Category Archives: XFL

Banks, Shawn

Frankfurt Galaxy 2000 Team Issue

CARD: Frankfurt Galaxy Team Issue 2000
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Acquisition

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played LB at Texas Tech from 1992-95, forming the core of the defense alongside future NFLer Zach Thomas.
  • Notched 365 career tackles- 7th-most in Tech history. 
  • Joined the World League in 1997, playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy that year, as well as in ’98 and ’00.
  • In 1997, forced a league record 9 fumbles, while also posting 76 tackles and 2 picks.
  • Played RILB in 97 and ‘8, and MLB in ’00.
  • Played in 2001 with the XFL Orlando Rage.
  • Collected 40.5 total tackles and an interception over the season.

ACCOLADES:

  • 1997 All-World Team

NOTES:

Great card here of Shawn. Unless there were other team printed cards of him, this would be the only card that was produced of him. What a gem. Not sure if the 9 FF were a typo, but that’s an incredible feat if true.

NFLE

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1644.0933612.0014

XFL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
40.50.0012828.0028

Lester, Tim

Topps XFL, #17
Topps XFL 2001, Loaded Cannon #8

CARDS: Topps XFL 01, Topps XFL 01 Loaded Cannon
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Work
SENT: 4/11 RECEIVED: 4/30 (19 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • QB at Western Michigan (96-99) that helped put school on the map.
  • Set 17 school records, throwing for 11,299 yards and 87 TDs.
  • Went undrafted in 2000, but was selected in the 6th round of the XFL 2001 draft.
  • Threw for 4 TDs and 554 yards playing for the Chicago Enforcers, but was cut midseason.
  • Signed by the Arena Football League, playing for the Nashville Kats and Carolina Cobras in 2001.
  • Then spent 2002 with the Memphis Xplorers of the AFL2.
  • Has been pretty much coaching since he left college, slowly working way up college ranks.
  • In 2017, returned to Western Michigan and was named head coach of the Broncos.

NOTES:

Nice response here from Tim who inscribed this note on his own card. I was surprised he didn’t have more cards or play in the NFLE.

XFL

ATTCPDYDSPCTTDINTLGRAT
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Farrow II, Kenneth

Card: Topps AAF Now 2.17.19 , Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Panini Contenders 2016, Topps AAF Now 3.2.19, Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim, IP 2023, SA Brahmas v Arlington Renegades
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o The Miami Dolphins

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kenneth Farrow II played college ball for The University of Houston from 2012-15.
  • His best collegiate season came in 2014, rushing for 1042 yards on 186 carries- scoring 14 TDs.
  • Over Farrow’s college career he had 560 carries for 2980 yards and 34 TDs rushing, to go along with 74 catches for 546 yards and 3 TDs- in 48 contests.
  • Signed with San Diego following the 2016 NFL Draft.
  • Fought his way onto the roster and was 3rd on the depth chart at RB for the Chargers.
  • Dressed for 13 contests, starting 2, rushing for 192 yards on 60 carries.
  • Spent the end of 2016, and all of 2017 on IR.
  • Waived by team in 2018, and joined the Patriots for about a month during the regular season.
  • Subsequently signed with the AAF, joining the San Antonio Commanders.
  • The clear cut starting back for the Commanders ground game, Farrow ran for 106 times for 372 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games.
  • He ran for a league high 142 yards against the Birmingham Iron‘s top ranked defense in a 12-11 win during Week 4.
  • After the AAF folded, Kenneth briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins.
  • In 2020, Kenneth joined the XFL 2.0 as a member of the Seattle Dragons.
  • He ran for 156 yards on 38 carries, scoring 1 TD before the league folded due to COVID after 5 games.
  • Farrow returned again for the XFL 2023, joining the Arlington Renegades.
  • He saw action against the Brahmas- but tore his ACL late in the game ending his season.
  • See also San Antonio Commanders Autograph Souvenir
Topps Now AAF 2019, #12

ACCOLADES:

  • Week 4 AAF Offensive Player of the Week
  • AAF Record- Most yards rushing in one game (142)
Topps NOW AAF 2019, #22

NOTES:

Kenneth has a lot of great Spring football cards, and I wanted him on all of them. As I love my runningbacks, he was one of my favorite Commanders. When the league folded I ran out to a Chinese version of EBay and got a bunch of custom Commanders jerseys made. I was very excited to add Kenneth’s jersey to my collection (see photo). The problem was that it didn’t have the ‘II’ on the back- even though I requested it. It’s the effort that counts though.

I had been following Kenneth since his days with the Commanders, and I did this piece of art for him. He liked it so much, he promised me he’d give me his autograph at an event in the future- if he ever made it back around to this area. I bode my time.

Eventually he returned to the XFL 3.0 with the Arlington Renegades. When the team cut him before the season, I thought to myself, “Oh well,” But lo and behold two weeks before the Brahmas meeting with the Renegades, Arlington resigned him. I knew this was my best shot.

I look like a crazy person but Kenneth’s got it goin’ on.

I gave him a gentle nudge on Twitter with the picture, then took some photos of myself in my jersey. He liked it before the game, so I knew I had a good shot. When I got to the stadium, I snuck around to the visitors side of the stadium, eventually settling in where I was in view of him near the front of the visitors entrance stands.

Boom! He caught a pass and came rumbling over. “I see you! Thank-you for being a fan! I’ll get you after warm ups and sign anything you want!” Then he rolled off again. Everyone around me was pretty floored.

True to his word he came back after warm-ups concluded. He signed all the remaining cards I needed of him, and I gave him the art I made of him. We reminisced about the best of times with the Commanders briefly, before Brian Folkerts came over and De’Vante Bausby piped in about how classy my jersey was. It was great! Like a mini reunion. I was so elated. I felt so appreciated and I know the feeling was mutual.

Even though the Brahmas lost the game, I felt like a big winner that day.

Unfortunately during a play where Kenneth was plowing ahead for a big gain, he was tackled and injured. At some point enough is enough and with the injuries he’s sustained over the years, he’s lucky to still have it. After his surgical procedure he announced his very well earned retirement from the sport. Onward and upward!

Kenneth is a founding member of the UFPA (United Football Players Association)- An advisory board of players that specializes in helping players and unions outside the NFL and CFL negotiate union contracts with their leagues.