Tag Archives: houston gamblers

NFL, University of Texas, usfl

DeAyala, Kiki

CARD: UT Upper Deck 2011
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 7/6/20 RECEIVED: 7/20/20 (14 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kiki DeAyala played DE and LB at Texas from 1980 to 1982.
  • A tweener, DeAyala clocked in at 6’1″, 238.
  • There he earned All SWC Honors in 1982, racking up an unfathomable single season 22.5 sacks, 56 quarterback pressures and 33 tackles for loss.
  • He finished his UT career with 40.5 career sacks.
  • Selected by the Washington Federals (USFL) and the Cincinnatti Bengals (NFL) in their respective 1983 Drafts.
  • Traded by the Federals to the Gamblers and returned to LB fulltime.
  • Became the anchor of Houston’s defense in ’83 and posted 1.5 sacks and a pick (no tackle data available).
  • In 84 had another solid season contributing 102 tackles, 39 assists, 3 sacks, and 4 interceptions.
  • When the USFL folded, Kiki went to the Bengals.
  • He saw limited playing time for the team, and retired due to lingering injuries (3 shoulder/ 4 knee) and operations after two seasons.

ACCOLADES:

  • All USFL 1985

NOTES:

I had tried Kiki at the wrong address: An old address. I think when I looked at it on Google maps it was leveled or no longer existed because of a hurricane. Anyway, I shot this out and got this one back, no problem. Over the years I think Kiki has surprisingly only had a USFL issued card and this UT card made of him.

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a6.5N/a5448.8019
USFL
TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
N/a1.0200-.-0-.-
NFL
NFL, Pro Football HoF, usfl, WLAF

Kelly, Jim (2)

Ultimate World League 1992 Official Spokesperson

CARD: Ultimate World League 1992 Promo
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2022

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I mean huge get for me here. The Ultimate World League 1992 Official Spokesperson Jim Kelly autographed card is one of the 2 Holy Grails in this set. (The other being the Lawrence Taylor autographed card.) These autographed cards were one of the prizes given away for spelling W-O-R-L-D via the in pack game scratch off, and only 500 exist. I had seen this card from time to time on Ebay and kicked myself for not buying one a few years ago because it was priced at a premium to my budget. Since the COVID pandemic, a lot of things changed, and also since I haven’t been buying card boxes for a while, these sorts of splurges are a bit more affordable. Furthermore with Jim Kelly’s TTM signing fee being a stiff $50.00, I bought this one immediately when I saw it comparatively at a strong discount.

The front of the card is beautiful. It’s a very simple design that has grown on me over the years. The back of the card is much like the other Ultimate World League insert promos with the WIN $1,000,000 blurb and the contest information. The only major difference on the card being an NFL shield next to Ultimate Trading Card company’s address. -Again still no clue if anybody actually ever won the million bucks.

NFL, usfl

Sanders, Ricky

Cards: ProSet 1989, Action Packed 1990
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 3/20 Received: 12/14 (269 days)
Failure: TTM 2012, C/o home

Wow! What a rare grab in former USFL and Skins receiver Ricky Sanders! I had most fondly remembered him of course as a member of the Smurfs or the Fun Bunch as he and the WR corps of the Redskins were called at the time. There was also his heroics in Super Bowl XXIII and also in the Tecmo Bowl series where he was elusive and electric as well. Ricky also had some great cards along the way, and I hoped eventually one day I’d get them signed.

A local sports star hailing from Belton, Tx- a straight shot up I-35 halfway between Austin and Waco, Ricky Sanders played collegially at SW Texas State. The Bobcats were located out of San Marcos, Tx- halfway between Austin and San Antonio on I-35. At 5’11”, 182, hailing from a tiny school, Ricky stood ZERO chance of getting on the NFL’s radar, but lucky for Sanders, the USFL was waiting.

He’d sign with the Houston Gamblers in 1984. With a Run N Shoot offense with Jim Kelly at QB, Ricky had an incredible year in his rookie season, posting 101 catches for 1378 yards and 11 TDs, including a career long 77 yard TD. After the USFL folded in 1986, Ricky found himself a home with the Washington Redskins after being traded from the Patriots. With the Redskins, he’d pair up with Art Monk and Gary Clark to form one of the most devastating trios in the NFL. Ricky posted back to back 1,000 yard seasons in 1988 and 1989, and scored a career high 12 TD catches as well in 88. Sanders played with the Redskins through 1993, and concluded his career on in 1995 with the Atlanta Falcons.

USFL GRECYDSAVGTDLG
28/21149191612.91877t
NFL GRECYDSAVGTDLG
134/66483647713.43771