Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

NFL

Maas, Bill

Card: Topps 1989
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Bill Maas was the 5th pick of the 1984 draft out of Pitt. The Chargers (3rd) and Eagles (6th) both called Bill indicating that they were going to take him with their selection, but in the end the Kansas City Chiefs drafted him in the 5th slot, so it came as quite a surprise to him. The first defensive player taken off the board that year, Maas brought enthusiasm to the table for the Chiefs- a long beleaguered franchise that had not embraced winning ways in some 15 years. The Chiefs had a 3-4 defense, so they shifted him from defensive tackle to nose and let him wreck havoc along the line.  His rookie season, Bill had 5 sacks and helped slow the bleeding of an otherwise porous defense in previous years. This earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors after the season. The next two seasons he also split time at defensive end, and responded both seasons by garnering 7 sacks each. Bill’s 1986 and 1987 seasons earned him All Pro Honors for his play at nose tackle. After his 1988 season and 89 seasons were shortened, he was replaced in the lineup by free agent Dan Saleaumua, and then shifted to the outside to defensive end for the remainder of his career before signing with the Packers in 1993. With one final season in Green Bay, he’d start 3 games and then retire.

Bill Maas is a player who has lived life in the fast line and been hit a few times trying to slow down. I guess if you want to beat around the bush with euphemisms, that is the best way to put it. He’s battled drug, legal, and alcohol problems since retirement, and even spent time in a corrections facility. He’s done some truly dumb things that have just gone the wrong way, such as walking through an airport metal detector with a gun in his bag. Still Maas keeps battling back, despite his public self-destructive behavior, and has returned to broadcasting.  Currently Bill also enjoys his time as a Chiefs Ambassador and I wish him all the best in life as he continues to move forward.

G/Gs 130/114   Tac  N/a    Sac  40    Fum 8    Int 0   Yds 0   Avg -.-   Td 0   Lg  0

NFL, ufl

Sams, BJ

leaf05 samsCards: Leaf Rookies & Stars 2004 Ruby Red (047/199), Upper Deck 2004 (667/999)
Acquired: Future Considerations, 2014

BJ Sams played collegiately at McNeese State, where in 2003 he caught 63 balls for 889 yards and 7 touchdowns, while rushing for 299 yards on 38 attempts.

He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2004, where he’d do all his damage in the return game as a dangerous speedster. BJ led the NFL in punt returns (55), punt return yardage (575), and TDs (2) in 2004. On kick returns he’d have 59 returns for 1251 yards.  The Ravens saw fit to give him the designation of a runningback, and Sams would run 4 times for 19 yards and a TD.  In each of his subsequent seasons, his numbers dropped nearly across the board and during the 2007 season while playing against the Bengals, BJ tore his anterior cruciate ligament- ending his season. Due to the timing of the injury, his size, being used primarily as a return man, and his decreasing numbers in the return game, the Ravens saw BJ as expendable. He signed with the Chiefs in 2008 playing for the franchise for 3 games.

UD04SS SamsBJ moved on and signed with Dennis Green’s California Redwoods of the UFL in 2009 as a wide receiver.  The team utilized him in the return game, where he led the league with 350 kick return yards on 22 attempts. Despite the presence of cannon armed quarterback Shane Boyd, Sams was rarely utilized in the passing game. He’d not be retained by the team after the season effectively ending his playing days.

Lance really came to the rescue on this one. He told me that BJ had retired to the area and was coaching the local High School team, so I made a deal with Lance to send him a few cards to get signed for he and I.  I immediately fell in love with the Leaf Rookies and Stars 2004 Ruby Red Longevity card, so that was a given. What does ‘future considerations’ mean. I think much like the pros it means that if I stumble onto anything that he needs that I can get, I might be able to return the favor. While I am aware that I he’s already returning a favor I bestowed upon him, I am one who prefers to keep the party exchange going as long as I can with the least amount of strings attached.

G/Gs 46/1   KR 147         Yds  3341        Avg  22.7       Td 0          Lg  87
PR  128       Yds 1378       Avg  10.8       Td 2         Lg 78t
Rush 4         Yds  19      Avg 4.8         Td 1       Lg 8
Rec 1            Yds  2        Avg 2.0         Td 0      Lg 2

NFL, WLAF

Palmer, Paul “Boo Boo”

to88 palmerCards:  Topps 1988, Topps 1989, Topps 1989 Traded, Ultimate WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992 Promo, ProSet 1989, ProSet WLAF 1992, Action Packed 1990, Score 1989, Score Supplemental 1989
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 5/27   Received:  6/7    (11 days)
Failure: TTM 2013, C/o Temple University

