Tag Archives: philadelphia eagles

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Bouyer, Willie

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Birmingham Fire
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Willie Bouyer played along such notables as Andre Rison, Bobby McAllister and Lorenzo White, while being a part of the last great Michigan State Spartan football teams. Originally a free agent signee by the Seattle Seahawks after going undrafted in 1989, Bouyer played in one game, making one reception for 9 yards that season, and then spent the whole 1990 season on the practice squad.

In 1991, Head Coach Chan Gailey and the Birmingham Fire made him their first round choice of the positional draft and he’d become established as the team’s #1 receiver and speedster, making 28 receptions for 456 yards and a strong 16.3 yard average. Willie scored 2 touchdowns that season, both against Orlando  where he caught an 87 yard bomb and a 21 yarder to key the team’s 31-6 victory.  Against the Dragons in the playoffs Bouyer made 9 catches for 115 yards in a losing effort.

Willie continued to play for the WLAF in 1992. He’d have an impressive sophomore campaign making 57 receptions for 706 yards, leading the team once again in receptions and yards but would go without a touchdown. Willie made some spectacular plays over the 2 seasons with the Fire and was an important target for quarterbacks Mike Norseth, Brent Pease, and Eric Jones.

Bouyer signed with the Eagles in 1992 after the dismantling of the WLAF, but did not make the team. Later Willie re-emerged with the Sacramento Gold Miners of the CFL USA in 1993 and 1994. He’d make 15 receptions for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1994 and retired from professional football after the season.

I’ve attempted on an occasion or two  to get Bouyer’s autograph on his remaining cards, but the mercurial receiver has yet to respond.

G/Gp  N/a     Rec  85      Yds 1162        Avg  13.7        Td  2           Lg   87t

 

NFL

Smith, Darrin

Card: Classic 1993
Acquired: In Person 1993, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Originally a product from “The U”, who played alongside future NFL stars Micheal Barrow and Jessie Armstead, Darrin Smith was an undersized, yet speedy linebacker with good pursuit. (The Cowboys loved drafting linebackers during the 90s, but they didn’t really display any interest in keeping them. See Godfrey Myles, Dixon Edwards, and Ken Norton.) Smith would start almost immediately at weakside linebacker for the team after being drafted in the 3rd round, helping Dallas win SuperBowls XXVIII and XXX.  He’d be cast out of Dallas unceremoniously after not being able to sign a long term deal in 1997.

Darrin would move to the rival Philadelphia Eagles for one nondescript season before heading over to Seattle where Smith would play admirably for two seasons before becoming a salary cap casualty.  But like a fine wine, Darrin Smith’s best time was arguably in his final years playing for the New Orleans Saints from 2000-2004 where after he retired. Since retiring from football Darrin has operated a real estate company and is a devoted Christian.

Thankfully Classic got rid of the leopard print look and went with a more subtle, polished granite look for the border of its cards by 1993. The draft logo was a nice touch that nobody was utilizing, but Classic in general at the time suffered from probably too little information being displayed on their cards. The information on the back had what team they were taken by in the draft. Why not place this information on the front in some respect?  I also did not like Classic’s penchant for changing its logo completely nearly every year. That’s just not how you drive brand visibility. Nice photos though, front and back typically, and this Darrin Smith one is a great example of that. Classic was really hit or miss with their cards as far as prospects went and while they were usually first, I preferred Star Pics almost immediately because I could buy a whole set at once and not pay an incredible amount.

G/Gs 156/140       Tac  584      Sac 24.0    Fum  3    Int 11   Yds 155    Avg  14.0   Td 4   Lg 41t

NFL, WLAF

Vick, Roger

Cards: Proset 1989, Score 1990
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Orlando Thunder
See Also: Roger Vick (2)

 

I knew that Roger (who had played collegiately locally at Texas A&M) had a really nice ProSet card in 1989, so when he signed with the Orlando Thunder of the WLAF, I dug the card out of my collection and stumbled upon the Score 1990 card as well. After the Thunder throttled the Riders in San Marcos I would get Vick’s autographs on these cards as he left the dressing room.

The offensive MVP of the Aggies for the 1987 Cotton Bowl, Roger Vick was a strong fullback with a nose for the end zone, who was selected in the first round of the 1987 draft by the New York Jets. The blocking back primarily for underrated Freeman McNeil, he’d play for them through 1989 scoring 12 touchdowns, and then briefly with the Eagles in 1990- before sitting out a year in 1991.

In 1992, he was drafted by the Orlando Thunder, which ran a spread offense- (so to me he was a head scratcher on their team,) but Vick came out firing on all cylinders, finishing second on the team in rushing behind teammate Darryl Clack on the league’s #2 rushing offense.

Unfortunately the league would fold North American operations after 1992.  Since retirement, the consensus is that Roger Vick is Texas A&M’s best fullback in the college’s storied history. 

NFL

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33312893.91039
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664697.1223

WL

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8486.0016