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Stampeders early winners in CFL off-season
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Ryan McCarthy
Ryan is a longtime internet author. His first musings were found at the sports community at Microsoft Network. He moved on to the short lived http://SportsHungry.com and has been an author with http://e-sports.com for six years.Ryan's favorite sports are football and hockey and you will often find him supporting local teams such as the Albany Conquest, the Albany RiverRats, and the Adirondack Frostbite. You'll also find him working with several ministries at his local church, where he works with the high school and college programs.Ryan is a two-year graduate of Hudson Valley Community College and aspires to go into broadcasting or on the internet as a full-time web columnist. 
By Ryan McCarthy
Published on 03/28/2005
 
The Calgary Stampeders have made the biggest waves in the CFL post-season thus far, signing a pair of marquee players and making key organizational changes.
Stamps make waves with new on and off-field personnel moves.
In 2004, the Calgary Stampeders finished at the bottom of the pack amongst all Canadian Football League teams with a 4-14 record. Although their defense was one of the best in the league late in the season, their offense was a different story, finishing dead last in a number of statistical categories. Fans across Footballdom knew changes were in order for the beleaguered franchise, which hadn?t been to the playoffs since their Grey Cup victory in 2001.

First, the change in ownership on January 13, when Michael Feterik sold the franchise to a group of 12 investors, which included a former Stampeder, a former CFL commissioner and an Internet businessman. Almost immediately, the group made changes, dismissing GM/coach Matt Dunigan and replacing him several days later with two familiar faces: former Edmonton head coach Tom Higgins was tapped as their new head coach and Jim Barker, who was coach during the 2003 campaign, was hired for the second time in the organization, this time as general manager.

A month passed and the league entered into its free agent period where several big-name players were on the market. One of the players was LB John Grace, the West Division?s nominee for the league?s Defensive Player of the Year. The Stamps gave no teams any time to make him an offer as he was re-signed one week before the free agency period began.

That was just the start of the Stamps? big plans.

On February 18, the Stamps announced that they had signed WR Jermaine Copeland to a long-term deal. Copeland had been with the Montreal Alouettes for the past three seasons, becoming one of the highly regarded receivers in the league. He is reunited with Barker, with whom Copeland was with in 2001 with the LA Xtreme of the short-lived XFL and again in 2002 when the Als won the Grey Cup. (Barker was the Als? offensive coordinator.)

Copeland?s statistics are astounding, particularly in the past two seasons, racking up almost 3,000 yards and 24 touchdown receptions. He was one of four Alouette receivers that had over 1,000 yards receiving last season, the first time in CFL history that has happened.

One week after signing Copeland, the Stamps landed arguably the most coveted player in the free agent pool, quarterback Henry Burris.

Burris was slated to be the backup last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but after Nealon Greene went down with a broken leg in week one, Burris stepped in. After struggling in the first couple of weeks, he finished with 4,267 yards and 23 touchdowns. Burris lead the Riders to the West Division final, only to suffer a heartbreaking overtime defeat.

Burris returns to the team that he originally started with -- he was the third string quarterback to Jeff Garcia and Dave Dickenson in 1999 before moving to Saskatchewan in 2000 and eventually to the NFL. He returned to the CFL in 2003 with the Riders.

With a solid defense back for another campaign, an improved offense personnel-wise, and a new and experienced coaching staff and front office, 2005 will see a different Calgary Stampeders? team -- and fans will expect nothing less than a playoff berth.