Paul Palmer was a record setting back for the Owls as he singlehandedly put the program in the National spotlight during mid 1980’s. He’d finish as the 1986 Heisman Trophy runner-up to Vinny Testaverde, leading the nation in rushing yards (1,866 yards) and all-purpose yardage (2,633). His improbable 239.4-yard all-purpose average still ranks fifth in college football history, and at the time, Paul’s 349-yards against East Carolina in 1986, was the 4th highest single game rushing yardage in college football history.  When he graduated, Paul had set 23 school records and held every major rushing and all-purpose yardage mark. A unanimous All-American selection that year, he was also named the 1986 East Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year.  

to89 palmerThe 1987 NFL draft was stacked with amazing runningback talent and recognizable names that were to change the playing field. Among the other names in this draft were: Alonzo Highsmith, Brent Fullwood, DJ Dozier, Terrance Flagler, Christian Okoye, Steve Smith, Jamie Mueller, Timmy Smith, Tommie Agee, Meril Hoge, and even the second stab at Bo Jackson. In hindsight however, most of the names in this group became solid contributors to their position and only situational starters. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Palmer with the 19th overall pick. He’d be the 4th back to come off the board after Highsmith, Fullwood, and Dozier.  Unlike his predecessors, Palmer was small, speedy, and shifty tailback. The Chiefs then selected powerback Christian Okoye in Round 2. Paul had a pretty solid rookie season. He led the AFC with 38 returns for 938 yards, a gaudy 24.3 return average, and scored a Touchdown in the opener against San Diego, and then later in Week 15 against
the Seahawks.  To illustrate how monumental his achievement was, no Chief had led the AFC in returns since Dave Grayson way back  in 1961, when the Chiefs were known as the Dallas Texans.  In total, Palmer had 1,105 all-purpose yards in 1987.

sco89 palmerThe Chiefs started Paul in 11 games in 1988, using him creatively as a receiver both in the flat and out of the backfield, but Palmer got suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, after he was involved in an argument with coach Frank Gansz’s staff. At the time Paul’s yards from scrimmage were second in the NFL to only Eric Dickerson. He’d be suspended for two games, and return to play, but only marginally. With less of an emphasis on returning kicks, Paul had 53 receptions for 611 yards and 4 TDs, while also contributing for 452 yards and 2 touchdowns. Again, he cracked the 1,000 yard barrier with 1,427 all-purpose yards.  After the season, the Chiefs fired the staff and brought in Marty Schottenheimer, who did not feel that Palmer fit his system.
In 1989, Palmer was cut by the Chiefs and signed with Detroit. Moving to a Run ‘N Shoot format, Detroit hoped to use him in relief of Barry Sanders out of the backfield, or as a receiver, but he was relegated to just being a return man. That’s when Palmer became a part of one of the biggest megatrades in NFL history. With the Cowboys struggling and looking to change things up, they decided to trade Herschel Walker for a bevvy of draft choices and players, to scosup89 palmerthe Minnesota Vikings. The problem was, it left a gaping hole at runningback. No problem there as the Vikings were willing to trade Darrin Nelson to the Cowboys, but Darrin didn’t want to play for the hapless Cowboys and refused to report. Uh oh, we have a problem. So the Cowboys traded Nelson to San Diego, and the Lions traded Paul Palmer to the Cowboys for an 8th round pick.

Palmer’s time with the Cowboys was during a turmoltuous time in the history of the franchise.  Rookie head coach Jimmy Johnson was replacing longtime favorite Tom Landry, and then Paul Palmer was replacing Herschel at runningback. To top things off, the team had a controversy between two equally young and ineffective rookie quarterbacks (at the time) in Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh.  Palmer’s first game in a Cowboy uniform was ironically against his old team- the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Cowboys lost, 38-26, Palmer put on a show rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries, and catching 5 passes for 30 yards and a touchdown.  While the papers lamented the Cowboys’ woeful ways, they were
at least moderately confident that the running game was into89 palmer T the respectable hands of Paul Palmer.

In Week 7 of the season, Dallas was riding into Washington on a 0-6 record. Now the important part of that sentence is that “Dallas was riding INTO Washington.” You see the Cowboys and Redskins had this weird history of beating each other on their opposing home turf. So the Redskins would win in Dallas and the Cowboys…. would find a way to win in Washington.  Palmer had the best game in his NFL career, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. (In another stroke of
irony, Paul has revealed in later interviews that he grew up a Redskin fan and cheered against any team that beat the Cowboys. Then he found himself playing for them, which changed his tune.) Paul’s heroics though was overshadowed, by not only the sheer relief that Dallas fandom felt in getting that one win under their belt, but by the fact that it was Steve Walsh, and not Troy Aikman, who was the signal caller that was under center.  The next week Paul had a career high 22 carries against the Cardinals, but the Cowboys would not win again for the remainder of the 1989 season. He’dpset89 palmer UD finish the year with a team leading 446 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing.

