Tag Archives: los angeles rams

AFL

Cannon, Billy “Legend”

udlg97 cannonCard: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: 11/23/2012, Fiterman Autograph Event
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

LSU’s sensational halfback and future Heisman Trophy winner, who led the Tigers to their first national championship, walked off the field of his final game for LSU to see a beaming madman in a prim suit standing in the end zone, named Bud Adams. With that Billy Cannon was signed with the AFL’s Houston Oilers in front of a televised national audience, effectively firing a warning shot towards the choppy waters the NFL was about to sail into. Before Cannon could get his legs under him in the upstart AFL, Pete Rozelle of the NFL and the Los Angeles Rams, (who drafted Cannon #1 overall in the NFL’s common draft,) sued him for breach of contract. You see Cannon had also signed a deal with the NFL in secret, but Adams, (who had arranged this whole scheme,) knew that if the NFL admitted that they had signed Cannon before his college eligibility had ended, would be essentially embarrassing themselves, based on the invalidity of their contract.

Billy Cannon gave the upstart league immediate viability and credibility as an alternative to the stodgy NFL. Along with quarterback George Blanda, and wide receivers Bill Groman, and Charlie Hennigan, Cannon led the Houston Oilers to the first two AFL championships in 1960, scoring on an 88 yard pass, in the team’s 24-16 victory over the LA Chargers. He’d then repeat again in 1961, scoring the only touchdown in the rematch between the two.  In that season he led the AFL in rushing with 948 yards (4.7 ypc), rushing for a team record 212 yards in one game, and overall with 2043 from scrimmage, but lost out to Blanda for the league MVP honors. In that season he set the league record for YFS in a game with 373 against the New York Titans, -a record that stood for almost 30 years, and had 5 TDs in that same game.  After the Oilers failed to win the championship game in 1963, Billy signed with the Oakland Raiders in 1964. It was there that Al Davis had the crazy idea of converting Cannon to a tight end. – And why not? With his soft hands, great speed, and size, Cannon was a perfect fit for the position and the downfield passing game that Davis employed. He played the next 5 seasons with the Raiders where he built an impressive resume at the position and won another title with the Raiders becoming one of the AFL’s greatest players at the position. Billy then played one final season with the Chiefs in 1970 and retired.  Cannon is one of only a handful (20) players who played the entire 10 year lifetime of the AFL in the league.

Billy has had some missteps since his career ended, and got in deep with the wrong people. In order to catch up he half-cooked up a counterfeiting scheme, and was sent to jail in 1983. After being released for good behavior, he went back to work in the medical field as a dentist, but had a difficult time finding work. Cannon was reviled now by the people who used to admire him who now would rather celebrate at seeing him fall further. It’d be in the most unlikeliest of places that Cannon, “The Legend” found his redemption. The prison system had need for a dentist, and Cannon came in and cleaned up the LSP dental department. In fact the Warden liked Billy’s work so much, that he promoted him to run the whole medical wing. It was in this perhaps, that Billy saw a glimmer of happiness in his work, and slowly over the next few years, took baby steps into the world again and began to make appearances at LSU functions. With time all wounds heal, and Billy was again praised for those svelte moves that earned him a place in school history for a play simply known as “The Punt Return”.  Cannon still works at the prison today and is referred to by the inmates simply as “Legend”.  He also enjoys raising and breeding horses.  Billy Cannon is the only player to have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame twice. He earned the recognition in 1983 but it was taken away due to his conviction, and then again was inducted in 2008. His number has also been retired by LSU.

G 133     Rush  602     Yds   2455     Avg   4.1    Td  17   Lg  64
Rec  236    Yds 3656   Avg  15.5     Td  47      Lg  88
Kr  67   Yds  1704      Avg  25.4    Td 1   Lg  88
Pr  14      Yds  178      Avg 12.7      Td 0   Lg  51

The punt return: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIHdlAg4Uic

NFL

Smith, Doug

Cards: Pro Set 1990 PB, Score 1990, Topps 1989
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Doug Smith played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1978 through the 1991 season. Originally a free agent signee from Bowling Green University, Smith was signed as an afterthought as the Rams already had veteran Rich Saul and 3rd round pick Leon White in camp, but as they say, “The rest is history”. After a major knee injury while he was playing guard in 1979 almost ended his career, Doug rebounded, after he had a spiritual awakening, and returned to take the starting center job in 1980.  A quiet, ‘in the trenches’ technician with a great motor, Smith was one of the most unheralded and underrated centers in the game. Doug had great quickness and explosiveness off the line for his size (6’3″, 260), and was a formidable pass blocker with great range across the pocket.  He along with Jackie Slater and Kent Hill anchored down some impressive lines for the Rams, and blocked for the team through the Eric Dickerson era and on into the Jim Everett era.  With the consistency and excellence the Rams had at the position, this allowed them to transition offensively from a run oriented system to a more vertical attack seamlessly, and compete against their foes in the playoffs. Doug also was an offensive captain and called OL plays at the line of scrimmage for the Rams. Over his career Smith played every position along the line for the team, with the exception of left tackle. Smith went to 6 consecutive Pro Bowls over his career for the Rams, from 1984-1989. He’d also be inducted into Bowling Green’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2001, his fellow teammate Jackie Slater was inducted into the Hall of Fame where in his induction speech Jackie attributed much of his success to Doug’s unwavering faith and commitment to Jesus Christ to do your best each and every day.

G/Gs 187/160

Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL

Cappelletti, John

Card: Topps 2002 College All-American
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

John Cappelletti played for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1971-1973. Originally a defensive back, the coaches by his Sophomore season felt he was best suited to play runningback. From there John went on to have a storied career for Penn State, but at the same time his brother, Joey, was slowly losing his battle to Leukemia. As time was running out on Joey, John asked him if there was a wish he could grant for him. Joey asked John to score 4 touchdowns for him in the next game against West Virginia. John wasn’t sure he’d be able to do it, but in the end John granted his younger brother Joey his final wish. Cappelletti went on to win the Hesiman trophy in 1973, and had a remarkable cumulative 2,639 yards, 29 TDs, and a 5.1 YPC in  2 seasons by the time he graduated from Penn State that year. John also dedicated his Heisman to his brother Joey as well.

The Los Angeles Rams took him with the 11th overall pick of the 1974 draft where the Rams used him primarily as a short yardage back. He’d score a career high 6 TDs rushing in 1975, and 688 yards rushing in 1976. Cappelletti signed with the San Diego Chargers in 1980 where he finished his career in 1983.  In 1977 a made for TV movie called “Something for Joey” starring Marc Singer, was made based on John’s story. He currently lives in California.

G/Gs 105/52      Rush 824       Yds 2951       Avg   3.6        Td  24       Lg 46
Rec  135             Yds  1233             Avg  9.1           Td  4      Lg 37