The double R is back in town
April 15, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release
Ricky Ross returned to the Gladiators last week and saw his first action of the season against Grand Rapids, the team he won an ArenaBowl championship with in 2001.
Against the Rampage, Ross caught five passes for 48 yards with two touchdowns.
This week he will travel with the rest of the Gladiators to Philadelphia to take on his other former team, the Philadelphia Soul. He played with the Soul last season and was the second leading receiver on the team with 57 receptions for 756 yards with 16 touchdowns.
"I couldn't wait to get back on the field and starting off against two former teams is even more motivation for me," Ross said. "I had something to prove last week against Grand Rapids and that isn't going to change this week when we face the Soul."
During the off-season, Ross signed with the Gladiators as one of the main acquisitions for Las Vegas. He spent the first seven weeks on the injured reserve list before being activated and released prior to the team traveling to Columbus to face the Destroyers.
"It was really hard on me when I got released, but I knew I would be back playing for someone in this League," he said. "I am just glad it ended up being here in Las Vegas."
Ross' ties with Las Vegas go back to his childhood when he grew up on the Eastside of town. He graduated from Eldorado High School where he played football, basketball and ran track.
After his days with the Sun Devils, he moved on to play junior college football in St. George, Utah, at Dixie State College. While at Dixie, Ross was selected as a Junior College All-American before transferring to the University of Missouri.
"Ricky has always been a solid player in this League and when the opportunity presented itself to us in the off-season to acquire him, we did," head coach Ron James said about Ross. "It was hard at the beginning of the season to not have him out there playing, but it was a numbers thing after he got hurt."
Ross got his start in the Arena Football League in 2001 with the Rampage where he played with current teammates Clint Dolezel and Lucas Yarnell as they went on to win ArenaBowl XV.
"It was exciting to come into this League and win an ArenaBowl championship my rookie year," Ross said. "Most guys play their whole career without a championship."
When Ross signed with the Gladiators in the off-season he felt they had the talent to make a run at an ArenaBowl championship. With Las Vegas having a record of 6-5 and five games remaining in the regular season, he feels this team is coming together and the playoffs are not that far off.
"We are extremely pleased to have Ricky back in the lineup," said Coach James. "His energy and enthusiasm is contagious."
The Gladiators travel to Philadelphia to take on the Soul in Week 13 on Sunday, April 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. PT and will be aired on NBC with Bob Papa and Ray Bentley calling the game. It may also be heard on ESPN Radio 920 with Andrew Siciliano and Mike Pritchard calling the game.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 15, 2005
- Dragons Trapped By Predators - New York Dragons
- Philadelphia Soul QB on ESPN2 this Monday, April 18th - Philadelphia Soul
- Destroyers add DS Jeremy Unertl - Columbus Destroyers
- Kats Media Advisory - Nashville Kats
- Kats Activate Hillery From Injured Reserve - Nashville Kats
- The double R is back in town - Las Vegas Gladiators
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