Tag Archives: birmingham barracudas

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Slack, Reggie

Card: Ultimate WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, Houston Oilers Training Camp
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Reggie Slack out of Auburn was flat out raw talent who just won games.  Drafted in the 12th round by the Houston Oilers in 1990, I had a really good feeling about this him and when he was able to play during the preseason- I was just glued to the TV. Reggie won the 3rd string quarterback position backing up Cody Carlson and Warren Moon. He did not take a snap during the regular season, but in the 1991 off season Reggie was made available to the WLAF for the 1992 season.

The Run N Shoot counterpart to the Oilers- the New York/ New Jersey Knights picked up Slack to play quarterback for the team.  He’d play great for the Knights both as a passer and as a runner,  finishing second in the WLAF with a 98.2 quarterback rating.  As a rusher he led all quarterbacks with 269 yards and 5 touchdowns. (His 7.7 yard average is unofficially the highest yards per carry for any player in the league, but his 35 carries did not qualify him for the achievement.) Unfortunately the World League folded after the 1992 season. Slack returned to Houston, but lost out to local fan favorite Bucky Richardson for 3rd string.

Reggie left the United States and headed to Canada where he signed with the Toronto Argonauts.  He played respectably for the Argos while he polished his CFL game,  before being traded to Hamilton in 1994.  In 1995, Slack signed with the Birmingham Barracudas, but after 3 games he quickly returned to the Blue Bombers and became a fan favorite. As Winnipeg fell apart in 1996, Reggie saw even more playing time under center,  but was not in the future of the franchise.

Undeterred Slack then signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and lead the team to an improbable Grey Cup appearance igniting the team in the playoffs for two upset victories. He’d continue playing for the Roughriders over the next two seasons but injures would take their toll and by 2000, he’d be out of football. Reggie returned in 2002, playing for Toronto that season and in 2003 for the Tiger-Cats before retiring after 2003.

Slack was a guy that I thought was the quarterback of the future for the Oilers when they drafted him. An electric player to watch who was fearsome on the option, I am glad Reggie found success in the CFL.  

I was super excited to get Reggie’s autograph on his Ultimate WLAF card at training camp that year in 1992. It was the only day I was there. When I called him out he, came trotting over in that red practice jersey, smiled and signed. I had always wanted to get Reggie’s autograph on his Wild Card WLAF issue that I got later, and even created one of him in his Knights and Oilers uniform as well. I sent out for his autograph back in 2011, but that turned out to be a dead end. I hope to give him another shot at a later date as he is one of my favorites.

WLAF
G/Gs  N/a     Att  215       Comp 140            Yds  1898       Pct 65.1%          Td 12          Int 7            Rat 98.2
Rush 35      Yds  269       Avg  7.7         Td  5            Lg   29

CFL
G/Gs  N/a    Att  2188     Comp  1241     Yds  16173  Pct  56.7   Td  84    Int  75 |
Rush  383    Yds   2578    Avg  6.7    Lg  48     Td   27

Reggie Slack throwing to Alexander Wright: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFedz7vsbVw

 

CFL, WLAF

Ledbetter, Mark


Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Birmingham Fire

At 6-3, 239, Mark Ledbetter was a rangy tweener from Washington State who saw playing time at a variety of positions along the line in college. A jarring hitter, he once broke an opponent’s jaw during a game.

Signed as a free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 1990, Mark was eventually drafted by the Riders in 1991. Ledbetter would end up playing both outside linebacker and defensive end for San Antonio, where he’d finish third on the team on tackles with 35 solo stops, and second on the team with 6 sacks.  San Antonio coaches loved to move Mark around the Riders’ defensive alignment to create mismatches and overloads. He was considered the team’s (91) best overall defender.

In 1992, Ledbetter was named second team All World League as he made 5 sacks. Ledbetter finished as the franchise’s all time leader in sacks with 11. After the WLAF reorganized in 1992, Mark joined the Sacramento Goldminers during the CFL’s ill fated attempt to expand into the United States, and then later played with the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995 as a down lineman.

After football it appears that Mark has pursued football coaching and at last glance in 2008 he was coaching high school football on Vashon-Maury Island.

WLAF
Games 20  Tac n/a  Sac 11   FF n/a   Int 0   Yds 0  Avg -.-  Td 0

CFL, usfl

Crawford, Derrick

Card: All World CFL 1991
Acquired: TTM 1993, C/o the CFL

Derrick Crawford originally was signed by the Memphis Showboats of the USFL where he played for them 2 years. He was their leading receiver, dangerous in the red zone, and a speedy kick returner. When the league folded after the 1985 season Crawford was drafted in the USFL supplemental draft by the San Fransisco 49ers utilized primarily as a kick returner. Playing there for one season he then bolted for the Great White North, eventually finding a home with the Calgary Stampeders. Among his highlights were in 1992, when he caught the 80th Grey Cup’s first touchdown pass from Doug Flutie on the opening play and ended the game as the leading receiver with 162 yards en route to the city’s first title since 1971.

Derrick later signed with the Birmingham ‘Cudas and played for them in 1995, until the CFL folded back in the United States franchises at the end of the season. Much of the information on Derrick Crawford is spotty and the CFL does not keep player career statistics except for those in the CFL HoF.  Attached are his career USFL statistics.

Games  36      Rec  131         Yds  1760       Avg   13.4     TD 21
Ret  58    Yds 1500    Avg 25.8     Td 1