Rick Campbell is CFL’s coach of the year

The cherry on the top of the sundae, of course, was the near-unanimous selection of Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris as the league’s most outstanding player.

Burris describes the MOP award as a team win noting that “last year, there was no hope of this happening”. He’s the sixth Stampeder in eight years to be named a finalist for the award, including Burris in 2008 and ’10. He received 71 of the 75 votes cast for Most Outstanding Player.

Walker said when his opportunity to play came, he was ready although he added he required time to adjust to the Canadian game.

He also hauled in two catches for 28 yards when the Eskmos defeated the visiting Calgary Stampeders 45-31 in the CFL Western Conference final on Sunday. The Most Outstanding Canadian trophy went to Redbklacks receiver Brad Sinopoli.

The Eskimos have shown they can play defence against Ottawa and have the talent in the secondary to handle the East squad’s four 1,000-yard receivers.

Burris’s 93-yard TD strike to Greg Ellingson with just over a minute remaining earned Ottawa its winning margin. Ottawa was an expansion team that only won two games a year ago, and most CFL analysts didn’t give them much of a chance to win this season. Campbell downplayed this honour saying, “It’s totally a team award”. Hugh and Rick Campbell are the first father and son to win the Annis Stukus Trophy.

Reflecting on the success the Eskimos attained this season in making their first Grey Cup appearance since 2005, Chambers said a big part of that goes to head coach Chris Jones, who he said, has created a winning culture since he came to the club after being defensive co-ordinator with the Toronto Argonauts when they last won the Grey Cup three years ago.

Campbell talked about the game in his acceptance speech addressing Jones.

“I think deep down he feels he’s the same guy this year as last year”, Desjardins said. In fact, U of M quarterbacks coach John Makie, Steele’s teammate on the 2007 Vanier Cup-winning Bisons, calls Steele the fastest Canadian D-lineman I have ever seen.

“Luckily, the organization (Eskimos) took care of me to get healthy again”.

Fullback Calvin McCarty’s rookie season was 2007 with the storied Edmonton franchise, but the longest-serving Eskimos player is now under his fourth head coach.

“Let’s get this over with, we’ve got a dad-gum game to play”. He still managed to amass 1,110 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The Eskimos led the league in total yards allowed per game (321.8), with the Redblacks second (322.8).

“It was mentally draining and it kind of took the love of the game away from me a little bit”, said Whyte, who is in his ninth season in the league. “Coach approached me so I’ll do whatever I got to do to help the team win”. It’s a team award. “And I’ll most definitely take our D-line over them every day”.

The Grey Cup was front and centre at both events, all shined up and sitting on a pedestal. When people say certain things that in your heart matter to you as an athlete. Keep your eye on the big proze which is Sunday at 5.

“The players believe in him”, said Campbell. I also touched it. Something I never saw one player do. “I know why I’m here – it’s to win the Grey Cup – so they’re doing a good job of not being a distraction and I’m just going to maintain my focus throughout the week”.