Getting called out by former NFL star receiver Chad Johnson was a welcome break from the monotony of training camp for Tyron Brackenridge. Johnson, now with the Montreal Alouettes, took aim at the Saskatchewan Roughriders safety Tuesday on Twitter. Brackenridge was still chuckling about it Wednesday. "Was it entertaining?" Brackenridge asked with a laugh during a telephone interview. "I had fun with it. "When youre dealing with the pressure of training camp, these two-a-days and meetings, its good to have a little laugh here and there. He felt like I was the one he wanted to call out, I just entertained his antics." It began innocently enough on Twitter when a fan asked Johnson, a popular social media figure with 3.6 million followers, which team was he most looking forward to facing this season. "#41 from the Rough Riders," Johnson tweeted, referencing Brackenridge. After Brackenridge said, "Cant wait!" Johnson turned up the heat, tweeting: "I will run through you or around you, whichever you prefer." Brackenridge responded: "your cfl career will be short messing with me! You better ask your teammates or better yet find out for yourself." Johnson countered: "They speak highly of you but youll be dealt with." Added Brackenridge, "they speak highly of me for a reason. Its a thin line between tough & stupid. If your not looking for #41 youll regret it.." The colourful Johnson, in his first CFL season following a two-year hiatus from football, certainly didnt select a shrinking violet. The six-foot, 190-pound Brackenridge was a league all-star last year and voted the CFLs hardest hitter by his peers. Johnson referenced that when a fan asked who Brackenridge was. "The person wholl force me to keep my head on a swivel August 16," Johnson tweeted. Johnson ended the lively banter asking his supporters to follow Brackenridge. "I need at least 2 million of you to follow the homie @Tbrack41 please," Johnson tweeted. Brackenridge, 29, who has over 7,000 Twitter followers, said Johnsons comments were unsolicited although the two have a history. Theyve faced each other in the NFL and worked out together during the off-season with the same trainer. "We dont really know each other personally, like buddy buddy," Brackenridge said. "But at the end of the day, things like this make it fun to play the game and look forward to . . . its all fun and games." That is until June 29, when Saskatchewan opens its season hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a Grey Cup rematch. Brackenridge hasnt circled Aug. 16 on his calendar — when Montreal visits Regina — because as defending champions the Riders are expecting the best from every opponent this season. "Yes, we have a target on our back but we must defend the title week in and week out and just continue to be consistent and play like pros," he said. "Thats what keeps me on my toes . . . knowing I must continue to elevate my game." However, Brackenridge appreciates the recognition he received from Johnson. "It feels good to know you have respect around the league but you have to continue to earn that every week," he said. "Each year is a new year, you constantly have to get better otherwise somebody will come in and try to take your job or expose you." As for facing Johnson, Brackenridge will worry about that in August. The two teams will meet again in October in Montreal. "I approach every game the same . . . like its a championship game," Brackenridge said. "Im a competitor and I want to win each game, I want to win every play. "When we play them, Ill have the same mentality as I do when we play Hamilton in Week 1." Johnsons tweets did prompt one Riders fan to offer on Twitter a $100 donation to charity if Brackenridge legally hits Johnson hard enough to separate him from the football. The Riders team that will defend the Grey Cup title will differ vastly from the one that won it. Among those departing are running back Kory Sheets (Oakland, NFL), receivers Weston Dressler (Kansas City, NFL) and Geroy Simon (retired), linebackers Rey Williams (retired) and Craig Butler (Hamilton, free agent) and defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Ottawa expansion draft). "Unfortunately, its the nature of the game," Brackenridge said. "Each year youre going to have new personnel, youve just got to make it work. "Training camp is about building the chemistry to goes on throughout the season." Brackenridge was a key contributor last year with 48 tackles, a league-high five forced fumbles and three interceptions. He was a league all-star and voted the Riders top defensive player. Brackenridge spent time in the NFL with Kansas City (07-08), the New York Jets (09) and Jacksonville (09-10). Entering his fourth CFL campaign, Brackenridge says hes very comfortable with the nuances of Canadian football. "Ive learned a lot in this league," he said. "I was a little raw when I first came in but now the game is normal again . . . Id say Im pretty comfortable right now." And that includes life off the field as Brackenridge was married this off-season. "Everything is complete," he said. "They (wife, Christine, and three-year-old daughter Brooklyn) make it fun for me every day. "Im very blessed and thankful and enjoy this game with a smile on my face." Hes also thankful to be playing in Saskatchewan, home to the CFLs most passionate fans. Last November, a loud, predominantly green gathering of 44,710 watched the Riders defeat Hamilton 45-23 for just their fourth CFL title and first at Mosaic Stadium. "Ill tell you what, they make it extremely fun to play this game," Brackenridge said of Rider Nation. "They make it easier for guys like me who are away from home and our families. "Everything we do is dedicated to them as well as our families. It (13 Grey Cup) is very special to people born and raised in this province . . . that moment will live on forever." Justin Pugh Jersey . He had even more fun Friday. Coming off a sensational rookie season, Spieth opened the new year by never coming close to bogey and making a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 7-under 66. Hakeem Butler Jersey .Best moustache: How can we not give this to Lanny McDonald? Check out the duster for yourself. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Zach-Allen-Jersey/ . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. Kyler Murray Youth Jersey . "[People] keep asking that question and its not a legit question because we dont have that right, we havent arrived yet," Casey responded. "Weve got to take each game at a time, each possession at a time and look at it that way. Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys . "I could have been equipment manager but nooooo" from Lisa on Ice. Season 6, Episode 8. LONDON -- Canadas Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on Monday after defeating Frances Alize Cornet 7-6 (5), 7-5. Bouchard, the No. 13 seed from Westmount, Que., continued her romp through the 2014 Grand Slam draws after breakthrough semifinals at the Australian Open and French Open. The 2012 junior Wimbledon winner will next play the winner of a match between fifth seed Maria Sharapova and ninth seed Angelique Kerber of Germany. Sharapova defeated Bouchard in the French Open semifinal before going on to win the tournament. Bouchard won the last four games of the Centre Court match which was interrupted for less than an hour by rain, with the moveable roof being closed. The 20-year-old Canadian made the most of her return after trailing 3-2 in the first set, improving her Grand Slam record to 14-2. "Im really proud of how I fought," Bouchard said. "It was not an easy match. Shes a good player and gets a lot of balls back. "I tried to finish off the points, which I manaaged.ddddddddddddIt was my first time under the famous roof. Its quite humid, not a lot of air circulating. "Conditions were tough but they were the same for both of us." Bouchard won the opening set after nearly an hour of play with a backhand winner in the tiebreaker. She went down 4-2 and later 5-3 in the second set, but calmly levelled for 5-all, breaking when Cornet fired a forehand wide. Bouchard held serve to go up 6-5 and won the tight concluding game with another break of Cornet, advancing on the first match point when Cornet hit her forehand long. "Im very excited, but I need to stay focused," Bouchard said. "it can only be one march at a time. I need to keep from being distracted. "This what Ive world so hard for. I want to take another step, I want to keep going." Mens eighth seed Milos Raonic, Thornhill, Ont, will play for the quarter-finals on Tuesday against Japans 10th seed Kei Nishikori, who defeated Simone Bolelli of 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4. ' ' '