I remember starting to buy Crazy Bones when the packs were green, and they were very popular, at least at my school.
The 'Sports' bones...I only ever saw them in packets labelled 'Sports' as usual. The Aliens were the 2nd major, common series after the mixed buddies/mutants one, and I discovered Sports and Things, as well as Gogos, afterwards. Then came all the other variations - Skinny Bombers came out around the same time as aliens. I've always lived in the UK.