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  November 15, 2018 5:33 AM EET

  TORONTO -- Two years after being told by the Calgary Stampeders he wasnt good enough, Henry Burris is returning to the Grey Cup. The 38-year-old quarterback rallied the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from a 14-point deficit en route to a wild 36-24 win over the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division final Sunday afternoon. Burris cut Torontos half-time lead to 24-17 with a late TD strike, then led Hamilton to a 27-24 advantage heading into the fourth. After watching Argos star quarterback Ricky Ray tear it up in the first half, Burris outperformed Ray in the second to lead Hamilton to its first Grey Cup berth since 99. "Somebody pinch me, I still think Im dreaming right now," Burris said. "For the past four years Ive been through a lot, guys. "One organization told me, basically, I wasnt good enough and traded me to Hamilton. And during the course of this year people doubted what I could do and to come out here with our team and accomplish this is huge." Burriss 14-yard TD pass to Greg Ellingson capped a 68-yard march to open the second half and made it 24-24. Burris then drove Hamilton to set up Luca Congis 23-yard field goal for a 27-24 lead entering the fourth. Burris was especially cool when Hamilton took possession at its own 38 with 6:55 remaining. He marched the Ticats to the Toronto 14-yard line -- hitting Bakari Grant on a key 25-yard completion on second-and-19 -- to set up Congis 20-yard boot to make it 30-24 with 1:14 remaining. Ray marched Toronto from its 35 to the Hamilton 44 before turning the ball over on downs with 53 seconds remaining. Chad Owens fielded Josh Bartels punt on the games final play but fumbled with Ticats special-teams star Marc Beswick recovering in the end zone. Burriss heroics came before a raucous Rogers Centre gathering of 35,418 -- that included embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford -- for the first East final between the longtime rivals since 86. Thats the largest CFL attendance in the facility since over 50,000 spectators witnessed Torontos 35-22 win over Calgary in the 100th Grey Cup game last November. Much like Torontos historic Grey Cup win, the atmosphere inside Rogers Centre on Sunday was electric. Horns blared loudly throughout, Ticats supporters, who clearly outnumbered their Toronto counterparts, chanted the traditional "Argos Suck" refrain while the Double Blue faithful countered with "Lets Go Argos." "It was unbelievable our fan support," Ticats coach Kent Austin said. "I thought we were playing at home." Burris was the CFLs outstanding player with Calgary in 2010 but was replaced by Drew Tate as the starter the following season. The Stampeders dealt Burris to Hamilton and although Burris was the leagues leading passer in 2011, the Ticats struggled to a 6-12 record. Hamilton opened 2013 with a new coach (Austin), a plethora of youngsters and having to play its home games in Guelph, Ont., while a new stadium was being built. Burris again led the CFL in passing this year and guided the Ticats (10-8) to second in the East behind front-running Toronto (11-7). Burris was a key figure in Hamiltons 19-16 overtime East semifinal win over Montreal last weekend, engineering a key 97-yard TD march into a brisk wind. Backup Dan LeFevours two-yard touchdown run in OT clinched the victory. Burris was just 10-of-19 passing for 144 yards and two TDs but Ray was the story of the opening half. He was 17-of-20 passing for 279 yards and two TDs in staking the defending Grey Cup champions to their lead. Austin said the turning points were late in the first half and early in the second when the Ticats captured momentum with their two TD drives. "I cant state the importance of them," Austin said. "Once we evened it up it was like a 0-0 game, it was just who could outplay who the rest of the game." Argos head coach Scott Milanovich agreed. "We werent able to keep the momentum going," he said. "The turning point in the game felt like the end second quarter when we had a nice lead. "I felt like we had the game where we wanted it. Then as good teams do, they made a run and closed the gap and then scored again to start the second half." And it was Hamiltons offence outplaying Torontos as Burris was 17-of-21 passing for 227 yards in the second half while Ray was just 5-of-12 for 50. "I thought Ricky was in a great rhythm early in the game," Milanovich said. "As well as we had played offensively in the first half I thought we left points off the board. "The second half, its just the momentum of the football game. We have a couple of two and outs, they get moving offensively and next thing you know its the fourth quarter and were down." Overall, Burris finished 27-of-40 passing for 371 yards and three TDs and also added 51 yards rushing on five carries. Hamiltons Andy Fantuz had 11 catches for 114 yards and two TDs. "Nobody gave us a chance this year due to all factors we had to deal with going to Guelph, having so many things change from last year to this year and with so many young players," Burris said. "Nobody on this team is focused on winning a championship, ring, money, none of that. "All you hear guys saying is they want to spend one more week together and when you have a group thatll do whatever it takes to make sure we can spend that time and create more memories, thats when you know you have something special." Ray was 22-of-32 passing overall for 329 yards with two TDs as Torontos offence had the ball for just 20 minutes nine seconds in the contest. Slotback Andre Durie had three catches for 114 yards. "They gave me different looks in the second half and put more pressure on us," Ray said. "We had the lead and couldnt get it