Burris happy to be back in big game

There were no guarantees the Ottawa Redblacks would earn a second shot at a Grey Cup title in just their third season.

There are no guarantees any Canadian Football League team will have that chance.

Nor are there any guarantees any particular CFL player will be blessed with that opportunity, and the odds are probably even slimmer for a 41-year-old quarterback.

This partly explains why Henry Burris brought his two sons and one of their friends into a post-game media conference Sunday and also why Smilin’ Hank promised to savour every bit of Grey Cup week festivities in Toronto.

Burris and his Ottawa Redblacks teammates earned that privilege by defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 35-23 in the CFL’s East Division final at TD Place stadium.

They’ll take on the Westchampion Calgary Stampeders next Sunday at BMO Field.

“I know our focus is what’s going on on Sunday. It’s about Game Day,” Burris said after the game.

“But, leading up to it, you’re going to enjoy some special moments with your family, with your teammates and your friends and things like that because that’s what these opportunities are all about.”

Fans didn’t see on Sunday the same Henry Burris who last year was named the CFL’s most outstanding player after leading the league in passing, but they did see a quarterback who played his part in helping his team win.

Yes, there was an interception on an overthrow intended for Ernest Jackson and a lost fumble on secondand-short that made things a little dicey in the fourth quarter, but Burris also completed 15 of 26 pass attempts for 246 yards and touchdowns to Jackson and Greg Ellingson.

“If it wasn’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t be here. If it wasn’t for my family, I wouldn’t be here,” said Burris, who injured the pinky finger on his passing hand in the season opener and temporarily lost his job as starter in mid-season when he struggled because of the lingering effects of that injury, but reclaimed the job in early October.

“If it wasn’t for these couple of knuckleheads, making me have to stay on them to keep myself right,” he added while looking at sons Armand and Barron, “I wouldn’t be here. That’s why my focus is this week, enjoying (the experience) with family and teammates. But, at the end of the day, it’s also about going down to win a game.”

SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH FAMILY, WITH YOUR TEAMMATES.