Arena

Wilson, Jomo

TNTAFL11 JWilsonCard: TNT AFL 2011, TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: Acquired: In person, 3/1/14  Talons Season Ticket Party, 2014 Talons versus Sharks.

At Eastern Oregon, Jomo Wilson caught 61 passes for 869 yards and 8 TDs in 19 games. After graduating Jomo played in the AFL2 for the Central California Coyotes in 2007 and the Idaho Burn in 2009. An offseason workout partner of Aaron Garcia, Garcia lobbied hard to get Wilson a tryout with the Sharks after Jomo was cut by the Rush. It paid off, as not only would Jomo become a member of the squad, he’d go on to record 81 catches for 964 yards and 19 touchdowns along with 60 kick returns for 862 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2010.  In 2011, he’d have his best year to date with 131 receptions for 1,737 yards and 44 touchdowns.

tnttal14 wilsonJomo signed with the San Antonio Talons  where he continued to step it up as a  #1 receiver/ returner for the team.  In 2012, he had 83 receptions, 1,284 yards, and 36 TDs and 26 kick returns for 537 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2013 Wilson followed up his first season with 1,206 yards on 98 catches and another 24 touchdowns.

Jomo was the last of the Talons I was looking for at the season ticket holders party. He snuck behind the ground that I was talking to in the back before I finally cornered him to sign his card. He liked the look of the Sharks card but was hoping it was a Talons one instead. Still even though I wasn’t able to get Rohan Davey (rehabbing) or ‘Tank’ Cook (taking a season off for fatherhood)  like I had hoped, it was nice to get all the receivers I wanted.

Ironically during the 2014 season, Jomo found himself traded back to the Jacksonville Sharks by the San Antonio Talons for ‘future considerations’.  He signed this card before the game against the Talons. Having our seats upgraded to near the front row, I was in Wilson’s ear hole all day, but he still burned the Talons’ secondary for 2 or 3 TDs. I think once or twice during the game he winked at me before he scored.

 

NFL

Gettis, David

epix10 gettisCard: Epix 2010
Acquired: 2014 Box Breaker, Target Autographed Memorabilia

David Gettis is an experienced return man with great size (6’3″) and good speed(4.39). Projected to go as late as the 7th round, he finished his career at Baylor with 116 receptions for 1555 yards and 4 touchdowns to go along with 41 kick returns for 932 yards and a TD.

Gettis was picked by the Carolina Panthers in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL draft. The Panthers were looking to give the offense a complete overhaul and dipped unabashedly into the wide receiver pool  drafting Brandon LaFell (2nd) and Armanti Edwards (3rd) as well. As Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen fought it out to be the starting quarterback, Gettis battled LaFell in the slot. Gettis won out and started 13 games recording 37 catches for 508 yards and 3 TDs. He’d also haul in an 88 yard bomb against the Baltimore Ravens. David would be injured in practice in 2011 and missed the entire season with a torn ACL. While he did return in 2012, the Panthers were now stacked at receiver and reached an injury settlement with Gettis in August of 2013. The Redskins signed David in early January of 2014, but he’d be cut in May. Later he’d be picked up by the Bucs, and cut again. Currently he is a free agent.

College Football HoF, NFL, XFL

Bosworth, Brian ‘Boz’

udou11 bosworthCards: ProSet 1989, Upper Deck Legends 2011, OU UD 2011, OU UD 2011 85 NC
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home*
Sent:   1/22   Received: 1/30  (8 days)
* Fee required

Brian Bosworth was one of the most indelible and engrossing personalities of the 80s to hit the gridiron. Boz’s influence was so strong that his hairstyle, sunglasses, and personality transcended sports barriers and transferred to mainstream American culture- but to Brian, that was all ‘The Boz’.

udldg11 bosworthI had been looking for Brian since I re-started TTM collecting in 2010. A long time ago I got his Starting Lineup figure. One of the few unique figures in the set, they had gone as far as giving Bosworth his stylish haircut.  I went as far as writing names, addresses on envelopes, and pulling cards, when I realized that he had not been responding to any TTM responses. I waited 6 years for a better shot at Brian while other peoples’ misses piled up.

It was then a lot of things really fell into place. I watched the ’30 for 30′ presentation on him, simply titled ‘Brian and the Boz’.  The show was an honest documentary on Bosworth’s life, but what really surprised me was that it all took place around the city I live in.  It lastly took me seeing a post on a message board I frequent, discussing a recent success that somebody had contacting him through email. I found the email and gave it a shot. I was given a very specific pricelist (very) and instructions on how to pay through paypal.  I went ahead and gave it a shot. A few days later, I got all 4 of these great cards back signed. Personalization doesn’t bother me since I keep them. I didn’t ask for ‘the Boz’ on the cards. -I just didn’t feel it was appropriate after watching the 30 for 30 documentary.

udou11 bosworth NC85Brian also answered my short questionaire. He told me that if he was a tree, he’d be a Palm tree, and that of the other teams he really wanted to play for, he was interested in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Dallas.

Brian Bosworth was one of the greatest linebackers ever to don pads. The only two time Butkus Award winner in history (annually given to the greatest linebacker in college football,) in 1985 and 1986, Bosworth also earned Consensus All-American Honors both years, as the Sooners powered their way to the National Championship in 1985. It’d be in 1987 that Bosworth garnered the attention of the NCAA and was suspended for the Orange Bowl. He declared for the NFL Supplemental Draft of 1987. Brian finished his career at OU with 395 tackles in only 3 years.

pset89 bosworthNow Boz had a very thorough determination process for who he’d play for. He sent letters to all 28 teams, telling them if he’d like to play for them or not. Simply stated if he was drafted by a team he didn’t want to play for, he was just going to sit out until the next draft. Boz really wanted to play for the Raiders, but instead got selected by: The Seahawks…  After initially rebuffing the Seahawks offers, Boz finally came to the table and signed an (at the time) incredible contract: 10 years, $11 million dollars. He came into the Seahawk lineup and helped bolster the defensive roster, giving the team a much needed ‘bad boy persona’ shooting his mouth off at the media, players, and fans. Boz played for the Seahawks for 2 and a half seasons, before a shoulder injury finally caught up with him.  Boz flunked his physical -ending his football career.

Brian had been dabbling in the media long enough that he had become a recognizable face. It didn’t take long for him to show up on Entertainment Tonight, appearing in his first movie ‘Stone Cold’.  Since then he’s appeared in films, TV shows, commercials, and media. Bosworth was also a member of the Sunday Night XFL commentary crew in 2001.

In 2015, Bosworth was finally inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Passed over numerous times by the selection committee – most of those involved felt that it was finally time.  It was an honor to me that I felt was long overdue to Brian Bosworth.

 

 

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.