Grey Cup Festival Kicks Off

The only way Grey Cup Week can get any better for the Ottawa Redblacks is if they trounce the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League’s championship game on Sunday and their giant-R sawblade logo gets projected in lights on the dome of the Manitoba Legislature, right beneath the Golden Boy.

“I didn’t win in 2008 and we (Calgary Stampeders) won the Grey Cup, and I did win in 2010 and we didn’t win the Grey Cup”, said the ageless (actually, he’s 40) wonder of the Ottawa Redblacks who took home the league’s top individual prize Thursday night, in a landslide over Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.

Burris, in his 15th CFL season, lead the league in passing with a career-high 5,693 passing yards. “It would’ve been great to win the award, just being my first year in the CFL, but no bitterness from me”. Bernie Custis, who in 1951 became pro football’s first black starting quarterback with Hamilton, received the Commissioner’s award, and Montreal tackle Jeff Perrett got the Jack Gaudaur Veterans’ trophy.

As football fans from across Canada blitz into Winnipeg for the upcoming 103rd Grey Cup game, the province officially proclaimed this week as the 103rd Grey Cup Festival Week in Manitoba. He played 13 seasons for Edmonton between 1954 and 1967, was named the league’s Most Outstanding Lineman in 1959 and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Burris claimed he met with Gibson “maybe one time” during the 2014 season, speaking instead with quarterbacks coach Marcus Crandell.

“I’m proud of who my dad is”, Rick said, at the coaches’ opening news conference Wednesday. “Mine was 102 yards, five minutes left in the game”.

The new blood, on and off the field, propelled Edmonton to a 12-6 record last season, but a loss in the West Division final against the eventual Grey Cup-champion Calgary Stampeders.

“I mean, it’s a special award, it cements you in history alongside guys you’ll be mentioned with forever”, Burris said.

“Chris, congratulations on your great year, I hope it ends badly”, Campbell said with a smile. Reilly has nine touchdown passes in his last three games.

Linebacker Simoni Lawrence of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats was the finalist.

“For all young people, don’t let anyone determine what you can do… don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something”. Edmonton does boast two 1,000-yard receivers but it’s Reilly who makes that offence go and the Redblacks’ defence will get its first look at him Sunday.

“Coming to this team has completely rejuvenated me”.

The former long-time defensive co-ordinator has a well deserved reputation for being innovative and unpredictable in his play calls. Hazelton led all Toronto receivers with 70 catches for 803 yards and six touchdowns.

Walker enjoyed a stellar first season with 89 catches (Edmonton rookie record) for 1,110 yards and six TDs despite playing only 12 games (10 starts). “I won’t say it’s not cool”, Rogers said.