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Woods likes to listen to Hank Williams Jr., but growing up he was into grunge, including like Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

“I just love music,” Woods said. “I still play in church. I play the bass in our praise band. I grew up on southern gospel music. If you’ve never heard southern gospel music, Google the Crabb Family. It’s great music. That’s where my inspiration comes from. You talk about southern gospel music, it translates right into a Stevie Ray Vaughan song … you think about Pride and Joy. I could throw you some church hymns that I could sing along with that exact music.”

Photo by Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS

HE’S GOT GAME

Year after year, B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian, a two-time Most Outstanding Defensive Player, puts up big numbers. The 31-year-old led the CFL in defensive tackles for the third time in 2017, with 144.

Behind the numbers is a determined player who pushes himself to get better.

“There’s no substitute for hard work,” he said. “You don’t win championships in November. You win them in the off-season, when you put in the work, when nobody’s watching, when there are no cameras. I have a chip on my shoulder. I’ve been told by a lot of people that I was never going to play professional football, that I was too small, too this, too that. That motivates me, that’s what fuels the fire.

Where does he go from here?

“A goal that I’ve added is how do I be a better teammate? How do I help the young guys?” Elimimian said. “I was fortunate to come into the CFL with guys like Korey Banks, Dante Marsh, Aaron Hunt, Brent Johnson, Ryan Phillips. They were veterans when I was rookie. I learned so much from those guys.”