Card: TNT UFL 2011
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 9/7/11 Received: 7/1/16 (1759 days)
Jy Bond deserves an assist for this one. The original plan was for me to attend the Colonials game against the Mountain Lions in early October, but with the NFL Lockout ending, the league scuttling the operations in Hartford, and rearranging their schedule, this was obviously out of the question. Among one of the cards I was most proud of was this high resolution shot* of Markee White making an understated tall grab. I knew this one would be awesome to get an autograph on.
After hooking Jy up with his player card design, I moved forward with sending him a set of physical trading cards based off of the design early in August. During the exchange he also offered to hook me up with other members of the squad he knew.
I immediately asked for Markee and he hooked me up with him via Facebook. I was surprised to realize that Kee played at Texas State- roughly 35 miles to the South of Austin, where I was from. Bobcat stadium also was the home of the San Antonio Riders during the early ’90s. We exchanged pleasantries and worked out virtually the same deal I had with Jy and went from there.
It took him a while to respond, as he was hustling for a job, but in the end this one turned into a white elephant. Eventually irony interceded, and I happened to be at an Arena Football game in 2014 between the San Antonio Talons and Los Angeles Kiss, and it just so happened that he was on the Kiss. I attempted to flag him down after the game after I had made my way to the front of the visiting endzone, but he had already made his way through the crowd to the exit. He responded to my email on facebook, and again promised to mail me one out. I waited another year and a half and asked him again. Kee struck me as being a man of his word. That’s why it always bothered me I had never gotten a response from but, but lo after some 1700+ days, -the longest I’ve ever waited for an autograph, I got this sweet custom card signed.
Markee finally got a gig after the UFL fiasco of 2010. A member of the disbanded Hartford Colonials, – the UFL left him out to dry following the season. Kee rounded the wagons and headed to the CFL for a season, playing for the Calgary Stampeders in 2012. He returned to the AFL again in 2012 playing for the Arizona Rattlers, and then was traded in the offseason to the Jacksonville Sharks in 2013. Markee was again traded in 2014 to the Kiss, where he made a fearsome combo with Donovan Morgan at receiver. He was again traded, this time to the Philadelphia Soul, where he made an immediate impact catching an electrifying one handed grab against the Predators, in a must win game on ESPN. Markee finished the game with 5 catches for 64 yards and 3 TDs. Between the two teams White finished the 2014 season with 85 receptions for 855 yards and 13 TDs. He returned to the Rattlers in 2015 and was having a career year with 16 TDs on just 57 receptions, but broke his back against the Spokane Shock. A metal rod had to be inserted, and although the doctors have said Kee can return to football after rehab, it is unclear as to when or if he will return.
He’d make the team and start 11 games in each of the next 3 seasons while also handling return duties on special teams. In 1988 Eric started his first full 16 game slate and it paid dividends with him catching a career high 85 balls for 1083 yards and 7 touchdowns. At the conclusion of the season, Martin earned his and only first Pro Bowl nomination. He’d have another solid season in 1989, logging career high 1090 yards and 8 touchdowns on 68 receptions.
Cards: Topps 1990, ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990
Lansford has been quoted as saying that, “He wanted to kick for the Rams until his toe turned blue.”, but unfortunately all good things must come to an end. He signed with the Cleveland Browns for the 1991 season, losing out to Matt Stover for the job. Mike is the All-Time leading scorer in Los Angeles Rams history, and was an outstanding kicker when the game was on the line, never missing a game winning kick. In at least 8 contests he put away the opposing team with ice in his veins.