Tag Archives: winnipeg blue bombers

Ross, Alex

Card: Topps 2019 AAF Certified
Acquired: 2019, EBay

Alex Ross put up some solid numbers at quarterback with Coastal Carolina from 2012-2015. He finished his college career with 72 touchdown passes and 9,918 yards while completing 64.7% of his passes. He was not selected in the 2016 draft, and saw time in camp with the Atlanta Falcons. He then saw time in the CFL for the British Columbia Lions (2017) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2018).

In 2019, Alex signed with the Alliance of American Football. He was allocated to the Memphis Express., however during the Pick or Protect QB Draft, he’d be selected with the final choice of the draft by the San Diego Fleet. The Fleet had issues from the get go at quarterback. With Josh Johnson signing with the Redskins, and Mike Bercovici inconsistent, Philip Nelson stepped in, but he too was injured.

During Week 4, Alex came in to replace Nelson at quarterback against the Memphis Express. He’d toss a score on 8 of 18 passes, going for 80 yards on the day, but threw an interception and lost 2 fumbles. He’d back up Bercovici for the remainder of the season. Currently Alex is a free agent.

Hull, Bart

Card: All-World 1991
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 10/28 Received: 11/2 (5 days)

The 3rd overall pick of the 1991 CFL draft by the British Columbia Lions, Bart Hull played collegiality for Boise State. A bruising fullback, he rushed for 350 yards on 105 carries, and caught 25 passes for 164 yards. Hull had a nose for the end zone scoring 13 rushing TDs.

Before the season began, BC shipped Bart to the Ottawa Rough Riders for Tony Kimbrough (QB). Bart returned one kick for 11 yards and rushed 2 times for 10 yards, but suffered a gruesome knee injury ending his season after only 3 games. After being cut by the Rough Riders in 1992, he’d briefly see some time on the practice squad of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After a hiatus, Hull returned to the CFL in 1994 as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders seeing action in two games before being cut.

Bart comes from an athletic family, and being originally from Canada, he played some minor league hockey for the RHI and WCHL. In 1999 he was spotted again briefly playing indoor football as a member of the Idaho Stallions of the IPFL.

Bart works in business development now, and as of 2019 was living in the Dallas area. A great looking card of Bart, he signed this one in no time flat.

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Gray, Michael

Card: CFL All-World 1991
Acquired: IP 2019, San Antonio Commanders vs Salt Lake City Stallions

A few days before the game I looked over the coaching roster of the Stallions again, and with that I found the veritable gem in Michael Gray. Packing his card into my stash to take to the game, I figured I could lure him over and nab him either after the half or the game. I identified him early on when he was on the field in pre-game warmups and as SLC battled SA to a standstill at the half, I was able to get his attention and flashed the card and pen. His eyebrows lifted and he mouthed to me that he’d sign after the game. After the game concluded, Gray was the last to leave and lumbered over to sign my card. He was in a hurry, but he was really nice. I told him that if SLC had half the crowd we did, with the way that defensive line he was coaching was playing, that the Stallions will beat us in Salt Lake in a few weeks. He smiled and thanked me for being a fan and left.

Mike Gray joined the BC Lions of the CFL in 1984 after he had tryouts with the Seattle Seahawks in both 83 and 84. He took the league by storm in 1985, earning All-Star Honors and CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Award that year, racking up 13 sacks and 2 interceptions. The following year (1986) Mike added another 6 sacks to his name, before being snatched up by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the league’s equalization draft for 1987. Before the 87 season began, Mike was cut, but was picked up by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Much to both Ottawa and BC’s chagrin, Mike turned it up a notch for the Blue Bombers. From 1987 through 1989 he’d be one of the league’s most dominant defenders at defensive end averaging over 10 sacks and about 40 tackles a season. Gray played through the 1993 season, helping the Bombers to the 76th and 78th Grey Cups. During the 76th Grey Cup Mike came up with the game saving interception against his old team- the BC Lions- netting him Defensive Player of the Game Honors.

Mike has gone into coaching since his playing years ended, seeing stints in the CFL (BC Lions 1993-1994), the NFL (St. Louis Rams 1996-1997), and at the college level (Weber St. 1995, Oregon St 1997-2002, Kentucky 2003-2004, Oregon 2005-2008, UNLV 2010-2014). He was inducted into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame in 2006, and in 2019 was the Defensive Line coach of the impressive Salt Lake City Stallions front.

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