Category Archives: MLFB

College Football HoF, MLFB, NFL, NFLE, ufl, WLAF

Chandler, Wes

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: EBay, 2021

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Wes Chandler WR at Florida from 1974 to 1977 posting 93 receptions for 1994 yards and 22 TDs.

  • Also moonlighted rushing the ball 61 times for 353 yards and 6 TDs in his Senior campaign, finishing 10th in Heisman voting.

  • Selected 3rd overall in the first round of the 78 draft by the New Orleans Saints.

  • Had 1069 yards on 65 receptions, including a career long 85 yard long the following year.

  • Traded during the 1981 season to San Diego.

  • Chandler finished out the year with 1142 yards on 69 receptions.

  • In 1982 led NFL during strike shortened season with 1032 yards and 9 TDs in just 8 games.

  • Had career high 1199 yards and 10 TDs  in 1985.

  • After the 1987 season, joined the 49ers for final year in 88 playing in 4 games.

  • Has seen extensive time coaching in a variety of leagues including the Orlando Thunder, UCF, Rhein Fire, Frankfurt Galaxy, Berlin Thunder, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, New York Sentinels, and the California Golden Bears.

  • Briefly served as the commissioner of the MLFB before it reorganized in 2017.

CAREER ACCOLADES:

  • Earned Pro Bowl Honors in 79, 82, 83, and 85

  • First Team All Pro 1982

  • San Diego Chargers 40th All-Time Team

  • San Diego Chargers 50th All-Time Team

  • San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame

  • University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame

  • College Football Hall of Fame

NOTES:

Chandler has been overlooked by the Pro Football Hall of Fame numerous times, primarily due to the fact that he played during the dead ball era.

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Arena, MLFB, NFL

Jean, Lestar ‘Star’

Cards: Sage 2011 Houston Rookies Dual Auto, Sage 2011
Acquired: 2017, EBay

Lestar Jean had an upwards ticking career while at Florida Atlantic. The wide receiver increased his production in every year while playing at the college. In 2010, his Senior season, Jean had 64 receptions for 988 yards and 8 touchdowns. He finished his 4 years at FAU with 146 receptions for 1992 yards and 15 TDs.  Considered still pretty raw, scouts loved his build, size, and his explosiveness. They felt he was a sneaky developmental prospect for the pro level. After not being drafted, he’d sign with the Houston Texans as a free agent.

He’d lose his entire rookie season to a shoulder injury, but after a strong preseason in 2012, he entered the season as the 4th wide receiver on the roster after an impressive preseason. During a 31-25 win over Denver, he’d make a 46 yard grab- displaying his big play potential. Although he tore his Meniscus on the catch he returned later in the season, rocking a 54 yard bomb for his first professional TD in a 24-10 shellacking of division rival Tennessee.  In the meantime he’d bide his time on special teams.

Things came apart for the Houston Texans in 2013. They’d go from rags to riches, both in record and quarterback play, as Matt Schaub and a bevvy of other quarterbacks struggled in his place.  Did Jean just not get the ball? Did coaches have enough of him hearing footsteps and dropping passes? Regardless, the Texans opted not to tender him after the season after only recording 4 receptions for 35 yards on the season.

Lestar would go on the free agent tour, trying out for the Dolphins and Panthers, eventually signing with the Vikings.  He’d be placed on IR and released with an injury settlement in 2014 before even taking the field for Minnesota.  Lestar rehabbed from injury and was part of the NFL’s first NFL Veteran Combine. Teams kicked the tires on Jean but did not sign him. He’d throw his hat in with the new MLFB (selected by Team Florida), but when a major investor backed out, the well intentioned league was left adrift.  He was later assigned to the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League in 2016 but did not take the field for the squad.

I remember when I played football, my coach came up to me on a few occasions after practice. He’d say to me, “I can’t tell what’s up with you. Some days you look like prime rib out there. Other days you look like a butt steak…” I feel like I found my pro equivalent in Lestar Jean.

CFL, MLFB, NFL, University of Texas

Davis, Mike (WR)

sage14 mdavis to14 mdavissage14 mdavis NL

Cards: Sage 2014, Sage 2014 Next Level, Topps 2014
Acquired: In Person, 1/8/16 Bud Light/ BAM Sports Tour

Mike Davis played at UT where he piled up the numbers despite issues at quarterback for the Longhorns in the twilight years of the Brown era.  He finished with 200 catches, 2,753 yards and 18 TDs to rank fourth, fifth and fourth on the career charts for the Longhorns. He is one of 5 receivers (Jordan Shipley, Roy Williams, Jaxon Shipley, and Quan Cosby) in school history to record 200 or more catches and his 10 100-yard receiving games rank second in school history. Mike Davis did well enough to earn an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

Projected to go in the 7th round of the NFL Draft, I had hoped that the Texans would select him in the 2014 draft, however he would not be selected. Davis signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders after the draft but he’d be released in August.  Mike signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2015, and later had a tryout with the Panthers and Chiefs.  In 2016 he was selected by ‘Team Texas’ of the fledgling MLFB.

I was able to get his autograph on these three cards, thanks in part again to my friend Shawn.  He gave me the Topps and one of the Sage cards to get signed. The bronze colored sharpie is quickly becoming my favorite as it rescues a fairly pedestrian looking autograph. Mike was nice to all the fans who attended the event in the cramped corner of the convenience store.  After a rough start with BAM a few years ago, I’ve been impressed with the handling of events by the promoter and his staff.