Tag Archives: tnt afl 2014

Arena

Reece, Brett

tnt15 breeceCards: TNT Talons 2014, TNT Limited 2015
Acquired: TTM, 2014 & 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 7/24/14 , 6/2/15
Received: 9/8/14 (42 days) , 10/8/15  (128 days)

Brett Reece Jr. is a great example of why leagues like the AFL and CIF need to exist.  Playing for a school like Ouachita Baptist out of Arkadelphia, Arkansas shouldn’t prevent you from realizing your dreams as a football player, and Reece has continued to play at every opportunity that has been afforded to him.

During his sophomore season, Brett recorded a team high 825 receiving yards and 6 TDs on 46 receptions. In 2011, he led the Tigers in receiving with 30 receptions for 489 yards and 3 TDs en route to an All-GAC Second Team Selection.

tntafl14 reeceBrett has continued to play in different Arena style leagues since then. He made 5 receptions for 43 yards for the San Antonio Talons, before being reassigned back to the Texas Revolution. In 2015, he was off to a fast start before suffering a season ending foot injury. Still he finished as the Revs leading receiver in 2015 with 34 receptions for 424 yards and 9 TDs in just 6 games- earning CIF Offensive Player of the Week Honors in Week 6.

I had created Reece’s card shortly before he was reassigned by the Talons. Since I didn’t have a good photo of Reece, I worked over an old photo of his from Ouachita. Pretty darn good if I say so, and Reece loved it. Brett contacted me again in 2015 and told me that he liked the Talons card so much, he wanted me to do one of him in his Revs uniform. I literally cranked this Revs design out in a day or two, and it too looks amazing.

Arena, CFL, NFL

Beavers, Larry Jr.

tntafl14 beaversCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 8/16    Received: 9/13     (27 days)

Larry Beavers is an outstanding talent in the Arena Football League. He attended a small Division III school, Wesley College in Delaware. There Beavers set the NCAA record for career kick return touchdows with a whopping 10.  He also demonstrated a knack for the ball, finishing second in school history with 2,366 yards.

He went undrafted in 2009 but was signed by the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately Beavers was among the final cuts that preseason by the squad. The following year Larry was signed by the New Orleans Saints, but again was cut in the offseason. In 2011, he signed with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League, but quickly decided to take his talents to the CFL, landing on the roster of the Edmonton Eskimos.  Beavers returned to the Arena leagues the following year and was an offseason addition to the Pittsburgh Power.

It was in 2013 that Larry joined the New Orleans Voodoo, and that’s where he’s made an impressive impact. He’d earn second team All-Arena Team Honors in 2014 as a kick returner cracking the 1,000 yard barrier both as a receiver and as a kick returner. Larry was assigned to the expansion Las Vegas Outlaws for 2015, but ended up rubberbanding back to the Voodoo before the season was out, scoring 2 more TDs on kick returns.  The Voodoo (and the Outlaws) were taken over by the league before the conclusion of the season.

I had gotten a few customs I had made autographed by players in the league over Twitter. Impressed with Beaver’s play in the finale against San Antonio I created this custom of him and asked him if he’d like one, to which he gleefully signed this one for me in about 2 weeks.

Arena

Sesay, Brandon

tntafl14 sesayCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: In Person, 5/3/2014 Talons vs. Barnstormers.

A rangy and strong defensive end and linebacker who played for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in college, Brandon Sesay joined the Barnstormers in 2011. As a rookie, he logged 13 tackles, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery. In 2014, Sesay signed with the San Antonio Talons and recorded 4 sacks, 10 tackles, 4 pass blocks, and 1 forced fumble. A veritable man mountain, Sesay liked his card so much he asked me if he could get one blown up into a poster.

Unfortunately the league suspended the operations of the Talons after being unable to secure a new owner. Brandon was picked up by the Tampa Bay Storm. He’d finish with 11 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 pass blocks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 blocked kicks.