For the third straight year, quarterback Henry Burris is the winner of the Presidents' Ring — an award given to a player who demonstrates excellence on and off the field.
“To receive this award in three consecutive seasons is very special,” said Burris. “I’ve built great relationships with the guys in our locker room over the last several seasons and to win an award voted on by my peers means more to me than any other individual accolade I can receive in this game.”
The Stamps called a news conference to announce Burris as the winner, but most of the talk went towards the off-field moves.
With Jim Barker taking over at head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, Stamps GM-head coach John Hufnagel said he would hire a replacement in the next few days. That person would be based in the southern U.S.
Also, Dave Dickenson is officially the new quarterbacks coach after the departure of offensive co-ordinator George Cortez to the Buffalo Bills. Hufnagel said he would add a running backs coach to his offensive staff, and while there is now official co-ordinator, Dickenson will be the one calling plays.
— Buz

The Toronto Argonauts have finally settled on a head coach and it's a familiar name.
Jim Barker takes over the Boatmen after returning to the sidelines for the first time since 2003 when he had one ill-fated year with the Stampeders.
“I am thrilled to return to Toronto and to coaching," said Barker, who went 9-9 with Toronto in 1999. "Coaching never leaves your blood and for me, this is the right situation, with the right organization and people, to return to the sidelines. I plan to help create an environment where players and coaches have the support and trust of everyone in the organization which gives you the best chance for success. The Calgary Stampeders have been wonderful to me and this is not a decision I made lightly. Professionally, I needed a new challenge and I believe this is the right opportunity for me. I can’t wait to get started!”
Barker leaves his position as senior vice-president, football operations and director of player personnel.
Argos president and CEO Bob Nicholson announced that Adam Rita would continue in his role as general manager and vice-president of football operations.
The Stamps will announce later Tuesday morning the recipient of the 2009 Presidents' Ring and they will also have to address where they go in terms of player personnel.
— Buz

Sportsnet.ca's Perry Lefko is reporting that Jim Barker will leave the Calgary Stampeders and take over the head-coaching reins of the Toronto Argonauts.
The ownership situation in Toronto is still foggy, so this move comes as a bit of a surprise.
Barker was previously rumoured to be getting the general manager's position in Toronto.
— Buz

George Cortez finished the 2009 season with the Calgary Stampeders expecting to come back the next season with his established group of offensive players.
But the Buffalo Bills and Chan Gailey changed those plans.
Gailey took over as head coach of the NFL team in mid-January and called Cortez out of the blue to see if the Stamps offensive co-ordinator would be his quarterbacks coach.
Cortez, who has coached in the CFL and NCAA for 30 years, will head to the NFL for the first time as the position with the Bills was officially announced Monday morning.
“I don’t know if it’s a lifelong dream,” Cortez said. “There was a time in my career where I thought this would be a real good thing to have an opportunity to do. I’m very much looking forward to it.
“I have to say I’ve been very happy here in Calgary. This opportunity came up and it was a good one, so I thought I would take advantage of it.”
After spending three seasons as the offensive architect with the Stamps, Cortez leaves the team in good standing. He helped develop Henry Burris into an upper-echelon quarterback and helped build a strong foundation on offence with the likes of running back Joffrey Reynolds and receivers Ken-Yon Rambo, Nik Lewis and Jeremaine Copeland.
The call from the Bills came as a surprise to Cortez, who wasn’t planning on leaving and wasn’t searching for a new job.
If he had known he was leaving, “I would never have bothered moving offices,” Cortez said about the new football operations building at McMahon Stadium.
“I get to move twice in a span of two months.
“Calgary was a great place for my wife and I. We were fortunate to be very successful in our time here. The relationships with the coaches, players and the city are never going to leave us.
“It’s been a great place to be. It’s hard to leave, there’s no doubt about that.”
Cortez’s departure leaves the Stamps searching for a new offensive co-ordinator.
Due to the move happening relatively late in the off-season, the Stamps could hire from within and that could make former quarterback Dave Dickenson a candidate for the position.
Although Cortez said it’s not his place to say what Stamps GM-head coach John Hufnagel should do, he said Dickenson would be a good candidate.
“If that’s a goal that Dave has in the future and he’s committed to it, I’m sure he would do a good job,” Cortez said.
— Buz

If the Calgary Stampeders are to get off to a good start in the 2010 season, they will have to become road warriors.
After the Canada Day home-opener July 1 against the Toronto Argonauts, the Stamps hit the Eastern time zone for visits to Hamilton (July 10) and Toronto (July 14).
“The start of the 2010 schedule will be a great challenge and barometer for our team,” said head coach/general manager John Hufnagel. “Playing three games in 13 days with an eastern road trip included will be a test of this team’s maturity and mental toughness.
“Eight of the next nine games are versus West Division opponents and our performance during this stretch will have a large impact on our eventual standing in the division.”
The Stamps face the B.C. Lions four times this season, meaning they will visit the revamped Empire Stadium twice, while Calgary also plays the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders three times each.
The Riders only make one visit to McMahon Stadium, July 24, but the Eskimos come to Calgary twice.
For the second year in a row, the Stamps and Eskimos hook up for the Battle of Alberta with three meetings in four games. The annual Labour Day Classic had its start time moved back to 4 p.m. from 5:30 last year.
The Stamps have a home and home with the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes, and take on the East Division champions on Thanksgiving at an expanded Molson Stadium.
The Eskimos will take on the Argonauts in Touchdown Atlantic, the first regular-season game played in Moncton, N.B., Sept. 26.
“Though training camp is still a few months away, with the release of the 2010 CFL schedule and the work being done at McMahon Stadium, everyone is starting to get excited about getting back on the field,” Hufnagel said.
Here is the complete Calgary Stampeders schedule for 2010: 
Preseason           
Sunday, June 13 at Edmonton 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 20 vs Saskatchewan 1 p.m.
Regular season
Thursday, July 1 vs Toronto 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 10 at Hamilton 11 a.m.
Wednesday, July 14 at Toronto 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 24 vs Saskatchewan 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 31 vs Winnipeg 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7 at BC 8 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 15 vs Edmonton 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27 at BC 8:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 6 vs Edmonton 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10 at Edmonton 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17 at Saskatchewan 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25 vs BC 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 1 vs Montreal 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 11 at Montreal 11 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 17 at Saskatchewan 2 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 22 vs BC 8 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 29 vs Hamilton 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 5 at Winnipeg 6 p.m.
Playoffs
Sunday, Nov. 14 Division semifinals
Sunday, Nov. 21 Division finals
Sunday, Nov. 28 98th Grey Cup in Edmonton 4:30 p.m.
— Buz