Tag Archives: New York Jets

NFL

Mauldin, Lorenzo

sage15 mauldin
Card: Sage 2015
Acquired: 2015, Box Breaker

Lorenzo Mauldin had a difficult life growing up, but had football to lean on.  The day before signing day, South Carolina decommitted from him. He ended up with Louisville where they used his unique set of skills as a pass rushing specialist.  He had 22 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 6.5 TFL in 2012 as a defensive end. In 2013 Lorenzo was involved in a hit and run while riding his moped to school, but still managed to start a full slate of games that year and had 41 tackles, 14 TFL,  4 forced fumbles and 10 sacks.  He’d be moved to linebacker in his senior season but was equally as successful with 51 tackles, 13 TFL, and 6.5 sacks in 2014.

Scouts loved Mauldin. He could’ve given up at anytime, but he just developed the belief that the worst has already happened so nothing can stop him stop him now.  Lorenzo applies this by working extra hard and putting in the extra effort.  He’d move up draft boards and eventually be selected by the New York Jets in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft with the intention of utilizing him as a pass rush specialist. During the season, Lorenzo sustained a concussion that left him momentarily unconscious. He ended up completing his rookie season with 17 combined tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble as a rotational linebacker behind Calvin Pace and Quinton Coples, while also contributing on special teams.

Coach Todd Bowles remained optimistic about Lorenzo’s future with the Jets, saying that Mauldin could develop into a full time linebacker. Lorenzo started 3 games in 2016, lodging 16 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, and an interception, but his 2017 was an unmitigated disaster. After off the field issues arose, Mauldin was placed on IR with an undisclosed back injury.  Time will tell as Lorenzo faces stiff competition entering 2018 to make the Jets roster.

NFL

Brister, Bubby

Cards: ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990, Topps 1990
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 12/23/17            Received: 1/2/18        (9 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Work

Bubby Brister is an interesting signer, as he only signs once at the end of the year. He’s been handling it this way for a few years now. If you are lucky you can get him in about 10 days flat. If you are not so lucky, you send in mid-January and wait until the end of the year. Still he is a reliable signer and he’s got some great cards out there in his Steelers uniform. Anything else feels a bit odd.

Bubby bounced around colleges before landing at NW Louisiana. This was thanks in part to committing to play baseball (Tigers) out of high school and not accepting a scholarship to Alabama (1981). He played 39 games in the Appalachian League for Bristol but decided to go back to college in 1982 to Tulane. He’d initiate the paperwork to transfer to NW Louisiana in 1983. Brister was the starter for one season in 1985.  He was 191 of 342 for 2,880 yards, and 17 TDs to 14 interceptions.

The Steelers felt that Brister was a good developmental prospect. He had the tools in order to make it at the pro level. Pittsburgh dropped a 3rd round pick on Bubby, and he’d play sparingly his first 2 seasons.  The Steelers had long suffered at the QB position after the retirement of Terry Bradshaw. This continued into the 1988 season, where Bubby finally showed signs of maturation. He threw for 11 TDs and 2,634 yards and showed some moves in the pocket rushing for an additional 6 more. I laughed at the Steelers at the beginning of the season, as Brister was inaccurate (47.5% completions and 14 interceptions), but he had the last laugh against the Houston Oilers in the playoffs. A gunslinger, Bubby had a strong arm and a penchant for the long bomb. He led the Steelers to an 8-6 mark and a 9-7 mark as a starter the following seasons.  During his 1990 season, Brister had a career high 2,725 yards and 20 TDs to only 14 interceptions.

Bubby was unable to completely duplicate his success in that 1990 season, as he’d be limited to only 8 games in 1991 due to a knee injury. He’d never start a full 16 game slate again. After playing for the Steelers through 1992-  Bill Cowher’s rookie head coaching season, Bubby was allowed to test the waters of free agency in 1993- as the team was comfortable with current starting quarterback Neil O’Donnell.  Thus began the journeyman phase of Brister’s career.

Bubby signed with the Eagles in 1993- where he’d back up oft injured Randall Cunningham. He’d post a 4-4 record in relief of Randall throwing 14 TDs to just 5 interceptions, and raising some eyebrows. Brister played one lone forgettable season for the Jets in 1995, and then hopped over to Broncos. In Denver, Bubby stayed for the next 4 seasons. Brister came on during the clutch posting a 4-0 record for the Broncos in relief of John Elway and helping the team win the Super Bowl in 1998. He’d retire after one final season in Minnesota (2000) and as of 2018 lives in his home state of Louisiana.

G/GS  99/75        ATT 2212         CPD 1207        YDS   14445
TD 81       INT 78       RAT 72.3

RUSH 191      YDS 546       AVG 2.9      TD 8       LG 38

 

NFL

Babin, Jason (2)

Cards: Playoff Contenders 2004, Leaf Rookies & Stars 2003 (494/750)
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 10/20   Received: 10/30  (10 days)
See Also:  Jason Babin

After his 2010 appearance on the Tennessee Titans, in which he earned his first Pro Bowl appearance and 12 sacks from the defensive end position, Jason Babin packed his bags and returned to the Philadelphia Eagles. While with the Eagles, he again notched a career high in sacks with 18 and the second of his Pro Bowl appearances. After having a fallout with management, Babin was cut after 11 games and finished his season with the Jaguars in 2012. He played the following year in 2013 with the Jaguars recording 7.5 sacks, before heading over to the Jets for 2014 where he saw his last meaningful statistics. Jason was on the roster of both the Cardinals and Ravens in 2015 and is presumed to be retired from the sport.

With some great cards here of Jason, I really had wanted to get him over the years. I had been advised by friends that he did football camps but after waiting for the past 3 years or so for him to pop up, I decided to just hit him up through the mail and it was a pretty fast turn around for the former Texan.

I like the clean design of the Leaf Rookies & Stars card. The angled lines and slow evolution of this design really punctuated a solid overall look. I probably should’ve gotten one of the Longevity cards that I like, but this one still hits the mark nicely. I really like the Rookie Roundup Playoff cards, almost strictly because of the gimmicky translucency and credit card feel. While devoid of most color it does stand out nicely with an autograph on it- in which Jason kindly and painstakingly used a silver sharpie on.