Tag Archives: edmonton eskimos

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Davis, Wayne

pset91 wdavis psetwlaf91 wdavis

Cards: ProSet 1991, ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 7/5      Received: 7/11  (6 days)
Failure: TTM 2014, C/o New Life Covenant Church, Gordo, AL

Wayne Davis was a linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide.  He posted a career high 125 tackles his Junior year, and 85 in his Senior year. A 9th round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987, the season was sort of a mess because of the Players’ Strike. Davis saw playing time in all 12 nonstrike games that year, and also in all 16 games in 1988.  He’d sign as a Plan B free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 1989, and then later with the 49ers, who let him go on the final cutdown. Wayne played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1990, before giving the WLAF a shot. Davis impressed the league scouts enough, that Orlando saw fit to make him the first overall pick of linebackers in the 1991 positional draft.  Head Coach Don Matthews liked his overall speed and athleticism. He’d have a solid year, posting 33 tackles, and 2 fumble recoveries. Wayne also played on special teams, recording 8 tackles on kickoff coverage. His highlight of the year was a 9 tackle effort in Orlando’s 35-34 victory over the San Antonio Riders on opening day.  A man of God, Davis styled himself as being a new found ‘Minister of Defense’ ala Reggie White, bringing the Good Word to the masses, and had been quoted as stating, “God first. Football second.”  After starting off the 1991 season hot, the Thunder had a meltdown and finished 5-5. Matthews quit, and new coach Galen Hall decided to overhaul the franchise. With a plethora of new linebacker blood in camp, Hall had to make some difficult cuts- Davis among them. Wayne however, felt a calling to God greater than football, and was ordained in 1992. Reverend Davis later returned to school and earned to Masters in Education and in Pastoral Ministry and lives in Gordo, Alabama today where he preaches to his flock and congregation.

NFL 28/1   Tac   N/a   Sac  N/a    Fum N/a    Int  0   Yds 0   Avg -.-   Td 0   Lg -.-
WLAF    Tac 33   Sac 0   Fum 2    Int 0    Yds 0   Avg -.-  Td 0  Lg -.-

CFL, NFL

McKnight, Joe (1988-2016)

do10e mcknightCard: Donruss Elite 2010
Acquired: 2014 BB, Target Autograph Memorabilia

Joe McKnight was a multipurpose athlete who was a star in his native state of Louisiana. Recruited by LSU, but later signed with USC, McKnight was an incredibly hyped machine.  (He was even touted as a Heisman candidate as early as 2009, but he and USC would not live up to those expectations.) As questions arose about McKnight possibly taking dollars under the table, he declared for the NFL draft in 2010. He finished his Junior season with 1,014 yards, and a robust 6.2 yards per carry. Due to his 6’0″, 198 frame, teams questioned his ability to run in between the tackles and nab extra yards after contact -however they praised his second level deceptive speed and his overall athletic potential.

During the 2010 draft, the Jets traded up with Carolina to nab McKnight with a 4th round pick. The Panthers in return, received both the Jets pick in the 4th and 6th rounds respectively. During his time in the pros Joe hasn’t made much in roads as a change of pace back, but has been consistent as a return man, finishing with nearly identical statistics in 2011 and 2012. His first kick off return for a touchdown was a team record 107 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in 2011, and then later in 2012 a 100 yarder against the Houston Texans.  The NFL has a limited shelf life for return men, and after the Jets bulked up at RB depth and concussion and migrane issues sidelined Joe during the preseason, McKnight was the headliner of the Jets cuts in 2013. In January of 2014 the Chiefs signed McKnight to a futures contract where he hoped to jump start his career.

Starting for the injured Jamaal Charles in Week 3, McKnight piled up 6 receptions for 64 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 carry for 3 yards, but ruptured an Achilles tendon, ending his 2014 season after just that one impressive contest.

He played in the CFL in 2016 for both the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders, rushing for 150 yards on 17 carries in his only start.

UPDATE – On Thursday, December 1st 2016, Joe McKnight was murdered. He was shot to death by another driver suffering from road rage.  Based on news reports McKnight was not the aggressor, and he died on the scene, at the incident.

CFL, NFL, University of Texas

Cavil, Kwame (2)

utud10 cavil iconsCard: University of Texas Upper Deck Icons 2011
Acquired: In Person 2/24/2014, Rudy’s Ribfest 4
See Also: Kwame Cavil, Kwame Cavil (3)

I knew that Ribfest was taking place at a location near my place so I planned to hit two of the locations in anticipation of the event. Taking a  half day from work I called and harassed the employees at Rudy’s until I was able to nail down the names who were going to be there. I decided to go to Round Rock and 183 North. While Round Rock was a minor disappointment because of a no show, I knew Fozzy Whittaker was going to be at 183, but I had no clue who the other player was. Luckily another member of TAC was there to ID Kwame Cavil for me, who I should’ve recognized because he was wearing the Manor High School colors that he was coaching wide receivers at. Kwame had not seen this card and pined over it for a minute before he took a photo of it. While he did tell me he had seen the original UT card, he had not seen this one ever, so I felt obliged to offer an extra to him through the mail, if I could in a few weeks. Truly it is a damn fine card that celebrates the great players in UT history. While the back was a bit underwhelming its the really nice gold design and landscape presentation on the front that takes the cake.