Category Archives: NFL

NFL, WLAF

Clack, Darryl “Darryl Clackers”

to88 clackCards: Ultimate WLAF 1992, Wild Card WLAF 1992, Topps 1988.
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Texas Autograph Club Promotion*
Sent: 7/1      Received: 9/28  (89 days)
Failure:  TTM 2010, C/o Home

Darryl Clack had an outstanding career for the Arizona Sun Devils. His freshman season he ran for 606 yards on 111 carries and followed it up with 932 yards and 9 touchdowns his sophomore year. Running for 1052 yards his junior year, it looked like everything was on the up and up for Darryl Clackers, but with a broken leg, he’d be sidelined for nearly his entire senior season.

The Dallas Cowboys were looking for an heir apparent to aging runningback Tony Dorsett in 1986. The Cowboys used their second round pick to select the electrifying Clack (who was still rehabbing from that broken leg that he sustained during his senior season). Still things looked great for Clack, until fate intervened -and the USFL imploded. You see the Dallas Cowboys had shrewdly invested a 6th round pick in runningback virtuoso Herschel Walker, hoping that wcwlaf92 clackhe’d become available, so instead of becoming the Cowboys back of the future, Darryl became the kick returner of today with the arrival of Walker in camp. Clack was seldom used during his rookie season. He’d lodge 19 kick returns for 421 yards including a 51 yard long.

In 1987, with Dorsett and Walker firmly entrenched now as starters, Clack didn’t see anytime at runningback but in 1988 with Dorsett signing with Denver, Clack made 17 receptions for 126 yards and his first professional touchdown. Darryl also had 690 yards on kick returns for the Cowboys, marking a career high 870 yards from scrimmage. After the season with Jerry Jones in place as the new owner, longtime coach Tom Landry would be fired after a  3-13 season, and with Jimmy Johnson in as head coach, the Cowboys traded Herschel Walker to the Vikings. While playing only half the season for the team in 1989, Clack did not see any significant playing time, and was cut. Darryl signed with the Browns in 1990, however he did not make the squad.

Out of football for a whole season, Darryl was given a second ult92 thunderchance to play by the WLAF’s Orlando Thunder in 1992, who were retooling after a mediocre 5-5 season under new head coach Galen Hall. Clack put up great numbers for the Thunder and finished as the league’s 3rd leading rusher, helping the team make an appearance in World Bowl II. He’d earn All World League honors for his efforts. As the league reorganized after the season, Darryl officially hung up his cleats and retired.

He’s spent time in the banking industry for a while there at Compass in Arizona. I had tried in vain to get him but had gotten no response. Recently the Texas Autograph Club hosted a signing through the site and I jumped at the chance to get him on 3 cards. I had hoped that Clack would answer my questions for me about his playing time in the WLAF, but all I got back were the autographs.

NFL     G/Gs  51/1     Rush 29    Yds 113     Avg  3.9      Td 2      Lg  17
Rec  22  Yds 213  Avg 9.7   Td 1   Lg 44
Kr 83    Yds 1802   Avg 21.7    Td 0   Lg 51

WLAF  Rush117     Yds 517    Avg 4.4   Td 6    Lg 23t
Rec 27   Yds 250    Avg      Td 0   Lg 22

NFL

McCaffrey, Ed

pset91 mccaffreyap91 mccaffrey

Cards: Action Packed 1991, Pro Set 1990
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Pro Link Sports
Sent: 1/7   Received: 4/16   (99 days)

Underutilized by the Giants in their ground and pound based offense, nobody really paid much attention when he signed with the San Fransisco 49ers as a free agent in 1994. Why, Ed McCaffrey only had totaled 92 receptions for 1091 yards and 7 touchdowns in 3 seasons after being a 3rd round pick of NY. It’d be in those early years with the Giants, who were struggling with the departure of their coach Bill Parcells, and a Super Bowl hangover, that I’d see McCaffrey go out one Thanksgiving contest and give his all in a game, while his team lost 30-3 to the Cowboys.  Ed didn’t really impress with the 49ers that next season either, however he won his first Super Bowl title. After that one unimpressive season, the jig was up in San Fransisco-land and Ed was back on the street by 1995.

With the Three Amigos at the end of their career, new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak was looking to stir things up. The Broncos were transitioning at the time and McCaffrey (and fellow receiver Rod Smith,) seemed to fit the bill. McCaffrey proved to be a nice find for the Broncos as every season through 2000, he increased his receiving production with his sure hands and deceptive speed.  This culminated in career highs that year (2000) with 101 receptions for 1317 yards and 9 touchdowns. While injuries finished his NFL career prematurely in 2003, Ed won 2 Super Bowl rings with the Broncos and was named to the Pro Bowl for his 1998 performance. As one of John Elway‘s favorite targets, McCaffrey finished his career in Denver with 462 receptions for 6200 yards and 46 touchdowns.

In 2009, Ed was named to the Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team and in 2012, became a color analyst for the Broncos Radio Network.

G/Gs 185/109     Rec 565    Yds 7422   Avg 13.1    Td 55     Lg 78

NFL

Texans Ambassadors

mem ambassadorsAcquired: IP 9/1/2013,  Houston Texans Kemah Boardwalk Kickoff

Initially I had not intended to attend the Houston Texans 2013 Kickoff at Kemah. A 200+ mile drive to stand in the sweltering heat for a few hours to get the autographs of players to be named was a risk I didn’t really feel like taking, but after being prodded by a fellow collector to go, I barreled right into the event and didn’t look back. I made sure that I had all the cards I could get of the ambassadors, minus the few that didn’t have any.

The wait was abysmal as expected. The most exciting part of it was the middle aged, bleached blond, tacky glittered shoes, big haired woman, her brood, and henpecked husband that decided with an hour to go, that they were justified to skip everybody in line and move to the front. When their initial plan was foiled, she went to the manager in charge and started complaining. After losing the argument, she smugly told her family that they were just going to cut everybody else in line through the exit anyway. The management dispatched 2 15 year old girls to block the exit, but the woman pushed in anyway. As myself and the others in front began to get antsy over the woman and her brood’s behavior, the courtesy patrol showed up and pushed them all out, much to our glee, and the woman’s cursing.

Autographs:

ND Kalu played collegiality for Rice University and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 1997 draft. He also played for the Redskins, before returning to the Eagles, and then finally the Texans retiring after the 2008 season. He finished his career with 157 tackles, 31 sacks, 2 FF, and a pick for 15 yards he returned for a TD. He’s retired to the Houston area and works in sports radio.

JJ Moses is the Texans all-time leading yardage leader in punt returns for the Houston Texans. He played for the team from 2003-2006 and was one of the shortest players in the league’s history. In addition Moses is an NFLE veteran with the Scottish Claymores and is considered one of the league’s warmer rags to riches stories. He has taken to calling me ‘Superfan’ since he remembered me from the 2013 Austin draft party event and my penchant for remembering his specific career details.

Jamie Sharper had an exceptional career for the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Texans via the Veteran Dispersal Draft in 2002. He’d go on to lead the team from RILB for 3 seasons and be the only player not to miss a single start. In 2003 he led the NFL in combined tackles with 301. After the 2004 season, Jamie played a final season with the Seattle Seahawks, making his second Super Bowl appearance. He is one of two players I own a jersey of.