweeted hed rather be at home eating Thanksgiving dinner. The end came when he demanded the Bombers release him from his contract so he could try his luck in the NFL. Instead, they shipped him west to Regina. "Sometimes you have to make decisions based on more than talent alone," sighed then Winnipeg head coach Paul LaPolice at the time. Riders GM Brendan Taman rationalized it the other way. "If they can help you win games, provided theyre not being a total idiot off the field, you have to look at bringing them in," Taman said in March 2012. Two weeks later, Willis was arrested for alleged drunk driving in the pre-dawn hours in suburban Atlanta. In Riderville, he saw his sack totals fall to six in 2012, while the penalties continued to mount. "Hes going full speed trying to kill the quarterback, and its not about killing the quarterback," Saskatchewan coach Corey Chamblin told reporters last season. "He just has to find more control and more balance." When free agency arrived on Feb. 15, Saskatchewan stood by as Willis headed further west, this time to Edmonton, a team that has been bottom feeding for years and makes no secret of its willingness to adopt the leagues reclamation cases (see Eric Tillman and Jerome Messam). He joined the Esks three minutes after free agency began, an obvious violation of rules prohibiting teams and free agents from negotiating beforehand. The Eskimos were fined $10,000 for tampering. The team paid up and wouldnt discuss it further. Eskimo head coach Kavis Reed said hes had a heart-to heart-with Reed and the message is clear. "Swaggerville will not be coming west," said Reed, who coached Willis in Winnipeg. "Odell is a phenomenal talent. He is a young man that his teammates are going to absolutely love. "He loves to go to work and when he goes to work, he goes to work. But he also loves to make things fun. Thats a good trait to have as a teammate -- but for us its all about the team." Willis agreed, to a point. "The mayor (of Swaggerville) is here, but were going to be more professional about ourselves this year, try to lead these young guys to a Cup," he said. But the Odell Willis who mugs for the media, jokes with his teammates and lauds the "shoe connoisseur" who tracks down Michael Jordan sneakers for him from all over North America doesnt plan to change. "Youre going to see this 24/7, because this who I am," he said. Notes: The Eskimos beleaguered offensive line took another blow Tuesday, when the team announced that Orrin Thompson has been lost for the year with a knee injury. The six-foot-six 320-pound tackle was injured on the first day of camp Sunday.Nike Air Max 1 NZ .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Nike Air Max 1 Wholesale . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. http://www.cheapairmax1nz.com/ . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Cheap Air Max 1 NZ . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Nike Air Max 1 Clearance . PETERSBURG, Fla.Four key match-ups to keep an eye out for in the North Queensland Cowboys vs. Brisbane Broncos semifinal.Johnathan Thurston?(Cowboys) v Ben Hunt?(Broncos)Both playmakers are crucial to their teams fortunes, as was so starkly evident in last years grand final.Thurston is back on song after a late-season hamstring injury affected his form, while Hunt looks to have regained the great confidence he had this time last year.Both halfbacks love to control the tempo of the game, especially when they are in front.The Broncos and Cowboys have struggled with inconsistency and flat patches in games over the past month and Thurston and Hunt are key to avoiding this.Whoever wins this head-to-head battle will likely move on to a preliminary final.Matt Scott (Cowboys) v Adam Blair (Broncos)Blair needs to be Brisbanes bulwark against the best prop combination in the game in Scott and James Tamou.Scott is a proven big-game performer and produced one of the all-time finals performances for a prop in the Cowboys corresponding game against Cronulla last year.However doubts persist over just how fit he is as Scott struggles with a back and hand injury.Blair needs to ccut the niggle out of his game and concentrate on making metres.ddddddddddddLachlan Coote (Cowboys)?v Darius Boyd (Broncos)The two fullbacks will rarely meet on the field, but their influence on each side in attack, especially at the ends of sets is so important.Boyds extra man in attack on either side, his ability to straighten the Broncos attack and his silky passing skills make Brisbane very hard to defend against on the goal line.Coote is a crucial support act to Cowboys halves Thurston and Michael Morgan. He can pop up anywhere in attack and his raking left foot kick often gets them out of trouble.Kayln Ponga (Cowboys) v Jonus Pearson (Broncos)Two rookies who come into this match on the wing due to injury and suspension. Ponga will move onto the Cowboys flank for Antonio Winterstein who has rib trouble. James Roberts suspension means Jonus Pearson gets another chance for the Broncos.Both players can expect plenty of attention in attack and pressure under the high ball.This match could make or break either of them. ' ' '