Tag Archives: score 1989

CFL, NFL

Holland, Jamie

Cards: ProSet 1989, Score 1989, Fleer 1990, Score 1990
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 10/13 Received: 12/8 (56 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played college ball for Ohio State returning 24 kicks for 520 yards and catching 8 passes for 142 yards and a TD over 1984 and 1986.

  • Selected in the 7th round of the 1987 draft by the San Diego Chargers.

  • A blazing long distance runner, he was part of the Ohio St  400 Meter Relay team. 
  • Saw time as a wide receiver, kick returner, and moonlighted occasionally as a runningback over 3 seasons for SD.

  • Best season came in 1988 when Jamie logged 810 yards on 31 kick returns, scoring a 94 yard TD.

  • During 1988 also had 536 Yards receiving and a TD on 39 catches.

  • Over 3 seasons ran 10 times for 82 yards.

  • Traded to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1990, seeing time exclusively as a kick returner. 
  • Started 3 games in 1992 playing for the Cleveland Browns starting 3 games.
  • Played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1994, catching 35 passes for 485 yards and 2 TDs.
  • Split time with the Blue Bombers and the Roughriders in 1995 retiring after the season.

NFL

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CFL

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NOTES:

Jamie wrote me a nice note thanking me for writing him. He has an amazing autograph, with just the right amount of pressure and curves, and an elegant enough stroke, at just the right size. Jamie was lucky, to play when he did, as he had some great cards produced during his playing days.

NFL

Smith, Billy Ray

CARDS: ProSet 1989, Score 1989, Fleer 1990, SkyBox 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 5/16 RECEIVED: 5/26 (10 Days)

Coming from excellent bloodlines (his father Billy Ray Smith Sr played from 1957-1970), Billy Ray Smith Jr was the San Diego Chargers #1 pick in 1983 after an outstanding college career, where he finished second in Lombardi Award voting in both 1981 and 1982. A two time All-American at Arkansas, he started 48 games over his college career, posting 195 unassisted tackles, 63 tackles for loss, 8 fumble recoveries, 13 pass breakups and a pick. A fearsome and instinctual linebacker, Billy Ray Smith quickly established himself as the defensive play caller for the Chargers defense.

In 1985 Billy was voted the team’s most valuable player on defense, from his inside linebacker position. He moved outside in 1986, and immediately paid dividends, notching 11 sacks and again earned the praise of his teammates, earning the team’s defensive MVP award. Billy completed the trifecta in 1987 leading the team in tackles for the second consecutive year and pulling down 5 picks. Over his first 5 seasons with the franchise, Billy finished first or second in tackles on the Chargers defense. He also was named defensive player of the week by the NFL twice in his career. Most notable was a game in 1991 against the Saints, Billy Ray forced and recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass and had two pass breakups, to power the Chargers to a 24-21 win. All in all, Billy Ray Smith had a very solid and productive NFL career, playing 9 seasons for the Chargers retiring after the 92 season.

Smith was inducted into the University of Arkansas HoF in 97, earning both All Decade (80s) Honors and All Century Honors from the Razorbacks.

One of the kindest players in the TTM business, Billy Ray Smith went out of his way to sign these 5 cards for me and write me a personal response, thanking me and praising me for sending him one of his best letters.

I am always blown away by when a player takes the time to respond personally to my requests, and this one was no different. Billy Ray Smith was a pretty solid player and I always thought his omission from the game was a big slight, so I had no problem creating him and having him go one on one inside with big backs and taking them down.

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College Football HoF, NFL, XFL

Long, Chuck

Cards: Score 1989, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Work
Sent: 5/17 Received: 5/23 (7 days)

Chuck Long made his mark at Iowa. Playing for the Hawkeyes from 1981 to 1985, showing growth in every season as he cemented his name in Iowa lore. In 1983, he threw for 2434 yards- on a gaudy 10 yards per completion. Chuck would be named to the All Big 10 in ’84, passing for 2871 yards, completing an unheard of 67.1% of his passes (216/322) and throwing 22 TDs. He’d finish his final year in 1985, breaking his single season passing records again, passing for 2978 yards, 26 TDs, on 351 attempts, and 231 completions. Chuck Long left the school owning virtually nearly all the Hawkeye’s passing records, both for single season and career passing numbers. His impressive resume included 70 career TDs, 721 completions on 1111 attempts, and 9671 yards.

Chuck was the second overall quarterback taken in the 1986 NFL draft, (behind Jim Everett) at #12 overall by the Detroit Lions. Chuck worked his way through training camp, and was entrenched behind incumbent Joe Ferguson. Head Coach Darrell Rogers planned to groom Chuck as the quarterback of the future, sitting on the bench that year.

Unfortunately almost right out of the gate, Joe Ferguson went down in the opener against the Cowboys, forcing Chuck into action early. Chuck played the next three games going 21 of 40 for 247 yards, and 2 TDs to 2 interceptions. In 1987, Chuck was handed the reins to the franchise. He responded by going 3-9, throwing for a career high 2598 yards and 11 TDs, however he led the NFL with 20 picks. With Rogers on a short leash for 1988, the Lions got off to a fast start winning their opener against the Falcons 31-17. Chuck was workmanlike efficient, going 13 of 19 for 107 yards and 2 TDs. Then the Lions proceeded to lose the next 6 games. Chuck was benched and soon thereafter Rogers was fired. He’d spend one more year in Detroit- but was firmly behind not only Rodney Peete, but Bob Gagliano, and Eric Hipple as well. Chuck was traded to the Rams in 1990 where he backed up Jim Everett at quarterback, before returning to the Lions to ride the bench in his final season in 1991.

Chuck went into coaching where he quickly rose up the college ranks, first at his alma mater Iowa, and then over to Oklahoma. He earned his first head coaching gig with San Diego State in 2005. He finished his tenure at SDSU at 9-27, and then was named offensive coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks. In 2020, Chuck was named the offensive coordinator of the St Louis Battlehawks of the XFL. The Battlehawks finished second in offensive yardage averaging 349.6 yards per game, before the league was aborted due to COVID fears.

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