Category Archives: CFL

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Davis, Wayne

pset91 wdavis psetwlaf91 wdavis

Cards: ProSet 1991, ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 7/5      Received: 7/11  (6 days)
Failure: TTM 2014, C/o New Life Covenant Church, Gordo, AL

Wayne Davis was a linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide.  He posted a career high 125 tackles his Junior year, and 85 in his Senior year. A 9th round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987, the season was sort of a mess because of the Players’ Strike. Davis saw playing time in all 12 nonstrike games that year, and also in all 16 games in 1988.  He’d sign as a Plan B free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 1989, and then later with the 49ers, who let him go on the final cutdown. Wayne played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1990, before giving the WLAF a shot. Davis impressed the league scouts enough, that Orlando saw fit to make him the first overall pick of linebackers in the 1991 positional draft.  Head Coach Don Matthews liked his overall speed and athleticism. He’d have a solid year, posting 33 tackles, and 2 fumble recoveries. Wayne also played on special teams, recording 8 tackles on kickoff coverage. His highlight of the year was a 9 tackle effort in Orlando’s 35-34 victory over the San Antonio Riders on opening day.  A man of God, Davis styled himself as being a new found ‘Minister of Defense’ ala Reggie White, bringing the Good Word to the masses, and had been quoted as stating, “God first. Football second.”  After starting off the 1991 season hot, the Thunder had a meltdown and finished 5-5. Matthews quit, and new coach Galen Hall decided to overhaul the franchise. With a plethora of new linebacker blood in camp, Hall had to make some difficult cuts- Davis among them. Wayne however, felt a calling to God greater than football, and was ordained in 1992. Reverend Davis later returned to school and earned to Masters in Education and in Pastoral Ministry and lives in Gordo, Alabama today where he preaches to his flock and congregation.

NFL 28/1   Tac   N/a   Sac  N/a    Fum N/a    Int  0   Yds 0   Avg -.-   Td 0   Lg -.-
WLAF    Tac 33   Sac 0   Fum 2    Int 0    Yds 0   Avg -.-  Td 0  Lg -.-

CFL, NFL, NFLE, XFL

Barnes, Pat

to00 barnesCard: Topps 2000
Acquired: 2014, Albany Acquisition

Pat Barnes played for Cal during the late 90s, and was a second team All-American, under future NFL head coach Steve Mariucci. Putting up great numbers in the West Coast offense and defining himself as a future star, Barnes was a 4th round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1997. He’d get lost in the shuffle behind Rich Gannon and Trent Green, and sign with the Oakland Raiders the following year.

Pat is best remembered for his time in the NFLE for the Frankfurt Galaxy, where he defined himself as perhaps the best quarterback in that franchise’s extended history. He’d lead the team to a World Bowl victory in 1999 throwing 3 touchdown passes in the win over the Dragons.

In between his two stints with the Galaxy, he’d return stateside to ride the bench for the 49ers in 1999.

Perhaps Pat would have etched his name more definitively into the Galaxy record books if he just had some more time, but with a new league on the horizon, Barnes jumped at the opportunity to play for the San Fransisco Demons of the XFL in 2001, backing up former Cal QB Mike Pawlawski. The Demons played in the Million Dollar Game, but lost to the Los Angeles Xtreme 38-6.

Pat again dabbled in another league, heading North to the CFL, this time to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in 2002. Another short run on the offseason roster of the Browns the following year, returned him to Winnipeg in 2003 where he retired after the season. Currently he lives in Los Angeles.

NFLE    Att 414     Comp 232    Yds 3422      Pct 56.0      Td 30    Int 18    Rat  89.3   |    Rush  38     Yds   179    Avg  4.7      Td  3      Lg   24

CFL, NFL, WLAF

White, Robb

wcwlaf92 whiteCard: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 8/7     Received:  8/16   (9 days)
Failure: 2011, C/o Work

Originally hailing from Amberdeen, South Dakota, homegrown Robb White went collegiality to South Dakota University. By the time he left the Coyotes, Robb would become one of the best defensive tackles to play at the college. Starting the final 25 games over his career with the team, Robb was a two-time All-North Central Conference selection both in 1986 and 1987. He finished his career at the college with 206 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 15 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss.

Robb went undrafted but was signed by the Washington Redskins in 1988,  finishing the season on the roster of the New York Giants. He’d remain with the Giants through the 1989 season, and be signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991. As part of the NFL Enhancement Program allocating players to the WLAF, Robb joined the San Antonio Riders for the 1992 season. A member of quite a formidable front, he teamed up with Willie Fears, Chris Thienamen, and Dick Chapura to control the trenches in the Riders 3-4 defense.  He’d make  4 sacks for the team that season. With the CFL inheriting most of the talent from the WLAF after the World League’s suspension, Robb went on to play for the Sacramento Gold Miners from 1993 to 1994.

Robb has worked in the fluid lubrication industry for some time, and I had been chasing him as members of the Riders franchise take precedence in my WLAF searches.  The first time I found him, there was no response so I assumed he had moved on, and it was back to the drawing board. After a few years I picked up a new Meiselman and shot him out a letter at his home address. Robb kindly responded in under a month, thanking me for bringing back those wonderful memories, and enclosed a business card. Robb was inducted into the University of South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2005.

NFL 25/1   Tac n/a    Sac 2.5   Fum 0
Int 0     Yds 0     Avg -.-      Td 0      Lg -.-

WLAF         Tac  n/a    Sac 4.0  Fum 0
Int 0     Yds 0     Avg -.-      Td 0      Lg -.-

CFL  18       Tac 33    Sac 2   Fum  n/a
Int 0    Yds 0     Avg -.-      Td 0      Lg -.-