Tag Archives: detroit lions

Young, Titus

Upper Deck College Legends 2011, #93

CARD: Upper Deck College Legends 2011
ACQUIRED: 2019, Box Breaker

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played WR for Boise State from 2007-10.
  • Caught 204 passes for 3063 yards and 25 TDs over college career.
  • Displayed some behavioral issues that caused his draft stock to drop.
  • Selected by the Detroit Lions during the 2nd round of the 2011 draft.
  • By mid-season behavior issues re-emerged, and continued through the 2012 campaign, where he’d be deactivated by the team.
  • After numerous fights, bad behavior, arguments, and social media outbursts increased, Titus was outright released by the Lions before the 2013 season.
  • Claimed by the St. Louis Rams, but was quickly cut after questionable behavior reemerged.
  • Titus’ behavior since 2013 has borderlined from the bizarre to flat out disturbing.
  • Sadly, since then he’s been imprisoned and spent time in inpatient rehabilitation.
  • He was released from prison in 2018.

NOTES:

Titus is the poster child for bipolar disorder. On top of things it’s entirely possible he also has CTE due to numerous concussions. Mental health- especially for men, has such a terrible stigma. I hope that since Titus hasn’t been in the news since his release from prison, that he’s getting the help he needs.

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Krieg, Dave (2)

Fleer 1990, #269

CARDS: ProSet 1990, ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 3/16 RECEIVED: 5/20/22 (776 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Before I had cooked up my plan to get a Dave Krieg autograph out of the really jaded collector mentioned in my previous Krieg post, I had sent to him and was dismayed to miss out on a response. Surprisingly he began to drop correspondence in the mail around 2 months before I got this success- after a bit over a 2 year wait.

Note: The Fleer 1990 is an uncorrected error card. Krieg’s name is mistakenly spelled ‘Kreig’ on the front of the card. As it was uncorrected and in high circulation, it’s worthless.

Smith, Kevin (RB)

Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009, #34

CARDS: Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009, Score 2009, Panini Prestige 2009, Score 2010
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Work
SENT: 10/17 RECEIVED: 11/2 (16 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played RB for the UCF Knights from 2004-07.
  • After redshirt season, ran for 4,679 yards over next 3 years.
  • Senior year ran for a school record 2,567 yards and 29 TDs, along with 242 yards on 24 catches.
  • His 450 carries in his Senior year shattered the previous single season college mark held by Marcus Allen, and his 2,567 yards rushing were third all-time.
  • Selected at the top of the 3rd round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
  • Had solid debut rookie season with Detroit rushing for 976 yards and 8 rushing TDs in 12 starts- 1,200 yards from scrimmage.
  • Ran for 747 yards on 217 carries in 2009, logging a career high 41 receptions for 415 yards in 2009.
  • Tore ACL near end of season, after 13 starts.
  • Injury sidelined Smith through early 2010, but the Lions had already moved on to Jahvid Best.
  • Lions allowed Smith to test free agency in 2011, but when Best was sidelined with second concussion of season, they resigned Kevin.
  • Smith returned to form with a 140 yard, 2 TD effort, in comeback victory over the Carolina Panthers.
  • Suffered ankle injury the following week and was not retained at end of season.
  • Joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 2014, but was released after a few days.
  • Has climbed the college coaching ranks ever since, starting at his Alma Mater UCF in 2015.
  • Then it was Florida Atlantic in 2018, and Ole Miss, where I got his autograph in 2020.
  • As of 2023 Kevin is the RB coach at the University of Miami, FL.

NOTES:

Kevin has a lot of great cards, and hit all my favorite sets from this period. His Score and Donruss cards really hit the mark for me. Kevin’s one of those players where if he didn’t see all that wear and tear on his body I think he would’ve gone on to have a fabulous NFL career- but such is the pro life.

Score 2010, #98
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