Tag Archives: toronto argonauts

Dukes, Cliff

tntafl11 dukesCard: TNT AFL 2011
Acquired: IP 2014,  San Antonio Talons vs. Arizona Rattlers

Cliff Dukes played collegiately for the Spartans of Michigan State starting 35 games and collecting 15.5 sacks over his time there. After hopping around the practice squads of the Rams (2005-2006) and Saints (2006), Cliff joined the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League in 2008 but notched only 1 tackle. He’d head north and play for the Toronto Argos of the CFL in 2009. Returning to Tampa in 2010, Dukes unleashed havoc across the league and was named second team All-Arena after collecting 34.5 tackles and 7 sacks for the Storm. In 2011 Cliff led the league with 12.5 sacks. He’d be traded in 2012 to the Kansas City Command, but the Command would trade him just a few short days later to the Arizona Rattlers in a blockbuster trade. Since he joined the starting lineup of the Rattlers, Dukes has solidified the defensive front of the team and helped them win the past two Arena Bowls.  Dukes was cool enough to sign his card for me and thanked me for the support. An imposing figure, Cliff’s recognizable afro seems almost out of character on his menacing frame.

 

Woodson, Shawn

pset91wlaf woodsonCard: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Work
Sent:  1/29   Received: 2/8  (10 days)

Shawn Woodson played linebacker for tiny James Madison University from 1985 to 1988. He finished his career at the I-AA school with 341 tackles and 15 sacks, and as a senior earned second team All-American Honors. Shawn was tabbed by the Minnesota Vikings in the 12th round of the monstrous 1989 NFL draft. Although he didn’t make the roster, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, and saw action in one game. Released in the preseason again by the Vikings the following year, Woodson was then taken by the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks in the second round of the linebacker portion of the 1991 WLAF draft. He’d room with defensive stalwarts Jon Carter and Patrick McGuirk while with the Skyhawks.

The Skyhawks set a record for futility going 0-10 that season, -translating to the defensive unit getting plenty of time on the field. Woodson was second on the team with 3.5 sacks, 65 tackles, and 3 quarterback hurries. After the season, the Skyhawks were disbursed by the league- perhaps mercifully.

He’s married now with 2 kids and lives in Virginia, where he owns a PostNet location. Google came to the rescue again, as Shawn has a pretty unique name and university combination, helping me knock out another member of the elusive Skyhawks brand.

Tac 65            Sac 3.5         Fum 0         Int 0      Yds 0     Avg -.-       Td 0        Lg -.-

Theismann, Joe

aw91 theismannCard: All World 1991
Acquired: 2013, trade

How things would have been different on the NFL landscape if Joe Theismann had signed his 4th round offer from the Miami Dolphins in 1971 instead of with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He certainly wouldn’t have wound up with the Redskins that he infamously guided back to NFL glory and a Super Bowl Championship. Most fans don’t recall Theismann even playing in the CFL, helping the Argos to a CFL Grey Cup game, and himself to All-Star Honors in ’71 and 73.

The Redskins shrewdly obtained his rights in 1974, and he quickly joined the team. Unable to crack the starting lineup, he quickly lined up as the Redskins’….. punt returner. Theismann took some time to assert himself as the team’s lead quarterback, as Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jorgenson both finished out their careers. George Allen was notorious with sticking with his seasoned vets, but eventually Joe found himself running the show. He’d lead the Redskins to a victory against the Dolphins ironically in Super Bowl XVII and a return appearance the next season against the Raiders. Joe would win the NFL Offensive MVP award after the 1983 season. The Redskins played in the NFC Central with the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, and Cardinals. During Theismann’s tenure in Washington, every team in the division took their turn going to the Super Bowl (with the exception of the Cardinals), which illustrates the dominance of the division in the league during this period. It appeared that the Redskins were on their way back to glory again under head coach Joe Gibbs, but Theismann’s career took a detour.

On a Monday Night Football contest in 1985, Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor blindside sacked Theismann, snapping both his tibia and fibia. (In the annuls of NFL history, it is considered one of the most gruesome hits ever sustained by a player.) Joe’s playing career was over, after 71 consecutive starts, but this didn’t take his focus off of football. Theismann has become a color commentator since then, spending time primarily on ESPN. Love him or hate him, Joe gives it his all whatever he does. He spends an immense amount of his time giving to charity, including the donations he gets from autographs, that he gives to St. Jude. Joe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003 for his playing time at the University of Notre Dame. While playing for the Golden Domers, he set various school records for passing in a season, and threw for an incredible 526 yards in one game in 1970.  He also still holds many of the Redskins passing records- some 25+ years later.

He bought a stake in the UFL Florida Tuskers in 2010, but the team and the league did not use his high profile personality to promote the team or the league. The Tuskers moved later that year to Virginia and became the Destroyers, and the league itself folded in 2012. You can visit his website at www.joetheismann.com .

CFL   Att 679    Comp 382    Yds 6093   Pct           Td  40    Int  47      Rat N/a
NFL 167/124    Att 3602     Comp 2044    Yds  25206    Pct 56.7%    Td 160    Int 138    Lg 84t
Rush 355    Yds  1815       Avg 5.1    Td  17     Lg 37