MONTREAL -- In the biggest game of his life, Henry Burris held on.
Held on to the ball, held on to the lead and, when all was said and done, he stood at midfield holding on to two of the things that will mean the most to him.
In one arm was two-year-old son Armand, and in the other was the Grey Cup MVP trophy.
After, with his parents standing feet away and the media swarming around the league's favourite playoff whipping boy, there was one thing he just couldn't hang on to -- his emotions.
"The amount of crying I'm doing pretty much explains it all," said the Stamps quarterback, tears streaming down his face.
"We've been drug through the dirt for a bunch of years -- and in some cases did it to ourselves -- but to see all the guys happy and excited ... it feels great.
"There's a lot more crying to come, I promise you that."
Composed as they watched their son live out a dream, Henry Sr. and mom Caresse were fully aware the Stamps pivot had been heavily scrutinized right up until last night's 22-14 win over the host Montreal Alouettes had ended.
"I haven't seen him cry that many times -- he's usually strong for his mother," smiled Caresse. "He knows it's alright to cry though."
Repeating the old sticks-and-stones mantra he taught Henry as a child, Henry Sr. reiterated what's in your heart is what matters most, and his son showed plenty of that last night.
Snubbed as league MVP and labeled for many years as a gunslinger who might never be able to win the big one, Burris emerged the hero in a game eerily similar to last week's West final. Struggling to move the chains in the first half, it was a Burris interception by Reggie Hunt of all things that many teammates figured turned the game around.
Although the Alouettes turned it into a touchdown to go up 10-3, it was the way Burris responded that gave his teammates hope he'd once again led his team back.
As he did against B.C., he sidestepped intense pressure to piece together a 76-yard drive that ended with a 20-yard Brett Ralph major just before the half.
"(Stamps coach John Hufnagel) explained at some point we'd have to face adversity and that touchdown gave us the momentum going into the second half," said Burris, who was 28-of-37 for 328 yards, one touchdown and the lone turnover.
In the midst of an on-field celebration with the Grey Cup being passed around, every player made it clear this one was for, and by, Hank.
He did it with his arm, he did it with his legs and, most importantly, he did it with his head. Even after Demetris Summers and Nik Lewis dropped passes that would have resulted in second-half majors, Burris took the ensuing field goals in stride, focusing only on the next series.
"I've been with Henry for four years and he's been absolutely crucified -- good Hank, bad Hank -- and he's a man who's got integrity and never gives up," said kicker Sandro DeAngelis, the game's top Canadian. "The difference in the past was we lacked poise. We've learned from those tough lessons."
Smiling through the tears, Burris can finally be called a champion -- something he's fought for his whole life.
"It feels like I'm living a dream," said Burris. "Up until now, I couldn't hear the song We are the Champions.
"If I don't ever get to the playoffs again -- of course, I don't really mean that -- it's all worth it to win this."
