It was a dramatic finish. After reaching overtime on Sunday night, the Ottawa Redblacks closed the CFL season by beating out the Calgary Stampeders. The team becomes the 104th Grey Cup champions, and the first to do so in the nation's capital since 1976, when the area was represented by the now defunct, Ottawa Rough Riders. The final was pretty much everything you'd want in a football game, with the heavily favoured Stamps bowing to the league's newest franchise in nail-biting action.
41-year-old vet, Henry Burris took home MVP honours, after dodging questions of retirement during the playoffs. If he chooses to do so now, he'd be ending his career on the ultimate high note. The Redblacks came into the game as the underdog, but managed to lead the Stamps by as much as 20 points during the contest. That lead was abruptly cut down, and went into OT with a score of 33-33. Host city, Toronto, got an incredible show in the dying minutes, and fans in BMO Field were rewarded for their admission tickets, when Ottawa converted for six points, and put the final nail in the coffin by swatting down a Stamps pass on Calgary's third down. You can catch some of the aftermath below, via Twitter.
Meanwhile, the Reblacks are on their way home, where there no doubt be a bunch of Grey Cup festivities. Tuesday will see the official team parade, which will take place on Pretoria Bridge, and then make its way to a fan rally at Aberdeen Square. That news was announced by the mayor himself, who seems just as jazzed as the rest of the town's fans. The Ottawa Redblacks will defend their title, when the 2017 CFL season gets underway next year. They'll also have the chance to do so at home, as the city is hosting the next Grey Cup final.
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