Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

AFL

Cannon, Billy “Legend”

udlg97 cannonCard: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: 11/23/2012, Fiterman Autograph Event
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

LSU’s sensational halfback and future Heisman Trophy winner, who led the Tigers to their first national championship, walked off the field of his final game for LSU to see a beaming madman in a prim suit standing in the end zone, named Bud Adams. With that Billy Cannon was signed with the AFL’s Houston Oilers in front of a televised national audience, effectively firing a warning shot towards the choppy waters the NFL was about to sail into. Before Cannon could get his legs under him in the upstart AFL, Pete Rozelle of the NFL and the Los Angeles Rams, (who drafted Cannon #1 overall in the NFL’s common draft,) sued him for breach of contract. You see Cannon had also signed a deal with the NFL in secret, but Adams, (who had arranged this whole scheme,) knew that if the NFL admitted that they had signed Cannon before his college eligibility had ended, would be essentially embarrassing themselves, based on the invalidity of their contract.

Billy Cannon gave the upstart league immediate viability and credibility as an alternative to the stodgy NFL. Along with quarterback George Blanda, and wide receivers Bill Groman, and Charlie Hennigan, Cannon led the Houston Oilers to the first two AFL championships in 1960, scoring on an 88 yard pass, in the team’s 24-16 victory over the LA Chargers. He’d then repeat again in 1961, scoring the only touchdown in the rematch between the two.  In that season he led the AFL in rushing with 948 yards (4.7 ypc), rushing for a team record 212 yards in one game, and overall with 2043 from scrimmage, but lost out to Blanda for the league MVP honors. In that season he set the league record for YFS in a game with 373 against the New York Titans, -a record that stood for almost 30 years, and had 5 TDs in that same game.  After the Oilers failed to win the championship game in 1963, Billy signed with the Oakland Raiders in 1964. It was there that Al Davis had the crazy idea of converting Cannon to a tight end. – And why not? With his soft hands, great speed, and size, Cannon was a perfect fit for the position and the downfield passing game that Davis employed. He played the next 5 seasons with the Raiders where he built an impressive resume at the position and won another title with the Raiders becoming one of the AFL’s greatest players at the position. Billy then played one final season with the Chiefs in 1970 and retired.  Cannon is one of only a handful (20) players who played the entire 10 year lifetime of the AFL in the league.

Billy has had some missteps since his career ended, and got in deep with the wrong people. In order to catch up he half-cooked up a counterfeiting scheme, and was sent to jail in 1983. After being released for good behavior, he went back to work in the medical field as a dentist, but had a difficult time finding work. Cannon was reviled now by the people who used to admire him who now would rather celebrate at seeing him fall further. It’d be in the most unlikeliest of places that Cannon, “The Legend” found his redemption. The prison system had need for a dentist, and Cannon came in and cleaned up the LSP dental department. In fact the Warden liked Billy’s work so much, that he promoted him to run the whole medical wing. It was in this perhaps, that Billy saw a glimmer of happiness in his work, and slowly over the next few years, took baby steps into the world again and began to make appearances at LSU functions. With time all wounds heal, and Billy was again praised for those svelte moves that earned him a place in school history for a play simply known as “The Punt Return”.  Cannon still works at the prison today and is referred to by the inmates simply as “Legend”.  He also enjoys raising and breeding horses.  Billy Cannon is the only player to have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame twice. He earned the recognition in 1983 but it was taken away due to his conviction, and then again was inducted in 2008. His number has also been retired by LSU.

G 133     Rush  602     Yds   2455     Avg   4.1    Td  17   Lg  64
Rec  236    Yds 3656   Avg  15.5     Td  47      Lg  88
Kr  67   Yds  1704      Avg  25.4    Td 1   Lg  88
Pr  14      Yds  178      Avg 12.7      Td 0   Lg  51

The punt return: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIHdlAg4Uic

NFL

Slaughter, Webster

gday92 slaughterCard: GameDay 1992
Acquired: 11/23/2012, Fiterman Autograph Event
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Webster Slaughter was one of the players on the Browns that I loathed and hated the most when he played against the Oilers back in the 80’s. I also equally respected him for his skills and ability to take the ball to the house when it counted most. Many times when I turned on the TV and saw him line up against the Oilers Man to Man defense in the days of Schottenheimer versus Glanville, I’d see Slaughter take a wobbly pass out of the air from Kosar, and streak up the sidelines leaving either Patrick Allen or Steve Brown in his dust.

