NFL, WLAF

Richard, Gary

Cards: Pro Set WLAF 1991.
Acquired: In Person, 1992 Preseason game San Antonio Riders v Ohio Glory

Drafted originally in the 7th round by the Green Bay Packers in 1988, Gary Richard checks in at 5-10 and only 173 pounds. Richard countered his small size with tenacity and great leaping ability. After being cut by the Packers, the Riders drafted him in the second round of the Riders 1991 positional draft, where in his rookie season he had 15 pass breakups, 37 tackles and notched a safety when he blocked a punt against the Skyhawks. In 1992, Richard notched 3 picks, including returning a theft 53 yards to seal the 17-0 victory over the Ohio Glory in the infamous hail storm game in San Marcos, Texas on 4/20/1992.

After I got my Pro Set World League 1991 cards, I caught some Riders in the parking of Bobcat Stadium leaving after the preseason game against the Glory back in 1992 that they won 33-7. (The same parking lot I got Alonzo Highsmith back in 1988).  They all stopped and started clamoring around my cards to see who I had. Gary Richard went nuts when he saw mine and gleefully signed my card. The other defensive backs were disappointed, but eventually they’d all get cards in other sets.

Games 20    Tac N/a       FF  N/a   Int  3    Yards 53     Avg 17.0    Td 1

College Football HoF, NFL

Novacek, Jay

Cards: Proset 1989, Proset 1991 Receiving Leader TE.
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1990, 1992.
See Also: Jay Novacek (2)

Jay Novacek was one of Jimmy Johnson‘s first free agent signees of the 1990 season and one of the first autographs I got at Dallas Cowboys training camp at St. Edwards in Austin, Tx. Novacek played in near anonymity for the St. Louis/ Phoenix Cardinals but was left unprotected in free agency. Jay took over the starting tight end position providing an immediate upgrade and held down the starting position for 6 seasons and received 5  Pro Bowl nods from 1991 to 1995. Novacek played in Super Bowl XXX (1996), but never played another down and retired in 1997 due to a lingering back injury.

After football Novacek has dabbled in a variety fields since retirements, investing in a chain of haircut salons (Sportsclips), youth football programs, and is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

G 158         Rec  422        Yds  4630        Avg  11.0        Td  30       Lg  49

Arena, CFL

Jurasin, Bobby

Cards: All World 1991.
Acquired: TTM 1993, (CFL Blitz) C/o CFL headquarters.

I got a box of All-World CFL cards in 1991 from a local card dealer and decided to send out a bunch of them after the league confirmed it’s North American expansion plans when the WLAF folded in North America. Not finding the team offices, I blitzed the headquarters, who then sent it around to a variety of teams for me and included many of their own. They included many future hall of famers and Doug Flutie.

Bobby Jurasin went undrafted in the 1986 NFL draft after attending Northern Michigan University and joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a free agent that year.  Despite only starting 8 games his rookie year, he was an immediate force on the field for the Roughriders garnering the team’s rookie of the year award nomination at linebacker and defensive end. (He also played spot tight end duty.) Jurasin over the next 12 seasons would wreck havoc on opposing teams, and would be a West All Star in 1989 and 1994, CFL All Star in 1987, 1988, 1992, and 1997, winning a Grey Cup in 1989. He’d play for the Argonauts in 1998, and then the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena league where he retired due to a neck injury. At retirement he was number 3 on the CFL all time list in sacks.

Of note, Jurasin was a trend setter, wearing a rising sun bandana underneath his helmet that fans picked up on and wear to this day. Bobby was inducted into the CFL HoF in 2006 and currently is coaching at the college level.

Games  197       Tac  411        Sac  142         FF   22
Int  2         Yds  38          Avg  19.0         Td  0

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