Tag Archives: Dallas Cowboys

NFL, WLAF

Laufenberg, Babe (2)

CARDS: Wild Card World League 1992, Ultimate World League 1992 Promo
ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home
SENT: 6/9 RECEIVED: 7/15 (36 days)
FAILURE: TTM C/o Home, 2010, 2014, 2019, 2022

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

And after the 5th try, the elusive Babe Laufenberg decided to sign these two cards and write me a great response dripping with his signature snark. -I loved it.

Lee-

Well, you certainly sound like a big fan. I grabbed another card to enclose with yours. I think you may want a “back up” and being basically a career back-up in the NFL, you can imagine I am quite sure I am fond of a good back-up! Thanks for your kind words and you be safe down there in Austin.

Babe Laufenberg

Big win years in the making!

I had actually missed out on Babe back in 2019 in person! In 2019, The Spring League (the precursor to the new USFL) was hosting their regular event, this time in Austin. I decided to go and grabbed a stack of cards of players who were trying out. It was cold for April, and I ambled up and put on my HOUSTON Oilers Apex jacket. Then some guy buzzed past me in a Dallas Cowboys Apex jacket from the 90s as well. I was both amused and annoyed that I got shown up! I found out later that it was the Babe himself! I kicked myself for YEARS not recognizing him.

Shout out to my new TTM friend Brent who is trying to encourage me to post addresses again by sharing a recent spate of WLAF successes with me. He gave me this address and I got a response in a bit over 30. Afterwards I got two or three private messages from IU fans who had tried Babe 5 or 6 times with no luck themselves.

College Football HoF, NFL

Jordan, Lee Roy ‘Killer’ (1941-2025)

CARDS: Topps 1970, Upper Deck College Legends 2011
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 11/25/20 RECEIVED: 12/3/20 (8 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Lee Roy Jordan was a star linebacker and center at the University of Alabama from 1960-’62.
  • 6th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1963 NFL Draft, and the 11th overall pick by the Boston Patriots in the AFL Draft.
  • Signed with Cowboys where they immediately started him at weakside linebacker.
  • In 1965 took over the middle linebacking roles full time.
  • Had a team record 21 tackles against Eagles in 1971.
  • That same year, intercepted Ken Anderson THREE times during the first quarter of a game, returning one for a TD.
  • Over career tallied 32 picks, returning 3 for TDs, including a career high 6 in 1973 and ’75.
  • Retired as the franchise’s all time leading solo tackler (743, since surpassed).
  • Started a franchise record 154 consecutive starts.
  • Retired after the 1976 season.

ACCOLADES:

  • College Football Hall of Fame
  • Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
  • 2nd Team All Pro 1969, ’73
  • Pro Bowl 1967-’69, ’73-’74
  • Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
  • PFRA Hall of Very Good
  • Cowboys Silver Season All-Time Team
  • NFC Defensive Player of the Year 1973

NOTES:

Lee Roy Jordan was an excellent player, who despite his size, excelled at the pro level with desire and hunger for the game. Jordan studied film relentlessly and also ran Tom Landry‘s Flex defense. He’s absolutely another player that should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

EPITAPH:

8/30/25- Lee Roy Jordan passed away at the age of 84 today. In the days leading up to this date, Jordan’s family had been sending back mail to fans indicating that he was too sick to sign. At the time of his passing, he was Alabama’s oldest living All-American.

NFL

Sparks, Phillippi

CARDS: Action Packed Rookies 1992, Star Pics 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 12/26/23 RECEIVED: 1/16/24 (21 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Phillippi Sparks played DB for Arizona State from 1990-91, after starting his college football career at Glendale Junior College.
  • He tabulated 129 total tackles and 3 interceptions for 20 yards playing for the Sun Devils in 20 contests.
  • Selected in the second round of the ’92 Draft by the New York Giants.
  • After his first two seasons were marred by injury and being buried on the depth chart, Phillippi Sparks career began to take off in 1994, with 3 interceptions and 47 tackles.
  • His most complete season came either the year later or in ’97 both of which when he had 5 interceptions.
  • In his ’97 campaign he had a FF, a sack, and 74 tackles as well.
  • After 8 years in New York, he played one final season with the Cowboys in 2000.
  • In 12 starts he posted 5 interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and 55 tackles.

NOTES:

Nice grab here as Phillippi signs only sporadically from time to time and I got him on a majority of my set needs right here out of the gates.