Category Archives: NFL

NFL

Ryans, DeMeco

Card: Score 2009
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz

The Texans in 2006 took Mario Williams with the overall #1 pick, but it was their second rounder- DeMeco Ryans that would steal the show. Ryans was taken by the Texans to play MLB after checking in at 6’1″, 236 and ran a 4.65 40 at the top of the 2nd round. He’d be moved from outside linebacker to middle linebacker by the team, where he immediately assumed a leadership role and started calling plays. A head hunter who has great instincts, Ryans was dominant right out of the gate he ended up winning the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors in 2006 with a remarkable campaign  making 156 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 5 pass defensed, and a pick. He’d follow this up with a decisive 2007 and be named AP and to his first ProBowl.  His dominance would continue, and in 2009 he was named to the Pro Bowl again and the Texans offered him a lucrative contract.

DeMeco’s 2010 would be a let down. Injuries would limit the Pro Bowl star to only 6 games, yielding to an Achilles injury that would end his season and would spell the death knell for the Texans’ defense. He’d finish with 54 tackles and 1 forced fumble while the team would collapse even further going 2-7 down the stretch. It’s obvious looking forward that Ryans is the key to the Texans’ defensive plans. As the team moves to his native 3-4 defense and DeMeco continues his rehabilitation, all signs point to go for the young rising star.

G/Gs  70/70      Tac  436      Sac  8.5      Fum  8
Int 2       Yds 17      Avg 8.5        Td   0        Lg 16

NFL

Awalt, Robert

Card: ProSet 1990
Acquired: In Person 1991, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Okay, I could never understand the Cardinals organization’s logic when it came to their tight ends. Here you have a proven veteran in Jay Novacek. You watch him leave Plan B to the Dallas Cowboys where he goes on to burn defenses across the league. In the meantime, the Cardinals groom promising Robert Awalt who actually starts and front of Novacek,(named NFC offensive rookie of the year in 1987,) but then roughly two years later, traded Awalt away to that same Dallas Cowboys organization. Just makes me scratch my head. (In Rob’s first few weeks for the organization, Robert would wear 46 as pictured on the card until 89 became available for him to wear.) Awalt would play behind Jay in two injury plagued seasons for the Cowboys primarily as a blocking tight end and occasional receiver. In 1992 Rob joined the Buffalo Bills, making 2 SuperBowl appearances there before retiring at the age of 29, after being placed on injured reserve to repair a torn rotator cuff in 1993.

I got Robert’s autograph on his ProSet 1990 at Cowboys Training camp, at the infamous autograph alley back in 1991- I think from what I remember at the final fence line before the players walk onto the playing field. I was a regular as background fodder on the local sportscasts and also had my picture once in the Dallas Morning News getting crushed in the alleyway by fans leaning me into the fence trying to get autographs. Those were good times despite the heat, and I never failed at getting an autograph everyday I was there.

G/Gs  95/44   Rec 138   Yds  1583   Avg  11.5   Td  10   lg 52

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Moon, Warren (2)


Cards: ProSet 1990 MotY, Score 1990 Hot Gun, Pro Set 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 4/2  Received:  5/4   (32 days)
Previous Posting: Moon, Warren 12/12/10

When I was a kid, I got Warren’s autograph at training camp one year. While not afforded the opportunity to attend nearly everyday (such as in the case of Cowboys Training Camp in Austin,) I did make the best of it when I went to Oilers’ camp in San Antonio. The players were also kind enough as well and I would typically haul in 15-30 autographs a day when I’d go. I never held it against Warren that I couldn’t get his autograph more than once, but resisted sending out again in 2011 (-for fear that I wouldn’t get it).  I noticed a lot of multiple successes recently from the former Oilers great, and since I had gotten a lot of autographs from other members of the team, I thought I’d give it a shot. I sent out to his address in Kirkland, Washington but heard a week or two later that he had moved back to Southern California. With a lot of these successes happening in under 2 weeks, I got discouraged that I’d ever get the cards back.  It did take a bit more longer than usual, but postmarked from Santa Ana, Ca (lending creedance to the rumor he was indeed living here) I got Warren’s autograph on these 3 additional cards in a still brisk 32 days. He also included a business card for Warren Moon Enterprises- Sports 1 Marketing. You can follow him through Twitter at twitter.com/WMoon1, Facebook at facebook.com/HWarrenMoon1 or go to his website at www.sports1marketing.com where you can locate his physical address if you wish to get his autograph as well.