Tag Archives: topps aaf 2019 certified

AAF, NFL, XFL

Farrow II, Kenneth

Panini Contenders 2016, #264
Topps AAF 2019, #AU-KF

Card: Topps AAF Now 2.17.19 , Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Panini Contenders 2016, Topps AAF Now 3.2.19, Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim, IP 2023, SA Brahmas v Arlington Renegades
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o The Miami Dolphins

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kenneth Farrow II played college ball for The University of Houston from 2012-15.
  • His best collegiate season came in 2014, rushing for 1042 yards on 186 carries- scoring 14 TDs.
  • Over Farrow’s college career he had 560 carries for 2980 yards and 34 TDs rushing, to go along with 74 catches for 546 yards and 3 TDs- in 48 contests.
  • Signed with San Diego following the 2016 NFL Draft.
  • Fought his way onto the roster and was 3rd on the depth chart at RB for the Chargers.
  • Dressed for 13 contests, starting 2, rushing for 192 yards on 60 carries.
  • Spent the end of 2016, and all of 2017 on IR.
  • Waived by team in 2018, and joined the Patriots for about a month during the regular season.
  • Subsequently signed with the AAF, joining the San Antonio Commanders.
  • The clear cut starting back for the Commanders ground game, Farrow ran for 106 times for 372 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games.
  • He ran for a league high 142 yards against the Birmingham Iron‘s top ranked defense in a 12-11 win during Week 4.
  • After the AAF folded, Kenneth briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins.
  • In 2020, Kenneth joined the XFL 2.0 as a member of the Seattle Dragons.
  • He ran for 156 yards on 38 carries, scoring 1 TD before the league folded due to COVID after 5 games.
  • Farrow returned again for the XFL 2023, joining the Arlington Renegades.
  • He saw action against the Brahmas- but tore his ACL late in the game ending his season.
  • See also San Antonio Commanders Autograph Souvenir
Topps Now AAF 2019, #12

ACCOLADES:

  • Week 4 AAF Offensive Player of the Week
  • AAF Record- Most yards rushing in one game (142)
Topps NOW AAF 2019, #22

NOTES:

Kenneth has a lot of great Spring football cards, and I wanted him on all of them. As I love my runningbacks, he was one of my favorite Commanders. When the league folded I ran out to a Chinese version of EBay and got a bunch of custom Commanders jerseys made. I was very excited to add Kenneth’s jersey to my collection (see photo). The problem was that it didn’t have the ‘II’ on the back- even though I requested it. It’s the effort that counts though.

Topps AAF 2019, #152
Topps XFL 2020, #8

I had been following Kenneth since his days with the Commanders, and I did this piece of art for him. He liked it so much, he promised me he’d give me his autograph at an event in the future- if he ever made it back around to this area. I bode my time.

Eventually he returned to the XFL 3.0 with the Arlington Renegades. When the team cut him before the season, I thought to myself, “Oh well,” But lo and behold two weeks before the Brahmas meeting with the Renegades, Arlington resigned him. I knew this was my best shot.

I look like a crazy person but Kenneth’s got it goin’ on.

I gave him a gentle nudge on Twitter with the picture, then took some photos of myself in my jersey. He liked it before the game, so I knew I had a good shot. When I got to the stadium, I snuck around to the visitors side of the stadium, eventually settling in where I was in view of him near the front of the visitors entrance stands.

Boom! He caught a pass and came rumbling over. “I see you! Thank-you for being a fan! I’ll get you after warm ups and sign anything you want!” Then he rolled off again. Everyone around me was pretty floored.

True to his word he came back after warm-ups concluded. He signed all the remaining cards I needed of him, and I gave him the art I made of him. We reminisced about the best of times with the Commanders briefly, before Brian Folkerts came over and De’Vante Bausby piped in about how classy my jersey was. It was great! Like a mini reunion. I was so elated. I felt so appreciated and I know the feeling was mutual.

Even though the Brahmas lost the game, I felt like a big winner that day.

Unfortunately during a play where Kenneth was plowing ahead for a big gain, he was tackled and injured. At some point enough is enough and with the injuries he’s sustained over the years, he’s lucky to still have it. After his surgical procedure he announced his very well earned retirement from the sport. Onward and upward!

Kenneth is a founding member of the UFPA (United Football Players Association)- An advisory board of players that specializes in helping players and unions outside the NFL and CFL negotiate union contracts with their leagues.

AAF, CFL

Koloamatangi, Meffi

Topps AAF 2019, #AU-MK

CARD: Topps AAF Certified 2019
ACQUIRED: Box Breaker, 2019

  • Played DL 5 years at Hawaii from 2013-17.
  • Finished with 80 total tackles and 7 sacks over 3 years.
  • Went undrafted in 2018, and spent time in the camp of the Oakland Raiders.
  • Joined the AAF in 2019, playing for the San Diego Fleet.
  • Notched 7.5 tackles and .5 sacks over 8 contests.
  • Spent the remainder of the year in the CFL with the BC Lions, and then later the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
  • In 2022, signed with the Vegas Knight Hawks of the IFL.

NOTES:

Pretty happy to get this certified, but with an underwhelming autograph, I couldn’t help but be disappointed that Meffy didn’t spell out his entire name- though I don’t blame him. Later I pulled a second certified autograph of his that was fully spelled out.

AAF

Ebersol, Charlie (2)

Topps AAF 2019, #CE

CARD: Topps AAF 2019 Certified
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Purchase
FAILURE: TTM 2019, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

The crown jewel of the Topps AAF certified collection is the league founder Charlie Ebersol. It’s actually a great looking card of him. I rarely saw these in the wild on Ebay, and when I did they were outrageously priced and people were bidding on them. I never thought this would drop into my possession but CFL Fan in Philly came through again with an offer for this and other cards to complete out my set I could not resist.

I wrote Charlie shortly after the league folded and sorta went over the top. It was a 10 page letter done in InDesign with photos on it. I had a lot of things to say, and also questions to ask. I’d like to think that due to the AAF lawsuits going around, he didn’t really want to say anything.

Well over the last few years since the league folded, parts of it have been sold off, such as the gambling tech (to MGM) and equipment (MLFB). The trademarks to the team names lapsed, and the Commanders name that had been ‘promised’ to San Antonio, was snatched up by the artist formerly known as the Redskins… in Washington DC. The website and the mobile app have also died a quiet death.

Charlie otherwise has remained fairly mum since the league folded. Just a casual thing here or there on Twitter, but nothing recent. If he’s behind the strings on the AAF account as well, it’s great theater when he does say something or likes something that stirs the masses.

He’s also had to contend unfortunately with the AAF’s bankruptcies in San Antonio. Despite that, and what happened to the league, I never saw him as a villain. He further cemented my position on that as he fought vigorously for the former AAF players to receive more financial compensation out of the bankruptcy fund, much to Tom Dundon’s chagrin.

It’s strange, but to me, it’s becoming a weird life goal to meet and hang out with Charlie. -No no. Not in that stalker-ish sorta way, but in general, he seems like a very likeable guy, who absolutely loves the sport of football. So yeah Charlie, the invitation still stands. Tacos. Beer. Football. Oh and heck if you got another one of those boss AAF jackets in your closet- <nods and grins>.

And, he still has that photo of us together during that final game in league history he promised he’d post up.

Thanks for the memories Charlie!