NFL

Maas, Bill

Card: Topps 1989
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Bill Maas was the 5th pick of the 1984 draft out of Pitt. The Chargers (3rd) and Eagles (6th) both called Bill indicating that they were going to take him with their selection, but in the end the Kansas City Chiefs drafted him in the 5th slot, so it came as quite a surprise to him. The first defensive player taken off the board that year, Maas brought enthusiasm to the table for the Chiefs- a long beleaguered franchise that had not embraced winning ways in some 15 years. The Chiefs had a 3-4 defense, so they shifted him from defensive tackle to nose and let him wreck havoc along the line.  His rookie season, Bill had 5 sacks and helped slow the bleeding of an otherwise porous defense in previous years. This earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors after the season. The next two seasons he also split time at defensive end, and responded both seasons by garnering 7 sacks each. Bill’s 1986 and 1987 seasons earned him All Pro Honors for his play at nose tackle. After his 1988 season and 89 seasons were shortened, he was replaced in the lineup by free agent Dan Saleaumua, and then shifted to the outside to defensive end for the remainder of his career before signing with the Packers in 1993. With one final season in Green Bay, he’d start 3 games and then retire.

Bill Maas is a player who has lived life in the fast line and been hit a few times trying to slow down. I guess if you want to beat around the bush with euphemisms, that is the best way to put it. He’s battled drug, legal, and alcohol problems since retirement, and even spent time in a corrections facility. He’s done some truly dumb things that have just gone the wrong way, such as walking through an airport metal detector with a gun in his bag. Still Maas keeps battling back, despite his public self-destructive behavior, and has returned to broadcasting.  Currently Bill also enjoys his time as a Chiefs Ambassador and I wish him all the best in life as he continues to move forward.

G/Gs 130/114   Tac  N/a    Sac  40    Fum 8    Int 0   Yds 0   Avg -.-   Td 0   Lg  0

NFL, WLAF

Johnson, Jason

ultwlaf92 jjohnsonCards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Work
Sent: 2/17    Received: 3/4  (14 days)

Jason Johnson played wide receiver and runningback for the Illinois State Firebirds. He’d be a free agent find of the Denver Broncos in 1988. After spending the first half of the season on injured reserve, he’d return 14 kick offs for 292 yards in 8 games. The Steelers signed Johnson in 1989, and again he’d be relegated to primarily kick and punt return duties.Later Jason would have a try out with the New Orleans Saints but not make the squad.

In 1991, Jason was drafted by the Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF in the 3rd round of the league’s positional draft. As Mike Perez‘s favorite target, the speedy receiver caught 38 balls for 635 yards and 4 touchdowns.   Against the Skyhawks that season, he’d catch a 59 yard bomb to set up the go ahead score.  Johnson also stepped up as Frankfurt’s primary punt returner, fielding 24 kicks for 89 yards. Jason even saw time as an emergency defensive back, intercepting one pass and returning it 17 yards.  While the Galaxy finished 7-3, the team did not make the playoffs in 1991.

pset91 jjohnsonHe’d return to the Galaxy for the 1992 season, but with Perez splitting time with Alex Espinoza behind a leaky offensive line, Johnson saw less looks and consequently- less targets, and the team slumped. Still Jason managed to haul in 22 receptions for 268 yards and a 47 yard touchdown, before the league went on hiatus after the season.

He returned back stateside after that, and his hometown of Gary, Indiana. He worked his way into coaching, and is now a head coach at West Side High School.  He wrote me a really nice note on the back of the envelope, telling me that his son was soon going to be in the NFL and that he himself loves Austin and is looking forward to moving here when he retires.

NFL  Rec   1          Yds  6         Avg 6.0        Td 0        Lg 6    |
KR  17     Yds 335       Avg 19.7         Td  0         Lg 34
Pr  3         Yds 27          Avg 9.0           Td  0         Lg 13

WLAF  Rec 60       Yds   903        Avg 15.1       Td   5          Lg  59
Kr     5           Yds   107        Avg   21.4          Td 0               Lg 26
Pr    24         Yds      89        Avg  3.7              Td 0               Lg 15

 

NFL

Alexander, Shaun “The Great”

tnt13g salexanderCards: Top Notch Signature Select 2013
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o CAA
Sent: 12/19    Received: 4/24   (120 days)

Shaun finished as the Alabama’s greatest runningback, smashing the career yardage (3,726 yards) record for the Tide, and single game mark with 295 yards, but his 26 touchdowns also set an SEC single season mark in 1999. In all he held 15 school rushing related records.  An all-around well rounded back, Alexander could do it all, and is as comfortable running between the tackles as he was pp00 salexandercutting back to the outside.

Drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2000 draft, Alexander sat behind Ricky Watters his rookie year. In 2001 after becoming a fulltime starter, Alexander set the franchise’s single game mark with 266 yards rushing against the Oakland Raiders. He’d go on to be the NFL’s leading rusher in 2005 with 1,880 yards, and break the NFL record (previously held by Priest Holmes) garnering 27 rushing touchdowns, earning Shaun the NFL’s MVP award. A two time All Pro and a member of the NFL’s All 2000’s team, Alexander also holds the pp00 salexander bcareer rushing mark for the Seahawks.  By 2007 injuries had begun to catch up to Shaun, and he was cut in April of 2008. Alexander set to rejuvenate his career with the Washington Redskins, but lasted only 4 games with the franchise. While teams had expressed some interest in him, and he remains in peak physical conditioning, for all points and purposes in 2014, Shaun is retired. He finished only 600 yards short of 10,000 and with an impressive 112 TDs in 123 games.

Shaun has written an autobiographical book about his life and is very involved with CAA. He wrote me a fun note on the back of my envelope encouraging me to taunt some of my friends with his autographed card. He also included a bible verse on the card from Psalms 37:7

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Of note, Shaun has appeared on the cover of both NCAA 2001, and Madden 2008. By the time that Alexander had taken the cover of the game, the Madden Curse was already front page news. -He broke his foot promptly in Week 3 of the 2008 season.

G/Gs 123/96    Rush 2187    Yds 9453     Avg 4.3        Td  100      Lg 88  |
Rec 215     Yds  1520     Avg 7.1       Td 12       Lg 80

 

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