Blue Bombers re-sign Global linebacker Maruo
WINNIPEG, MB., February 14, 2023 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the signing of Global linebacker Les Maruo to a one-year deal. He was scheduled to become a free agent today.
Maruo (6-0, 225, University of Texas-San Antonio; born: February 14, 1996, in Yokkaichi, Japan) returns to the Blue Bombers for a third season after initially being selected by the club in the first round, 4th overall, in the 2021 CFL Global Draft.
Maruo dressed for 17 regular season games in 2022 as well as the Western Final and Grey Cup. He had 14 tackles and a sack while increasing his work with the defence, adding seven more tackles on special teams. Maruo also had two special teams tackles in the Grey Cup game.
Maruo appeared in seven games in his rookie season of 2021, registering six defensive tackles as part of a group that captured the Grey Cup that year.
Born in Japan, Maruo grew up in Wichita, KS after his family moved to the United States when he was nine years old. He played his college ball at the University of Texas-San Antonio, starting all 12 games for the Roadrunners in his senior season and posting 86 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one pass knockdown.
Maruo has also played in Japan?s X-League over the past few winters, suiting up with the Asahi Challengers and Panasonic Impulse.
Another example of CFL teams sidestepping the leagues own initiatives, for all purposes Mauro is an American from Kansas with slim roots to Japan. What about all these players that were born in the Congo? Not sure the Global program has achieved anything concrete in the time it's run, seems to have become Ambrosie's pet projects that is no longer talked about and will get turfed as soon as he's replaced as commissioner.
Someday soon the league has to get their act together and put together a game plan all teams believe in and follow to a tee, instead of always coming up with loopholes that are easier to follow. It's not like an outside organization or government is imposing arbitrary rules the league has to follow, they willfully sabotage themselves. Bit of a joke, if the idea is bad turf it, if not then invest in it's purpose and attempt to achieve it's goals honestly.
