At least one CFL expert is predicting the Calgary Stampeders return to the Grey Cup with thoughts of defending.
TSN analyst Duane Forde, who will be doing the Montreal Alouettes and B.C. Lions meeting in the East final among some CIS duties this weekend, believes the Stamps will go into Regina and win the West final over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The difference: Henry Burris.
“I look at last year’s Grey Cup, and Henry is a step-up guy,” said Forde, who is a former teammate of Burris’ during the late 1990s in Calgary.
“No matter what anybody says about his career, he steps up in big moments.”
Forde said he could see elite quarterback potential in Burris when the rookie arrived fresh out of Temple University.
It was a few days in that first training camp, and Burris impressed the veteran fullback Forde.
“After the veterans had taken all the reps for the first few days, we said, let’s see what the rookies can do,” Forde said.
“Henry went in there and ran it perfectly. He was in there with all the veterans, took charge of the huddle, and drove the length of the field for a touchdown. That, to me, it was a lasting impression of Henry Burris.
“Once he did that, the other rookie was cut. It was the next day. He was given the opportunity and took charge and did it. When he had his first start, it was going into Molson Stadium in Montreal (in 1997).
“Dave Dickenson got hurt. and he came in to replace him the week before. We won. and then we went to Montreal and Henry was just fantastic. We won that game that well.”
— Buz

There seems to be odd things happening around the Calgary Stampeders during playoff weeks.
Teyo Johnson was stabbed a concert last week before the win over Edmonton. On Thursday of this week, running back Jon Cornish was in workout clothes and not pads because he's nursing a cut on his foot, the result of stubbing it and gashing it with the lid of a soup can.
“He had an accident and cut his toe. Murphy’s Law I guess," said head coach John Hufnagel.
"He kicked a garbage bag and cut his toe. It’s nothing real serious but it needs a day or two to heal up.”
Other than Cornish, it was a normal practice day, but light on bodies. Right guard Dimitri Tsoumpas, who hasn't missed a snap since joining the Stamps, sat out with illness, while safety Milt Collins is in the same boat. Neither is expected to be serious.
With Tsoumpas out, rookie Jon Gott took the reps at right guard. Gott will likely dress against the Riders Sunday because Rob Lazeo (knee, ankle) is officially out. Lazeo and a couple other injured players may make a road trip to join teammates in Regina.
There doesn't appear to be any other roster moves, which means Mike Labinjo won't be activated.
— Buz

The Calgary Stampeders have placed four players on the list of all-Canadians, the CFL announced Wednesday morning.
Running back Joffrey Reynolds, who is the West Division nominee for most outstanding player, is a CFL all-star for the thrid time in his six-year career.
Receiver Jeremaine Copeland, who led the league with 12 receiving touchdowns, is an all-Canadian for the first time since joining the Stampeders in 2005.
Left tackle Ben Archibald won the honours for the first time, while cornerback Brandon Browner took home his second straight all-Canadian award. Browner is the lone representative of the Stampeders’ defence for a second straight year.
Here is the complete list:
CFL Offensive All-Star Team
Quarterback: Anthony Calvillo, Montreal Alouettes
Running Back: Avon Cobourne, Montreal Alouettes
Running Back: Joffrey Reynolds, Calgary Stampeders
Centre: Jeremy O'Day, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Guard: Scott Flory, Montreal Alouettes
Guard: Gene Makowsky, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Tackle: Ben Archibald, Calgary Stampeders
Tackle: Dan Goodspeed, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Receiver: Arland Bruce III, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Receiver: Jeremaine Copeland, Calgary Stampeders
Receiver: Fred Stamps, Edmonton Eskimos
Receiver: Kerry Watkins, Montreal Alouettes
CFL Defensive All-Star Team
Defensive End: John Chick, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defensive End: Anwar Stewart, Montreal Alouettes
Defensive Tackle: Doug Brown, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Defensive Tackle: Keron Williams, Montreal Alouettes
Linebacker: Chip Cox, Montreal Alouettes
Linebacker: Jamall Johnson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Linebacker: Markeith Knowlton, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Defensive Back: Korey Banks, B.C. Lions
Defensive Back: Jonathan Hefney, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Cornerback: Brandon Browner, Calgary Stampeders
Cornerback: Jovon Johnson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Safety: Barron Miles, B.C. Lions
CFL Special Teams All-Star Team
Punter: Damon Duval, Montreal Alouettes
Kicker: Damon Duval, Montreal Alouettes
Special Teams: Larry Taylor, Montreal Alouettes
— Buz

The Calgary Stampeders are 60 minutes away from playing in their own Grey Cup.
With a 24-21 win over the Edmonton Eskimos at McMahon Stadium, the Stamps have booked themselves a ticket to Regina next week.
The winner of the Saskatchewan Roughriders-Stampeders game next Sunday in the West final will determine who represents the West Division Nov. 29 at McMahon Stadium.
It didn’t come easy.
The Eskimos made it a field-goal deficit on a long drive aided by a handful of Stampeders penalties.
Charleston Hughes took two roughing the passer calls and Shannon James was flagged for illegal contact to help set up a Ricky Ray one-yard TD run.
The Stamps took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter when Henry Burris hit Romby Bryant on a 29-yard strike to cap a three-play, 64-yard scoring drive.
In the third quarter, Burris found Arjei Franklin alone in the endzone for an nine-yard touchdown pass as the two players involved in a Sept. 20 with Winnipeg paid dividends.
On the ensuing kickoff, Skyler Green dodged Stampeders tacklers and went 91 yards to get the points right back.
The home side had a 9-7 halftime lead thanks to three Sandro DeAngelis field goals compared with two by Noel Prefontaine and a kickoff single.
One of the Stamps field goals came after Demetris Summers returned a kickoff 91 yards but the offence couldn’t move the ball.
Summers made a mistake on a kickoff by not attempting to bring out the ball and conceding a single despite there only being a minute left in the half.
— Buz

Summary
First quarter
No scoring
Second quarter
Edm — Prefontaine 9-yard field goal, 2:00. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards. Key play: Whitlock 12-yard run.
Cal — DeAngelis 15-yard field goal, 3:35. Drive: Three plays, four yards. Key play: Summers 91-yard kickoff return.
Cal — DeAngelis 20-yard field goal, 8:07. Drive: Seven plays, 65 yards. Key play: Burris 18-yard pass to Lewis.
Cal — DeAngelis 21-yard field goal, 13:01. Drive: Eight plays, 73 yards. Key play: Burris 16-yard run.
Edm — Prefontaine 36-yard field goal, 14:37. Drive: Three plays, seven yards. Key play: Green 31-yard punt return.
Edm — Prefontaine 83-yard kickoff single, 14:32.
Third quarter
Cal — Burris 8-yard pass to Franklin (DeAngelis kick), 5:25. Drive: Eight plays, 57 yards. Key play: Burris 12-yard pass to Reynolds.
Edm — Green 93-yard kickoff return (Prefontaine kick), 5:44.
Fourth quarter
Cal — Dales 67-yard punt single, :19.
Cal — Burris 29-yard pass to Bryant (DeAngelis kick), 2:52. Drive: Three plays, 64 yards. Key play: Burris 21-yard pass to Ralph.
Edm — Ray 1-yard run (Prefontaine run), 7:52. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards. Key play: Ray 6-yard pass to Hill.
ATT — 31,356.