Category Archives: NFL

NFL, WLAF

Rentie, Caesar

Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, C/o New York/ New Jersey Knights

For all of the football junkies out there Caesar Rentie is famous because he was the first player drafted in the WLAF.  Originally a 7th round choice of the Chicago Bears, Rentie played 5 games for the Bears in 1988, and then went Plan B to the Bills and Colts before being taken by the WLAF.  The son of deaf-mute parents, Rentie has faced adversity all his life. Playing for the Knights, Rentie provided valuable protection and excellent run blocking for Eric Wilkerson in 1991. He’d play part of the season for the Knights again in 1992, finishing up the season on the squad of the Birmingham Fire.

After the league restructured in 1992, Caesar felt a higher calling and decided to leave football where he then became an intern in pastoral care at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center and as of this post is affiliated with Arcadia Park UMC in Dallas as a Senior Pastor. I sent off for Caesar’s autograph during the 1992 season to the NY/NJ Knights. I got a fairly quick response and was pleased to get his autograph on his Proset card.

College Football HoF, NFL, usfl, wfl

Pardee, Jack (1936-2013)

Cards: Proline Portraits 1992, Pro Set 1990, Pro Set 1991, Topps 1970.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o home.
Sent: 3/26    Received:  4/1    (6 days)

I went through Fanmail.biz to locate Jack’s address, putting a request up on the message board. One of the admins was kind enough to respond with his address. I wrote to Jack that night to discuss the book “Oiler Blues” and he responded in a record 6 days to my request.

Jack Pardee took over as coach of the Oilers from Jerry Glanville, and the difference in personality was night and day. While Glanville was firey and emotional, Jack, was much on par with the personality of Tom Landry. Subdued was basically an understatement of Pardee’s restraint. Jack would bring with him from the University of Houston (and the USFL,) the Run ‘N Shoot offense that the Oilers would employ full time.  Jack would pull the Oilers over the hump, as he would become the only coach in the history of the Houston franchise to take the AFC Central title, which he would take in 91 and again in 93.  The 1993 team would also grab the best record in the league at 12-4. Despite going forward, the Oilers always seemed to freeze in the playoffs, being victims of the infamous ‘Comeback’ game, and also Montana’s last playoff run. Pardee was infamously ordered by owner Bud Adams to wear a headset on the sidelines, mitigate the circus that was Buddy Ryan and the furor that ensued when the team fined David Williams for ‘Babygate’. These dramatic elements would be the end of the ‘golden age’ for me in football. In 1994 the team collapsed without Warren Moon at the helm, and after going 1-9 Jack Pardee resigned. His young defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher took over from there and within a few months owner Bud Adams was whining about a new stadium.

One of the infamous ‘Junction Boys’, Jack in addition to coaching days also played in the NFL from 1957-1973 as a linebacker conquering melanoma along the way.  He then jumped ship to head coaching for the Blazers and Fire of the WFL, and then onto the NFL as the coach of the Bears and Redskins, and as a defensive coordinator for the Chargers. Coaching continued to be in his blood as he then coached in the USFL for the Gamblers, and then over to the Cougars with a record setting offense, before coming to the Oilers in 1990. In 1995 he coached in the CFL and then entered a period of semi retirement where he runs his ranch in Gause, Tx outside of Houston.

In 2010, a wonderful article was written about him from CNNSI where it was revealed that he would jump at the opportunity to coach again even at the age of 73.

G 196  tac n/a    sac  n/a     Fum 17    Int  22    yards 305  Td  5  Lng 46
Wins   87   Losses 77   Pct .530

UPDATE- On April 1st, 2013, Jack Pardee passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer.

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Anderson, Ottis ‘OJ’

Cards: Pro Set 1990 CPotY, Pro Set 1989.
Acquired: TTM 2010, c/o http://www.ottisanderson.com/
Sent:  1/13  Received: 2/25    (43 days) *donation required
See Also: Ottis Anderson (2)

Ottis ‘OJ’ Anderson was drafted in the 1st round by the then St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, rushing for 1,605 yards and garnering Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Anderson ran for over 1,000 yards in the next 5 seasons, but because of his punishing style, he began to show wear and tear through injuries. OJ signed with the Giants in 1986, where he found himself knee deep in the depth chart. Bill Parcells utilized OJ in short yardage and in goalline situations as injuries continued to limit his effectiveness. In 1989, OJ found himself atop the depth chart of the Giants in Bill Parcells ball control offense.  OJ had brick hands for catching the ball yet, was a sure handed runner who rarely fumbled (3 times while playing for the Giants from 1986-1992.). Later in that year, he ran for 1023 yards, won Comeback Player of the Year honors and was Superbowl XXV MVP with 21 carries and 102 yards. Anderson retired in 1992 after 13 years and is one of a select few of runningbacks who has run for over 10,000 yards. After football OJ has become a motivational speaker, done commentary for NFL games, and is involved with a variety of charities and causes. OJ Anderson surprisingly is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite his extensive credentials and MVP honors.

OJ Anderson was in the second blitz of players I mailed out to in 2010. I located his website and fee regarding autographs and sent out these two cards.  My general rule of thumb with most players is to send out two cards, that way I can compare the autographs that come back to check the authenticity of them. I was surprised that I got back this one and that these are both considered authentic, – as they both looked like scribble. The ball control offense that the Giants ran during this time period was- annoying and boring, but watching OJ pound the rock that year was a thing of beauty.

G  182     Rush 2562      Yds  10273     Avg  4.0     TD  81         Lg  76