Tag Archives: cleveland browns

NFL, University of Texas

Whittaker, Fozzy (3)

sp12 fwhittakerpaut15_fwhittakerCards: SP 2012 #399/750, Upper Deck Star Rookies 2012, TNT UT, Photo Memorabilia, Upper Deck Star Pics 2012, SP 2012 Authentics, Panini UT 2015
Acquired: IP 2016, Mighty Fine Burgers Battle of the Beast, Coop UT Celebration.
See Also: Fozzy Whittaker, Fozzy Whittaker (2)

Fozzy’s NFL career has required a lot of grit and a good agent. He’s clawed his way into the lineup tntcol fwhittakerwith Carolina where he serves primarily as a 3rd down scat back for the Panthers offense, after brief stops in Arizona, Cleveland, and San Diego. During the last 2 seasons, Fozzy has played in 25 games, starting 2.  He’s rushed 57 times for 253 yards and 2 TDs, while catching 17 passes for 124 yards and a TD. He’s also spent a bit of time on special teams returning 20 kicks for 471 yards.
During his relatively brief NFL career, Fozzy has demonstrated a knack for being a dangerous receiver out of the backfield. He has had a few highlights, such as transforming a 26 yard screen pass to a diving TD against the Saints, and a swing pass 39 yards across the middle for a TD against the Cardinals in the Wild card game of the 2014  playoffs.

A great fan favorite, Fozzy signs at
all events, and volunteers regularly for team events to meet fans. At the Mighty Fine Burgers
Battle of the Beast event, Whittaker was in rare form. As the maitre ‘d of the event he was in charge of motivating local high school players to eat as much as they could. Surrounded by a large and raucous crowd Fozzy was in his element, with a beaming smile, having a great time. Whittaker has no shortage amazingly of great photos, whether it is him jumping over a would be tackler, galloping across the grass, or getting a kiss from a baluga whale, I did honestly
ask for a lot.
I’m not really a photo memorabilia kind of guy, but with such a plethora of great shots of Fozzy, I compromised and decided to get some things signed on high quality 4×6 photo stock- which could eventually become a thing for me as I run out of stuff for guys who appear regularly. Still Fozzy kindly and patiently signed everything, while discussing how his career has progressed along.  We talked also briefly about how some of those photos need to make their way onto Carolina Panthers cards of him, and how I thought his efforts in their Super Bowl loss provided the team a much needed spark.

Fozzy was also a guest star on the Comedy Central show Key and Peele which routinely made fun of NFL players and their outrageous names. Instead of lampooning Whittaker, they just had him appear on the skit and say his name. When I asked him about this event, he told me that it wasn’t like they flew him out to LA for the taping- they just shot the video in front of a green screen. After getting one of the Comedy Central photos signed, I gave him the extra one on me, which he really liked and showed his wife.

The fun times didn’t end there as I had two more cards to get Fozzy on at the Coop event in May. He signed his Panini UT card and this really nice SP Authentics canvas card.

Whittaker continues to blossom as a pro. In 2016 he posted career highs across the board with 57 carries for 265 yards and 25 receptions for 226 yards. He also chipped in 12 kick returns for 275 yards- a 22.9 yard average.

CFL, NFL

Dorsey, Ken

leaflim03 dorseyCard: Leaf Limited Phenom 2003
Acquired: 2013, Target Autograph Memorabilia

The 2003 draft for the most part is considered a train wreck of quarterback talent.  Carson Palmer, taken #1 overall, is the only quarterback from the draft to even make a Pro Bowl.  Ken was selected in the 7th round by the San Fransisco 49ers.

A two-time runner up for the Heisman, Ken Dorsey finished his college career at Miami, FL going 668/ 1153 for 9,565 yards and 86 TDs to only 28 interceptions.  During his time playing for the Hurricanes Dorsey led the team to a 38-2 record and a National Championship appearance in 2002.

His tenure in San Fransisco was… less than desired as he split time with Tim Rattay.  SF was going through a rough transition searching for their QB of the future. The combined Frankenstein effort resulted in a 2-14 record for the 49ers. Starting 7 games Ken posted a career high 6 TD passes and 1,231 yards and 9 interceptions.  After the season the 49ers switched from Dennis Erickson to Mike Nolan, and then drafted Alex Smith in the 1st round of the 2005 draft. Still Dorsey was able to post a 1-2 record throwing for 481 yards and 2 TDs.

In 2006, Dorsey was traded to the Cleveland Browns. He’d ride the bench for the next two seasons, before briefly stopping back into the starting lineup in 2008.  Starting 3 games for the Browns,  Dorsey threw for 370 yards and 7 interceptions.  Ken briefly resurfaced with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2010 , retiring after the season concluded.

Ken joined the Carolina Panthers staff first as a scout in 2011, and then later as a quarterbacks coach- a capacity he’s held through the 2016 season.

Ken’s certified autographed cards briefly experienced a surge in value back in 2015, as he is one of a long line of starting Browns quarterbacks. Steiner Sports ran a promotion to apologize to fans who’d ever gotten a Browns starting QB certified autograph and was offering a $50+ dollar in store credit for any fan who sent in those autographs.  However now that the promotion is over, these autographs along with other former starting Browns’ QBs autographs have returned to normal.

G/GS  17/13     ATT 408    COMP 214     YDS 2082     PCT 52.5
TD  8       INT 18        RAT 55.2
RUSH 11        YDS 18      AVG  1.6      TD 0      LG  6

 

 

AFL, NFL, NFLE, WLAF

Taylor, Lionel

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 6/4/14  Received: 8/13/16  (801 days)

Lionel Taylor had an amazing career that began in 1959 playing for the Chicago Bears.  He didn’t record a reception for the team during his rookie year and opted to join the upstart American Football League during its inaugural season in 1960 for the Denver Broncos. Taylor went on to endear himself as one of the most dominant receivers in the history of the league, leading the AFL in receptions 5 of the next 6 years.  In 1961 he set a modern era record with 100 receptions (which was broken in 1964 by Charlie Hennigan at 101). He played for the Broncos through 1966- joining the Oilers for the 1967 and 1968 seasons.  Lionel retired from the gridiron in 1969.

Taylor established himself quickly as an up and coming assistant coach with the Steelers as a receivers coach in 1970.  He’d remain there through 1976, cultivating a reputation as a Super Bowl winning positional coach.  He joined the Rams from 1977-1979, where he was offensive coordinator in 1980 and 1981.  Lionel then applied his trade at the college level for Oregon State, and then as head coach at Texas Southern through 1988.  Returning to the NFL in 1989, Taylor worked with the Cleveland Browns tight ends and as a pass coordinator.

Taylor joined the World League of American Football in 1995 as offensive coordinator to the London Monarchs. As the league rebranded to the NFLE, he’d take over as head coach of the franchise in 1996 and shepherd the franchise through to become the England Monarchs. It was a tough run for Taylor as head coach at the end, as his team was a vagabond franchise playing all over England looking for a new home. Since there was no established fan base, this gave the Monarchs no home field advantage.  The Monarchs finished with a 3-7 record during their swan song season.

Taylor has fully retired from the sport and lives in New Mexico.  At a clip over 800 days, I had fully given up on getting a response from Lionel, so this one came as quite a surprise to get back. It’s a shame, as with many American Football League players, Lionel has gotten little to no traction in Hall of Fame circles, despite his impressive numbers.

AFL
G/GS 121/NA      REC 567     YDS  7195    AVG 12.7   TD 45    LG  80T

NFLE
W  11     L 17       PCT .393