Category Archives: NFL

Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Pease, Brent

Cards: Proset 1991, Wild Card WLAF 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Boise State University
Sent:  4/28    Received: 5/13  (15 days)

Small town Brent Pease was born in Moscow, Idaho, and was a starting quarterback for the Montana Grizzlies. In 1987, he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 11th round, but did not make the final roster. He was quickly picked up by the Houston Oilers and started 3 games during the NFL strike that year going a respectable 2-1 and throwing for 3 touchdowns.  After the strike shortened season, Pease would earn his roster spot but would quickly get bumped to 3rd string after a disastrous 1988 campaign that saw him post a 0 quarterback rating. Still he’d contribute to the Oilers, replacing punter Greg Montgomery during the season as holder for Tony Zendejas‘ kicks. In 1989 would sign with the Miami Dolphins and then he’d see time in the CFL in 1990, where he was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and finally come back to the Chicago Bears that year. He’d be drafted in the inaugural WLAF allocation draft by the Birmingham Fire in 1991, where he’d play for a season before going to the New York- New Jersey Knights in 1992.

In the WLAF for the Fire, he played well enough to steward the team to the playoffs until he was replaced by Eric Jones in the lineup. He’d then get bumped around in the quarterback shuffle in New York behind Reggie Slack and Doug Pedersen in 1992. Pease would then play for the Cincinnati Rockers of the AFL in 1993 and then retire.

Since football Pease has jumped into coaching where he has quickly climbed the college ranks. Returning to his alma matter Montana he grew quickly into the offensive coordinator job helping the college establish itself as one of the stronger passing programs at the I-AA level. After brief stints at Northern Arizona,  Kentucky, and Baylor, where all the teams offenses experienced prolific growth under his tutelage. Brent would return to his home state of Idaho where he currently serves as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.

Utilizing the power of the internet, I located Brent quite quickly and sent off to him after I found his cards. Brent’s name has generated a lot of buzz as Boise State has remained a stalwart contender over the last few years and numerous internet reports have been linking Pease to college head coaching jobs around the country.

Games N/a   Att  210  Comp  99   Pct  47.1%   Yds 1076
Td 5   Int  9   Rat 52.8

NFL, WLAF

Alexander, Jeff

Cards: Ultimate WLAF 1991, Proset WLAF 1991, Wild Card WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF TV2 1991.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent:  8/7  Received: 8/19  (12 days)

When you talk to historical football pundits about the WLAF and you ask them who ran for the most yards in the London Monarch’s offense, nine times out of ten people will get the question wrong and tell you it was Judd Garrett. Jeff Alexander was the leading rusher of the London Monarchs in 1991 and 1992. The plodding hard nosed fullback would rack up 391 yards in 1991 and 9 rushing touchdowns.  (His 9 touchdowns rushing would lead the WLAF.) In 1992, the Monarchs would rely on him even more as he would run for a team best 501 yards and be 5th in league rushing. Jeff would only score 1 touchdown that season, but that would be good enough to tie him with Eric Wilkerson for the WLAF career lead, before the league reorganized in 1992.

He’d finish up his career where he started in 1989 with the Denver Broncos (in 1992) and soon thereafter retire. He currently lives in Colorado. I sent him these cards and he graciously signed them in about 10 days.

Games 20     Att 212    Yds 892    Avg  4.2   Lg  41T      Td 10      |
Rec 28    Yds   251     Avg  9.0    Lg  47T     Td 2

NFL

Robinson, Dunta

Cards: Score 2008
Acquired: TTM, Texans Blitz 2009.

Dunta Robinson was the Houston Texans third first round choice in the history of the franchise, taken in 2004 by then general manager Charlie Casserly with the 10th overall pick. He’d be penciled in almost immediately as a starter at RCB for the young franchise across from Aaron Glenn.  Dunta had an impact season with 87 tackles and 5 interceptions, which looking back in retrospect counted as his career high.

In 2005, the team started purging veterans, and Robinson would become the leader in the secondary.  He’d still manage to defend 10 passes and make an interception; However, the team slumped to a 2-14 record.  The next season the team drafted his college teammate Fred Bennett to work opposite Dunta, but Robinson suffered a serious knee injury in week 9 of 2007, that sidelined him for the rest of the season, and for the first 6 games of 2008. Although his recovery from the injury was impressive and heartwarming, Dunta did lose a step. He’d also make 2 interceptions in the 2008 season passing Aaron Glenn for the team career leader with 13.

The offseason proved to be acrimonious for Robinson as he held out for a big multi-season contract with the Texans. General manager Rick Smith saw otherwise and stuck him with the Franchise Tag- the first designated on a Texan player. Dunta spitefully did not show up to camp until one week before the season started, signing his tender for a one year deal worth 9.957 million dollars. To add salt to the wound, Dunta  wrote “PAY ME RICK” on his cleats before the opening game of the season against the Jets. The Texans were favored to beat the Jets at home but laid an egg instead. Robinson had a poor game. It was a perfect storm. The ensuing media brouhaha over his message enraged fans and annoyed management, turning him from a team hero to villain. The Texans responded after the Jets loss, but just missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

To make matters even worse Dunta did not make a single interception despite starting the full slate of games. While Robinson expressed his desire and excitement to remain with the Texans, citing the teams’ first winning record as the reason, the Texans did not retain his services. Dunta became a free agent in early 2010 and within days,  inked a 6 year contract with his hometown Atlanta Falcons, with 22.5 million dollars in guarantees.

Robinson was never the same after his ACL injury, plus once he assumed the #1 defensive back role in the secondary he never made more than 2 interceptions in a season, or became the game breaker that former DB Aaron Glenn was, making many bad arm tackles along the way. In 2009, there also didn’t seem to be that same fire that was there the previous seasons, and you could almost tell he would get easily frustrated and lose his composure. Indeed, Robinson in 2009 was one of the most targeted defenders in the league allowing 64.7% of passes thrown his direction to be completed and didn’t make a single interception or finish in double digits in pass defensed.

Regardless, best of luck to a cornerback who was once the heralded son of Houston and now sadly leaves as the black sheep. Listed below are his final statistics for the Texans.

Games  84        Tac   394     Sac  4      FF  6
Int  13       Yds  162    Avg 12.5      Td  1     Lg 61