Tag Archives: edmonton eskimos

Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Burse, Tony

Wild Card World League 1992, #46

CARD: Wild Card World League 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 5/10 RECEIVED: 5/20 (10 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Fullback who played at Middle Tennessee State from 1983-86.
  • Led the way for the Blue Raiders’ rushing attack, paving the way for 3 1,000 yard rushers.
  • Led the team in receptions with 27 for 266 yards in 1985.
  • Was selected in the 12th round of the NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks in 1987.
  • Made the squad and saw time on special teams and sparingly on offense.
  • Was on and off the rosters of the Seahawks and Dolphins through the end of 1989.
  • Joined the WLAF in 1991 with the Sacramento Surge.
  • Paved the way in 1992 for Mike Pringle at RB, while catching 22 passes.
  • Played for the Arena Football League in 1993 and 94 (Detroit Drive/Massachusetts Marauders.
  • Then joined the CFL Sacramento Gold Miners during the 94 season.
  • When the franchise moved to San Antonio and became the Texans- Tony came along too.
  • Rushed for 304 yards (60 carries) and caught 30 passes for 291 yards.
  • Played the next three seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos.
  • Had a career high 59 yard gallop in 95, and a career high 11 rushing TDs in 96.
  • Split time the next three years, literally playing football fulltime between the Arena Football League and the CFL.
  • Joined the Arena Buffalo Destroyers franchise in the Spring of ’99, while playing for the Toronto Argonauts in the Fall.
  • Had a career high 431 yards rushing for the Argos that year.
  • Retired after the 2001 season.

NOTES:

Tony had a long and illustrious tapestry of different football leagues woven into the fabric of his career. I had been looking for him for a very long time but after retracing my steps I was finally able to locate him and add him on his Wild Card ’92 entry.

NFL

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
7365.1016

WLAF

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
471372.9017
RECYDSAVGTDLG
352878.2034

CFL

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
34414434.22959
RECYDSAVGTDLG
114113810.0352

ARENA

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
1233472.820N/a
RECYDSAVGTDLG
89812.21N/a
AFL, CFL, College Football HoF, wfl

Trull, Don

Card: Topps 1964
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 3/18 Received: 3/24 (6 days)

Don Trull played football for the Baylor Bears from 1961 to 1963 where he was one of the top quarterbacks in the SWC, if not the nation. He set SWC records for completed passes (174) and yards (2,157) in one year. He capped his 1963 season with 2,157 yards and 22 TDs (which led the nation) and a 14-7 win over LSU in the Bluebonnet Bowl. A smart and alert quarterback, Trull excelled at calling plays and audibles at the line of scrimmage.

Don was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 1964 NFL Draft. He’d be groomed to be the heir apparent of the Oilers behind ageless George Blanda for the next 3 years. In 1966, Don saw action in 5 starts, posting 1200 yards and 10 TDs to just 5 picks, however he finished 0-5. He also rushed for 7 TDs on 38 carries. After 3 more games in 1967, he’d be traded to the Boston Patriots for the remainder of the season.

Trull returned to the Oilers in 1968, where he really had the best season of his career as a starter- posting a 3-1 record, with 864 yards passing, and 10 TDs and 3 interceptions.

After a down year in 1969, Don played in the Canadian Football League the next two years for the Edmonton Eskimos. Allowed to take the starting reins for the Esks, he threw for 2455 yards and 12 TDs on 364 attempts to 185 completions. After one last season in the CFL, Don was off the football grid coaching at Arkansas until he was lured back by the WFL in 1974, where he saw limited action for the Houston Texans/ Shreveport Steamer.

Don lives in Houston now where he is an ambassador for the NFL Houston Texans organization. In 2013, he was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame, and he was involved with the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show for many years. I got Don’s card after I found out he was an ambassador for the Texans. I hoped to catch him at one of the team functions where they sign for fans, but since nothing every popped up, I just went ahead and sent this out right at the beginning of the COVID crisis.

NFL G/GSATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRAT
77/18637276398043.3302861.6
RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
1234283.51423
CFL G/GSATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRAT
N/a465237293251.01227N/a
RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
44651.5130
WFL G/GSATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRAT
N/a311611751.602N/a
RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
221.002
CFL, NFL, XFL

McKnight, Dennis ‘Conan’

Card: ProSet 1989
Acquired: IP 2020, Houston Roughnecks/ Tampa Bay Vipers Joint Practice

After graduating from Drake University, Dennis McKnight signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1981, but didn’t make the squad. The following year, he signed with the Chargers. A gem in the rough, McKnight possessed versatility that allowed him to see action at every position on the offensive line (except at left tackle) over his time in San Diego. A gym rat, Dennis also was the team’s long snapper, and was a Pro Bowl alternate in 1988. He joined the Lions and played for them in 1990 and 1992, with a short stint in Philadephia in between during ’91. Over his football career he played in 141 contests, starting 100.

Dennis enjoys the sport so much that he went into coaching in 1999. As a positional coach he’s seen stops in college at Hawaii, Grossmont CC, San Diego State, SMU, and Lamar University. McKnight has also coached in the CFL for the Esks, and Ti-Cats. In 2020 he joined June Jones’ coaching staff for the Houston Roughnecks as Offensive Assistant/ Special Teams coach.

I completely missed Dennis on my inventory of Roughnecks players and coaches. Thankfully Lance was going with me to the joint practice, and brought an extra card for me. Dennis still posesses a strong and powerful build. When he speaks, its excited and loud, like a professional wrestler.

We watched him work with the kids after practice. I was very impressed by how he was handling them, and at one point exclaimed, “The whole point of this is to have fun!” As he was exiting, we stopped him and asked him for his autograph, where we talked about the current state of things. He thanked us for coming and how much it meant to the players. We also talked briefly about how the NFL is out of touch with fans and that they are missing out on the game of football.