Tag Archives: ttm autograph

NFL, usfl

Sanders, Ricky

Cards: ProSet 1989, Action Packed 1990
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 3/20 Received: 12/14 (269 days)
Failure: TTM 2012, C/o home

Wow! What a rare grab in former USFL and Skins receiver Ricky Sanders! I had most fondly remembered him of course as a member of the Smurfs or the Fun Bunch as he and the WR corps of the Redskins were called at the time. There was also his heroics in Super Bowl XXIII and also in the Tecmo Bowl series where he was elusive and electric as well. Ricky also had some great cards along the way, and I hoped eventually one day I’d get them signed.

A local sports star hailing from Belton, Tx- a straight shot up I-35 halfway between Austin and Waco, Ricky Sanders played collegially at SW Texas State. The Bobcats were located out of San Marcos, Tx- halfway between Austin and San Antonio on I-35. At 5’11”, 182, hailing from a tiny school, Ricky stood ZERO chance of getting on the NFL’s radar, but lucky for Sanders, the USFL was waiting.

He’d sign with the Houston Gamblers in 1984. With a Run N Shoot offense with Jim Kelly at QB, Ricky had an incredible year in his rookie season, posting 101 catches for 1378 yards and 11 TDs, including a career long 77 yard TD. After the USFL folded in 1986, Ricky found himself a home with the Washington Redskins. With the Redskins, he’d pair up with Art Monk and Gary Clark to form one of the most devastating trios in the NFL. Ricky posted back to back 1,000 yard seasons in 1988 and 1989, and scored a career high 12 TD catches as well in 88. Sanders played with the Redskins through 1993, and concluded his career on in 1995 with the Atlanta Falcons.

USFL GRECYDSAVGTDLG
28/21149191612.91877t
NFL GRECYDSAVGTDLG
134/66483647713.43771

AAF, NFL, XFL

Horn, Reece

Card: Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 5/4 Received: 5/26 (22 days)

Reece Horn played wide receiver at Division I football for the University of Indianapolis from 2012-2015. In both 2014 and 2015, Reece eclipsed the 1000 yard barrier, posting 1046 yards and 12 TDs in 2014, and 1396 yards on 108 catches in 2015. Playing 48 games for the Hounds, he posted 272 catches for 3562 yards and 31 TDs. In addition he spent time returning punts, and had 2 TDs in his senior year- including a 92 yarder.

After going undrafted in 2016, he spent the preseason with the Tennessee Titans, then took his game to the European circuit, playing in both Italy and Austria. In 2019, Reece signed with the Alliance of American Football. He was allocated to the Memphis Express.

The Express had offensive woes that stemmed from the quarterback position. Their #1 QB pick didn’t even make it through camp, and after Brandon Silvers became entrenched as starter, Johnny Manziel was brought in to keep the heat on him. As the season continued on however, Reece established himself as the go to receiver on the Express offense. He never failed to catch less than 4 passes per game, and in back to back games (in Week 6 and 7), Reece went over 100 yards (129 in Week 6 and 113 in Week 7). On the 2019 AAF season, Reece caught 28 passes for 429 yards and a TD. He returned to the NFL seeing some preseason work with the Miami Dolphins.

Reece was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL 2020. I remember hearing the pick and saying to myself, “That’s a good pick. Ugh, I wish the Roughnecks had gotten him.” He finished with 27 catches for 246 yards and a TD. His best game came in the final contest against the Wildcats when he caught 9 passes for 90 yards and a TD in a 34-31 loss.

I went to the Houston Roughnecks / Tampa Bay Vipers scrimmage before the season began with my buddy Lance. I felt that the players I really needed to concentrate on were from the Vipers, so I camped on their side of the field where they put their gear down. I knew Reece was on the Vipers from his days on the Express, but I was pretty surprised he didn’t have any cards of any sort. When he came over, I stopped him out of respect and told him I knew who he was and wanted to shake his hand, and that I knew that he was the machine behind the Express’ improvements over the last few weeks of the AAF season.

In Reece’s letter back to me, he thanked me for being a fan, and told me that the best is yet to come!

NFL, WLAF

Woods, Thomas ‘TD’

Card: Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2019. C/o Home
Sent: 9/30/19 Received: 1/21/20 (113 days)

An 8th round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1990, Thomas ‘TD’ Woods played college ball for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1986-1989. At 5’6″, 182 TD was one of the smallest speedsters to hit the gridiron. He caught 124 passes for 1617 yards and 7 TDs, and 60 punt returns for 656 yards and a TD as well. After not making the final roster of the squad, TD was selected by the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. In 1991 he caught 20 passes for 223 yards, returned 13 kicks for 263 yards, and returned 9 punts for 123 yards.

In 1992, Woods became the primary receiver after the departure of Gene Taylor. He caught 51 passes for 546 yards, and a barn burning 86 yard TD. Thomas was also the primary punt returner, with 19 punt returns for 147 yards.

He returned to Tennessee and finished out his degree in 1996. Since that point, TD has spent a lot of time at the college level as a wide receivers coach for Appalachian State, Western Carolina, Mississippi, Jacksonville State, Tulane, and Eastern Illinois.

TD has two cards in the Ultimate World League 1992 set. I had hoped he’d sign both of his cards, but I was happy to get one of two out of him, after searching high and low for years, for his address.

WLAFRECYDSAVGTDLG
7176910.8186T
PRYDSAVGTDLG
282709.6035
KR YDSAVGTDLG
1326320.2029
RUSH YDSAVGTDLG
12828.0128T