Tag Archives: British Columbia Lions

CFL, NFL, usfl

Ellis, Ricky “Hollywood”

Card: BK 2009
Acquired: In Person 2011, Christian Okoye Foundation Skills Clinic

I met Ricky at the Christian Okoye Foundation Skills Camp in 2011. He was running drills with kids and giving them pep talks on life. Keenly aware possibly of the value and rarity of his card from the Topps 1985 USFL set, he had his own card printed that he gave to the kids. As I was wandering around taking photos of the different drills and kids, I was able to finagle a card and autograph off of him. We talked at length about NCAA corruption and how the history of the franchises he had played for had been erased.
When one kid refused to play as a ‘skin’ when the boys played were scrimmaging, the child came over to sit on the bleachers to pout with his father. Ricky noticed that the boy was not playing and literally came over to drag him back in. The child went ahead and scored a touchdown and made an interception during the scrimmage. An excitable and electric personality, it’s no surprise that Ellis is President of NFL Alumni Association in Southern California.

After graduating from Cal State Fullerton, Ricky would be signed by the British Columbia Lions of the CFL in 1978.  He’d then make the jump to the USFL. Ricky would play in the USFL in 1983, where he’d establish himself as one of future NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young‘s primary targets on the Los Angeles Express.  During the 1983 season, he’d make 69 receptions for 719 yards and 6 touchdowns. In 1984, Ricky would make 25 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.  Among Ricky’s fondest memories of playing in the USFL was after a game against Bobby Hebert‘s Michigan Panthers, they’d head south to face the Tampa Bay Bandits, but were given a week off in between games. He spent the whole week jet skiing and started the game against the Bandits with sore hamstrings. Before the USFL imploded Ricky signed with the Houston Oilers and retired after the 1985 season.  He also at some point also played for the Seattle Seahawks.

As Ricky and I talked he lamented about how his history was being erased. The Astrodome and the Oilers were gone, Kingdome in Seattle imploded and the jerseys changed, the USFL of course long gone, and his college killing the football program there because of costs. After his NFL career Ricky has also spent time teaching, being a motivational speaker and a parole agent.

Below are Ricky’s USFL statistics:

GP 36    Rec 94     Yds  907     Avg   9.6     Td  7

 

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Williams, Byron

Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991 LL, ProSet WLAF 1991, ProSet WLAF TC 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Work
Sent: 4/8    Received: 4/14   (6 days)

Byron Williams is a player I’ve been trying to track down since the beginning of this insane project, so I was really happy to locate him and get in touch with him via email about signing these cards. In the end it worked out really nicely, as he signed these cards in a short 6 days. He also included information about his football camps “The Timeout Guys”.

After being taken out of Texas-Arlington in the 10th round of the 1983 draft by the Green Bay Packers, Byron would see time on the roster of the Eagles before finally getting some playing time with the New York Giants that season.  (Incredibly fast, Williams ran a 4.23 40 and 10.13 in the 100 during college.) Playing in 5 games he’d make 20 catches for 346 yards and a touchdown his rookie season.  In his sophomore campaign he’d make 24 receptions for 471 yardspset91wl by williams LL and 2 touchdowns, averaging a sizzling 19.6 yards a reception including a 65 yard grab.  In the season opener against the Eagles he pulled down a career high 5 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown to help the Giants win 28-27.  Given the opportunity to start 5 games in 1985, Williams would make 15 receptions for 280 yards.

He’d head North in 1987 to the CFL and play for the British Columbia Lions and the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1989.

Byron Williams would be drafted in the 3rd round of the supplemental draft by the Orlando Thunder of the WLAF in 1991. At 6’1″, 178, Byron provided a big and fast veteran target for quarterback Kerwin Bell in the spread/ run ‘n shoot offense of the Orlando Thunder. Byron would also provide a barometer of leadership for the team,- at 30 he was one of the oldest players in the league.

He’d split the scoring title in 1991 with Eric Wilkerson (Knights)ult92 by williams after he made 11 touchdown receptions on the season. I remember the league season opener when he made 3 touchdown grabs against a beleaguered San Antonio secondary.  He’d end up with 113 yards on 4 catches, with touchdown grabs of 23, 37, and 42 in the Thunder’s 35-34 win. Williams would make also 2 touchdown receptions against the Skyhawks the next week and the Machine in the final game of the season.  Byron in fact was the primary beneficiary of quarterback Kerwin Bell’s touchdown passes and finished second in the league in receiving yardage with 811 yards in 1991 after scoring in 7 out of 10 games.  He’d be named to first team All-World Honors following the season.

He’d return to the CFL after the 1991 season and play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1991-1993, but playing his 1992 summer in the WLAF. Byron, like Stan Gelbaugh would be involved in a dispute over contract rights between the World League and the CFL /NFL (,much like the one involving the fees the UFL is requiring the NFL to pay for the conditional release of a player).

wcard92wl by williamsThe Thunder meanwhile would stock up on wide receivers in the off season and trade Williams to the New York New Jersey Knights. In limited action Byron would grab 11 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown before the WLAF reorganized after the 1992 season. In the meantime Byron would play 1993 with the Roughriders.

In 1994 CFL expanded southward into the United states. Byron would sign with the Baltimore Colts that season and play through 1995 earning a Grey Cup championship and retiring after the season.

Byron has remained active in football, running his own business (BW Sports, TimeOut Guys) and is a big proponent of giving back through teaching and coaching young fans and athletes in football. Williams’ camps are considered amongst the elite for training young athletes and they not only provide training but venues for young athletes and fans to meet former and current players. Byron has also spent time working with the American Youth Football organization and gives an immense amount of time to charity. Below are his WLAF statistics.

G/Gs N/a    Rec  70    Yds   977    Avg 14.0    Td  12    Lg  46t

CFL

McLoughlin, Mark

Card: Jogo 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, CFL Blitz

Another England born kicker in the CFL, Mark McLoughlin left North Dakota as the Coyotes leading kicker in many categories before heading  over to Canada.  In Calgary, McLoughlin would redefine the kicker category and holds the record for the most games played for the franchise at 244 from 1988- 2003. (He’d play one final season for the BC Lions in an emergency stint before retiring in 2005.) Mark is second all time in scoring with 2848 points and in career field goals with 673.  Mark would hit 80 extra points in 1994, a CFL record and in 1996 tie the league record for most field goals in a game (with Dave Ridgway) at 8. A 6 time All-Star McLoughlin has won the Grey Cup 3 times and made the game winning kick for the championship against the Tiger Cats in 1998.  He’d score over 200 points 7 times in his career and received 3 All Star selections for his achievements.

After his playing days ended McLoughlin was inducted into the Stampeders Wall of Honor and had his number retired.  A voracious community volunteer, Mark currently resides in Alberta, Canada and has worked for Olds College and in 2007 was named into the University of South Dakota’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Note: Mark McLoughlin’s card is spelled “Mark McLaughlin” and is considered an uncorrected error card.

G  244     XPA  834     XPM  833       FGA 909    FGM 639         S 143     Pts 2992