Tag Archives: cleveland browns

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Davis, Willie (DL) (1934-2020)

Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991, #2

CARD: Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991
ACQUIRED: 2023, EBay

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played both ways at Grambling University- at OT and DE.
  • Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 1956 NFL Draft.
  • Due to military commitments, did not see the field until 1958.
  • Traded to Green Bay in 1960 and played exclusively at DE.
  • A significant contributor to the Packers defensive dominance during the 60s.
  • Never missed a game during his ten seasons with the Packers.
  • Captained Green Bay to 5 NFL Championships and 2 Super Bowl wins.
  • Sacks and tackles were not officially tracked statistics, but unofficially Willie has been credited with in excess of 125 sacks, including 25 in one season.
  • Retired after the 1969 season.
  • Dabbled in color commentary and was president of a series of radio stations.
  • Served as a director on the ’84 US Olympic Committee.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Football Hall of Fame 1981
  • Byron Whizzer White Award 1969
  • NAACCP Man of the Year Award 1978
  • Willie Davis Day 12/21/1969
  • All Pro 1962-’67
  • Pro Bowl 1963-’67
  • Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
  • NFL All 1960’s Team

NOTES:

Willie Davis is frequently confused with the WR by the same name and vice versa. Since Davis passed away, I didn’t hold out much hope getting him on anything. The Packer legend remains in demand even after passing and I had a quick and protracted fight with another EBay buyer to get this one off their hands.

EPITAPH:

4/15/20- Willie passed away peacefully at Santa Monica Hospital due to kidney failure at the age of 85.

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/aN/a2222110.5
Arena, NFL

Conner, Darion

Gameday 1992, #7

CARDS: Action Packed 1991, Gameday 1992, Skybox 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 1/3 RECEIVED: 1/30 (27 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Darion Conner was a 3 time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Selection out of Jackson State.
  • In 1989 posted 12.5 sacks and 130 tackles.
  • Second round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1990, Conner was prized for his versatility.
  • Settled at ROLB, and in first 3 seasons went over 100 tackles each year.
  • In 1994, played one season for the Saints, and had a career high 10.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and an interception for 56 yards.
  • 1995 saw him take his skill set to Carolina, where he added another 7.0 sacks to his resume as an original member of the Panthers.
  • After two largely fruitless seasons in Philadelphia (’96-’97), Darion was signed by the ‘original but new’ Cleveland Browns.
  • Didn’t play a down for the team, so he decided to take his skills to the Arena Football League in 1999 playing OL/DL.
  • Connor was an impactful player in Arena Football.
  • He’d play with the Tampa Bay Storm through 2005.
  • Connor’s football career ended abruptly after he committed DUI-manslaughter and vehiculuar homicide.
  • He was sentenced to 15 years in prison- of which, he has paid his debt to society and is now a free man.
Action Packed 1991, #4
Skybox 1992, #126

NOTES:

Darion signed all three of these cards for me masterfully with a silver sharpie. The Skybox card looks incredible.

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
51933.0515656.0056
NFL
TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
4411.0500-.-0-.-
ARENA
AAF, CFL, NFL, ufl, usfl

Stribling, Channing (2)

Upper Deck 2023 USFL, #10
Topps AAF 2019, #FS-11
Topps AAF 2019, #126
Topps XFL 2020, #151

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Future Stars, Topps XFL 2020, Upper Deck USFL 2023
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2024 San Antonio Brahmas v St. Louis Battlehawks
FAILURE: TTM 2020, TTM 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • See Also Channing Stribling
  • Channing suited up for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2020.
  • After the league folded due to COVID, he returned to the CFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, whom he’d been with briefly before signing with the XFL.
  • In 2022, he played for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL.
  • He’d intercept 7 passes for 121 yards and make 14 tackles.
  • Afterwards, briefly was on the offseason roster of the Washington Commanders.
  • Although drafted by the Battlehawks of the XFL 23, Stribling opted to resign with the Stars.
  • With the USFL and XFL merged, Stribling was drafted by the Birmingham Stallions in the 2024 player dispersal draft.
  • Ultimately ended up on the roster of the Battlehawks- but was cut during the regular season.

NOTES:

Channing was on a shortlist of players I really wanted since he was impossible to get TTM and he had… four(?) cards I was looking to get signed. Since players didn’t really pay any attention to me pregame, I decided to troll the Battlehawks players.

I yelled at Channing that he wasn’t fooling anyone, since he changed his number from 41 to 14. (Wikipedia even showed it as 41.) I then heckled him about his time with the Express. He smiled and after the game gladly came over and inked these 4 cards. When he looked at them, he called them ‘classic’.