Tag Archives: arizona hotshots

AAF, NFL, The Spring League, usfl, XFL

Wright, Scooby ‘Shark-Dog’

Topps AAF 2019 Certified, #AU-SW
Topps AAF 2019, #28
Topps XFL 2020, #11

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps XFL 2020, Topps AAF Certified 2019
ACQUIRED: 2019, Box Breaker. 2020, Future Considerations. TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 8/15 RECEIVED: 11/4 (81 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Scooby played LB for Arizona and saw playing time right out of the gate as a true Freshman in 2013.
  • In 3 years (27 games), he had 236 total tackles, 38 TFL, 14 sacks, and 6 FF.
  • Drafted by the Browns late in the 7th round (2016), Scooby has seen much of his NFL career on and off the practice squad.
  • Joined the Cardinals late in 2016, and was on and off the regular season squad and practice squad through 2018.
  • In 2018, Wright was a territorial allocation of the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF and played with the team during its abbreviated season in 2019 (8 tackles).
  • Spent 2019 on the practice squad of the New England Patriots.
  • 2020, saw Scoob take his game to the XFL where he played for the DC Defenders, notching 17 tackles, before the league ended operations due to COVID.
  • After playing for the Alphas of the Spring League that year, Scoob reappeared on the radar of Spring Football in 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions.
  • It was with the Stallions, Scoob etched his name into Spring Football lore.
  • He had 52 TT, 3 sacks, and 2 FF for Birmingham in ’22.
  • During the Championship game that year, Shark-Dog had a spectacular pick 6 for the go ahead score.
  • Spent 2023 on IR.

ACCOLADES:

  • USFL 2022 Defensive Player of the Week – Week 4

NOTES:

I am very glad to finally close the book on Scooby. After the Hotshots beat the Commanders in that final game, I tried to get him but he was quick to go to the locker room but I had no luck. In 2020, when he joined the Defenders, my friend Seth, offered to get his autograph at the Defenders team event. He came through in spades and I was able to get him in this beautiful gold pen.

Later Mark (Mark’s Signing Bonus), helped me out with Shark-Dog’s address. I finally got around to sending this XFL 2020 card to him, after I found out that there was going to be no USFL card of him. He was nice enough to sign both XFL 2020 cards I sent, as one was for my friend Seth.

I sorta blew it though because I had a Leaf Draft card I could’ve sent among others, but I guess I’ll just have to get him after the USFL and XFL merge.

During his time in the USFL Scooby has earned the nickname ‘Shark-dog’ based on his unique defensive celebration. As he put it to the sideline reporter: “I had to go Shark-Dog on them. Half Shark, half Dog.”

AAF, CFL, NFL, XFL

Bunche, Malcolm

Topps XFL 2020, #24

CARD: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Malcolm played OL at Miami, eventually transferring to UCLA for graduate studies.
  • After not being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, he embarked on a series of stops with the Eagles (2015), Tiger-Cats (2017), Jaguars (2017), and Giants (2018).
  • Bunche got seasoning playing for an exceptionally good OL with the Arizona Hotshots of the AAF in 2019.
  • He had two more short stops with the Giants and Redskins immediately after that before closing out the year.
  • Bunche then played for the Washington Defenders of the XFL in 2020.
  • After a brief hiatus he played with the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL 2023.

NOTES:

Malcolm was a nice grab that I picked up during the Purple Heart Event that the team was at in Boerne in April. I was wearing my AJ Tarpley jersey and my guy Kameron Kelly stopped me to admire it and take a photo with me. Malcolm came up to compliment me as he too was an AAF vet from his days with the Hotshots. When I produced his XFL card from my pile of stuff, he was duly impressed and gleefully signed it.

AAF, NFL, usfl

Neuheisel, Rick

Topps AAF 2019 Certified, #AU-RNE

CARDS: Topps AAF 2019, Topps AAF 2019 Certified
ACQUIRED: TTM 2019, C/o Home. Private Aquisition, 2022.
SENT: 4/8 RECEIVED: 10/19 (194 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Rick Neuheisel played QB and after his playing days ended became renowned for his offensive coaching system and philosophy.
  • Rick’s storied college career began at UCLA as a walk on in 1979.
  • He eventually got to suit up to hold placekicks, then saw playing time in his Junior and Senior years.
  • In 1983 he was named starter, lost the job to Steve Bono, reclaimed the job after Bono got injured, then went out on top with a win over a Top 5 opponent in the Rose Bowl.
  • Rick signed with the USFL’s San Antonio Gunslingers in 1984, and somehow managed to survive the legendarily cash-strapped franchise through 1985 (sacked a total of 120 times in two seasons).
  • During the 1987 Players’ Strike, he suited up for both the San Diego Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a scab replacement.
  • Returned to UCLA and became a graduate assistant, and later a QB Coach- tutoring future NFL #1 pick Troy Aikman.
  • Served at UCLA through the 1993 season, leaving for greener pastures at Colorado in 1994.
  • Named HC in 1995, and stayed with the Buffs through ’98.
  • Then coached at Washington from 1999-02.
  • Made first stop at the professional level with the Baltimore Ravens, coaching there from 2005-07.
  • Returned to UCLA as HC from 2008-2011.
  • Has an 87-58 (.600) coaching record at the college level.
  • Went into sports studio broadcasting after that.
  • In 2018, Rick joined the Alliance of American Football, coaching with the Arizona Hotshots.
  • Team finished with a 5-3 record and a share of first place in the AAF West.
Topps AAF 2019, #40

NOTES:

Neuheisel is well known in coaching circles as a wild card, offensive madman, even adopting ‘The Pistol’ offense at UCLA. He also was an early proponent of the spread offense before it really became en vogue. He’s also got a really interesting coaching tree he’s developing, as well with some of his AAF progeny going on to become successful coaches in their own right.

Initially when the AAF was formed, Mike Martz was tabbed to be HC of Arizona, but when Neuheisel came on board, he wanted to stay close to home- so Rick became HC of the Hotshots and Martz went to SD.

During that ride, Rick was seen as the one coming up with the crazy and wild ideas in the room for the league. Rick even came up with an idea that players would choose their teams instead of the teams doing a territorial draft- sorta like the TV show ‘The Voice’. Apparently Bill Polian didn’t understand or like this, and at one point began to steam, before Charlie Ebersol stepped in and squashed the idea.

When I saw the Hotshots play the Commanders in the league’s final contest, a very, very enthusiastic Rick Neuheisel fan from his Gunslinger days came down in a jersey and helmet during the pregame. Rick was so enthusiastic and excited about it, he invited the fan over the end zone stands and onto the field to meet Rick and talk to the team. It was a very wholesome fan moment.

Rick was one of my early finds from the AAF Topps set. Although it took a bit to get back to me, he did sign it on the back. No harm, no foul. I’d hoped to get his certified autograph before I posted this one, and while I had seen them in the wild, they were for an exorbitant price. Thankfully my friend CFL Fan in Philly came through and offered to fill the rest of my set needs at a really nice price. Rick’s true rookie card- his USFL Gunslingers issue, continues to be a bit overpriced for my tastes, so I was happy to add him on these and close the book on him there.

USFL

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