Arena, NFL

Lyles, Robert

Cards: Proset 1989, Score 1990
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o (Army Black Knights [Westpoint])
Sent:   4/3     Received: 5/7  (34 days)

In 1984 the long suffering Houston Oilers franchise drafted linebacker Robert Lyles out of TCU in the 5th round of the common draft. Over 20 linebackers were taken before undersized Lyles came off the board, including fellow linebackers Johnny Meads and John Grimsley. The Oilers aggressively were trying to address their defensive issues, and spent a whopping 10 choices on defense in the draft on that side of the ball. Lyles would be tutored at OLB by new defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville, and by 1985, the speedy linebacker secured the starting job despite being considered undersized for the job (6″-1′, 226). Over that time Lyles would display soft hands and strong coverage ability recording an interception or fumble in 6 straight seasons and in 1989 he’d record a career high 4 picks. A tough nosed player, the media could always count on Robert to fire the team up or have a quotable line. It was during the Oilers’ rise back to the playoffs, where Robert Lyles playing on special teams laid out an opposing player on the turf in furious fashion. The player laid on the turf motionless and Lyles was quoted as saying, “Welcome to the House of Pain!”  The name stuck and the Oilers kept it as part of their way of intimidating opponents and playing mind games with them.  Jerry Glanville over this period would climb into the head coaching seat of the Houston Oilers franchise, but at the end of the 1989 season resigned under fire after losing early in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With a new head coach in place, and a new defensive system being used (4-3), Lyles would be released by the team, but would quickly be retained by the Jerry Glanville and the Atlanta Falcons, where Robert would finish his career after the 1991 season.

After Robert’s departure from the NFL, he took up coaching and by 1994 was in the Arena Football League coaching with both the Tampa Bay Storm and the Memphis Pharaohs for a year a piece as a positional coach. In 1996, he became the Portland Forest Dragons’ defensive coordinator- a job Lyles would hold for two seasons until he’d take up the same job with the Los Angeles Avengers in 1999. He’d serve as interim head coach for 11 games in 2001, guiding the team to a 5-6 record. The team would respond by leading the AFL in variety of defensive categories. He’d then be named head coach of the Georgia Force, and then later defensive coordinator of the Grand Rapids Rampage for 2004 and 2005. Lyles would join the Black Knights staff in 2007 and has moved up to linebackers coach, where he has brought an intense and aggressive style to the double eagle flex style defense.

G/Gs 109/100    Tac  N/a    Sac 10      Fum 8     Int 10   Yds 111   Avg 11.1   Td 0    lg  48

NFL

Bledsoe, Drew

Card: Classic 1993
Acquired: TTM 1995, C/o The New England Patriots

Drew Bledsoe was officially the last TTM  autograph I received in 1995, until I started collecting again in 2010- a period of some 15 years. The overall #1 pick of the 1993 draft, and first choice of then coach Bill Parcells, Bledsoe was a consummate professional and an avid student of the game, with a cannon for an arm. Bledsoe would start immediately, being thrown right into the fire by the Patriots but responded respectably, winning 5 games his rookie season. It didn’t take Bledsoe long, as in 1994 the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1986. He’d be named to the Pro Bowl and set the NFL record for most pass attempts in a season with a monstrous 691 attempts. Drew led the team to the Super Bowl in 1997 against the Green Bay Packers and was named the starter for the ProBowl. His consistency continued, leading his team to numerous playoff appearances and Pro Bowl nominations, but things changed in 2001, when Bledsoe was hit by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. The catastrophic injury caused internal bleeding, and Tom Brady replaced Drew in the lineup. Tom never looked back, leading the team to a SuperBowl victory. Bledsoe was a consummate professional about the whole thing, and never complained about losing his starting job.

After discussions with management about what he wanted- Bledsoe was traded to in-division rival Buffalo and played there admirably for 3 seasons, setting the team record for most passing yards in a game.  In 2005, Bledsoe signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, and was reunited with his former head coach Bill Parcells. He’d play well there for an additional season, but by this point his mobility had disintegrated to such a point that he was getting brutalized in the pocket. Additional erratic play emerged and in 2006 he was replaced in the lineup by Tony Romo. He’d retire after that season.

Bledsoe’s statistical legacy in the NFL is impressive. He’d finish at that time 5th in career attempts and completions, and 7th in yards. Drew since retirement has been active in his community, charitable events and has returned to his college roots in the Walla Walla area, where he owns a small vineyard, (Flying B Vineyards).

G/Gs  194/193   Att 6717    Comp  3859    Pct  57.2   Yds 44611
Td  251    Int 206    lg 86T    Rat  77.1

AFL, NFL

Bethea, Elvin

Cards: Topps 1970, Topps 1974.
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home (Signing Fee)
Sent: 6/24  Received: 7/6  (12 days)

Always styling Elvin Bethea was known for his trademark afro, gap in his teeth or his winfield styled goatee.  Drafted by the Oilers in the 1968 AFL draft from North Carolina A&T in the 3rd round, Bethea would play technically in 3 decades of football for the Houston Oilers, from 1968-1983. He is believed to be the best prospect to come out of that draft, and a steal by the franchise. The sack statistic is widely accredited due to his amazing abilities from the outside at right defensive end, but Elvin originally began his career playing both end and guard for the Oilers. Over his career Bethea was named to the Pro Bowl 8 times, All Pro or second team 5 times, and a criminal amount of sacks unofficially listed at 105 -a team career record. He also holds the team record for most sacks in a season with 15, and made 2 career safeties.  Reliable and durable, Elvin’s 210 games at the time of his retirement were the most played by any player in an Oiler uniform. Bethea also was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and since receiving a heaping of accolades has written a book entitled, “Smashmouth: From Trenton to Canton” , documenting his life from childhood to the NFL HoF. I got Bethea’s autograph at an insanely cheap price TTM from him earlier this year. He responded quickly and I was ecstatic to receive it.

G/Gs  210/ 178    Tac 691   Sac 105   Fum 16
Int 0    Yds 0     Avg -.-    Td 0   Lg N/a

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