Category Archives: CFL

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Taylor, Eugene “Gene”

psetwlaf91 gtaylorult92 gtaylor

Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate 1992, Ultimate WLAF Dragons card, Photo memorabilia
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o work
Sent:  8/1    Received: 8/19  (18 days)

Gene Taylor is a member of the ‘Fresno State connection’. Among the colleges that contributed players to the WLAF, the Bulldogs sent more than any other college to the young World League back in 1991. Head coach Jack Bicknell was looking for a long bomb specialist for the Barcelona Dragons. He’d select Gene near the top of  round 1 in the league’s positional draft. Gene didn’t disappoint, opening up the season with an electrifying 43 yard TD, en route to the team’s 19-7 thrashing of the New York-New Jersey Knights. Taylor saved his best game though for a contest against the Orlando Thunder however, when he caught 5 passes for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns, -including barn burners from 56 and 81 yards.  To put things in perspective: By season’s end, Taylor’s yards alone consisted of 35% of Scott Erney and Tony Rice‘s combined passing yardage totals. Gene finished the 1991 season 2nd in the league in YPR, and 4th in both receiving yards and touchdowns, helping the Dragons make an appearance in World Bowl I.  He’d be awarded with First Team 1991 All World Honors from the league, and was among the first WLAF players to sign a contract, after the season with the NFL.

ult92 dragonsGene was originally a 6th round draft choice of the New England Patriots in 1987, but not make the final roster. Instead he’d be signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he’d stay through the 1988 season, recording 7 receptions for 74 yards in 12 contests. He’d sign with the 49ers in 1989, but head up to the CFL to play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders later that year. Gene returned to the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1990, before being drafted by the Dragons in the WLAF. After his stop in the World League, Gene signed again with the team that originally drafted him, the New England Patriots in 1991. He’d suit up for 1 game that season but not see any significant game time.

mem gtaylorI was really happy to finally find Gene, thanks to a podcast by (a Raider faithful fan) RaiderGreg who did an interview with him about Taylor’s time in the leagues and also the player’s strike. RaiderGreg was more than happy to refer me to him, and after receiving my cards at the fire station where Taylor is a chief at, Gene was accommodating enough to sign the cards and also enclosing the additional piece of signed memorabilia. We chatted through email where amazingly, Taylor revealed that he had never seen his Ultimate WLAF card, probably since it was printed after his departure back to New England in 1991.  That’s 20+ years. I’ll probably buy and send out a few more to Gene to keep since he probably had given out the fair majority to his coworkers. I must admit, he was incredibly patient with me through our correspondence, considering I tend to ramble on about things I am excited to talk about, but it seems that after responses from guys like Gene and other players, 2013 is shaping up to be a great year TTM.

WLAF    Rec 35     Yds 745    Avg 21.3    Td 6   Lg 81t

CFL, NFL, University of Texas

Cavil, Kwame

utud11 cavilutud11 cavil ATA

Cards: UT UD 2011, UT UD 2011 All Time Alumni
Acquired: 2/26/13,  IP  Rudy’s Ribfest 2013
See Also: Kwame Cavil (2), Kwame Cavil (3)

Rudy’s in Round Rock was packed for Ribfest ’13, so I was left searching exactly for what Kwame looked like. Thanks to the power the internet, I Googled his face and realized he was sitting at the table next to me while I was standing in line. I quickly pulled out the cards and asked for his autograph and he said, “Absolutely. Do you have the Upper Deck Longhorn cards?” I handed them to him and he penned them right there on the spot.

Kwame Cavil was a Big 12 star for the University of Texas during the heyday of Ricky Williams and Major Applewhite. At 6’3″, 205, Cavil kept teams honest at wide out, setting UT and Big 12 single season records (at the time) with 100 receptions and 1,188 yards, both numbers he posted in 1999. In 30 games Kwame recorded 174 receptions and 2279 yards for the Longhorns. He and Applewhite formed one of the most productive passing/receiving duos in school history. Cavil could’ve probably set more school records but declared after the 1999 season for the draft. After a poor showing at his pro day and the combine, Cavil went undrafted. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2000 recording 4 catches for 66 yards.

In 2002, Kwame signed with the CFL Montreal Alouettes playing there through 2005, being named a CFL East All-Star in 2004, and a Grey Cup Champion in 2005. Signing with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2005, he was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the 2006 season. The Tiger-cats In turn traded him to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2006. He enjoyed moderate success over his career in the CFL and was embraced by fans for his end zone celebrations. Currently Cavil lives in Central Texas with his family and is an assistant football coach at the High School level.

NFL   G/Gs 16/0   Rec 4    Yds 66    Avg 16.5     Td  0       Lg  39
CFL        Rec   193     Yds  2,328     Avg  12.1   Td 13    Lg 72

 

 

CFL, NFL

Gaylor, Trevor

bow02 gaylorCard: Topps 2005
Acquired: 2012, Target Autograph Memorabilia Edition

Another Miami of Ohio product, from over the turn of the century to go along with notables Ben Rothlisberger and Martin Nance, -Trevor Gaylor experienced moderate success in the CFL after being drafted by the San Diego Chargers with their #3 pick of the 2000 draft. Starting 2 games his rookie season and seeing mostly scrub/ back up time, Trevor made 13 receptions for 182 yards and a 62 yard touchdown.  His 2nd year in the league, he’d improve marginally on his numbers with 14 receptions for 212 yards.  Traded to the Falcons in 2002, Gaylor proved to be a nice budget find by Atlanta, making 25 receptions for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns, while starting only 2 games.  He didn’t get any playing time in 2003, and was a surprising release prior to the 2004 season. The enigma about Gaylor was that he could make the tough reception, but dropped the routine pass. Signed by the Lions after tryouts with them and the Bengals, Trevor lost out on one of the final wide receiver spots in camp late that season and was waived.

The Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL made their pitch to Trevor, and he signed with them in 2005.  His rookie season he had 929 yards receiving and 74 receptions, in 18 contests, winning the 93rd Grey Cup. He wound his way into Coach Danny Maciocia’s doghouse the following season, and his numbers would dwindle down to 24 receptions for 382 yards and 2 touchdowns. In his final season in 2007, Trevor recorded 56 receptions for 644 yards and 4 touchdowns.

NFL  G/Gs 34/7    Rec  52    Yds   784   Avg 15.1   Td 4    Lg 74t
CFL   Rec  152     Yds  1955     Avg  12.9        Td  11     Lg 63