Paul was one and done with the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps by the play of his biteless offensive line, (as he failed to gain at least 20 yards in 4 games during the backhalf of the season,) or that the team sat him in the final contest in favor of Broderick Sargent and Daryl Johnston. -You see if he hit 500 yards, the squad would have owed him a bonus. Paul thought nothing of it, and felt he was going to be a part of the turnaround that the team was going to experience. In fact, assistant coach Butch Davis told him so. He’d be left unprotected by the squad after the season. Snubbed by the Cowboys, he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.  It probably is of no comfort that for Paul’s Cowboy career, he is relegated to being the footnote between Herschel Walker and Emmitt Smith.

In 1990, Palmer looked forward to new scenery with the Bengals, but with a stacked backfield of Ickey Woods, James Brooks, and rookie Harold Green, Palmer failed to make the squad. Palmer was ap90 palmeroften misused by NFL teams at the time. At 5’9″, 180, he was too small to be used as a 3 down back or as a heavy workhorse. His future lied in the field today that is occupied by guys like Darren Sproles- but then with the whole bruhaha that occurred in KC when he got labeled a bad teammate, – odds were just stacked against Paul in the NFL.

In 1991, Paul was eager to prove his critics wrong and get back to playing football, and the fledgling WLAF provided that opportunity for him to get back on solid footing. He was genuinely excited for the league draft.  He wouldn’t have to wait long as the Barcelona Dragons drafted Paul in the first round of the league’s positional draft with the third pick. Head coach Jack Bicknell believed in Paul, and through the 4th game of the season, he ranked 2nd in the WLAF with 319 yards on 76 carries, including a 133 yard effort against Raleigh-Durham. An injured hamstring limited his effectiveness throughout the remainder of the season, but he still helped the team finish at a strong 8-2 and play in World Bowl I  against the London Monarchs. Paul’s performance was strong enough that he’d be ultwlaf92 palmersigned by the Philadelphia Eagles after the season ended, but at training camp, his concerns about playing time were blown out of proportion by the media. He did not make the squad.

Paul enjoyed his time with the Dragons organization and returned to Barcelona in 1992, rushing 88 times for 259 yards. The team won the European Division title but was elimated in the playoffs by the future World Bowl Champion
Sacramento Surge. After the season, the WLAF went on hiatus, not to be seen again, until 1995 , strictly in a European format.

Paul returned to the United States, and was involved in sideline reporting for the Temple Owls from 2001-2004.  He then worked at the High School level, coaching football at Haddon Heights. Palmer proved that you can indeed go home, as he has been welcomed back to Temple to handle color analysis for their radio broadcasts in 2013. Paul absolutely deserves merit into the College Football Hall of Fame, especially in this changing landscape of the NCAA today.  It was revealed many years ago, that in Paul’s senior psetwlaf91 palmerseason at Temple, he took a $5,000 interest-free loan from agent Norby Walters. The Owls were harsh in their punishment, stripping him of 16 school records and forfeiting the team’s six wins from the 1986 season in 1989.  Still Boo Boo is revered by the Temple faithful, and is still considered quite the legend at the college, where you can’t talk about Heisman hopes without bringing up his name.

Palmer had been one of my more frustrating payoffs. After not finding a trace of him on the internet, I threw up a hail mary to Temple, thinking that they might have an alumni association. Unfortunately they sent me back a letter telling me that they didn’t have an alumni department, nor did they know how to locate him. I  then decided to put an all points bulletin out for him through Sportscollectors.net, where a kind collector assisted me in locating a working address for me.  One of my best responses ever, Paul was certainly worth the wait. I only sent him 4 cards, but he actually added 6 additional signed cards!  Of note, one of the cards I had him sign is the rare Ultimate WLAF promo card (with the yellow stripe)ultwlaf92P palmer that was given away at the WLAF games in 1992.  These 10 cards represent every card pro card of his printed during his tenure in the professional ranks.

NFL   41/20    KR  72        Yds 923       Avg 21.4      Td 2      Lg 95t
Rush  270           Yds 1053        Avg  3.9      Td 4      Lg 63
Rec  74      Yds 731      Avg 9.9       Td 4       Lg 71t

WLAF  Rush 181    Yds   617     Avg 3.4      Td 2    Lg 26
Rec 14    Yds 161     Avg  11.5     Td 0    Lg 49
Kr  15    Yds 245    Avg 16.3    Td 0   Lg 27