Finalist for the Broncos HC job in 2019 that ended up becoming the team’s OL coach.
Was not retained after Nathaniel Hackett was hired as head coach of the Broncos for the 2022 season.
NOTES:
Well I never expected to get this one back. After failing on Munchie back in 2015, I saw a few successes in early 2020 and packed 3 cards up and sent them out to him C/o the Broncos. There they languished in a mailbag I guess. I thought for sure I’d never see them again, but like a Christmas miracle, in tricked in a few successes from Munchie from his time with Denver, well after a year after he’d been let go. I held out a bit of hope and lo and behold these cards came back to me- but oh no, he didn’t sign my set need… Ah well, 2 of 3 ain’t bad.
So neither of these ended up being a set need. Curses! But they are still great cards. The Action Packed 1990 All Madden Team or AMAD for short came out at an odd time. I think it was for the 1990 AMAD team, but it wasn’t really seen in stores where I could get them until 1991. Still it bears an interesting transitionary phase hinting at Action Packed 1991 and ’92s looser left leaning canvas design. Also the image of Mike from this card was reused for Score 1990 as well- or the other way around depending on how you look at it.
I still think Mike has some gas in the tank to coach, and would make a great assistant coach/ OL coach for some team. I’d personally love to see him reunited with the city of H-Town.
Blaine McElmurry was a hard hitting FS at Montana from 1993-’96.
Went undrafted and was a free agent signee of the then Houston Oilers in 1997.
After not making the squad, played for the Packers that year.
Signed with the Tennessee Oilers in 1998, and finished the year on the roster of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After playing in ’99 for the Jags, headed over to Europe to play for the Scottish Claymores of the NFLE in 2000.
While playing for the Claymores had 4 interceptions and 12 pass deflections.
In 2002 played for the Amsterdam Admirals.
Signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2002- but didn’t make the squad and subsequently retired.
As of 2022, is a home builder in Montana.
ACCOLADES:
2000 All-NFLE
2022 Montana Football Hall of Fame
NOTES:
I’m interested in understanding a bit better as to why Blaine kept signing with the Oilers/Titans. Great card. Looked like quite the intimidator back in the day.
Chased the Upper Deck Legends Marquee Matchup 1997 cards while I could. It’s a great subset, but since- to me- it requires both players to be alive and reasonably obtainable, it’s a bit hard to complete out. This one was a potshot as Steve Largent started signing again, so I was able to get him first and then reload and get Charlie with this Crown Royale card. I like the CR card because the bottom half of the canvas feels like it was deliberately left blank, so an autograph only feels natural there.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
