Redblacks’ Sinopoli CFL outstanding Canadian

For the six-foot, three-inch, 219-pound Chambers, who is in his fourth year with Edmonton after being drafted by them in the first round and sixth overall in the 2012 CFL Canadian draft, his appearance in the Grey Cup will be his first. When you combine that with a defence allowing fewer than 19 points per game, it’s no surprise to see the Grey Cup point spread favouring Edmonton by 7 points.

“An old, tough ball coach type of guy”, said linebacker Damaso Munoz. “Winning four games, you’re wondering if you’re going to get another opportunity to continue to be the starter”.

“(Ottawa offensive linemen) Jon Gott and J’Micheal Deane are two of my favourite players in the CFL.

He says the Redblacks have had an wonderful season, with good coaching and good players at the root of their success. I’m really happy where I am right now.

Gibson had spent 10 seasons as a CFL assistant coach – with stops in Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Hamilton and Calgary – before he landed in Ottawa in 2014 to be the Redblacks’ offensive co-ordinator. As well, Ottawa’s quarterbacks threw a CFL-low 14 touchdown passes and a league-high 20 interceptions.

In one stretch of 26 seasons from 1966 (Ron Lancaster’s first of two MOPs) through Flutie’s first of six in 1991, the only Grey Cup champion in a run of 14 MOP-winning quarterbacks was Ottawa’s Russ Jackson in 1969. The team won the West division final with the victory and now they have the chance to play for the Cup. “It’s easy to move on when you’re not successful, you understand why they are getting rid of you”.

“Those receivers they have are good football players and that’s very evident by how they’ve done this year”.

Burris also captured the Tom Pate Memorial Award, given to the player who displays qualities that distinguish himself from his peers.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs over the years”, said McCarty, who attended high school in Burnaby, B.C. “But (Jones) came in with great management up top, building depth and guys buying into the system and guys taking ownership of the team…. It was fun to be involved in the offence and exciting to come back after my injury and contribute the way I have”. “He spent that one year in Hamilton and it’s pretty cool having a former CFL player as a father”.

On Saturday, however, Burris took some jabs at Gibson in an Ottawa Sun story.

Sinopoli won the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canadian university football’s most outstanding player in 2010 as a quarterback for the Ottawa Gee-Gees, but he was an out-of-work quarterback after the Stampeders, who had drafted him in 2011, released him following training camp a year later.

“Age ain’t nothing but a number”, Burris said before explaining again that he was motivated by the fact he had been twice cut loose by CFL organizations: the Stampeders and Ticats.

“I went home and I was actually about to start a new job”.

The City of Winnipeg has planned considerable events surrounding the game itself, including a Grey Cup event at the provincial legislature on Wednesday and a post-game party at Max Bell Field House on Sunday night in the effort to entertain early arrivers and get visitors to stay longer. “I have left a message for him this week and haven’t yet received a return call” said Jones.