Burris has soft spot for province

Golfers have been known to tee off on Henry Burris — in a congenial manner.

While playing on courses in Saskatchewan, especially, Burris has heard the familiar “Henry!” chant.

“I’ve definitely had that happen, especially when I’m teeing off and guys are maybe driving by on a cart path,” says Burris, who is to be the keynote speaker at Saturday’s Swift Current 57’s Baseball Club Field of Dreams Dinner. “That’s going to be one of the things that I look forward to hearing or not hearing (in Swift Current). I’ve got some good remarks if people are booing or not booing when I’m speaking there.

“I don’t think I’m Public Enemy No. 1 anymore, because a few things have happened with moves this off-season that might have changed that. I’m trying to sneak in there, take advantage of it when they might actually like me and get out before they realize they don’t again.”

Honestly, how can anyone not like Smilin’ Hank?

The CFL has not had a finer ambassador than Burris, who punctuated a surefire Hall of Fame CFL playing career with a Grey Cup victory on Nov. 27.

It was a perfect farewell performance for Burris, who was named Grey Cup MVP in his final game. He announced his retirement as a player on

Jan. 24, although he is hardly saying goodbye.

On May 4, for example, he is to be the guest speaker at the University of Saskatchewan football team’s Dogs’ Breakfast. That is in addition to the looming visit to the province in which he enjoyed two stints with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“It’s an opportunity for me to come back and say thank you for all the things that Saskatchewan did for me,” Burris says.

“My wife (Nicole) and myself have always felt this way about Regina and all of the province. If there’s one place that we truly felt at home and we felt wanted, it was definitely there in Regina.

“That’s regardless of whatever situation came about with the business standpoint and the politics — which I always say is the worst part about the game.”

Home for the Burris family — Henry, Nicole and sons Armand, 10, and Barron, 7 — is now Ottawa, where the 41-year-old patriarch will continue to be conspicuous on television (as the new weekday co-host of Ottawa’s CTV Morning Live), on the radio and as an ambassador for the Redblacks.

He also plans to establish a quarterback school, which will be launched in Ottawa before visiting locales like Regina and Saskatoon, naturally.

“I’m always truly proud to say that I’ll always bleed green,” Burris says.

“And I always look forward to coming back and helping out and giving back to one of the greatest places in the world.”