Tag Archives: buffalo bills

NFL

Lofton, James (2)

to03 hof lofton udldg97 lofton ap92 lofton pset90 loftonud97 mm lofton

Cards: Action Packed 1991, ProSet Update 1990, Topps HoF 2003, Upper Deck Legends 1997, Upper Deck Legends 1997 Marquee Matchups
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home*
Sent: 12/5   Received: 12/12   (7 days)
*Donation Enclosed of $30.00
See Also: James Lofton

James Lofton has a great reputation as a fabulous TTM signer. His normal cost is $10.00 per flat, but like many players, he will sign for as little as $5.00 a card. After I had gotten James many years ago in person at Dallas Cowboys’ training camp, I had piled up a significant number of really nice cards of the Hall of Fame player. The big incentive was this really nice Upper Deck Marquee Matchups card that I had previously gotten signed by Drew Pearson in person.
Spurred on by the number of responses I was seeing, I decided to go ahead and shoot a few cards out with a donation. It didn’t take but a week for the Hall of Famer to respond signing all 4 of my cards, throwing in the additional Hall of Fame card. Lofton’s autograph is slightly different from his 1992 signature. It is missing the star in the loop of the ‘J’ and the number 80 inside the ‘L’. He was also kind enough to inscribe each card with his Hall of Fame year. Still it looks legitimate enough that I believe it is from him and not a ghost signer.

NFL

Foreman, Jay

ud02tx foremanCard: Upper Deck Houston Texans 2002 Inaugural Season
Acquired: 2014, Future Considerations

Jay Foreman was an intimidating presence at linebacker for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. A four year starter there, Jay finished with 233 tackles, ranking him 12th best in school history. Taken in the 5th round of the 1999 draft, Foreman was inactive for a good portion of his rookie season due to a logger jam at linebacker on the team. He’d play on special teams in the final 4 games of the season. It wasn’t really until 2001 that Foreman got his chance to shine for the Bills. The team converted to the 4-3 defense and kicked Sam Cowart inside, leaving 2 spots to be fought over at outside linebacker. The big loser was John Holecek, a stalwart defender who found himself surprisingly cut due to the Bills precarious salary cap situation. Foreman was supposed to battle it out with Kenyatta Wright and Jeremy Spoon for the backup job at MLB to Cowart, but by the beginning of the season, Foreman was starting at right linebacker for the Bills. He’d have a pretty respectable season with 72 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries, – right in time for a new contract.

The Bills, still contractually herniated needed to figure out to do with Jay. Enter the Houston Texans. The rookie Texans became a dumping ground of sorts for bloated contracts to go to die, while alleviating much needed cap space for the teams who gave up players. With the expansion draft underway the Texans selected offensive back Charlie Rogers with the 11th pick. The Bills had pined for Rogers, put some calls into the Texans, and before everybody knew it, the trade was consummated. Foreman was a steal for the Texans, as he’d have his best season as a pro officially recording 137 tackles (197 by Texans’ coach estimates) at LILB. He’d post another good season for the team before injuries limited him to 11 games in 2004. After the ’04 season, the Texans coaching staff blew up the defense trying to go younger, and allowed both Foreman and Jamie Sharper to explore trade options after the team signed Morlon Greenwood. Unable to find a trade partner, both players were eventually cut. Foreman went on to play two more forgetable seasons for the New York Giants and San Fransisco 49ers before finally retiring.

I had heard that Jay was appearing at a Texans Ambassador appearance in East Texas, and with Lance going, I went ahead and exercised one of my future options. I sent him a few cards for both myself and him to get signed and crossed my fingers that everything would work out. Overall a pretty nice card, and I am glad to get Jay’s autograph on it. I would love to eventually complete this set out, but many members of the expansion Texans franchise roster has already slipped under the radar.

G/Gs  84/60     Tac  527    Sac 4.5      Fum 4     Int 0      Yds 0      Avg -.-      Td 0        Lg -.-

NFL, University of Texas

Williams, Aaron (2)

sage12 a williamssco11 awilliamsdor&s11 awilliamssp11 awilliams
Cards: SageHit 2011, Donruss Rookies & Stars 2011, Score 2011, SP Authentic 2011
Acquired: 2/26/14, Rudy’s Ribfest 4

Aaron had a difficult transition his first few years there in Buffalo, but you have to hand it to the Bills and Williams being patient with finding his role in the defensive system. After a change of head coaches and defensive coordinators, it looks like Aaron will be the team’s answer at strong safety. He started 14 games in 2013 and recorded 60 tackles, 4 interceptions, 11 passes defensed, and a forced fumble.  After the Bills were unable to come to a long term arrangement with free safety Jarius Byrd, the team upped its contract with Aaron instead.

I had a grand plan for Ribfest this year in order to hit as many of the locations as I could. Well, other than the traffic working against me, so were the guests of honor at the event, and the Rudy’s staff. They were incredibly clueless of who was going to be at which location, and who exactly any player was. It was frustrating. Still I made my first stop at the Round Rock location and waited him out. He arrived in style in a dapper, white 4 door Porsche. Aaron really liked his Donruss Rookies & Stars card and paused to show his friend the card before he signed. I got  him shortly after on these 4 cards. The 5th was his Topps debut card, but he claimed that the photo on the card was not of him. Chris Houston who was supposed to be there with him was a last minute scratch, so I bolted for the 183 location with little time to spare for Fozzy Whittaker and a mystery guest.