Cards: TNT UT, Score 2010, Topps Chrome 2010
Acquired: In Person 2018, MNF w/ the Horn
Sergio Kindle played collegially at the University of Texas from 2006-2010. A punishing, rangy player with a great motor who could line up at both defensive end and outside linebacker, Kindle really started taking off in 2008, posting 53 tackles, 10 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 2 fumble recoveries. Kindle moved primarily to defensive end for 2009, (replacing Brian Orapko in the lineup). Sergio had 47 tackles, 3 sacks, and 17 tackles for loss in his Senior campaign. He had solid combine numbers, and was the highest rated outside linebacker (3-4 defenses), but thanks to some questionable decisions during his time at UT, his draft stock slid.
The Ravens swooped in during the second round of the 2010 draft and selected Sergio. Unfortunately a series of tragic incidents befell Kindle before he hit the field for Baltimore. He’d lose his entire rookie season to a serious head injury- after falling down 2 flights of stairs and cracking his skull. He’d then be later arrested for DUI, and then run into some financial issues. Still Sergio managed to see action in 2011, and then in 2012 spent some of the season on the Ravens’ practice squad. He’d be waived in 2013, ending his playing career.
Sergio was very nice at the Monday Night Football event hosted by The Horn. I had been dying to go to an event all year and this one lined up perfectly. He signed all three cards, and I gave him a stack of the TNT UT card that I made for him to keep- which he really appreciated. Sergio explained to me that the Ravens card photos were taken very early in camp and that he switched from 49 to 94 later once he settled in. Serge stayed for the event and teamed up for an interview show with Rod Babers. I won a $25.00 gift certificate to the place where the event was taking place.
Sergio is planning to move back to the Dallas area where he hopes to go into coaching. He was intrigued when I mentioned the XFL and the AAF as a possible training ground for him to get his feet wet coaching.
Sergio Kindle has been floating around Austin since he retired from the league abruptly. I knew he worked at a car dealership for a while there, and thought about hitting him up that way, but this event just came along nicely and fit into my schedule. Kindle was a great linebacker for UT so I went ahead and made him a card since he was in none of the legends sets. (I’ve pretty much retired the look from that set, but I have thought about making more Longhorn Legends cards recently.) I really like his Score 2010 card. It frames up pretty nicely on him and I knew it’d look good autographed. Sergio apologized for accidentally putting his college number on the card. I didn’t see anything wrong with it- but it was classy of him to care enough to let me know. His chrome issue actually looks better than the Score card autographed. The blue picks up really nicely on the canvas.
There are a few more cards of his I wouldn’t mind getting signed, and I’ll probably go ahead and pick those up so I am stocked for the next time I catch him around town.