You can bet Sugarfoot Anderson (L) will be on hand Friday night to pay his respects to Wayne "Thumper" Harris (R) as the Calgary Stampeders and their fans pay tribute to Harris who passed away earlier this month.

The Calgary Stampeders start defence of their Grey Cup title Friday night against the team they beat to get it, the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell says they can't rest of past laurels and need to be ready for the Tabbies heading in.

"You're always going to be looked at, scrutinized more, criticized more. You know mistakes are going to be looked at more and talked about. We just have to look at it and say 'It's another season.' The Grey Cup isn't ours anymore. We've got to go out and fight for it just like every other team does. We know that Hamilton's going to do a great job. They're going to come out hard and fast. We've got to be ready to give the punch right back to them."

Running back Jon Cornish says meeting a tough opponent like the Ti-Cats right off the top will show what kind of a team the Stamps are.

'We're a team that we've had to deal with this year after year. We might not have won the cup, but we've always been a great team. I think that it's fitting that this is the first game. If we rise to the occasion of it, then we get to show everybody that we're a force to be reckoned with this year too."

Both Okotoks products in receiver Anthony Parker and fullback Charlie Power will be in the Stamps line-up for the game.

Parker will see lot's of action at the slot back position behind Eric Rogers.

While Power lines up at fullback behind starter Rob Cote.

The Stampeders will also pay tribute to one of the greats in Wayne Harris.

The man known as "Thumper" anchored the Stamps defence for over a decade in the 60's and 70's, leading the Stamps to their second Grey Cup win in 1971.

He passed away earlier this month.

Also, someone is going to go home a lot richer.

Due to an unclaimed 50/50 prize from the Stamps' October 24, 2014, home game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the amount carries over to Friday's game and the total pot will begin at $101,670.

And that amount will grow with every ticket sold.

Tickets can be purchased throughout McMahon Stadium from the moment the gates open to the conclusion of halftime with 50 per cent of the funds going to amateur football through the Stampeders Foundation.

Kick-off is 7 o'clock at McMahon.