So, years ago, I got Randy TTM on his Ultimate and Wild Card World League cards. He wrote me a nice note thanking me for being a true fan and offering to help me capture any autographs that he could from any University of Miami, (FL) events. I was really touched by his kindness and it always stuck with me, but I never took him up on the offer. It’d be a titanic effort on his part in the end- since I’d probably floor him with 100 or so cards.
A few months ago I was digging through some cards that Mark G gave me, and there was a good portion of the Wild Card college set that came out in ’91. I came across this card and I was flooded with the memories of those games again in the World League and Randy’s kind response, so I thought now would be as good as time as any to send out to him.
I got this really nice handwritten response from him thanking me again for being a fan, and how his wife rushed out to the internet to look at his entry on this site and print out a copy of it. Much love Bethel family. Much love.
Ben Smith played CB at NE Oklahoma back in ’86 where he turned heads, recording 5 picks and 39 total tackles at S.
He transferred to Georgia in ’87.
During Spring practice switched from CB to FS in ’89.
Finished Senior season with 95 total tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and 10 interceptions.
An All SEC Selection, he’d be tabbed in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1990 NFL Draft.
Had 91 tackles and 3 interceptions in rookie year playing at LCB.
In Sophomore campaign, tabbed on 2 more picks and 34 tackles.
Spent the 1993 season on IR.
Played for the Broncos in 1994 and had 72 tackles and a pick.
Then briefly saw action with the Arizona Cardinals in 1995 and ’96.
NOTES:
Ben Smith is a very hard to get player TTM, so with a wing and a prayer I sent these out, so when I got these two back I was very surprised. I was just as surprised to see them inked in red, but no matter- a win is a win! He also asked for a cash app donation of 50 bucks…
After being released by the Rams, Nelson signed with the Bears in October of 2017.
Then after two small stints with the Chiefs and Chargers, Nelson signed with the San Diego Fleet of the AAF at the tail end of 2018.
In Week 7 against the Arizona Hotshots in 2019, he had 12 catches for 146 yards.
He finished 5th with 426 yards and second in catches with 38.
After the collapse of the AAF- he was a 3rd round pick of the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020.
Caught 20 passes for 256 yards and 2 scores in 3 starts.
Unfortunately the COVID pandemic derailed the XFL season after the midway point of the season.
Spent about 6 months on the off-season roster of the Montreal Alouettes in 2021.
As of 2024- is a VP of brand/ product development with FIBR.
NOTES:
OK. So I sat intentionally on Nelson’s post for a while. Almost right after I got his autographs back from 2019, I popped open a box of XFL 2020 and, “Pfbbbttt,” There’s Nelson’s XFL base card- so I had to get that signed too. Then it hit me… Nelson, despite his stat line and prominence in the AAF, doesn’t appear in the set. I needed to do all that before throwing up another post about him.
I really upped my quality on the custom cards across the board, down to the print quality and design. I was very happy with how the AAF card turned out, and I sent an extra for him to keep as well.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
