Tag Archives: score 2009

CFL, NFL

Slaton, Steve (2)

sage08__sslatonCard: Sage 2006, Score 2009 Inscriptions Gold
Acquired: 2016, EBay
See Also: Slaton, Steve

Among the pantheon of Houston Texans runningbacks, I liked Steve Slaton only second to Domanick Davis. The dimunitive Slaton much like Davis also met his end in Houston due in part to injury.  After having his neck fused and then a shoulder injury the following season, Slaton always seemed a bit more hesitant when hitting the hole. He was also limited to 3rd down back and kick return duties, sco09 sslatonafter the emergence of Arian Foster.  The Texans facing tough decisions, released the former RotY 3 games into the 2011 season. Slaton caught on immediately with the Miami Dolphins and finished the season with the team. Steve had tryouts with other teams, and eventually ended up heading North to the CFL in 2014.

Steve signed with the Toronto Argonauts and had a decent season for the Argos logging 94 carries for 510 yards and a TD. In addition Slaton had 46 receptions for 388 yards and 4 TDs. He’d retire after the season.

At last glance in 2016, Steve is training to be a culinary chef in Houston.

NFL   45/26    Rush 442         Yds  1896     Avg  4.3      Td  12       Lg   71t
Rec   100         Yds  8058      Avg  8.1        Td   5         Lg    46      |
Kr  42             Yds  852         Avg   20.3         Td  0       Lg  50

CFL    Rush 94     Yds  510      Avg  5.4      TD  1    |
Rec  46         Yds 388        Avg 8.4         TD 4

NFL

Willis, Patrick

Card: Score 2009
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Work
Sent: 7/11     Received: 7/30   (19 days)

Patrick Willis played collegiality for Mississippi from 2004 to 2006. Over his final two years at the school, he posted a whopping 265 tackles, 21 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 pass deflections.

Considered the complete package entering the 2007 NFL draft, he was drafted 11th overall by the San Fransisco 49ers.  During his career with the ‘9ers, Willis played a combination of middle linebacker and right linebacker through the majority of his starts.  A highly durable linebacker, Patrick earned All Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 5 of his first 7 seasons in the league.  It’s hard to agree on what season serves as Willis’ best year. During his rookie year he had a career high 135 tackles.  Later in 2009, Patrick had 3 interceptions for 33 yards and a TD, and then in 2010 he posted a career high 6 sacks.

After an injury shortened 2014, Patrick elected to retire from the sport after years of wear and tear on his feet.  He went into business where he joined a Silicon Valley startup. I wrote him in 2016 through his company, where he signed this card for me and included a nice metal business card.

G/GS  112/112       TAC  732        SAC  20.5           FUM  5
INT   8         YDS 131         AVG   16.3         TD  2         LG 86T

NFL

Gonzalez, Anthony

sco09 agonzalez dor&s09 agonzalez l

Cards: Score 2009, Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009 Longevity
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent:  12/21    Received:  1/15  (25 days)

Anthony was a 1st round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2007 draft.  With a run on receivers early on, Anthony would be the 6th receiver taken off the board with the 32nd selection.  Gonzalez was thrown right into the starting lineup while injuries were taking their toll on future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.  Anthony saw 51 targets in 9 starts, catching 37 passes for 576 yards and 3 touchdowns in a solid debut.  In 2008 Gonzalez saw action in all 16 games, starting 2 and notching career highs in virtually every category with 57 receptions for 664 yards, 4 TDs, and a 58 yard long.  As the Colts were counting on Anthony for the 2009 season, he went down in the season opener against Jacksonville.  The worst part about it was a non contact play. He’d be lost for the entirety of the season with a  PCL injury in the right knee.

In 2010, Anthony suffered a high right ankle sprain in regular season opener vs. Houston and missed the next 5 games. He returned to action in Week 8 vs. the Texans, snagging four catches for 55 yards before suffering a torn PCL in his left knee on a hit by Texans safety Bernard Pollard, ending Anthony’s season.

As the Colts crumbled into chaos with a possible career ending injury to starting quarterback Peyton Manning in 2011, the team struggled mightily in his absence.  Anthony suffered from a myriad of injuries, suited up for 8 games, but made no catches. He’d sign as a free agent after the season with the New England Patriots, but didn’t make the team.

Gonzalez soon thereafter enrolled in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and officially moved on from the NFL.

G/GS 40/12     REC 99     YDS 1307       AVG 13.2     TD 7    LG 58