Tag Archives: ottawa redblacks

Crandell, Marcus

Topps XFL 2001, #77

CARDS: Bowman 2000, Topps 2000, Leaf Rookies & Stars 2000, Topps XFL 2001, Playoff Contenders European Ticket Certified 2000
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home. Future Considerations, 2021
SENT: 10/20 RECEIVED: 11/8 (19 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Marcus Crandall played quarterback for East Carolina University and finished as the school’s all-time leading passer, setting over 30 records for the Pirates.
  • In 1997, he joined the CFL playing for the Edmonton Eskimos.
  • He’d see extensive playing time in 1999, completing 59 of 112 passes for 767 yards and 5 TDs.
  • Later in 2000, Crandall played a year with the Scottish Claymores throwing for 754 yards and 4 TDs.
  • A member of XFL 2001, he’d play for the Memphis Maniax.
  • It’d be in 2002, Marcus returned to the CFL, signing with the Calgary Stampeders.
  • He’d have his best season as a pro, throwing for 4072 yards, and 26 TDs that year.
  • Crandell also ground up yardage rushing for 503 yards and 2 TDs on 80 carries.
  • Marcus played with the franchise through 2004, before heading out to Saskatchewan.
  • After seeing extensive playing time in 2005, he’d serve as a backup through 2008, retiring after the season.
  • He went into coaching working with the CFL for Saskatchewan, Edmonton, and Ottawa.
  • Then later he worked in the college football ranks, most recently at Livingstone College.

ACCOLADES:

  • ECU HoF 2022

NOTES:

Alright, He signed it all in red, but that’s okay- I’ll take it! I was pretty pumped to get Marcus all in one shot on his four cards. Marcus is currently working in healthcare and specializes in helping people get low cost insurance.

ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRATLG
1216575453.754N/a37
NFLE
ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRATLG
693347347.812N/a53
XFL
ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTRATLG
233912971722755.58688N/a80t
CFL

Maponga, Stansly

CARDS: Topps XFL 2020 Certified, Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Orlando Guardians

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Defensive Lineman Stansly Maponga played college ball at TCU from 2010-12.
  • In 2011 he posted 55 total tackles, 13.5 TFL, 9 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles.
  • He was a 5th round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.
  • After not making the final cuts, he was resigned to the practice squad by the Falcons.
  • The Giants signed him later in 2017 to their regular season roster, and then retained him on their practice squad after the year.
  • Maponga then spent the next year or two of and on the practice squad and in the futures contract game with the Cowboys (2017), and Broncos (2017-18).
  • In late 2019, he’d be the first defender selected by the Seattle Dragons of the XFL for 2020.
  • On the 5 game season, he’d post 15 tackles.
  • After a brief flirtation with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL (2021), he’d be selected by the Orlando Guardians of the XFL 2023.
  • On the season Stansly posted 22 total tackles, and 2.5 sacks starting 9 games for the Guardians.

NOTES:

Stansly was another player within earshot as he left the field to go back to the locker room after warm-ups. He got past me, but when I called out his name, he was probably impressed that I knew how to pronounce it properly in the first place- turned around and came back to me. He graciously signed this card for me. I was really impressed by the broadness of his shoulders. He had gigantic shoulder pads for his size. We also joked about the fact he played for the Dragons, sans ‘Sea’.

Hunt, Akeem

Cards: Topps AAF 2019 Certified
Acquired: EBay, 2019

A quick and shifty runningback, Akeem Hunt played college ball for the Boilermakers of Purdue from 2011 to 2014. In both his Freshman and Sophomore years Akeem averaged over a gaudy 8 yards per carry, while being utilized on kick returns. His playing time grew over his Junior and Senior campaigns, and in 2014 he finished with 1242 yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs.

A free agent signee of the Houston Texans after not latching on with either the Giants or Ravens, I was very impressed by Akeem. He started one contest his rookie year in 2015 and ran for 96 yards on 17 carries over the course of the season. He spent 2016 there as well before being signed by the Chiefs in 2017. The Chiefs used Akeem primarily as a kick returner. He had 611 yards on 25 kicks but did score his first professional rushing touchdown.

After being released with an injury settlement by the Chiefs, Akeem was in training camp with the Titans but didn’t make the squad. He then joined the Alliance of American Football for 2019. I felt the signing was a quality one- being familiar with his work on the Texans. he immediately became my favorite Orlando Apollo, and I pined for his autograph on his cards.

Hunt bolted out of the gate for the Apollos and led the league in rushing after the first week with 73 yards on 10 carries.

Being a part of a team that loves to win as you can see and just being a part of a team that has a great coaching staff that loves to put points on the board and just to drive up the enthusiasm of all our players and the motivation that goes in that people don’t see or the fans don’t see through our practice or whatnot—all the people coming together just to build this league, it speaks volumes for everybody that’s on the playing field that has so much passion for the game.

-Akeem Hunt on his early success in the AAF

On the season, Akeem finished with 37 carries for 185 yards and a TD., to go along with 5 catches for 49 yards in 7 games (2 starts).

During the hotly contested San Antonio Commanders versus the Orlando Apollos matchup, fans around me erroneously identified Akeem Hunt as Kareem Hunt- (the former Chiefs player who was suspended from the NFL for beating his girlfriend). Thankfully before anything could happen, I updated the fans on the difference between the two.

In early December of 2019, Akeem signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL- but the league suspended operations early in 2020 due to COVID issues.