NFL

Bortles, Blake

leaf14 bortlesCard: Leaf 2014
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 4/2    Received: 4/11  (9 days)

Blake Bortles is the finest quarterback to come through the doors of the University of Central Florida since Daunte Culpepper took the NFL by storm. Like Culpepper, Bortles boasts a cannon for an arm, and the size (6’4″, 230) to match, but also posesses that rarer and rarer intangible of being just as comfortable out of the gun as he is setting up under center.  Blake has had now two years of solid starting time under his belt. In 2012, he threw for 3,059 yards on 399 attempts (62.9% completions) with 25 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions. This began to get him onto the radar of NFL scouts. Bortles’ 2013, not only allowed him to reaffirm that his previous season was not a fluke (259/382,  3,581 yards, 25 TD to 9 INT), but he was able to demonstrate grit and leadership, leading the Knights to an upset victory over the Baylor Bears, 52-42. During the game Blake was 20/31 for 301 yards and 3 TDs, but more importantly, he also ran for 93 yards on 8 carries and a TD, snaring Fiesta Bowl MVP Honors.

Bortles declared for the 2014 NFL Draft after the season concluded. As Houston Texans’ new head coach Bill O’Brien had a need at quarterback, the team has been continuously linked to possibly drafting Bortles near the top of the draft. In fact during Bortles 2014 run, his team beat O’Brien’s Penn State team, and on top of that he fits the mold of the type of quarterback that O’Brien likes to groom. After finding no trading partners, the Texans in the end took the best available talent at #1 with Jadeveon Clowney. Blake went #4 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars where he hopes to change the fortunes of the franchise.

After acquiring a box of the Leaf 2014 draft cards and then seeing recent successes pour through from Bortles’ reputed home address, I took it as a sign and sent the card out. I was pumped to receive this autographed in under 10 days, but I suspect that as the starting pressure and fame mounts for young Bortles this may soon change.

NFL

Hoard, Leroy

pset90 hoardCards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score Supplemental 1990, ProSet 1990.
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Work*
Sent: 3/12      Received: 3/20   (8 days)
* Donation enclosed

Leroy Hoard is one of the legendary backs that came through the University of Michigan. A punishing frunner who left it all out on the field, he ran 314 times for 1706 yards and 19 TDs playing for the Wolverines as primarily a short yardage back. Considered one of the best backs of this function of the era, Hoard was drafted in the second round of the 1990 draft by the Cleveland Browns. The Browns were a team struggling to maintain positioning in a contentious arms race in the AFC Central between the Bengals, Oilers, and Steelers and still feeling the long presence of former head coach Marty Schottenheimer over the franchise. Still head coach Bud Carson had put his stamp on the team, drafting do-it-all scat back Eric Metcalf the previous year and maintaining the continuity of the offense with Bernie Kosar at the helm. It was an interesting pick however, as the team already boasted a power fullback in the name of Kevin Mack. The team however struggled early and often that year, and Carson found himself ousted during the season. Hoard had a very plain rookie season, but still managed to grab 3 touchdowns rushing, which was quite a feat since the team scored only 224 points en route to a 3-13 season.

sco90sup hoardBill Bilichick was brought in the following season to turn things around. As he remade the team over the next few seasons, Hoard became a more intergral part of the offense.  In 1991 Leroy demonstrated a knack as a receiver, catching a career high 48 passes for 567  yards and 9 touchdowns, including a 71 yarder against the Kansas City Chiefs that year.  In 1994, Hoard rushed for a career high 890 yards and had 1,335  yards from scrimmage earning him his one and only Pro Bowl berth.

In 1996, Leroy made the transition with the Browns franchise to Baltimore. During the season he’d be traded, and spend time on the roster of the Carolina Panthers, before finally landing with the Minnesota Vikings. Although Leroy’s time as a starter had begun to wane, he was still an important part of the Vikings offense. Starting 6 games that year, he ran for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 129 yards. Hoard remained with the Vikings through the 1999 season, – a year in which he ran for a career high 10 touchdowns on 138 carries.

aprks90 hoardLife has been difficult for Leroy since his playing days have ended. Because of his brutal playing style, Leroy suffered multiple concussions and head injuries during his playing time in college and the NFL.  Due to the lack of information on the subject, Hoard, like many players shrugged off the effects and went back into the game, compounding the effects. Today Leroy suffers from frequent and painful headaches and has bouts of ‘forgetfulness’ that plague his memory. I felt it was my responsibility as a fan paying homage to him and asking for his autograph to include a donation. Leroy has found some therapy through sports talk radio, and currently lives in the Miami, FL area.   A member of Tecmo Super Bowl, Hoard is one of the feared ‘popcorn backs’, a runningback so powerful that all you had to do was tap the B button and he’d throw would be tacklers aside as he ran up the field.

 

 

 

G/Gs 144/66       Rush  1008       Yds  3964        Avg 3.9         Td  36    Lg  53
Rec  238     Yds  2430     Avg  10.2    Td  15    Lg  72t

Arena, NFL, ufl

Purify, Maurice

tntafl11 purifyCard: TNT AFL 2011 Promo
Acquired: IP 6/15/2014, San Antonio Talons vs. The Arizona Rattlers

Maurice earned Second Team All-Big 12 Hounrs as a senior after catching 57 passes for 814 yards and 9 touchdowns with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2007.  Going undrafted, Purify signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 where he’d see time on special teams, recording 5 tackles in 2009.  He joined the Georgia Force in 2010 and was named Rookie of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year. Maurice also earned Second-Team All-Arena honors after leading the Georgia Force with 130 receptions and 46 TDs, while finishing second on the team with 1,653 yards receiving.  In 2011, Maurice decided to play for the UFL, but an injury landed him on injured reserve for the majority of the league season, so Maurice returned to the Arena leagues, this time signing with the powerful Arizona Rattlers. He’d go on to catch 126 balls for 1,932 yards and 46 touchdowns that season and earn First-Team All-Arena Honors. He’d be a key component in the Rattlers ArenaBowl XXV victory, as he’d be named Offensive Player of the Game for his seven touchdown performance. Maurice resigned with Arizona for the 2013 season, but was injured for much of the year. Still he’d post up  51 receptions for 740 yards and nine touchdowns in nine games, and two touchdowns in the team’s return to ArenaBowl XXVI.  Maurice was the last of the ‘big 3’ that I was after from the Rattlers that evening. He went over to sign autographs before the game, so I had to dart across the stands with pen in hand to get him. Still I ended up with his autograph on this sweet looking card of him from his days with the Force.

 

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.