Category Archives: CFL

CFL, usfl, XFL

Rogers, Eli

Topps XFL 2020, #122

CARD: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Orlando Guardians

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Eli Rogers played WR for Louisville from 2011-14.
  • Consistent and dependable, Rogers never failed to catch less than 41 passes every year.
  • Over his 4 years with the school he posted 176 receptions for 2020 yards and 12 TDs.
  • He also moonlighted on punt returns, with 29 career returns for 248 yards.
  • He spent the entire 2015 campaign on IR with the Steelers after signing as an UDFA.
  • Earning the final (5th) WR spot with the Steelers that year, he ended up starting 8 games, recording 48 receptions for 594 yards and 3 TDs.
  • 24 of his receptions went for first downs.
  • With an increasingly crowded WR room and an ACL injury, Rogers saw his playtime decrease over the next two seasons.
  • After being cut in August of 2019, he’d find his way to the XFL 2020 as a selection of the DC Defenders.
  • He’d catch 19 passes for 164 yards.
  • After bouncing around between the Montreal Alouettes (2021), and the Bandits (2022), Eli was a first round pick of the Orlando Guardians in 2023.
  • Despite the franchise’s early on QB woes, Eli posted 20 catches for 173 yards and a TD.

NOTES:

Eli was one of the first players out onto the field for the Guardians, as he serves as a return man for the Guardians. I moved to this really sweet spot that puts me in earshot of the players. I called out his name and he saw me with my card and pen and flashed a smile. After warm-ups finished and the players started returning to the locker rooms, Eli came over and signed his XFL 2020 card for me. We joked about how I was an OG fan of the XFL in 2020 and how the Defenders were fun to watch, before he kindly signed this card for me.

CFL, NFL, University of Texas

Young, Vince ‘VY’ (5)

Playoff Prestige 2010, #195
SP 2008, #34
Absolute Memorabilia 2010, #97
Playoff Contenders 2008, #95

CARDS: Absolute Memorabilia 2010, Playoff Contenders 2008, SP 2008, Playoff Prestige 2010
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

An end of year surprise for 2023, my friend Mark G sent me a link to a signing that VY was doing at a Crunch Fitness in South Austin. I was really hesitant to go after my last experience a few years ago at Kickin’ It with Jeff, but in the end I am glad that I went. It was a far cry from that event from a few years ago.

I met up with Mark and I just basically word vomited on him about football for a while. He brought his kids who were SHILs but grabbed a few of their own. The line was long but moved quickly. VY showed up on time and was in a great mood. He signed everything that we had on us, despite the strict rule that he could only sign 2. In the end I got 7 things signed, with the help of Mark.

This made me super happy. I really like Vince. He’s a local football hero, and Htown hero, but to be frank despite his athletic trappings- it doesn’t mean things are come easy or mental health is simple. He’s struggled a lot and I feel that he does deserve the best in life like anyone and everyone else. He looked great too! VY grew in this sweet beard that’s gently whitening out.

We talked for a minute about how he always made the Texans pay for not drafting him and that his OT heroics still live rent free in my head. -And how when he ran, it always looked like he was moving in slow motion- but everyone was moving so much slower.

I loved his Htown Oiler hat, but I thought it’d be in bad taste to ask him where he stood on if the franchise stats, color, and color should be returned to Htown or not. He told me that he really liked my AAF jacket. We chuckled about how it was classic now, since it was from the fire festival of football.

I’m always looking to help out friends, or surprise them, so I dropped three of them in the mail to Joe, Rick, and Jake. Overall it was a great way to close out the year.

CFL, NFL

Marshall, Jim

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #134

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 10/14 RECEIVED: 12/10 (57 days)*
* Fee Enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Marshall played DE for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1957-58.
  • Generational player who helped Buckeyes win by scoring all 14 points (interception, blocked punt, and kicked 2 xp) in a game against Purdue in 1958.
  • Left school to play in the CFL for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1959.
  • In a rare transaction at the time, was swapped from the CFL-NFL trade to the Cleveland Browns, in exchange for Bob Ptacek.
  • Played the 1960 season with Cleveland, before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings along with a few other players for 2 draft picks.
  • Went on to play in an improbable 282 games over his 19 season career for the Vikings (starting 270 consecutively)- at the time NFL records.
  • Member of the famed Purple People Eaters, played in all 4 of the Vikings Super Bowl appearances.
  • At time of retirement in 1979, had played in every game in Vikings club history.
  • Finished with 130 sacks- second on the franchise’s record books.

ACCOLADES:

  • #70 retired- Vikings
  • Record- Most career fumble recoveries (30)
  • Record- Most seasons played by a defensive player (20)
  • Record- Most consecutive games played by a defensive player (289)
  • Minnesota Vikings 25th Anniversary Team
  • Minnesota Vikings 40th Anniversary Team
  • 50 Greatest Vikings
  • Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
  • Pro Bowl 1968, ’69
  • Second Team All-Pro 1964, ’68, ’69

NOTES:

Despite Jim’s resume, and being the ultimate iron man, he’s only been considered a finalist for the HoF. I’ve always considered him a HoFer in my book, and found a card that I finally wanted to get signed after I scraped up the small fee. It’s a nice autograph… a bit smudged, but I’ll take it over the crazy prices they wanted online for a certified.