Card: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: In Person, 5/3/2014 Talons vs. Barnstormers.
Carlton Brown earned First Team All SW Athletic Conference honors in 2005 after recording 27 tackles and 4 interceptions in 11 games for Jackson State.
He’d sign with the Utah Blaze in 2008, and record his first interception in 2010 while with the Milwaukee Mustangs. Brown played the 2011 campaign with the Kansas City Command, and return to the Blaze in 2012 for a 5 interception performance.
Mercenary defensive back Carlton Brown found a home with the San Antonio Talons in 2013, compiling his best season as a pro with 63 tackles, 10 pass blocks, 1 forced fumble and 8 interceptions. He’d be hit by the injury bug in 2014 after recording an additional 2 picks and 10 tackles. With the Talons suspending operations after the season, he’d play for both the Jacksonville Sharks and the LA Kiss in 2015.
Over his time in the league, Brown has also served time returning kicks boasting a 15.8 yard average on 101 returns and 3 touchdowns.
The Talons were ravaged with injuries during their final campaign and their wide receiver and defensive back corps turned into turnstiles at one point. Joe Lopez had a brief stay on the Talons. There were no acceptable photos that I could find to work with, so I had to doctor an existing shot, like in the Brett Reece card, and I was not disappointed in the results. After a bit of digging I was able to track Joe down through Twitter where he quickly responded to my request.
Joe Lopez saw his first action in the AFL with the Utah Blaze back in 2011, where he tallied 7 tackles and 1 pass break up. He was assigned to the Gladiators in 2012, and joined the Talons in 2014. A nasty special teams gunner, Joe has the speed and the size to lay a lick on opposing kick returners, recording 9 tackles and 2 assists for the San Antonio. Over his college career at SUNY-Cortland Joe had an interception in 6 straight games, which stands as a school record.
Card: Top Notch AFL Talons 2014
Acquired: IP 2014, San Antonio Talons vs. New Orleans Voodoo
After the game Shannon was seated next to Shane Boyd. When I came up to Shannon and gave him his card, Shane leaned over and told him that I knew about Boyd’s historical contribution to football. Indeed I did- and quoted that Boyd scored the first TD in UFL history for the California Redwoods, which prompted Tevaga to quip that Boyd, “had his own little piece of Jeopardy history.” Shannon was happy to have a card to call his own and signed this one just as eagerly and quickly as the rest of the team.
Shannon started 41 games for the Bruins earning All-American honors as a Junior, and as a Senior was named a Lombardi watch list candidate. After starting 7 games in 2011, and 10 games in 2012 for the Spokane Shock, Tevaga started all 18 games for the Utah Blaze in 2013. After the Blaze disbanded, Tevaga was allocated to the San Antonio Talons, where the burly bearded Samoan has made his mark.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
