Big man-mountain (6’4″, 330), Antone Davis played RT at Tennessee.
He and fellow blocking teammate Charles McRae were considered the best offensive lineman in the 1991 NFL Draft.
A consensus All-American, and runner up for the Outland Trophy, Davis and McRae were selected back to back during the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft.
Needing to address their porous OL, the Eagles traded away two picks to move up and select Antone Davis at #8 overall.
After a holdout, Davis had an extremely bumpy baptism by fire playing for the Eagles his rookie year.
The remainder of the next 4 years were punctuated by penalties and injury.
Following the 1995 season, he was not resigned by the Eagles, and joined the Atlanta Falcons for the 1996 campaign.
Davis saw action primarily as a backup the next two seasons, but was released in early ’98.
He’d then see time briefly on the off-season roster of the Packers in 1999, before retiring.
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #19
NOTES:
Ugh. Poor Antone. I remember him appearing on MNF in 1991. I think it was his first start after an early injury sidelined him for most of the preseason and some of the year. He got absolutely wrekt by the Redskins front 4 on MNF. Holding calls, false starts, constant pressures, and sacks galore. I felt so terrible for Antone. After his career ended, Davis went into the food service industry. He was also a finalist on the show ‘The Biggest Loser’ a few years back. Antone doesn’t sign often so I thought I’d shoot these two set needs out.
Note that his Action Packed Rookies card shows him with #77 and his Gameday has #78. After he signed his rookie contract he changed his jersey number.
CARD: Pro Set World League 1991 ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Work SENT: 2/14 RECEIVED: 3/22 (24 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Victor was a rare player, who originally played American Football for English clubs, that was able to successfully make the transition to the World League.
His career started with the London Ravens, whom he played for from 1983-86.
Victor ran gangbusters over the league with 3770 yards, 66 touchdowns, with an average of 8.9 yards per carry.
After a brief foray to the states in ’86, Victor returned to England to play for the Manchester Spartans.
Ebubedike first grabbed the attention of the NFL in 1990, as the New York Jets expressed interest in trying him out.
Later on he’d be selected by the World League of American Football by the London Monarchs as part of the league’s ‘Operation Discovery’ program for play in 1991.
He’d score the first TD in Wembley Stadium by an English- American footballer against Orlando.
A fearsome hitter, Ebubedike also was a special teams gunner, logging 16 tackles that year.
Returned to the Monarchs for the ’92 campaign.
In 1995, he changed his last name to ‘X’, through his studies with the Nation of Islam.
At that time the World League was firing back up again, and Victor returned to the Monarchs that year.
He played the next 3 seasons with the team, finishing with 116 carries, 416 yards and 4 touchdowns.
After the London/ England Monarchs disbanded after 1998, Victor still wanted to play.
He’d return to playing football around Europe and then later England, playing his last game in 2013- at the grand old age of 47.
Considered a Black Pioneer of the sport, and an Ambassador of American Football in England.
ACCOLADES:
Operation Discovery 1991, ’92
NOTES:
Pro Set 1991, #76 B
Wow! First try and a success! I got extremely lucky to get Victor. Apparently one of his friends from Houston was visiting London, so he just handed the return envelope to him and he popped it into the mail when he returned to the US, avoiding any need to figure out Royal Mail return rates or send outs. The mail gods were truly on my side for this one! I was ecstatic to get this one back, and he slides into the top 5- mileage-wise, just a few miles behind fellow Monarch Philip Alexander.
I had been trying to find Victor X, aka Victor Muhammad, aka Victor Ebubedike since I started this project. I was aware that he was back in the mother-country, but wasn’t really sure where, since they don’t allow webcrawlers to aggressively aggregate information on people in Europe. Well I started digging and eventually was able to turn up from an article that he went through a few last name changes. From there I found another article indicated he was a fireman. -And from there… I found an article that he and his coworkers were hailed as heroes for saving some people from a fire. That article gave a station number, and from there I found the address and took a wild shot.
Rick Neuheisel played QB and after his playing days ended became renowned for his offensive coaching system and philosophy.
Rick’s storied college career began at UCLA as a walk on in 1979.
He eventually got to suit up to hold placekicks, then saw playing time in his Junior and Senior years.
In 1983 he was named starter, lost the job to Steve Bono, reclaimed the job after Bono got injured, then went out on top with a win over a Top 5 opponent in the Rose Bowl.
Rick signed with the USFL’s San Antonio Gunslingers in 1984, and somehow managed to survive the legendarily cash-strapped franchise through 1985 (sacked a total of 120 times in two seasons).
During the 1987 Players’ Strike, he suited up for both the San Diego Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a scab replacement.
Returned to UCLA and became a graduate assistant, and later a QB Coach- tutoring future NFL #1 pick Troy Aikman.
Served at UCLA through the 1993 season, leaving for greener pastures at Colorado in 1994.
Named HC in 1995, and stayed with the Buffs through ’98.
Then coached at Washington from 1999-02.
Made first stop at the professional level with the Baltimore Ravens, coaching there from 2005-07.
Returned to UCLA as HC from 2008-2011.
Has an 87-58 (.600) coaching record at the college level.
Team finished with a 5-3 record and a share of first place in the AAF West.
Topps AAF 2019, #40
NOTES:
Neuheisel is well known in coaching circles as a wild card, offensive madman, even adopting ‘The Pistol’ offense at UCLA. He also was an early proponent of the spread offense before it really became en vogue. He’s also got a really interesting coaching tree he’s developing, as well with some of his AAF progeny going on to become successful coaches in their own right.
Initially when the AAF was formed, Mike Martz was tabbed to be HC of Arizona, but when Neuheisel came on board, he wanted to stay close to home- so Rick became HC of the Hotshots and Martz went to SD.
During that ride, Rick was seen as the one coming up with the crazy and wild ideas in the room for the league. Rick even came up with an idea that players would choose their teams instead of the teams doing a territorial draft- sorta like the TV show ‘The Voice’. Apparently Bill Polian didn’t understand or like this, and at one point began to steam, before Charlie Ebersol stepped in and squashed the idea.
When I saw the Hotshots play the Commanders in the league’s final contest, a very, very enthusiastic Rick Neuheisel fan from his Gunslinger days came down in a jersey and helmet during the pregame. Rick was so enthusiastic and excited about it, he invited the fan over the end zone stands and onto the field to meet Rick and talk to the team. It was a very wholesome fan moment.
Rick was one of my early finds from the AAF Topps set. Although it took a bit to get back to me, he did sign it on the back. No harm, no foul. I’d hoped to get his certified autograph before I posted this one, and while I had seen them in the wild, they were for an exorbitant price. Thankfully my friend CFL Fan in Philly came through and offered to fill the rest of my set needs at a really nice price. Rick’s true rookie card- his USFL Gunslingers issue, continues to be a bit overpriced for my tastes, so I was happy to add him on these and close the book on him there.
USFL
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
LG
806
450
5610
55.8
32
40
69.8
76t
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
