Tag Archives: Atlanta Falcons

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Goldberg, Bill

Pro Set 1991 World League Helmet Insert Card, #8

CARDS: Pro Set 1991 World League Insert, Ultimate WL 1992
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Defensive tackle Bill Goldberg played college football at Georgia from 1987-89.
  • An 11th round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1990 Draft.
  • He made the franchise and was with the team through the offseason of 1991.
  • Bill signed with the Sacramento Surge of the World League in 1992.
  • He helped anchor down an impressive defense notching 3 sacks on the season, as the team won World Bowl II.
  • After the World League collapsed, Bill signed with the Sacramento Goldminers of the CFL that year.
  • This led him to the Atlanta Falcons during that same year in 1992.
  • Bill played with the Falcons through 1994.
  • In a preseason game against the Eagles, Bill tore his abductor muscle from his pelvis.
  • This caused him incredible pain while he searched for a proper diagnosis.
  • Ultimately he’d be cut by the Falcons, and then later picked up by the new expansion franchise, the Carolina Panthers.
  • And… he’d be the first player cut by the Panthers.
  • In the meantime, during his rehab, he’d met many wrestlers and was eventually convinced to try his hand at the sport.
  • He quickly ascended the ranks of WCW and made his debut as ‘Goldberg’ in 1997.
  • Won 173 straight wrestling matches.
  • When WCW was bought out by the WWE, Goldberg wrestled in Japan for two years before returning stateside to the WWE.
  • Took a break from wrestling, returning to the sport in 2015 during Legends of Wrestling.
  • Officially returned to WWE in 2016, retiring from the sport unofficially in 2022.
  • Rumors continue to swirl about his return to the sport.
  • Has appeared and been in numerous movies and TV shows.
Ultimate WL 1992 Team Checklist, #147

ACCOLADES:

  • WWE Hall of Fame
  • WWE Championship
  • WWE Universal Championship x2
  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion x2
  • WCW World Tag Team Champion
  • WcW United States World Heavyweight Champion x2

NOTES:

Bill is passionate about his charitable causes, notably Purple Heart services for wounded veterans. He also is Jewish- And while he’s extremely respectful of his religious upbringing, it’s something that’s just not talked about a lot.

So a few months ago when the XFL Brahmas opened up shop, some of my friends were invited to a special gathering for the team at the stadium. There they met many of the players and there was a special appearance by Bill Goldberg! (I had not realized he was still so passionate about the sport of Spring Football.)

When this event popped up in Boerne, I got that feeling that, maybe Bill would show up. Y’know a gut feeling. I told my friend who was going with me (Jeff) to not be surprised and to plan as if he might be attending. When we got to this really good taco joint, everything just seemed to line up. Jeff noted the autograph on the wall from Goldberg. Then I texted my friend Brandon, and he said, “Oh yeah, Goldberg will be there.” Just as we were about to step out, the man himself walked in.

Jeff nudged me and we played it cool. When we did speak to Goldberg, I talked to him about the World League and told him about how I probably walked by him at that last game when he was with the Surge, and they beat the Riders in the ‘Do or Die’ game. And while we lost, I left satisfied that next year might be the Riders’ year… <insert audible trail off>

He gave a chuckle and told me that it was a great time. That back then he was pretty close to the stadium since he was living in San Marcos… but that it was from SO LONG AGO. He then took this awesome photo with me.

Later right before he left I approached him one more time and thanked him for his time in the World League. And I’ll say this to any World League player I run into or get the autograph of: It meant so much to me that you guys were chasing your dreams. My father was not the greatest father, but he tried, and the way he got started was by taking me to those World League games. It really helped us bond. And I am forever grateful for every player who played in that league.

He told me that it meant to him more than I’d know- and that honestly meant to me, so, so much.

NFL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
110.0000-.-0-.-

WL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a3.0000-.-0-.-
NFL, XFL

Heinicke, Taylor (2)

Panini Prestige 2015, #288
Topps XFL 2020, #1
Sage 2015, #34

CARDS: Topps XFL 2020, Sage 2015, Panini Prestige 2015
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o The Washington Commanders
SENT: 8/22/22 RECEIVED: 4/1/23 (222 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o The Washington Football Club

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

No clue as to why I didn’t get the cards I sent out in 2020 back from Taylor. He was signing at a really good click and I guess that’s the luck of the draw right? I reloaded and waited until a better time- which appeared in 2022. He became sort of a folk hero for the Commanders over the last few years, but the team opted not to resign him after the ’22 season, so he packed his bags and headed out for Atlanta. I figured these cards were lost as well but eventually they made their way back to me.

Taylor has seen stops with the Texans, Panthers and Washington since his time as a rookie in Minnesota. In 2020 he joined the XFL and was widely expected to be a star in the young league, but got beat to the punch by Jordan Ta’Amu. Despite not seeing almost any playing time in the XFL 20, Taylor is considered one of the more ‘famous’ success stories of that league.

CFL, NFL, XFL

Maponga, Stansly

Topps XFL 2020, #AU-SM
Topps XFL 2020, #45

CARDS: Topps XFL 2020 Certified, Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas v Orlando Guardians

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Defensive Lineman Stansly Maponga played college ball at TCU from 2010-12.
  • In 2011 he posted 55 total tackles, 13.5 TFL, 9 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles.
  • He was a 5th round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.
  • After not making the final cuts, he was resigned to the practice squad by the Falcons.
  • The Giants signed him later in 2017 to their regular season roster, and then retained him on their practice squad after the year.
  • Maponga then spent the next year or two of and on the practice squad and in the futures contract game with the Cowboys (2017), and Broncos (2017-18).
  • In late 2019, he’d be the first defender selected by the Seattle Dragons of the XFL for 2020.
  • On the 5 game season, he’d post 15 tackles.
  • After a brief flirtation with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL (2021), he’d be selected by the Orlando Guardians of the XFL 2023.
  • On the season Stansly posted 22 total tackles, and 2.5 sacks starting 9 games for the Guardians.

NOTES:

Stansly was another player within earshot as he left the field to go back to the locker room after warm-ups. He got past me, but when I called out his name, he was probably impressed that I knew how to pronounce it properly in the first place- turned around and came back to me. He graciously signed this card for me. I was really impressed by the broadness of his shoulders. He had gigantic shoulder pads for his size. We also joked about the fact he played for the Dragons, sans ‘Sea’.