Category Archives: 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!

Arbuckle, Charles

Score 1990, #639

CARD: Score 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 4/3/2020 RECEIVED: 9/4/2022 (884 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played for UCLA from 1986-89.
  • Increased productivity every season despite being limited by injuries.
  • Finished 1989 on a high note with 33 receptions for 309 yards and a TD.
  • In 4 years had 73 total receptions for 821 yards and 4 TDs.
  • Selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 5th round of the 1990 NFL Draft.
  • Spent 1991 on the off season rosters of the Browns and Chargers.
  • Didn’t see action until 1992- as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
  • Had no receptions until 11/29 against Buffalo, but burst onto the scene catching 9 passes for 106 yards.
  • Finished season with 13 receptions for 152 yards and a TD.
  • Played next 3 seasons in Indianapolis, retiring after the 1995 season.
  • Has spent post playing career in the booth as a color analyst for college football and NFL games.
  • Spent 2019 as a positional coach with the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF.

NOTES:

Barely missing the top 10 cut of longest waits is Charles Arbuckle. Obviously I felt I was never getting this one back but lo and behold at my old address, there it was some 880+ days later.

I never noticed until now that the UCLA logo was airbrushed off the helmet. By 1990, I thought that card companies stopped doing this, but I guess the NCAA or UCLA had something to say to Score about their logos. Great card though. The photography and color is spot on.

Once I knew that Charles was on the coaching staff of the Hotshots I moved him up in the queue to write to.

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Blizzard, Bobby

CARD: Hamburg Sea Devils Team Issue 2005
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Acquisition

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Bobby Blizzard played TE for Kentucky in 1999-00 posting 30 receptions for 275 yards.
  • Transferred to North Carolina, and after sitting out a year, played for the Tar Heels in in 2002 and 03.
  • Led the team in ’02 with 28 receptions for 440 yards and 5 TDs and garnered national attention for positional watch lists.
  • Felled by viral meningitis during senior year, impacting his numbers.
  • Finished college career with 78 receptions for 876 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Went undrafted in the 2004 NFL Draft, but signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • After being cut, was signed by the Cardinals.
  • Assigned to the NFLE, Blizzard played for the Hamburg Sea Devils.
  • Caught 34 passes for 335 yards and 2 TDs.
  • Returned to the Cardinals but was injured and released.
  • Signed by the Baltimore Ravens late in the year and was on the team’s practice squad through mid-06.
  • Had an outstanding year in Europa playing for the Cologne Centurions in 2007, leading most TEs in all receiving categories.
  • The Bengals signed Blizzard to the team that year, but he suffered a career ending back injury.
  • Bobby joined his former coach at Kentucky- Hal Mumme at a variety of stops at the Division III level.
  • In 2019, Bobby followed Mumme to the AAF serving as TEs coach of the Memphis Express.
  • After the league collapsed, he joined Mumme on the staff of the XFL Renegades as RB coach, and later as co-offensive coordinator in 2020.

ACCOLADES:

  • All NFLE 2006
  • All Europa 2007

NOTES:

A nice coup for me, Bobby is another solid player/ prospect of the NFLE/Europa who has become an intriguing up and coming coaching prospect. An apostle of the Hal Mumme tree, Blizzard came to my attention after he joined the AAF in 2019. I’ve been a fan ever since.

NFLE/EUROPA

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