We sometimes forget that there is a haven for failed NFL players up north. The CFL is a place for those who wish to play competitive football that is not the bastard Arena Football League hybrid...instead its a bastard outdoor league hybrid. I mean, 3 downs? WTF??? But I digress, lets take a look at some people you may or may not remember that were once college greats but NFL busts, that are actually thriving in the Canadian Football League:
Jarrett Payton -
College: University of Miami
Best Known For: Being Walter Payton's son
Career Highlight: Being on the World Bowl XIII Champion Amsterdam Admirals
Undistinguished NFL Career: Finished the 2005 NFL season with the Tennessee Titans having 33 carries for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Released the next season.
Where is He Now: The Montreal Alouettes. Currently 5th in the league in rushing with 822 yards, averaging 5.3 a carry, and 9 TDs (1 receiving)
Michael Bishop -
College: Kansas State
Best Known For: Being the first cousin of actor/comedian/singer Jamie Foxx and finishing 2nd to Ricky Williams (another CFL alum) in the 1998 Heisman Trophy Award.
Career Highlight: Starting all 25 games in his K-State career and holds the school career records with 23 rushing touchdowns and 1,314 yards rushing for quarterbacks (11th overall).
Undistinguished NFL Career: Signed with the Patriots in 1999, saw first action in 2000 and only threw nine times with three completions, one of which being a 44 yard hailmary pass. Out of the league by 2001.
Where is He Now: Toronto Argonauts. Currently the Argonauts starting QB and 6th best quarterback in the CFL, Bishop has an 87.1 QB rating with 2409 yards and 18 TDs. Bishop has also run for 219 yards on 33 carries.
Robert Edwards -
College: University of Georgia
Best Known For: Blowing out his knee at a NFL rookie flag football game at the All Star game in Hawaii, barely escaping the injury without having his leg amputated below the knee, and told he may not walk again.
Career Highlight: After being drafted in the 1st round, Edwards ran for 1,115 yards as a rookie with the New England Patriots in the 1998 season.
Undistinguished NFL Career: After ruining his knee, Edwards took 4 years to come back to the league, where he was only relegated to 3rd down duties for just one season with the Miami Dolphins.
Where is He Now: Toronto Argonauts. Edwards is eighth in the league in rushing with 668 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
Terrence Edwards -
College: University of Georgia
Best Known For: Being the brother of Robert Edwards.
Career Highlight: Setting the SEC receiving yardage total record and is second all-time in receptions in the conference.
Undistinguished NFL Career: Active for 6 games with the Atlanta Falcons during the 2003 season...has 1 NFL catch for 10 yards.
Where is He Now: Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Number one in the CFL for receving with 724 receptions, 1241 yards, and 9 TDs.
Ken Yon Rambo -
College: Ohio State University
Best Known For: Finishing eighth on OSU's all-time reception list with 106 career catches and seventh in receiving yards with 1,849. Also for setting a school record with a 22.9-yard average on 64 kick-off returns.
Career Highlight: Um see above? Methinks Rambo peaked a little too soon.
Undistinguished NFL Career: In 2 years with the Dallas Cowboys (2001-02) Rambo's total stats were 17 receptions for 239 yards.
Where is He Now: Calgary Stampeders. 14th in the CFL for receiving with 54 catches for 831 yards.
Jarious Jackson -
College: Notre Dame
Best Known For: Setting Notre Dame single-season records for passing yards (2,753, breaking Joe Theisman's record), completions (184), and attempts (316).
Career Highlight: Took Notre Dame to the 2000 Fiesta Bowl 1999 Gator Bowl...the highlight ended there, Notre Dame lost 41-9 to Oregon State 35-28 to Georgia Tech. Took the Barcelona Dragons's to World Bowl IX...they lost to the Berlin Thunder 24-17.
Undistinguished NFL Career: Drafted in the 7th round by the Broncos, Jackson had a 4 year career with Denver with just 5 games played, completing 11 of 22 passes for 114 yards.
Where is He Now: British Columbia Lions. 7th best QB in the league with a rating of 84.1 with 2248 yards and 53% completions. He is also 13th in rushing with 254 yards.
Others you may remember: Tay Cody (Florida State & San Diego Chargers); Anthony Davis (Wisconsin and Indianapolis Colts); Timmy Chang (Hawaii); Jamaica Jackson (South Carolina); Zeke Moreno (Southern Cal. & San Diego Chargers); Ike Charlton (Va Tech & Seattle Seahawks); Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech & various NFL teams)
CFL Stats provided by The Sports Network
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Who's Who in the CFL?
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9 comments:
Lawrence Phillips would rather you leave these gentlemen alone.
Jarious Jackson didn't lead ND to the 2000 Fiesta Bowl. 1999 was his last season. Matt Lovecchio was the QB for ND in 2000.
The CFL is a way better game than the NFL. While most NFL games are boring and filled with kneel downs, commercial breaks and fair catches. Please pull that huge Arrogant American stick out of your eye and behold the beauty that is the CFL. America is circling the toilet and it is your arrogance and ignorance that will flush you down!!
What a curious comment. Not sure if its more a political statement than a rant against the NFL? In any case, if the CFL doesnt have commercial interruptions, its probably b/c they don't have anyone willing to sponsor their shit league...
Best. Response. Ever.
Take your fair catch(sissies!),40 second clock(suck it up),400 lb linemen, 4 downs(wow 2.5 yards a down=1st down awesome!), no motion robots,chase a rolling punt(excitement squared), OT coin flip victims, No Fun League... and stick it up maddens arse!
I love both leagues, and its true that you really should watch some CFL games before you bash it. The 3 downs is actually a good thing, since it makes teams go for a big play a little more often. Since the field is a lot bigger, it caters towards smaller, faster players than the bigger guys of the NFL. Take note that when you guys send your best players (Ricky Williams) he's a bust. When we send you our best (Kenton Kieth), he's a solid backup that has shown he could be a starter if given the opportunity. Its not a bad league, its a different league.
Not sure if the last comment is to me but, if so, yYou assume I haven't seen the CFL? Bad assumption. I've even been to a CFL game, Baltimore once had a team if you guys remember that. I didn't like the wider and longer field, I didnt like the 3 downs. Seemed like it was all change to make the game easier to play for these guys who couldn't make the NFL.
sorry... CFL "changes"?? about that...we were here first pal!! decades and decades before the american game existed the Grey Cup was being fiercly battled for on Canadian soil. Maybe the NFL changes were to make the REAL game easier to play for the fat guys who couldn't compete with the true athletes of the CFL.
'Nuff said!!
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