Tag Archives: Iowa Barnstormers

Arena

Schonbrunner, Jeremy

tntafl14 schonbrunnerCard: TNT AFL Talons 2014
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent:  8/16    Received: 9/6   (20 days)

With time running out on the Talons franchise to find an owner and the last few weeks of the season on the horizon, I was still cranking out cards for the team even through their final hours. I kept going to the games and cheering on the team, but they finished winless at home with some games ending in heartbreak, while others the team just got completely blown out of. The Talons had been completely decimated by injury, and by being only given the green light to play only a month or two before the season, the talent pool had been drained.

When promising prospect Colton Jones went down during the early part of the season, the Talons made a trade with the Iowa Barnstormers to grab Jeremy Schonbrunner. Since joining the AFL in 2012, Jeremy had spent time on the rosters of the Soul (2012), Talons (2013), and Barnstormers (2014). He’d also prove himself in the IFL with the Lehigh Valley Teelhawks gaining valuable experience and playing time. In college at Temple, Jeremy played in 38 contests along the line, and on special teams, with 9 starts coming at Center.

As I was getting the autograph of Shane Boyd for the umpteenth time after the game, Jeremy commented on my cards and said, “If you make one of me, I’ll pay you for it!”, so I set out to make it happen.  In person, with both legs in protective knee braces, Jeremy looks like a stout machine, but there were very few photos of him in action, so I really had to work hard to find something. Unfortunately I was not able to make the final game due to illness, so I contacted him directly and sent the cards to Jeremy via the mail. He signed this card and had it back to me in no time flat. After the Talons ‘suspended’ operations following the 2014 season, Jeremy was signed by the Tampa Bay Storm.

Arena, CFL, NFL

Beavers, Larry Jr.

tntafl14 beaversCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 8/16    Received: 9/13     (27 days)

Larry Beavers is an outstanding talent in the Arena Football League. He attended a small Division III school, Wesley College in Delaware. There Beavers set the NCAA record for career kick return touchdows with a whopping 10.  He also demonstrated a knack for the ball, finishing second in school history with 2,366 yards.

He went undrafted in 2009 but was signed by the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately Beavers was among the final cuts that preseason by the squad. The following year Larry was signed by the New Orleans Saints, but again was cut in the offseason. In 2011, he signed with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League, but quickly decided to take his talents to the CFL, landing on the roster of the Edmonton Eskimos.  Beavers returned to the Arena leagues the following year and was an offseason addition to the Pittsburgh Power.

It was in 2013 that Larry joined the New Orleans Voodoo, and that’s where he’s made an impressive impact. He’d earn second team All-Arena Team Honors in 2014 as a kick returner cracking the 1,000 yard barrier both as a receiver and as a kick returner. Larry was assigned to the expansion Las Vegas Outlaws for 2015, but ended up rubberbanding back to the Voodoo before the season was out, scoring 2 more TDs on kick returns.  The Voodoo (and the Outlaws) were taken over by the league before the conclusion of the season.

I had gotten a few customs I had made autographed by players in the league over Twitter. Impressed with Beaver’s play in the finale against San Antonio I created this custom of him and asked him if he’d like one, to which he gleefully signed this one for me in about 2 weeks.

Arena

Taylor, Collin

tntafl14 taylorCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: Future considerations, 2014

A walk on at Indiana, Collin Taylor started out as a wide receiver but was converted to free safety during his junior season.  He made his biggest impact on special teams and was named the IU special team’s player of the week 10 times while appearing in 27 games.  Collin was also Indiana’s nominee for the 2009 Rudy Award, honoring Division I football players who demonstrate the exemplary values of inspirational football legend Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger.  He had an OK pro day at Indiana, but was not invited to the combine for the 2010 NFL draft.

Taylor has seen some serious playing time in the indoor leagues since making his debut in 2010 with the Oklahoma City Yard Dogs. Orignally slated at safety, he had an interception for a touchdown in his only appearance. He then played for the Tulsa Talons (2010) where they allowed Taylor to shift back to his natural position of wide receiver.  He later spent time with the Reading Express (2011), and the Iowa Barnstormers in 2012-2013, before becoming an integral part of the Cleveland Gladiator offense in 2014.

Collin along with a host of other Gladiators came signed to me care of a friend of mine who loves collecting my custom cards. They went over quite well with the players, but I was not able to make any more traction with the league on a contract.