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Facing an 0-3 team can be a recipe for trouble, but the Tiger-Cats have enough of their own, not the least of which is the head and neck injury to starting quarterback Zach Collaros, the man Hamilton chose over 39-year-old Henry Burris. Collaros did not play against the Calgary Stampeders Friday (a 10-7 Calgary win), replaced by Jeremiah Masoli, making his first career CFL start. He didn’t finish. Masoli was hooked in the third quarter in favor of Dan LeFevour. LeFevour saw brief action last season with Hamilton.

Considering Collaros didn’t throw a football in practice all last week, it’s unlikely he will face Ottawa.

That the Ti-Cats let Burris escape to Ottawa as a free agent, and left running back Chevon Walker exposed in the expansion draft, assures a couple of highly motivated Redblacks will be playing their former team on Saturday.

All Burris did was lead the Ticats to the Grey Cup game last fall. Smiling Hank won’t mind seeing the Tiger-Cats fall to 0-4 if he can help it.

The season is early. Conventional wisdom says the CFL begins in earnest on Labor Day weekend. For the Redblacks, though, there is immediate opportunity in the Least Division.

CLARIFICATION ON GOLAB

Apologies to Tony Golab and his family. In a column on the Redblacks Friday night home opener I mistakenly lumped Golab in with late Rough Riders Jim Coode and Bobby Simpson. The families of Golab, Coode and Simpson were on the field to accept a tribute on behalf of the former greats, along with Russ Jackson, Whit Tucker and others. Coode, an outstanding lineman, died of ALS in 1987. Simpson, the great receiver, died in 2007, three days after the Grey Cup game. Golab is 95. Born the year after the First World War ended, Tony ‘Golden Boy’ Golab was a World War II veteran, an RCAF pilot who flew reconnaissance missions and twice had to bail from his plane after it was hit with live fire. Post-war, permanent damage caused by shrapnel in his knee didn’t stop Golab from resuming his Hall of Fame career with the Riders as a half back and receiver.

CALLING ALL SOONERS

The junior football Ottawa Sooners are planning a reunion this fall to honour members of the 1972, 1973 and 1974 teams. The ’72 squad were east finalists, in ’73 the team reached the nationals and in 1974 the Sooners were crowned CJFL champions. For information on the 40th reunion celebrations as the event draws closer, go to www.ottawasooners.net.

wscanlan@ottawacitizen.com

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