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So now the Ticats must regroup and get ready for a team they haven’t beaten this year. Some Ticats will remember the sting of their last playoff game in Ottawa – in 2015, when Henry Burris’ miraculous 93-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ellingson KO’d Hamilton 35-28.

Speaking about the Tiger-Cats, CFL on TSN panelist Matt Dunigan said: “My thought process is, how do they get over this? That’ll be their biggest hurdle. How am I prepping my guys to get over this hump, get ready for the Redblacks and stop drinking the Kool-Aid?”

While the Redblacks coaches are paying close attention to video from the semi-final, the players will return to TD Place Tuesday and will be back practising Wednesday. They’re one step away from the Grey Cup, but the national championship in Edmonton Nov. 25 isn’t on their mind right now.

“We really just need to focus on this game,” said Campbell. “You don’t want to think too much that it’s a chance to go to the Grey Cup.”

A FLAIR FOR VICTORY: The Ticats brought in WWE Hall of Famer Nature Boy Ric Flair. He spoke to the players before the game and got the crowd stoked with his catchphrase, “Wooooooooooooo!” TSN’s Duane Forde said: “If I’m the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, I’m bringing Ric Flair to Ottawa next week.” Loved Sean Thomas Erlington’s Nature Boy strut after scoring a touchdown early in the second quarter. A few media folks were wondering which wrestler the Redblacks could bring in and have a similar impact. Hulk Hogan? Stone Cold Steve Austin? The Rock? John Cena? One of the highlights of my time as a writer was sitting 1-on-1 with Flair in the RBC Center in Raleigh 13 years ago, listening to the stories for more than an hour. Speaking about his wrestling career, Flair told me: “To be Ric Flair, The Nature Boy, to be the character is hard to describe, hard to put into words. It’s been outrageous, a tremendous time. I had fun. There were no drugs, nothing illegal. I just wanted to be part of the party. I think I’m wrestling’s Jesse James, about half the stories you hear are probably true. I’ve been to the nuthouse, I’ve had a heart attack on TV, I’ve been buried alive in the desert and I’ve played musical chairs. There’s not much I haven’t done.”