The Browns made him their second round choice of the 1986 draft out of San Diego State. The draft was notable with having some consistent receivers in it. Tim McGee and Ernest Givins were taken off the board a few picks before Slaughter’s card was rushed to the podium by the Browns, while Hassan Jones and John Taylor were taken afterwards. Slaughter was taken under the recommendation of HoF Brown WR Paul Warfield, whom was acting as a non-defacto scout for the franchise at the time. With deceptive speed and an amazing frame (6’0″, 175) Slaughter quickly found a bond with quarterback Bernie Kosar. The two formed a great duo to keep teams honest against the run when the ground and pound would come to a halt.

His best season came in 1989 with the Browns. Slaughter had a career high 1236 yards, averaged a franchise high 19 yards per reception, and 6 touchdowns, one of which went for 97 yards against the Bears.  Against the Oilers that year he had a 77 yard and an 80 yard touchdown en route to a 184 yard performance.

Webster became embroiled in a contract dispute with the Browns- something he had done with frequency as early as 1988. Unhappy with second year head coach Bill Belichick’s offensive system, Slaughter held out. Although Plan B was the current status quo, Slaughter felt he was a top dollar receiver and wanted to be paid like it. Unable to negotiate with the Browns, he sued the team and became a landmark plantiff that helped bring about the retooled Free Agency System that went into effect during the 1992 season. With the Oilers hunting for a replacement to departed Drew Hill, they immediately snapped up Webster to go alongside Curtis Duncan, Haywood Jeffires, and Ernest Givins in their Run ‘N Shoot receiving corps. That season as he worked into the lineup, Slaughter spent the majority of his time fielding punts.

He’d earn Pro Bowl honors for his 1993 season, starting in 14 games (904 yards, 77 receptions and 5 touchdowns). Slaughter was content with the Oilers, but with the departure of Warren Moon after the 1993 season and the team rebuilding, Webster knew it was a matter of time before he was done in Houston. While his numbers in 1994 were slightly down, the team opted not to resign him. Instead Webster made a move to KC, turning down richer suitors to play for his former head coach in Cleveland, Marty Schottenheimer. While the reunion would last only one season, Slaughter managed to average 15.4 YPR on 34 catches and 4 touchdowns with quarterback Steve Bono at the helm. He’d sign with the Jets in 1996, but the horrendous team finished at a dismal 1-15.  After a season out of the game, Webster played for the Chargers, closing out his career in 1998. He dabbled with playing again as late as 2001 with the Redskins, but finally embraced retirement fully.

Slaughter is a difficult player to obtain TTM. He’s another guy I sent to, and failed miserably to get an autograph from. It is now common knowledge that Webster refuses to sign TTM because he does not want to confirm his address. I was more than happy to pay to get this elusive member of the Browns and Oilers finally into the collection, but still have quite a few more that I’d like to get autographed at a later date since he has so many great cards. Webster is a fairly popular member of the Cleveland Browns and has been seen at many alumni functions.

G/Gs 162/127   Rec 563     Yds 8111     Avg  14.4     Td   44     Lg 97t
Pr  38     Yds 256     Avg  6.7      Td 0     Lg 20

NFL

Wylie, Devon (1988-2023)

Card: Leaf Rookies 2012
Acquired: 2012, Box Breaker

A multifaceted speedster, Devon Wylie did it all for Fresno State as a receiver and punt returner. A sure handed pass catcher, Wylie played 4 years for the Bulldogs, amassing 98 receptions in 44 games, finishing his career there with 1327 yards and 8 touchdowns. His best season came in 2011, when he proved his worth as a fulltime starter hauling in 56 receptions for 716 yards and a 71 yard touchdown reception. Devon also had a great season as a punt returner with 29 PR for 446 yards and two touchdowns including a 79 yarder. Devon’s efforts in his senior season earned him an invite to the 2012 East West Shrine game and 3rd team All-American honors as a punt returner. 

Invited to the NFL combine, Wylie had aspirations to break the 4.3 in the 40.  Although he didn’t meet his expectations, Wylie did score a superior 4.39 time.  Projected roughly to go in the 7th round, the Chiefs stepped up and picked Wylie in the 4th round of the 2012 draft where he got some playing time in at the tail end of 2012.  Over the last 3 weeks of the season Devon had 6 receptions for 53 yards, 9 kick returns for 191 yards (21.2 avg), and 5 punt returns for 26 yards.

He’d be cut in 2013, and then found a home with the Cardinals PS. Soon thereafter he’d move over to Tennessee, seeing some action on special teams that season. Then it was off to Seattle and finally San Fransisco to close out the year.

Wylie then spent time on the St. Louis Rams practice squad in 2014 and 2015. He’d then hop around between Oakland and Atlanta, before finishing up his career in Toronto playing for the Argonauts of the CFL in 2016-17.

EPITAPH:

11/13/23- Devon’s family announced his passing through social media. No cause of death was given.