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Whatever Happened to... Gary Clark


RobJanis

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Last year Gary played in my company's golf tournament - he was in the group behind mine. Their group drove their carts up to the tee just as I hit a shot to 18 inches on a par 3 to win closest to the pin - everyone thought it was going in for a minute. I was wearing a Redskins hat, so I got an instant autograph - now it's my game day hat.

Gary was a great guy to talk to and he was having fun at the tournament. Unfortunately, he's a really bad golfer.

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He owns a mortgage/real estate co as well. I have actually hung out with him on several occasions.

Yeah, that article in the Breaking News forum was more of a retrospective on him and his time with the team. It only included one line about "Whatever Happened to" him:

Today Clark owns a restaurant and lives in the Washington, D.C. area.

Still, fond memories. :cheers:

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I watched the Giants game with Gary Clark in the Dominion Energy Luxury box. He lives in DC his daughter goes to JMU, he goes back to Redskins park whenever Gibbs gives him a shout. He is still passionate about the game, and was jumping up and down after the personal foul called on Ryan Clark. Anyway hes a good dude we whacked a few drinks I told him I was a big fan of the posse.

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I think Gary Clark had one of the best TD dances...espeically after he caught the game winner in the 87-88 NFC Championship vs the Vikes. I was so bumbed he went to Arizona to end his career....all the "Posse" in fact left...Monk to the Jets/Eagle, Snaders to the Falcons and Clark to the Cards. That's when it all started to go down hill and we are "just now" climbing out of it.

I'm glad he is doing well and still considers himself a memeber of the "Posse".

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I just want to know whatever happened to Art Monk? Anyone have an update on that?

I will be interviewing Art Monk on Wednesday and will be developing an article that will be posted at Redskins Breaking News by Capital News Services next month.

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  • 11 months later...

Here is the original article reprinted fully, and with my permission.

http://www.capitalnewsservices.net/Clark.htm

Redskins Great - Gary Clark

by Robert Janis - Capital News Services

01/06/06

If you have talent, professional football will find you. Witness the career of Gary Clark. Clark played two seasons for the USFL Jacksonville Bulls, eight seasons with the Washington Redskins, two seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, and one season with the Miami Dolphins. He was an instrumental part of the Redskins winning seasons under head coach Joe Gibbs during the 1980s and played in and won two super bowls. He was also selected to four Pro Bowls and is among the NFL’s all time top 50 in receptions (23rd), receiving yards (17th), receiving TDs (tied for 35th), and yards from scrimmage (45th). In addition, he is one of the 70 Greatest Redskins of all time.

Born in May, 1962 in New River Valley, Virginia, Clark was the youngest of four children (three boys and a girl). His father drove a school bus, was a janitor, and was president of the local NAACP. His mother was a teacher’s aid.

Clark first got involved in sports when he was just five years old, he said.

He was kind of urged into it because his brothers played.

He attended Pulaski County High School in Virginia where he played football, basketball, and ran track. He was a receiver and safety for the football team.

Although he doesn’t remember receiving honors or awards for his prowess on the field, he was voted most likely to become a professional athlete by his follow students.

He received a scholarship to play football at James Madison University, an NCAA I-AA Division team. By the end of his college career he held every significant James Madison University receiving record. He caught 155 passes for 2,863 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also ran three punt returns for touchdowns including an 89 and 87 yarders in one game in 1983 at Virginia. His best year was in

1983 when he caught 57 passes and was an honorable mention All-American. In

1982 he caught 46 passes and was the Virginia offensive player of the year and an honorable mention All-American.

Perhaps because he played for a Division I-AA college, Clark was overlooked by the NFL after graduating from James Madison in 1984. However, he was the first round selection of the Jacksonville Bulls in the second USFL draft.

In two seasons with the Jacksonville Bulls Clark caught 66 passes for 821 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 12.4 yards per catch. He was named to the second team of the All-USFL team.

Clark was selected by the Redskins in a supplemental draft in 1985. Other former USFL players to join the Redskins along with Clark included Ricky Sanders (Houston), Kelvin Bryant (Philadelphia/Baltimore), Doug Williams (Oklahoma/Arizona), and Clarence Verdin (Houston).

