Category Archives: NFL

NFL

Brown, Kris

sco09 kbrownCard: Score Inscriptions 2009
Acquired: 2014, Albany Acquisition

Kris Brown is best known as the Texans first placekicker, and at this time is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by Pittsburgh in 1999 out of Nebraska, Kris had a strong leg and some impressive kicks for the Steelers.  When the expansion Texans arrived in 2002, they poached the protected Brown off of the Steelers roster for a mere 7th round pick. It worked out pretty well for both sides. Brown returned home to Texas, got a nice raise, and the Texans got an experienced and proven kicker for the price that they’d normally pay for somebody fresh out of college.

Brown for most of his time with the franchise had a stellar career. He tied an NFL record making 3 field goals of 54+ yards in one game, and between the Capers and early on into the Kubiak years, he was leaned upon heavily to put points on the board for the offense. He’d earn an AP nomination in 2007. When 2009 rolled around Brown’s accuracy waned, and the pressure mounted for the team to get rid of him. He’d lose out a training camp battle to venerable Neil Rackers in 2010. Kris Brown was the last player of the ‘original’ franchise when he was cut, and he had a good run.

Brown joined the San Diego Chargers as a mid-season injury replacement for Nate Kaeding, helping them beat the Texans. He’d be cut with the return of Kaeding to the lineup. Kris signed with the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the year, but was cut in July of 2011. He’s embraced retirement and owns a chain of Dunkin’ Donuts franchises.

G 179         XPA 362      XMP 355      PCT 98.1%            FGA  331     FGM 256        PCT 77.3%       PTS  1123

NFL, NFLE

Moses, J.J.

sp2003 mosesud03 mosesCards:Acquired: IP 4/25/2013, 1300 The Zone Texans Draft Party. IP 9/1/2013, Houston Texans Kemah Boardwark Kickoff
See Also: Texans Ambassadors
Failure: TTM 2013, C/o The Houston Texans Ambassador Program

JJ Moses is another great rags to riches story from the halls of NFLE.  JJ was a burner at wide receiver for the Iowa State Cyclones from 1997-2000. Over his time at Iowa State Moses was a multipurpose monster recording 82 receptions for 1226 yards and 4 touchdowns, 73 carries for 405 yards and 3 TDs, 43 kickoffs for 950 yards and 45 punts for 411 yards. In addition, his efforts for the 2000 season earned JJ MVP honors from the school. Going undrafted, possibly due to his tiny size (5-6, 179,) Moses got into the NFL through helping another friend out with a tryout. He got the attention of the Chiefs scouts, was signed to a free agent contract, and named to the practice squad in 2001 thanks to a great preseason performance, that earned him the adoration of fans.

mem13 jj mosesThe Chiefs allocated JJ out to the Scottish Claymores of the NFLE in 2002. He was a jack of all trades for the team there and led the league in punt return yards. Returning to the NFL, JJ soon found himself on the roster of the Green Bay Packers that year. The Packers put him back at PR and KR on a limited basis, but he really didn’t see the field until 2003. Moses signed as a free agent with the young Houston Texans, -a team one year out of expansion status. It’d be here that he’d see his greatest success averaging 23.1 yards on 58 kick returns and 6.8 yards on 36 punt returns in 2003. His 1336 yards returning were a team record. He’d almost duplicate those numbers in 2004, with a 22.1 yard average on 59 kick returns, and 309 yards on 36 punt returns in 2004. After the season the team drafted speedster KR Jerome Mathis. Unfortunately it’d be the end of the Cinderella run for JJ. He’d get one final season in with the Arizona Cardinals, and then retire after the 2005 season. JJ however finished as the team’s all-time leader in punt and kick off return yardage.

