Tag Archives: memphis mad dogs

CFL, NFL, usfl

Anderson, Gary (RB)

Cards: Skybox 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 8/29   Received: 9/14  (16  days)
Failure: 2014, C/o Home

Arkansas runningback Gary Anderson has had quite a long career in many leagues. He played from 1979 to 1982 for the Razorbacks, compiling 1,999 yards rushing on 392 carries, scoring 10 TDs, and displaying soft hands catching 94 passes for 1,075 yards and 8 TDs. Selected in 1983 by the San Diego Chargers- Gary opted to play for the upstart USFL instead.

After the New Jersey Generals traded Anderson’s rights to the Tampa Bay Bandits, he became the go to back in Steve Spurrier’s Banditball offense. He’d finish 4th in the league with 2,731 yards and 39 touchdowns during his time in the league before it folded up shop.

By the time Anderson got around to the Chargers, San Diego wasn’t really sure what to do with him, when they had a West Coast attack powered by future HoF QB Dan Fouts. Gary in the meantime handled kick return duties and posted sub-400 yard rushing seasons. Gary also caught a lot of passes, earning his only Pro Bowl berth in 1986 as a jack of all trades when he had 80 catches for 871 yards and 8 TDs along with 442 yards rushing, 482 yards kick returning, and 227 yards punt returning. He later posted a career high 1,119 yards on 225 carries in 1988. After an acrimonious holdout that wiped out his 1989 season, Gary was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He had a pretty decent 1990 season in which he posted 1110 total yards from scrimmage, and although the rest of his career in the NFL was largely injury riddled, Gary was enshrined into Tecmo Super Bowl lore- as an extremely underrated back. He’d split time with the Bucs and Lions in his final year in the NFL (1993).

After a year off Gary returned to football to play for the CFL USA initiative and the Memphis MadDogs in 1995. He’d be released in camp the following year by the Roughriders.

In 2006, Gary was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Of note, if you calculate all of Gary’s time between the three leagues, he has over 14,500 yards from scrimmage.

I had tried to get his autograph a few years ago. He checked many of the odd boxes that I liked: 80s runningback, Action Packed Rookies card, and a player on Tecmo Super Bowl. I missed out on him because in his hometown there is a Court and a Cove that have the same street name but are in totally different places. Thankfully after a second attempt I was able to knock the former elusive back out.  This Action Packed card, like many in the set, was quite common, but it is a good action shot and the emboss shows up well on it. The SkyBox 1992 was another one of my favorite sets of that era. With the large name at the top and crystal clear photography, it really set itself apart from the competition.

USFL  54      RUSH 641    YDS 2731    AVG 4.3     TD 39     LG N/A
REC 167    YDS  1707    AVG 10.2    TD  6

NFL   111/61      RUSH 869      YDS 3409       AVG 3.9     TD 16    LG 64T
REC 302    YDS 2999     AVG 9.9     TD 15    LG 74T
KR  143      YDS 2779    AVG 19.4   TD 1       LG 98T
PR  48         YDS  385      AVG 8.0          TD 0      LG 30

CFL 14        RUSH 66     YDS  250     AVG 3.8     TD 3
REC  28      YDS 273      AVG 9.8        TD 0

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Wilson, Walter ‘Bug’ (2)

ultwlaf92 wwilsonCard: Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 8/22   Received: 8/31  (9 days)
See Also: Walter Wilson ‘Bug’

Walter Wilson at the time set an ECU record of 91 receptions for 1,670 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led the team in receiving for 3 consecutive years, and was very durable- only missing one game in 4 seasons.

The Ohio Glory selected Wilson in the 4th round of the 1992 WLAF draft. He went on to lead the league in receptions and ranked 3rd in receiving yards, as the Glory frequently played from behind.  I had  Walter sign two previous cards after the infamous ‘Hail Storm Game’ that the Riders and Glory played back in 1992, however at that time, I did not have a card of him in his Ohio threads.

I have been looking for Wilson aggressively since- 2010 when I started this, and was genuinely surprised to receive this back in 9 days flat.

WLAF       Rec 65       Yds  776       Avg 11.9       Td 2       Lg 52

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Wilson, Walter

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score Supplemental 1990
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Ohio Glory
See Also: Walter Wilson (2)

The San Diego Chargers selected Walter Wilson with their 3rd round choice of the 1990 draft. Limited to 14 games that year as a back up he posted 10 catches for 87 yards. In 1992 The Ohio Glory selected Walter in their supplemental draft and he did not disappoint. Walter would lead the league in receptions and be ranked 3rd in yards.

By 1994, Walter would go on to play for the CFL and established himself as one of the better receivers playing for the Baltimore Colts, earning the nickname “franchise” by teammates by his prediction that he’d be the ‘franchise player on the team within 3 years’. He helped lead the team to the Grey Cup that year with his outstanding play (50 receptions for 900 yards and 4TD), but in early 1995 he injured his shoulder in the final preseason game and was released by the Colts.

He would be claimed by the Memphis Mad Dogs and filed a grievance with the CFL players union claiming that one of the teams violated the league’s collective bargaining agreement. He’d play for the Mad Dogs for an additional season before the league would fold its North American Expansion plans.

Games 10   Rec 65     Yds 776      Avg  11.9     Lg 52   Td 2