Tag Archives: Tennessee Titans

Arena, IFL, NFL

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.

NFL, Pro Football HoF

LeBeau, Dick

Cards: TNT Signature Select, Topps 1971
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o The Tennessee Titans
Sent: 1/19/17  Received: 1/27/17   (8 days)

To say that Dick LeBeau has a decorated football history would be an understatement. After playing both halfback and defensive back in college, LeBeau was moved to cornerback fulltime when he entered the NFL. Selected by the Cleveland Browns in 1959, LeBeau did not make the squad and was quickly snatched up by the Detroit Lions. The rest is history. The Lions already had an outstanding secondary. LeBeau was icing on the cake. He arguably became one of the best players in Detroit history (at least defensively) recording 62 interceptions for 762 yards and 3 TDs.  He earned 3 ProBowl trips from 1964-1966 and AP in 1964, 1965, and 1970.

Retiring from play after the 72 season, LeBeau immediately jumped into coaching, working as a special teams coach for the Eagles from 1973-1975.  From there he honed his skills as a positional coach with the defensive backs for the Packers (1976-1979) and Bengals (1980-1983). Dick was promoted to defensive coordinator for Cincinnati in 1984- a position he held until 1991.  In 1992 he joined the Steelers as a defensive backs coach, and in 1995 was elevated to defensive coordinator.  LeBeau returned to the Bengals in 1997 and was head coach for the franchise from 2000-2002.  After a brief stay on the Bills in 2003 LeBeau returned to the Steelers as their defensive coordinator from 2004-2014, and then off to the Tennessee Titans as their coordinator where he coaches to this day (2017).  LeBeau was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Pride of the Lions in 2010.

Dick LeBeau is one of the most reliable high profile TTM signers in the hobby today. I think I had taken it for granted for a long time, but I finally decided to take a shot at him in 2017. Part of the reason for my delay was the lack of decent cards of him. Frankly most of the cards that were on the market were quite bad looking, or were just plain expensive. LeBeau’s turnaround was quite quick signing this old beat up Topps card and my custom in about a week flat.

G/GS  N/a    Tac N/a         Sac N/a          Fum N/a
Int   62       Yds   762          Avg  12.2      TD  3     Lg   70t

NFL

White, LenDale ‘Smash’

Card: SPX2 2006 (265/350)
Acquired: 2016, EBay

LenDale White was part of a devastating backfield trifecta for the Tennessee Titans that included both Chris Johnson and Vince Young.  While Johnson’s skill set was of the fleet footed, and Young was always a threat to take off backyard football style after not finding a receiver, White was a pure downhill power runner.  He recorded his first 100 yard performance in 2007 against who else -but the Houston Texans. White and Johnson became known briefly as ‘Smash and Dash’.

The NFL can be a cruel place. LenDale was much maligned by the media and scouts after he declared from USC. While the weigh in and subsequent body inspections have been likened to a meat market, White did not look at his best and was essentially body shamed for it.  He had a putrid rookie season after being selected in the second round of the 2006 draft by the Titans, but turned it around with a solid 2007 campaign rushing for over 1,100 yards on 303 carries, bringing back fond memories of Eddie George with his downhill running style helping Tennessee reach the playoffs.  It’d be in 2008 that White was joined by Chris Johnson, and while White’s numbers were down, his change of pace and style allowed the Titans to frustrate opposing offenses all year long.  Briefly, the Titans success, coupled with Vince Young, eclipsed the Texans broadcasts shown locally in the Austin area, much to my chagrin. It was a dark time in Texans history.

In 2009 White got into serious shape, which may have led to his downfall. LenDale’s play style was much more akin to being a powerback. He’d just bowl over defenders to counter for his lack of elite speed. Without that, he was lost in the shuffle behind Johnson by the end of the season.  After resigning with the team in 2010, he was traded to the Seahawks, reuniting him with his college head coach Pete Carroll.  He’d be released shortly thereafter for violating a drug test, and then sign with the Denver Broncos. During a preseason game, LenDale blew out an Achillies and never recovered. He’d be released in 2011.

White is perhaps best known as being a member of USC’s back to back national championships in 2004 and 2005 alongside Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart. The team failed to score the trifecta when they were defeated in the 2006 Rose Bowl by the Texas Longhorns. LenDale can be seen in the ESPN 30 for 30 presentation Trojan War where he is interviewed about his impressions of the 2006 Rose Bowl and the USC Trojans teams of lore.  He also is an active USC Alum and can be frequently seen on the sideline during games.

LenDale is another player that you have to wonder about. He failed the NFL Combine drug test in 2006, and then again in 2010- which he was suspended for, apparently all over marijuana.

G/Gs 58/18      R 628      YDS 2349      AVG 3.7      TD 24      LG 80T
REC  42      YDS 204      AVG 4.9       TD 0      LG 15