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It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, but there were some eyebrows raised Sunday when Keon Raymond ran onto the field to open Toronto Argonauts training camp.

His white jersey was adorned with the blue number two.

The Argos have had a pretty good run of success with that number. Quarterback Doug Flutie, linebacker Michael Fletcher, and, most recently, wide receiver Chad Owens all wore that digit during spectacular tenures with the team.

Owens had starred with the double blue for the previous six seasons before moving down the QEW to the rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats just three months ago. For his many fans, the departure is still painfully fresh, but there’s a specific reason Raymond chose the number.

“It was a switch from Calgary,” Raymond told TSN.ca. “I’ve been [number] 25 my entire career and [number] two is familiar, I wore it in college. As much respect as I have for Calgary, I wanted to leave 25 there and wanted to start something new.”

The Middle Tennessee State product has headed east, one of a handful of CFL veterans to join Toronto this off-season, with most of the additions on the defensive side of the ball. Raymond has an advantage over most of the others as he has experience playing in new defensive coordinator Rich Stubler’s system.

“I can do whatever I can to help. I’m here to kind of be a tutor,” said Raymond. “At lot of guys have come up and talked to me. I just want to make sure we’re the best team we can be.”

Raymond admits it was a little strange putting on a blue and white jersey for the first time, but it was relatively easy compared to what Bryan Hall, Brian Bulcke and Justin Hickman had to do. The three defensive linemen have all moved from Hamilton to the other side of one of the CFL’s most heated rivalries.

While putting on a double blue jersey didn’t burn, it still didn’t seem normal for Hall.

“Very weird,” Hall told TSN.ca, adding that lining up on the practice field across from an offensive line that he’s fiercely competed against for his two years in the league brought back the competitive fire in a hurry.

“I had to watch myself. The first series we had, it got kind of crazy for a second because I just saw blood in the water, saw those guys I had been competing with, so it’s definitely been a little weird.”

Hall will add a considerable amount of talent to the defensive tackle position, but he also brings a larger-than-life personality.

“I’m just trying to come in and just give what I can, which is energy, a positive attitude and just push guys to be great,” said the product of Arkansas State. “I’m going to have fun out here. We’re going to keep it loose.”

Hall will be comforted by having his former Hamilton teammates on the defensive line. Bulcke in particular was very enthused about his first day in Argo colours.

“This has been the most learning and fun I think I’ve had on day one and that’s pretty cool,” the five-year veteran said of his first Argo practice. “The vets kind of bonded together, but we’ve still got the chirping back and forth, having some fun with each other.”

Argonaut head coach Scott Milanovich is excited to have the defensive veterans on the team, not just for their playing ability, but for the intangibles they bring.

“Knowing the CFL, being on good teams, being in the playoffs, winning Grey Cups, all those guys are going to bring that,” said Milanovich.

“Watching them communicate with their teammates, helping a guy that’s a rookie on a technique…that’s what we’re looking for.  I think we were missing that, being so young last year we were missing some of that leadership. I think these guys are really going to help us come together as a unit.”