McGinest, Willie

CARDS: Topps Finest 1997 Chrome, Fleer 2005 Ultra, Fleer Focus 2000, Fleer Showcase 2002
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 11/25/20 RECEIVED: 1/2/21 (38 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Willie McGinest played LB at USC from 1990-’93.
  • Posted  193 tackles, 29 sacks and 48 tackles for loss over college career. 
  • Selected in the first round with the 4th overall pick by the New England Patriots in the 1994 NFL Draft.
  • Finished rookie campaign with a respectable 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 43 tackles at LOLB.
  • In 1995 had 88 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and 11 sacks- all career single season highs.
  • Moved to RDE in 1996 and responded with 67 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles and a pick that he returned 46 yards for a TD.
  • From 2000-’04 alternated back and forth from LDE to RDE.
  • Posted 67 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 5.5 sacks, and an interception that he returned for a TD in 2003.
  • Also had 5 sacks and 15 tackles in 3 playoff games that year.
  • In the 2005 Wild Card, broke the NFL Record for most sacks in a playoff game with 4.5 against Jacksonville.
  • Holds the NFL record for most total career sacks in the postseason with 16.
  • Played for Cleveland Browns from 2006-’08.
  • Has spent time as a football analyst for NFL Network and Fox Sports.
  • Also has dabbled in TV appearing in multiple shows.

ACCOLADES:

  • Patriots Hall of Fame 2015
  • Pro Bowl 1996, ’03
  • New England Patriots All-1990’s Team
  • New England Patriots All-2000’s Team
  • New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team

NOTES:

Willie had a big stack of cards. I think Spoodog (AKA Shawn) gave me the unsigned Fleer Showcase card a long time ago. I just held onto it until the time came. I added the others. McGinest’s cards came out at a weird time for me. Almost nothing really appealed to me, so I ended up with these four going out.

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Bethel-Thompson, McLeod

CARD: Upper Deck USFL 2023
ACQUIRED: 2024, Future Considerations
FAILURE: TTM 2023, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • McLeod Bethel-Thompson played one year at QB for UCLA back in 2007.
  • He completed 23 of 55 passes for 293 yards and 1 TD to 5 picks.
  • MB-T hopped up to Sacramento state in 2008, where he played QB through 2010.
  • His time for the Hornets was pockmarked by injuries.
  • Still in 3 years, he managed to throw for 1322 yards and 7 TDs (8 INT) on 113 of 197 passes.
  • Undrafted, he played in 2011 for the San Jose Sabre Cats of the Arena Football League, seeing mop up duty.
  • After a short stint with the 49ers, McLeod signed with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the original UFL in September of 2011.
  • He’d throw for 355 yards completing 32 of 58 passes against the Virginia Destroyers.
  • To close out the year MB-T signed with the Dolphins and was placed on their practice squad.
  • His next stop saw him on the roster of the Minnesota Vikings, where he’d remain through October of 2013.
  • This led to a series of short stops over the next 3 years as a practice squad or off-season member of the 49ers, Patriots, Vikings, Dolphins, 49ers, and Eagles.
  • Ultimately this led MB-T to the CFL where he was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2016.
  • Played in 2017 with The Spring League.
  • Signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in mid 2017.
  • After battling his way up the roster from the literal bottom, he became the starting QB in Week 8 of 2018.
  • Led the CFL in passing rating (105.4) and TDs (26) in 2019.
  • Played in The Spring League in 2020 for the Aviators after opting out of his contract due to the COVID pandemic.
  • Returned to the Argonauts in 2021 where he again was involved in a QB battle.
  • In 2022, led the Argos to a Grey Cup win in the 109th game.
  • Ultimately his best season as a pro, racking up 4731 yards on 387 of 579 throws with 23 TDs.
  • The Argonauts decided to go in a different direction at QB, so he signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL.
  • Finished as the league’s leading passer with 2,433 yards in 2023.
  • Returned to the CFL in 2024 to play for the Edmonton Elks.

ACCOLADES:

  • UFL (Original) Offensive Player of the Week Honors
  • CFL East All-Star 2021, ’22

NOTES:

Joe had passed me along an address for MB-T so I popped a card out to him. I was a bit dismayed not to get anything back. Well after a successful UFL season, and getting lucky on a few autographs that I sent to Joe, he returned the favor by sending me back McLeod and a few others that he’d gotten doubles of. It was quite the shot in the arm!

Brady, Latarius

CARD: Topps AAF 2019 Hack
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 8/17/20 RECEIVED: 8/29/20 (11 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • A home grown product, Latarius Brady played college ball at the University of Memphis from 2013-’16.
  • After joining the school as an OL, he played TE as a Freshman.
  • He then moved to DE where he played the following two seasons.
  • Latarius played in 38 consecutive games before he suffered a torn ACL in Spring drills his Senior season.
  • He’d recover in time to see action at both DT and DE in 8 contests.
  • Over his time in Memphis, Latarius put together 64 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles.
  • Undrafted and keeping the dream alive, Latarius went to work teaching physical education and coaching DL at a local high school.
  • In 2019, he attended an open tryout, and signed with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football.
  • He posted 8 total tackles, and a sack in 4 starts.
  • After the league terminated operations he saw time in the XFL 20 with the Los Angeles Wildcats.
  • His best game came against the NY Guardians, when he posted 3 total tackles, and .5 sacks in a 17-14 loss.
  • As of 2025, he’s diligently working his way up the college coaching ranks.

NOTES:

I contacted Latarius through Twitter and he gleefully responded and signed this card in exchange for a few extras. I was still refining my style at this point on the card and quality, so I may revisit him at a future date with a nicer looking version of this card.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.