Tag Archives: Las Vegas Outlaws

Solomon, Clinton

Card: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 2/22    Received: 4/19    (56 days)

Clinton played for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2002, 2004, and 2005. He piled up 1864 yards on 118 receptions and 14 TDs over his 3 years there. His best season came as a Junior when he logged 58 receptions for 905 yards and 6 TDs- earning him 2nd Team All-Big Ten Honors.

Going undrafted, Solomon signed with the St Louis Rams in 2006. Afterwards he was on the rosters of the Titans and Bears in 2007. He signed with the Arena Chicago Rush in 2008, and finally found his home with the Wichita Wild of the IFL in 2009, where he was named 1st team All-IFL after posting 22 TDs and 1,008 yards receiving.  He again earned All-IFL selections in 2010 and 2011. Clinton spent then next two seasons with the Sioux Falls Storm, and briefly played for the Kansas City Renegades.

In 2014 Clinton joined the Texas Revolution.  Soon thereafter he’d be signed by the snake bitten San Antonio Riders of the AFL. After the season the Talons were contracted, but he was assigned to the Las Vegas Outlaws. After the Outlaws were also contracted, Solomon returned to the Texas Revolution in 2016 reuniting with former Talon Brett Reece.  Clinton finished the season as the team leader with 63 receptions for 793 yards and 25 TDs.

A few years ago I had started tracking down members of the Talons who I had made cards of. I attempted to friend Clinton on Facebook, but he did not respond to me for over a year. I reached out to him when he did and he agreed to do a signing for me. Apparently he was more excited than I intially thought, because after he signed the card, he also inscribed the back of the envelope thanking me for the trading cards.

Beavers, Larry Jr.

tntafl14 beaversCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 8/16    Received: 9/13     (27 days)

Larry Beavers is an outstanding talent in the Arena Football League. He attended a small Division III school, Wesley College in Delaware. There Beavers set the NCAA record for career kick return touchdows with a whopping 10.  He also demonstrated a knack for the ball, finishing second in school history with 2,366 yards.

He went undrafted in 2009 but was signed by the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately Beavers was among the final cuts that preseason by the squad. The following year Larry was signed by the New Orleans Saints, but again was cut in the offseason. In 2011, he signed with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League, but quickly decided to take his talents to the CFL, landing on the roster of the Edmonton Eskimos.  Beavers returned to the Arena leagues the following year and was an offseason addition to the Pittsburgh Power.

It was in 2013 that Larry joined the New Orleans Voodoo, and that’s where he’s made an impressive impact. He’d earn second team All-Arena Team Honors in 2014 as a kick returner cracking the 1,000 yard barrier both as a receiver and as a kick returner. Larry was assigned to the expansion Las Vegas Outlaws for 2015, but ended up rubberbanding back to the Voodoo before the season was out, scoring 2 more TDs on kick returns.  The Voodoo (and the Outlaws) were taken over by the league before the conclusion of the season.

I had gotten a few customs I had made autographed by players in the league over Twitter. Impressed with Beaver’s play in the finale against San Antonio I created this custom of him and asked him if he’d like one, to which he gleefully signed this one for me in about 2 weeks.

Weivoda, Mark

tntafl14 weivodaCard: Top Notch Talons 2014
Acquired: 2014 IP, San Antonio Talons vs. New Orleans Voodoo

Mark Weivoda played collegiately at Idaho State, where he tied an NCAA record blocking 6 kicks in 2001, and 2nd in history with 8 overall. He joined the Memphis Xplorers (AF2) in 2006, and later in 2007 the Boise Burn. Mark moved to the AFL in 2010, starting for the Chicago Rush, and recorded 22.5 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. He signed with the Talons in 2012, where he’s anchored the line ever since recording 5 tackles, 5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.

I tracked down the heavily tatooed Weivoda after the game, and he couldn’t have been nicer. When I gave him his card he said, “Wow! A card of me? I’ve got a whole box of trading cards sitting at my place. I loved these things as a kid!” Mark gleefully signed his card and thanked me for my time.

Weivoda finished his 2014 season with 7 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries. None of his plays was more important than the fumble recovery that he made in the Talons season finale  against the Voodoo.  New Orleans was going to kneel the ball to set up the FG on the next down, but Weivoda slipped in and recovered the fumble at the 2 yard line.  Initially he rumbled and stumbled all the way back for a TD, but it was called back. Still, his play allowed the Talons to force overtime, and from there they beat the Voodoo 38-35. It was one of the most exciting games that I have ever witnessed.

With the suspension of the San Antonio Talons franchise in 2014, the much traveled Weivoda was assigned to the Las Vegas Outlaws expansion franchise for the 2015 season.