Tag Archives: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

CFL, NFL

Davis, Anthony “A-Train”

Card: Upper Deck Signatures 2005
Acquired: 2012, Target Authentic Autograph Memorabilia

A ‘slasher-back’ with a deceptive burst, Anthony Davis was a sensational runningback in college for Wisconsin. During his Freshman year in 2001, Davis’ 1466 yards ranked only behind Ron Dayne, Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, and Alex Smith (Pitt), while his 10 100 yard plus games were an NCAA Freshman record. For an encore in ’02 he had 300 carries for 1555 yards and 13 TDs. His 119.6 YPG was ranked only behind Willis McGahee and Steven Jackson. Already though, nagging ankle and knee injuries began to set in 2003. He would however finish with 116 carries for 682 yards and 7 touchdowns. Again in 2004, Davis missed 5 contests due to a deep thigh bruise and a fractured orbital socket, but he still managed 201 carries for 973 yards and 11 touchdowns. At the time of his graduation, Anthony’s yards and total touchdowns placed him second on the school’s rushing list, only behind Ron Dayne and Billy Marek.

His draft stock was really hurt by injuries. It also didn’t help that Davis had a small frame at 5′ 7″, 205lb- he was considered more of a 3rd down specialist in the league, and the 908 carries didn’t help either (even though he just fumbled once in his career). Still the Colts had him tabbed on their board and liked something about him, grabbing him near the bottom of the 7th round of the 2005 NFL draft. He would make it all the way through training camp- seeing the turk in the final cuts. Despite this, he was signed back to the practice squad later in the season as the Colts were plagued by injuries to their RB corps. He’d jump over to the Canadian Football League in 2006, signing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. Davis played 2 seasons for Hamilton, carrying the ball 86 times for 457 yards and a TD. Near the end of 2007, Anthony was traded to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for Yo Murphy, but was released in 2008.

Anthony’s other passion has always been teaching. He has been sighted at Loras College in Dubuque, IA, where he is currently Director of Inter-Cultural programs for the Hawks.

Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Parker, Carl


Cards:  ProSet WLAF 1991, Wild Card WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o home.
Sent: 6/11   Received: 6/26   (15 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home RTS

Carl Parker was a standout receiver for Vanderbilt. The problem is Vandy is a doormat for many of the major football programs. Still over his three years with the Commodores, Parker totaled 118 catches and 1712 yards, including 42 passes for a 19.2 YPC and 12 touchdowns as a Senior. Carl signed with the Bengals in 1988 and was with them through 1989, before briefly catching on with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL in 1990. The Sacramento Surge of the WLAF drafted him in the 4th round of the 1991 positional draft in the 6th slot.

Quarterback Mike Elkins bonded with Carl quickly, and of the 13 touchdowns Elkins threw, Carl caught eight of them- good for second in the league. In fact, Carl caught touchdown passes in the last 7 contests, highlighted by his 2TD performance in the team’s upset of Frankfurt during the season finale. Parker received All-WLAF Second team honors, as the league’s 3rd leading receiver in both catches (52) and in yards receiving (801).  He also had 3 100+ yard receiving games, including 136 in a loss to London, and caught at least 1 ball in every game of the season.  Parker also did double duty on punt returns, ranking 4th in the league with an 8.5 yard average on 15 returns.

Carl returned for the 1992 season to Sacramento. It was a new team and a new attitude on offense, infused by journeyman David Archer at quarterback and future CFL All Stars, Eddie Brown and Mike Pringle on offense.  Carl had another good season with numbers worthy of being a number one on many teams, finishing 1992 with 42 receptions, for 657 yards, and 6 touchdowns. While the numbers weren’t as good as ’91, Parker helped the Surge raise the World Bowl trophy over their heads at the end of the season with their victory over the Orlando Thunder. The league though sought to restructure after the season, and the CFL admitted in the rival Surge and Riders. The Surge were rechristened the Gold Miners and Carl picked up a final season with them in the CFL. Carl played last for the first incarnation of the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League before finally hanging up his cleats.

WLAF Rec 94    Yds 1458   Avg  15.5   Td 14   Lg 48
Pr  15    Yds 127   Avg 8.5   Td 0   Lg 15

CFL, NFL, University of Texas

Babers, Rod “Kool Aid” (2)

Cards: Topps Total 2005, UD UT 2011 CC
Acquired: In Person 2012, 1300 The Zone’s Houston Texans Playoff Viewing Party 1/7/12
Previous Post: Babers, Rod “Kool Aid”, Rod Babers (3)

At the University of Texas release party for the Upper Deck University of Texas cards last year, I met Rod who is a host of 1300 The Zone’s “The Afternoon Buffet”. He lamented to the people at UD about them not producing a card of him over the radio, – so I took it upon myself to produce a card for Rod. Off the cuff I had made a front, but had not produced a back due to time and printing constraints, and completely ripped off the UD design, just so that Rod could say he was part of the set.

When I met up with him at the Houston Texans’ Viewing Playoff Party at the Alamo Drafthouse, I asked for his autograph on a few more cards, which he had no problem doing. When I presented him with the custom fake I had made, he beamed and gave me a giant hug. Rod loved the shot from him versus Oklahoma, especially the fact that he was ‘Tebowing’ before it was cool.  Graciously, Rod told me the card truly made his afternoon even if the Texans didn’t win, and I told him that next time we’d meet up I hoped to have his trading card completed with a front and back for him to keep, which he told me I didn’t have to do.

After the Texans’ victory I talked to him a bit more, ribbing him for a few minutes and telling him that defensive lineman JJ Watt‘s interception for a touchdown, was already 1/4th Rod’s total number of picks at UT.  He laughed and stated that Watt was already one up on him in the pros, but he wouldn’t hold it against me since I gave him the custom.

Rod in his playboy way, also jokingly intimated that the card was so nice he was going to carry it around in his wallet, and use it to pick up women, to which I quipped to him, “That I was sure he had no problem with that!”