Category Archives: NFL

NFL, WLAF

Davis, Willie (WR) ‘Country’

Wild Card World League, #59

CARD: Wild Card World League 1992
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2023
FAILURE: TTM 2010, 2011, 2020, C/o The Chiefs

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Willie Davis caught 63 passes for 1292 yards over his college career for Central Arkansas.
  • He holds the school all-time record for longest reception with a 99 yard TD.
  • He’d go undrafted in 1990, but be signed to the Chiefs practice squad.
  • Willie was allocated to the Orlando Thunder of the World League in 1992 by the team to give the young receiver more seasoning.
  • With future NFL veteran Scott Mitchell at QB, Davis caught 20 passes and a 51 yard TD in his first professional action.
  • The Chiefs, impressed by what they saw opted to give Willie some playtime in their offense.
  • Willie became one of the World League’s success stories, catching 36 passes for 756 yards later that year.
  • His best season perhaps came the following year when he caught 52 passes for 909 yards and 7 TDs.
  • He played for the Chiefs through 1995.
  • With Houston Oilers WR Haywood Jeffires demanding more money to stay with the team, the franchise opted to go in another direction and signed Willie Davis to essentially replace him.
  • Willie played with the Oilers from 1996-98, transitioning with the franchise to Tennessee in 1997.
  • Willie returned to the Chiefs after a few years away from the sport and joined the team’s front office, where he serves as the team’s front office scout of the southwest.

ACCOLADES:

  • Central Arkansas Hall of Fame (2001)

NOTES:

I finally gave up on trying to get Willie through the mail after 3 attempts through the Chiefs over the last 12 years. He signed sporadically for others and just didn’t respond to me. Whether or not it was an intentional snub or not or just the fact he may not want to sign his true rookie card, I am not sure. -So I just decided to haggle with an EBay seller who had some World League autographs that looked legitimate enough to me to close the deal.

WL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
2024212.1151t

NFL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
286450315/73374
NFL, Pro Football HoF

Jackson, Tom

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #119

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 8/21 RECEIVED: 8/23 (21 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • An undersized LB with a great motor, Tom Jackson played college football at Louisville from 1970-72.
  • He’d be a 4th round pick of the Denver Broncos in 1973 and form a key element of the team’s famed Orange Crush Defense.
  • Extremely durable, Tom played from 1973-1986 for the Broncos, appearing in two Super Bowls for the team, and 191 games.
  • In 1976, he had an incredible 7 interceptions, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles from his OLB spot.
  • After his playing days ended, Jackson seamlessly transitioned to the studio where he worked alongside Chris Berman for ESPN- a role he held for 29 years.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Bowl 1977-79
  • Louisville Cardinals Ring of Honor
  • Second Team All-Pro 1978-79
  • All Pro 1977
  • Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016

NOTES:

Tom Jackson was not really known as a prolific signer so when he popped I made my move instead of paying inflated prices in the secondary EBay market. Tom Jackson was such a great LB, I thought he was a S. I loved watching him on ESPN Primetime and Countdown. He didn’t really give any love to the Oilers outside of Ernest Givins– “From Louiville!” – Tom’s signature line in the studio.

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a40.082034017.0373
NFL

Maas, Bill (2)

1992 Gameday, #271
Pro Set 1989, #175
Fleer 1990, #203

CARDS: Gameday 1992, Proset 1989, Fleer 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 9/22 RECEIVED: 10/6 (14 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Bill had some great set needs, and since I had never written him before, I figured I’d go ahead and knock these cards out. His Pro Set 1989 definitely sticks out to me. It’s a unique shot of a lineman that perfectly encapsulates the action that Pro Set was known for in its early years.