ud03 moses BFGJJ has been pretty lucky since then to have survived the game in one piece due to his diminutive size.  He was also lucky not to fumble it as often as many little guys do. Still guys like JJ are the young faces of the Houston Texans franchise in the early years that really made you cheer on the underdog. I have met JJ now on two occasions. During the Houston Texans 2013 Draft Party in Austin, he was a last minute substitute for linebacker Darryl Sharpton. I could tell that many fans were a bit disappointed, but I knew who he was and as a fan from the beginning, I was very excited. When Brooks Reed and JJ arrived, I called out JJ’s name, much to his excitement. He and I briefly reminisced about the NFLE and his time with the Claymores. I did not have a card at the time for him to sign. Still I was very happy to have met him, and after signing his team provided postcard, he offered to sign any additional cards I had TTM via the Houston Texans.  I sent out the cards within 2 weeks and waited…. and waited… and waited…

leaf2003 mosesI didn’t expect to run into him at the Kickoff at Kemah. I knew the team was sending Ambassadors, but it was really the luck of the draw on the 3 that they’d send. So when I heard JJ was going to be at the event, I pulled out 4 of the 5 cards that I had sent to him earlier and bought duplicates of just in case.  When I finally got up to JJ, I introduced myself as ‘The Superfan from Austin’. He remembered me, but when I chided him about not signing the cards, he told me that he never got them. As Jamie and ND jeered him for ‘taking my cards’ JJ signed all 4, asked me where I got them from, and signed the Ambassadors card with “To Superfan”. We had a good laugh. I hope that he returns again next year to Austin for the draft, as I still have one more card of him. Unfortunately they never made a NFLE card so maybe I’ll kick the tires on making him one.

He currently lives in the Houston area and is a popular member of the Texans Ambassadors Club. In addition to his duties he’s also a motivational speaker, has spent time in radio, and is a devout Christian.

mosesmoses

G  34    Kr  128      Yds 2904       Avg 22.7      Lg 70      Td 0    |
PR  84         Yds  605       Avg  7.2       Td 0        lg 40

NFL

Robbins, Barret “Big Bear”

pac97 robbinsbow95 robbinsCards: Bowman’s Best 1995, Pacific 1997
Acquired: In Person 5/19, 610 Houston Fan Fest 2013

To say that Barret Robbins has been through a lot is a monumental understatement. Despite everything he’s been through and the mistakes he’s made, I do have a lot of respect for the ex-All Pro. He’s battled drug and alcohol addiction, prescription and pain killer drug abuse and fought bi polar disorder. He’s had run ins with the law, been shot a few times, and spent time in jail.  Barret was even close to death and suffering from Pneumonia. A lot of it has been self destructive and sure, some guys you look at and wonder how they squandered all that talent, but Barret, I see as somebody whose life imploded right on the big stage under the bright lights, and they are just lucky to be here today.

Robbins went to TCU collegiately where he cleared the way  for the Horned Frogs offense. He earned the team’s award as their most outstanding lineman. Drafted in the second round by the Oakland Raiders in 1995, Robbins became the 5th center in the history of the franchise, as only Jim Otto, Dave Dalby, Don Mosebar, and Dan Turk had held the honor, replacing Turk in the starting lineup in 1996. Robbins gave some nasty bite back to the position, clearing the way for guys like Napoleon Kaufman, Harvey Williams, and Tyrone Wheatley, while blocking for quarterbacks such as Rich Gannon, Jeff George, and Wade Wilson. Robbins never relinquished the starting spot at center until 2001, missing out on 14 games that season.

robbinsIn 2002, Barret had his finest season, being named AP and to the Pro Bowl in the Raiders last hurrah in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately the night before the big game, Robbins went AWOL. He was later found in Tijuana, Mexico where he remembers little to nothing of the Super Bowl or that night. The Raiders in the meantime dropped the game to the Buccaneers. Barret played 9 contests in 2003, but did not finish the season and was cut by the Raiders in 2004.

Tough times followed soon thereafter, but a lot of those monsters had been chasing him all along. While Robbins has continued to have issues, I hope that he has found peace in his life. When I looked into his eyes, I could tell that the man deep down is a good person, and that he genuinely wants to be seen as such, but just has made some dumb decisions that were hard to live down. I asked him about the Texas gear he was wearing. He laughed and told me that I should know since he was born in Texas that it was hard not to have burnt orange blood and always wanted to go to UT as a kid. Not the greatest signature here, but still it is nice to grab him on a few cards. I wish Barret and his family all the best in their future wherever it may take them, and I hope people can gain some introspection on their lives and see from Barret’s example that you can survive almost anything.