Card: Ultimate WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, Houston Oilers Training Camp
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Reggie Slack out of Auburn was flat out raw talent who just won games. Drafted in the 12th round by the Houston Oilers in 1990, I had a really good feeling about this him and when he was able to play during the preseason- I was just glued to the TV. Reggie won the 3rd string quarterback position backing up Cody Carlson and Warren Moon. He did not take a snap during the regular season, but in the 1991 off season Reggie was made available to the WLAF for the 1992 season.
The Run N Shoot counterpart to the Oilers- the New York/ New Jersey Knights picked up Slack to play quarterback for the team. He’d play great for the Knights both as a passer and as a runner, finishing second in the WLAF with a 98.2 quarterback rating. As a rusher he led all quarterbacks with 269 yards and 5 touchdowns. (His 7.7 yard average is unofficially the highest yards per carry for any player in the league, but his 35 carries did not qualify him for the achievement.) Unfortunately the World League folded after the 1992 season. Slack returned to Houston, but lost out to local fan favorite Bucky Richardson for 3rd string.
Reggie left the United States and headed to Canada where he signed with the Toronto Argonauts. He played respectably for the Argos while he polished his CFL game, before being traded to Hamilton in 1994. In 1995, Slack signed with the Birmingham Barracudas, but after 3 games he quickly returned to the Blue Bombers and became a fan favorite. As Winnipeg fell apart in 1996, Reggie saw even more playing time under center, but was not in the future of the franchise.
Undeterred Slack then signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and lead the team to an improbable Grey Cup appearance igniting the team in the playoffs for two upset victories. He’d continue playing for the Roughriders over the next two seasons but injures would take their toll and by 2000, he’d be out of football. Reggie returned in 2002, playing for Toronto that season and in 2003 for the Tiger-Cats before retiring after 2003.
Slack was a guy that I thought was the quarterback of the future for the Oilers when they drafted him. An electric player to watch who was fearsome on the option, I am glad Reggie found success in the CFL.
I was super excited to get Reggie’s autograph on his Ultimate WLAF card at training camp that year in 1992. It was the only day I was there. When I called him out he, came trotting over in that red practice jersey, smiled and signed. I had always wanted to get Reggie’s autograph on his Wild Card WLAF issue that I got later, and even created one of him in his Knights and Oilers uniform as well. I sent out for his autograph back in 2011, but that turned out to be a dead end. I hope to give him another shot at a later date as he is one of my favorites.
WLAF
G/Gs N/a Att 215 Comp 140 Yds 1898 Pct 65.1% Td 12 Int 7 Rat 98.2
Rush 35 Yds 269 Avg 7.7 Td 5 Lg 29
CFL
G/Gs N/a Att 2188 Comp 1241 Yds 16173 Pct 56.7 Td 84 Int 75 |
Rush 383 Yds 2578 Avg 6.7 Lg 48 Td 27
Reggie Slack throwing to Alexander Wright: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFedz7vsbVw