CFL

Finlay, Matt

Card: All World 1991
Acquired: TTM 1991, CFL Blitz

A life long fan of the CFL, Matt Finlay, linebacker from Eastern Michigan would be nabbed by Montreal in 1986 where he’d play one season before being sent to to the Argos before 1987 after the folding of the Alouettes. Matt would play one game for the Argonauts before Toronto traded Matt to the Stampeders. Finlay would go on to play in 3 Grey Cup games for the Stampeders, winning one.  Matt would be also be selected to the CFL All- Star team in 1992 because of his hard hitting play.

He has since been inducted into the Mississauga, Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. As with most CFL players, the league has done a poor job of keeping player records and his career statistics are not readily available.

NFL, WLAF

Knight, Shawn

Cards: ProSet 1991, ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent:  9/21   Received: 10/27   (36 days)

A member of BYUs 1984 national championship team, Shawn Knight was drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft by the New Orleans Saints. Originally chosen by the Saints to be a gap filling nose tackle,  Shawn’s size was ideal at 6-6 and 290. Unfortunately Knight was unlucky as he spent the majority of his tenure there on injured reserve. (In retrospect, this draft was an overall weak draft along the defensive line. Only Jerome Brown, Jerry Ball, and Henry Thomas from this draft received Pro Bowl nominations at that position.) In 1988 the Saints would turn around and trade him to the Broncos, where he spent one season, before heading over to Phoenix and Minnesota for 1989.

In 1991, he’d be drafted by the Sacramento Surge to play defensive line, and Shawn would contribute in the trenches notching 27 tackles and 2 sacks.  He would be named to the All World team after the season, but chose to retire from professional football. Shawn has since gotten his Masters and has bec0me involved in medical sales after working in physical therapy for a few years. In 2008 Knight would be inducted into the BYU sports Hall of Fame. Below are his WLAF statistics.

G/Gs 10    Tac 27    Sac 2.0    Fum 3

NFL

Lockhart, Eugene

Cards: Action Packed 1990, ProSet 1990, Action Packed 1991
Acquired: In Person 1990, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp. TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz

A shrewd 5th round pick by the Dallas Cowboys administration in 1984, Eugene Lockhart was witness to the collapse and rebirth of the dynasty.  Eugene was the first rookie to start at middle linebacker for the Cowboys and was a tackling machine. Perhaps his best season was in 1989 where he logged well over 220 tackles, yet was playing for the 1-15 Cowboys, and was not voted to the ProBowl. The tackles were a club record. Unfortunately the team decided to jettison him to New England (for the Cowboys drafting rights to Russell Maryland) in 1991 where he’d play through the 1992 season and retire. Over the years I got his autograph at Cowboys Training Camp and then through the mail with the Patriots. Lockhart was shocked by the trading and was heartbroken by the decision. He’d be quoted as saying, “It’s a cold business.. and it’s even colder in New England.” While on New England he’d contribute any way he could to the franchise, even playing as the ‘up back’ on special teams. On a more hilarious note, Lockhart blocked his own team’s punt -with his butt. His teammates would affectionately nickname him ‘Bigbutt’.

Unfortunately Lockhart hasn’t made the best decisions since his playing days- being jailed recently for violating the terms of his bail (from bank and wire fraud), reputedly failing a drug test while out on bail. As of early 2011 he is still awaiting trial.

G/Gs 136/117   Tac 996      Sac 16      Fum 11      Int   6    Yds  83     Avg  13.7    Td 1   Lg 32

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.