‘Yesterday’s news’ Burris settles into life as a Tiger-cat
Henry Burris is only funnin’ about being reduced to fish-wrap.
“I appreciate you not forgetting me already,’’ teases Smilin’ Hank, fielding a call from his immediate past.
“People do have short memories. And I am, after all, yesterday’s news.
“Out of sight, out of mind . . . isn’t that what they say?’’
In this case, quite the contrary. You cannot hope to pretend seven seasons and a Grey Cup championship never happened. Make 2,167 completions, 32,171 yards and 233 touchdowns simply . . . vanish into thin air, a la Siegfried and Roy. Wipe the memory banks clean of all knowledge with a robust shake, like the filings in an Etch-A-Sketch.
So while it’s true Smilin’ Hank may be out of immediate sight, he’ll never be far from people’s minds hereabouts as this season of regeneration at McMahon Stadium either flies or dies.
Because fair or not, welcome or not, Burris and his successor Drew Tate will still be going head-to-head, measured against each other, week-to-week, at least in the public imagination. Even if 3,100 km separates them.
Each touchdown toss. Every interception. And most especially, each win and every loss.
“I feel like a Ticat now,’’ says Burris. “I do. I’ve been to a number of events here, rubbing shoulders with Angelo Mosca and a number of guys that have played here in the past. Ozzie, Paul Osbaldison, and Danny McManus, of course. To hear those guys calling me one of theirs now, to be reminiscing with them about old times, past wars . . . it is a bit surreal, but I’m getting used to it.
“I’m definitely starting to feel part of that Tiger-Town pride.’’
With his family — wife Nicole, sons Armand and Barron — remaining in Calgary until school lets out, Henry Burris, the head of a new household, had to make do this Father’s Day with a long-distance telephone conversation.
“What did I get? For Father’s Day?’’ he laughs. “Just another day of camp, hanging out with 60 ugly guys who happen to be great teammates.’’
The new house in Burlington, near the water, the lake shore, is in readiness, though, just waiting to become a home. “Everybody will be here soon, getting acclimatized to the beautiful Ontario heat.’’
Burris says now the signals of a gathering seismic shift in faith — over to Drew Tate — were unmistakable, even before his last season as a Calgary Stampeder began.
“Actually, it was always more a case of ‘when’ than ‘if.’ And I guess the first game things didn’t go as well as they were supposed to (a 31-29 loss to Toronto), they made the move right away. But that’s the game of football.
“I’m not going to sit here and be bitter. Of course I’ll never understand why decisions like that are made, regardless what the player’s done. It’s tough, everybody asking: ‘Do you still have it?’
“I’m moving on from that. But sitting there on those sidelines watching definitely gives you incentive.’’
There are a couple of days, Henry Burris isn’t too politically vanilla to admit, stick out in the 2012 schedule.
“When people ask me about playing Calgary, I can tell them the date, what day of the week, what time, and where. I’m keeping things in perspective, though. So while, yes, I do have those dates circled on my calendar, I know there’s work to be done before. Making sure that coming into those games — Aug. 9 here and Oct. 20 in Calgary — we have winning records and are playing good football. Winning games is what matters. I’m in it to win championships.’’
Smilin’ Hank marked his Hamilton debut Wednesday in a 24-21 exhibition loss to the Ricky Raypropelled Argos. His numbers — 7-for-15 for 214 yards, a TD toss and an end-zone pick — had to be hopeful for Tabbie fans. And hope is what Burris is selling in Steeltown.
His old pals out west were understandably interested, too.
“I watched most of it in the locker-room, we were here for twoa-days,’’ says Stampeder slotback Nik Lewis, a longtime pitch-andcatch partner. “So I got to see some of the game. He played well. He’s still got it. He’s still experienced. Still able to run. Still has that live arm. Makes a lot of throws.
“You know what? They’ve got a lot of young players over there. (George) Cortez is a great mind. And Henry’s comfortable in that offence. They are going to be able to be explosive. I know our problem here was we were explosive at times, but not all the time. I don’t think they have as much talent as we have.”
That, of course, is an argument to be decided only once the fracas is joined in earnest. “Hamilton has given me the chance to play the game they know I’m capable of and that’s all that matters,’’ emphasizes a man who may be gone, but is far from forgotten. “I’m the leader here. I feel I can still be the best quarterback in this game.
“What’s going on in Calgary? Hey, I have a lot of friends there. Friends for life. I want them to be successful. But at the end of the day, I’m a Ticat. I’ll always be fans of guys on that team. But I have a new family now.’’
Certainly sounds, from both sides, as if the separation phase of the split is already over. The divorce, finalized.
“I do wish him the best,’’ says Nik Lewis, “I want him to be successful as far as going out and being able to play this game at a high level. But regardless if they win or lose, I don’t care. I mean, we played seven years together. We have a lot of great memories together. But I’m not going to make sure I’m home to watch Henry Burris play football.”