Tag Archives: winnipeg blue bombers

CFL, NFL, NFLE, usfl

Banks, Antonio

CARD: Playoff Contenders 2000 European Ticket
ACQUIRED: Future Considerations, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Antonio Banks played CB at Virginia Tech from 1993-’95.
  • A ballhawk, Banks posted 14 picks for 312 yards over his time playing for the Hokies, including 9 picks for 171 yards in 1996.
  • 4th round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 1997.
  • Saw action in 24 contests over 3 seasons (’98-’00) primarily at S.
  • Played in the CFL in 1998 for the Blue Bombers.
  • Took two stints in the NFLE playing for the Admirals (’98), Galaxy (’00), and then back to the Admirals (’00-’01).
  • Had probably a CB NFLE single season, if not career positional record 5.5 sacks for Amsterdam in 2000.
  • Played in the CFL for the Alouettes (’02) and Blue Bombers (’03).
  • Has pursued coaching since retirement, taking his skills all over the world as an ambassador of the sport and back to America.
  • Coached for the Alphen Eagles (Netherlands, ’06), and then in Cairo (!!!) for the Bears (2016-’17), then back to the states working for IMG, and also as a Secondary Coach for the Generals of the USFL (2022-’23).

NOTES:

Antonio has really parlayed his NFL career into a literally well travelled coaching career. I mean Cairo- talking football? I know it was a big culture shock but still. That’s pretty impressive.

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240.0100-.-0-.-
NFL
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N/a9.5022914.5023
NFLE
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N/a01200.000
CFL
AAF, NFL, usfl, WLAF, XFL

Riley, Mike (2)

CARD: Topps AAF 2019 Certified
ACQUIRED: Private Acquisition, 2022
FAILURE: TTM C/o Home 2019, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Picking up where we left off, Mike ended up back at Oregon State, where he became the school’s most winning coach. In 2014, he’d be pried off the Beavers by Nebraska. After a difficult tenure at Nebraska, Mike was welcomed back to Corvallis with open arms as an assistant coach.

When the Alliance of American Football was announced, I knew he’d be at the top of their list. I was excited to see Mike return to SA (from his days with the Riders of the WLAF) to coach the team. He was excited to take a walk down memory lane with me when I showed up with my Riders hat on at the Commanders unveiling. The team very much resembled the Riders, and finished 5-3 during the AAF’s season.

I had narrowly missed getting Mike’s autograph on his Topps AAF card during pregame warmups against the Salt Lake City Stallions. I had sideline passes and thought that he’d be a shoe-in to get later TTM. Oddly though, he’s dodged my TTM requests since then.

After the AAF folded, much to everyone’s dismay, Mike was hired on to be the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Dragons of the XFL in 2020- just because it wasn’t more local to Texas.

Recently it was brought to my attention that Mike and head coach Jim Zorn had a disagreement about who should be starting quarterback. The row was so bad between the two that Mike left the team for the first 3 games of the season.

He joined the new USFL as head coach of the New Jersey Generals, and led the team to a 9-1 record in 2022. The team zoomed out to a 2-1 record in 2023, before dropping their next 5, en route to a 3-7 record.

When the XFL and the USFL combined to form the new UFL, the Generals were not retained for 2024.

CFL, NFL, NFLE

Pelluer, Steve

Pro Set 1989, #95

CARDS: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1989 Update, Score 1989
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 5/2 RECEIVED: 5/21 (19 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2011, 2013; C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • 5th round selection out of Washington by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Groomed to be Danny White’s backup and heir.
  • 3 year starter for the Huskies, threw for 4603 yards and 30 TDs.
  • In ’86 saw extensive playing time, throwing for 2727 yards, 8 TDs, including an 84 yard TD to Herschel Walker.
  • In 1988 finally became full-time starter, ranking in the top 7 in completions (245), TDs (17), and yards (3,139).
  • Briefly held the franchise record with 14 straight completions.
  • Dangerous scrambler finished second among NFC QBs with 51 carries for 314 yards.
  • With the firing of longtime head coach Tom Landry, the franchise decided to move in another direction with Jimmy Johnson in 1989.
  • The Cowboys traded Herschel Walker and drafted Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh.
  • Pelluer in the meantime held out, and in mid-October was traded to the Chiefs for a couple of low round draft choices.
  • Saw action in 5 contests, starting 3 in 1990, including a win over Seattle, when he threw for 205 yards and a TD.
  • Sprained knee and was out remainder of year.
  • As Steve DeBerg cemented his role as starter, Pelluer saw sparing playing time.
  • Pelluer joined the Denver Broncos in 1992 via Plan B, but he would not make the roster.
  • After a brief break, he’d play in the CFLUSA for the Blue Bombers in 1995, completing 9 of 17 passes for 112 yards and a TD, but was lost to injury after injury for the season in Week 2.
  • Pelluer signed on with the reborn World League in 1995, playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy and helping the team reach the World Bowl for the first time.
  • Retired after the 1996 campaign, playing mainly as a backup.
  • Since retirement has spent time in real estate with a specialization in commercial properties.
Pro Set 1989, #559
Score 1989, #90

NOTES:

I always felt like Steve got a bad rap in Dallas, but he did also hold out at a critical time when the Cowboys were rebuilding. Then he got shipped to KC only to get stuck behind DeBerg. I had wanted to get Steve for a while- failing on him twice previously. -I even had his Starting Lineup figure!

NFL

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974548687056.329398471.6

WL

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