Tom Newberry was a 2nd round pick out of little known Wisconsin-La Crosse by the LA Rams in 1986. He developed so quickly in camp that the Rams felt comfortable moving long time offensive lineman Kent Hill to the Oilers as part of the Jim Everett trade. After settling in Tom earned AP honors in both 1988 and 1989. Versatile, durable, and aggressive, Tom was a fixture on the offensive line for the Rams throughout most of his career in LA starting 120 games at guard and 8 at center over 9 seasons. In 1995 Tom signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he played a final season for the team, and appeared in Super Bowl XXX.
Tom lives in Montana and is a big LOS ANGELES Rams fan. His autograph is pretty… pedestrian. I mean, Tom don’t get me wrong if you read this. I appreciate the subtle loop at the top of the T but everything else seems to fall into place with scribble for the last name. I think it says more about Tom’s workmanlike ethic that allowed him to stand out over his more prideful competitors over his well regarded career. I like the ProSet, Score, and GameDay cards a lot. They all show Tom pulling or blocking in every shot. His Fleer leaves much to be imagined, but it is still a well designed canvas.
Card: Ultimate World League 1992 Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home Sent: 9/6 Received: 10/28 (52 days)
Wayne Dickson played in college for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1986 to 1989. He jumped from linebacker to defensive end in 1988, and then in his Senior year, Wayne was an All Big 8 Honorable mention.
After going unselected in the 1990 NFL draft, Wayne signed with the San Diego Chargers but did not make the squad. He quickly found a home in the CFL with the British Columbia Lions, and then in 1991 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he recorded 2 sacks.
Dickson then be selected by the Orlando Thunder of the WLAF and slotted in at left inside linebacker. He’d lead the team in sacks with 5, and was actually the team leader in tackles- before an injury ended his season. Wayne returned to the Thunder in ’92, and added 2 more sacks to his resume as Orlando played in World Bowl II. Following the reorganization of the World League, Wayne joined the Arena Football League, seeing a stint with the Orlando Predators in 1994. In 1995, Wayne was briefly on the radar of the Dallas Cowboys- attending training camp and honing his skills alongside Charles Haley. He then played one final season in 1996 for the doomed Texas Terror Arena franchise posting a sack, before hanging up his cleats.
I wish they (WLAF/NFL) had given us the 5 year time table that they had originally promised!
– Wayne Dickson
A spirited return from former linebacker and Orlando Thunder player Wayne Dickson, as he wrote me a full page response and thanked me for writing. In it he detailed a small bit of trivia: That his first name was ‘Elvis’. (Little did he know, this was how I found him to begin with!) A great card of Wayne here. I just love how his fingers are wrapped in playing tape.
Matt Leinart attended USC and played QB for the Trojans, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2004 and multiple awards during his college career. After taking over for Carson Palmer in 2003, Leinart won Associated Press National Championships in 2003 and 2004, and would’ve capped off his Senior year with another victory- if not for that pesky Texas Longhorns squad in the Rose Bowl. He’d finish as the Trojans all-time leading cumulative passer in many categories including completion percentage (64.8%) and TDs (99).
He’d be selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 10th overall pick of the 2006 draft. Contentious negotiations caused a holdout, and as a result Kurt Warner stepped up as starter. Still Matt played well during his rookie season, setting a new benchmark for a rookie, in single-game passing yardage with 405 yards, against the Vikings. He’d start 11 games in the end, but sprain his shoulder to conclude his rookie year. The numbers weren’t bad for a rookie campaign, especially since it was the Cardinals. Matt had 2547 yards and 11 TDs to 12 interceptions. – This would actually represent a high mark statistically for his career.
Handed the starting QB job by new coach Ken Whisenhunt in 2007, Leinart broke his collarbone in early October- ending his season. He’d finish with 647 yards passing and 2 TDs in 5 starts. Warner took over as starter in 2008 as Matt rode the bench playing sporadically through 2009. He’d again regain the mantle as starter in 2010, but lose out in camp to Derek Anderson, and later be cut by the team.
The Houston Texans signed Matt as their backup to incumbent Matt Schaub, but he didn’t see any significant playing time. The Texans were having one of their finest seasons in 2011, but after Matt Schaub suffered a lins franc injury, Leinart stepped in as starter against the Jags. At first everybody waited with baited breath to see what Leinart would do, but he came out firing going 10 of 13 for 57 yards and a TD- before he broke his collarbone and yielding to the legend known as ‘TJ Yates’. Leinart again finished on IR for the season.
Cut by the Houston Texans in 2012, Matt played for the Raiders for one season- backing up former teammate Carson Palmer. He’d then be in camp briefly for the Bills in 2013, but after being cut, elected to retire.
I was not a great fan of Matt Leinart. After he played at USC, and then lost to the University of Texas in the Rose Bowl, he was I guess, caught off guard, and just said all the wrong things to the camera. It pretty much set up my dislike for him, as I felt he was trying to take something away from UT for beating the Trojans in the game.
It’s whatever. I think we’re the better football team. You know, they just made the plays in the end.
What I got out of it was, “The best team didn’t win today,” And unfortunately when you lose any game, you are not the best team on that given day- so I though the comment reeked of bad sportsmanship- especially when the best team is the one that always wins!
When he came to the Texans, I was initially not happy about the arrangement at all, but mellowed on him after listening to how he’d changed his life and abandoned his hard partying ways. He grew on me, and I was actually sad when the team cut him in 2012.
As of 2019, Matt does studio analysis for Fox Sports College Football. I had hoped to corral Matt at the Longhorns USC game in 2018, but he didn’t appear, so I went ahead and gave him a shot in the dark after getting some encouragement and tips from my friend Deadhorse. After 4 months or so I got quite a jolt out of getting both of these autographs back- that’s for sure!
G/GP
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
33/18
641
366
4065
57.1%
15
21
70.2
RUSH
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
47
89
2.7
2
20
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
