Saunders, Mike

Player: Mike Saunders
Born: October 3, 1969
College: Iowa
Years with the Riders: 1992-94; 1997-99
Cards acquired: Through Ebay 2010

The second of my Plaza of Honour posts is a little late, but better late than never. 

Mike Saunders joined the Riders late in 1992 after being cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He got his feet wet on his way to bigger and better things.  In 1994, Mike was named a CFL West All-Star after rushing for 1,205 yards and catching 55 passes for 613 yards.  Mike would leave following that season and bounced around four teams before being traded back in 1997 for the team's Grey Cup game run that ended against Toronto.  In all Mike played six seasons for the 'Riders and retired with the second highest rushing totals in team history in both attempts (372) and rushing yards (4,396).  He was only 2,571 attempts and 11,720 yards behind the top rusher, George Reed.

As a kid, Mike was one of my favourite Riders from that post-89 Grey Cup period.  You could pretty much always count on him to get the yards you needed and would make guys miss.  Given his success with the team, it was only a matter of time before he was added.  Probably the only real question is why it took 12 years from when he retired to be named.  Congrats Mike.

Holmes, Corey

Player: Corey Holmes
Born: November 11, 1976
College: Mississippi Valley State
Years with the Riders: 2001-2005, 2007
Cards acquired: Through the Mail (TTM) in 2003 and 2004.

The next three entries will be Plaza of Honour tributes.  October 14, 2011 featured the induction of three new players in the Saskatchewan Roughriders Plaza of Honour - the team's Hall of Fame.  Corey Holmes is one of this group to be inducted.

Corey joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2001 seeing limited action.  In 2002, Corey lead the league in total return yards and punt return yards.  Corey also finished second in kickoff return yardage.  This performance led to Corey being named a Western All-Star, CFL All-Star and winning the Most Outstanding Special Teams Award.  From 2003 to 2005, Corey would continue to be the team's main returner but also saw more action in the regular offense - including two very successful seasons in 2004 and 2005.  In 2005, Corey would again win the Most Outstanding Special Teams Award.  In 2006, he was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to enable the Riders to draft Kerry Joseph in the Ottawa Renegades dispersal draft.  Midway through 2007, the Riders would reacquire Corey on their way to the Grey Cup Championship.  After 2007, Corey would be released and would effectively retire from the CFL.  Corey would retire having the 2nd most punt returns (274), the most punt return yards (3,440), the most punt return touchdowns (5), the most kickoff returns (185), and the most kickoff return yards (4,077).  He's easily the greatest kicker returner in Saskatchewan Roughrider history.

After leaving the CFL, Corey spent the following season coaching a high school football team and then ran for mayor of Metcalfe, Mississippi winning in 2009.

I was always a huge fan of Corey when he wore Green and White.  Whenever he touched the ball, he was electric on the field.  It's good to see him getting this recognition by the team for all his contributions.  Welcome back Corey!!  If only for a short time.

Ron Lancaster and George Reed

1992 All World CFL #96 Saskatchewan Checklist
Acquired - Purchased 2003 or 2004

I'll start off with probably my favorite card in my autograph collection.  I wish I could say that I got this one myself, but I didn't.  Many of my first signed cards for players that played before 2003 were acquired from other people who had obtained the autographs - this was one of those cards.

I did feel very lucky to have gotten this card back when I did - just starting my autograph collection and I get a card with the two greatest players in Rider history?  I considered this (and still do) pretty much gold.  And now, considering Ron Lancaster has passed away, this card is even that much more special to me.  I'll get more into the histories of these two players with some other cards that I'll post later on.