together. "Its hard to get this close and not get it done . . . well be thinking about this all off-season." Hamilton will face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup game next Sunday in Regina as the Riders upset Calgary 35-13 in the West Division final. It will be a homecoming for Burris and Austin. Burris is a former Riders starter while Austin led Saskatchewan to Grey Cup wins as a quarterback (89) and head coach (07). Hamilton heads into the Grey Cup on a roll, having won 11 of its last 15 games. The Ticats also continued Torontos home woes as the Argos were 4-5 at Rogers Centre during the regular season, the first time in CFL history a team had finished first in a division with a losing home record. Spencer Watt, with two, and Zach Collaros had the Toronto touchdowns. Swayze Waters had a field goal and three converts. Congi booted two field goals and three converts. NOTES -- Rookie defensive back Delvin Breaux, receiver Onrea Jones and running back Chevon Walker were among Hamiltons pre-game scratches. One of Torontos scratches was receiver Romby Bryant . . . This marked the first time ever Burris and Ray had gone head-to-head in a division final . . . Linebacker Brandon Isaac and defensive back Evan McCollough were members of Torontos Grey Cup-winning squad last year. D.J. Reader Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over. Brandon Dunn Jersey . On Sunday, hell attempt to become the youngest driver to win a NASCAR Nationwide race on Iowas short track. The 20-year-old Blaney wont be the only kid pushing a podium finish. http://www.cheaptexansjerseyssale.com/?tag=kareem-jackson-jersey-sale.com) - The Dallas Mavericks had a five-game winning streak snapped last time out, but theyll try to get back into the winners circle Sunday evening when the Milwaukee Bucks pay a visit to American Airlines Center. Johnson Bademosi Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Kayvon Webster Jersey .com) - The Minnesota Twins made it official on Wednesday, announcing the signing of outfielder Torii Hunter to a one-year contract.SAN DIEGO - Jon Lester agreed Tuesday night to a $155 million, six-year contract with the Cubs, the first big deal of the off-season involving a top-level starting pitcher and one Chicago hopes will help end more than a century of frustration at Wrigley Fields Friendly Confines.Lesters contract, agreed to on the second day of baseballs winter meetings, contains an option for 2021 that, if it becomes guaranteed, would make the deal worth $170 million over seven seasons. The average annual value of $25.8 million is the second-highest for a pitcher behind Clayton Kershaws $30.7 million as part of a $215 million, seven-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began this year.Its not often you get to win the lottery, and we won the baseball lottery this year, new Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Now its up to us to put it into effect.A three-time All-Star who turns 31 next month, Lester won two World Series titles with Boston. The left-hander joins a long-suffering team with a promising core of young players and a top-tier manager, Maddon, who left Tampa Bay and signed a $25 million, five-year contract with the Cubs.Now, Chicago has an ace to lead the rotation as it tries to end a run of five straight losing seasons and a championship drought that dates to 1908.Lester was dealt by the Red Sox to Oakland at the trade deadline in July and helped the As reach the playoffs for the third straight year before a 9-8, 12-inning loss to Kansas City in the AL wild-card game. He went 16-11 with a career-best 2.46 ERA and 220 strikeouts last season and is 116-67 with a 3.58 ERA in nine big league seasons.He also had been sought by the Red Sox, World Series champion San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers.Lester is headed to a team that hasnt made the playoffs since 2008, but he knows Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer from their time together in Boston.ddddddddddddMaddon had been used to small payrolls in Tampa Bay.Ive not been on this side since my days with the Angels, when I got an email in Italy that we had signed Vladimir Guerrero, said Maddon, who was a coach in Anaheim before switching to Tampa Bay. I think that definitely sends that message how Theo and the group feel about this particular group. But understand, we have a lot of young players that have to grow up as quickly as possible. But having Jon there adds to the flavour and the possibility.The Cubs management is making over the team in a big way.Chicago has a pending $20 million, two-year deal with right-hander Jason Hammel, traded by the Cubs to Oakland last summer. Earlier Tuesday, the Cubs acquired All-Star catcher Miguel Montero from Arizona for minor league right-handers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley — a deal that added $40 million in payroll over the next three years.Chicagos rotation is likely to also include Jake Arrieta, Travis Wood, and Kyle Hendricks.The Cubs also have a pair of All-Stars in the batting order in first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro and expect improved performances from young sluggers Javier Baez and Jorge Soler. Ahead is another wave of prospects that includes third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Addison Russell.Maddon hopes an addition such as Lester helps change the mindset in the clubhouse when spring training starts in February.It definitely makes it more believable to everybody else in that room, he said. Ill stand up and make the same speech regardless, but when you have it backed up by that particular kind of presence, it adds to it.___AP Sports Writer Howie Rumberg contributed to this report. 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