Clark explained that he was available because Jacksonville had released him due to financial problems. “The Redskins had my rights and Bobby Beathard recruited me,” said Clark. After his selection in the supplemental draft, Clark went to the Redskins facility to show the coaches what he could do. “I ran a 4.38 40 yard dash with two pulled hamstrings and they liked what they saw,” said Clark. “They really brought me in to return punts and kick offs.”

He was greatly impressed by Gibbs from day one. “I was in awe of how he went about taking care of business and preparation for an opponent,” said Clark.

“We truly knew what to expect in every game from our opponent.

“My relationship with Joe was like that of a father and son,” continued Clark. “I was a very passionate player and would say whatever was on my mind at the time when the game was going on. I don’t believe in losing and I still don’t. There is nothing good about it. Sometimes I expressed that passion too verbally for Joe’s liking and he would let me know when he felt I was over stepping any lines. Heck, he compared me to Tony Stuart (the race car driver). He loved me when the game was on the line but hated my mouth and my actions some time.”

Clark was also in awe of Charley Taylor, the Redskins’ Receivers’ Coach.

“Simply put, Charley Taylor was the best Redskins receiver to ever put on a Redskins uniform,” he said. “I should never ever be mentioned in the same breath with Charley Taylor. What a hell of a man and a player.”

When asked to choose his best game, Clark replied, “Heck, pick any game from the NFC East. I always played my best football against the Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, and Cards and also played well against San Francisco and Minnesota outside of the East. And during that time span and for 10 to 11 years, the NFC East or San Fran won the super bowl.”

Clark was a major contributor to the Redskins success during the 1980s and in winning two super bowls. He noted that he scored the go ahead touchdown against the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII and scored the touchdown that “broke the backs of the Bills” in Super Bowl XXVI.

His Redskins team stats look like this:

Year # of Games Receptions Yards Yards per Rec. TDs

1985 16 72 926 12.9 5

1986 15 74 1265 17.1 7

1987 12 56 1066 19.0 7

1988 16 59 892 15.1 7

1989 15 79 1229 15.6 9

1990 16 75 1112 14.8 8

1991 16 70 1340 19.1 10

1992 16 64 912 14.2 5

Total: 122 549 8742 15.9 58

Clark’s super bowl stats are:

Rushing Yards TD // Rec. YDs TD

1987 Super Bowl XXII 1 25 0 3 55 1

1991 Super Bowl XXVI 0 0 0 7 114 1

Finally, Clark is third all time in receiving yards for the Redskins.

After Joe Gibbs retired, Clark joined the Cardinals and played for them for two seasons (‘93, ‘94). He finished his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins in 1995.

The fact that Gibbs retired was a great influence for him to leave the Skins.

“I would have retired a Redskin if Joe Gibbs did not retire,” said Clark.

“So would have Art Monk and Ricky Sanders. Joe had a way of keeping the team together and players in place for less money. He made everyone understand that the team was first and everything else was second. Nobody since Joe first left understood how to get that point across to players. When I was in Washington, it was obvious I should have been paid more money than I was. I led the Redskins receivers in most categories for most of my years there. My point is I knew I was worth more money than I was getting paid. But Joe kept me there and I have no regrets for staying and playing for less money. I won two rings and got to go to war with a team of guys who would give their right arm to win. It does not get any better than that!”

Today Clark owns a restaurant and lives in the Washington, D.C. area.

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"My point is I knew I was worth more money than I was getting paid. But Joe kept me there and I have no regrets for staying and playing for less money. I won two rings and got to go to war with a team of guys who would give their right arm to win. It does not get any better than that!”

How cool is that? Whatever happened to those days?

Oh yeah...FA...:mad:

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I met Gary Clark at the Beach Blitz and he was VERY personable. He was extremely nice to everyone he came in contact with and took off his Super Bowl ring while he was signing autographs letting everyone that wanted to pick it up do so. I even got a picture with him while I was holding his ring. He is a class act.

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I saw Gary Clark and his lady friend, wifey, girlfriend...lol whoever it was...i saw them this past weekend at the stadium. They parked directly behind us in the orange lot. He also used to come into the Safeway a lot to get lunch meat lol.

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