Tag Archives: Houston Oilers

AFL, College Football HoF, NFL, usfl

Hadl, John (1940-2022)

Topps 1970, #73
Upper Deck Legends 1997, #112

CARDS: Topps 1970, Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: TTM 2019, C/o Home
SENT: 2/9 RECEIVED: 2/25 (16 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • John Hadl was a local hero to Lawrenceville, Kansas, and he stayed close to home playing offense and defense for the Kansas Jayhawks from 1959-61.
  • He played multiple positions for the Jayhawks: HB, QB, P, and DB.
  • He set multiple records at the school and was elected as an NCAA All-American at both HB (’60) and QB (’61).
  • Hadl was selected by both the Lions of the NFL and the Chargers of the rival AFL in 1962.
  • John opted to play for the Chargers, and although he contributed to the franchise’s AFL Championship run, he was relegated primarily to splitting time or backing up Tobin Rote.
  • Took over the reins of the starting QB job in 1965 and led the AFL in passing yards (2798) and yards per attempt (8.0) while posting a 9-2 record.
  • In 1968, he led the league in a host of categories: Attempts (44), completions (208), yards (3473), TDs (27) and unfortunately interceptions- 32.
  • 1971 saw another solid output for Hadl as he led the league in attempts (431), completions (233), yards (3075), and TDs (21).
  • After his swan song in 1972 when John led the NFL in interceptions (26) a second time, he’d be traded to the Rams in 1973.
  • Hadl had an outstanding season with the Rams leading the team to a 12-2 record as a starter, leading the team to the playoffs.
  • He threw 22 TDs on just 135 attempts, and his receivers went for 14.9 yards after the completion.
  • After 5 contests in 1974, Hadl was traded again- this time to the Packers.
  • The trade itself is considered one of the worst in NFL history, as the Pack gave up 5 picks to get him, including first and second round picks for the next two seasons.
  • Hadl struggled with the Packers mightily posting a 7-12 record over the next season and a half, throwing 15 TDs to 35 interceptions, while be sacked mercilessly 44 times.
  • In 1976 John joined the Houston Oilers, where he saw mop up duty behind starting QB Dan Pastorini.
  • Retiring after the 1977 season, John wanted to stay close to the sport.
  • He worked at his Alma Mater, Kansas from 1978-81 as a QB coach and as offensive coordinator, but was run out of town basically by the NCAA as they felt he was giving ‘improper benefits’ to potential recruits.
  • John then moved to the Rams in ’82 as an offensive assistant, before tutoring future NFL HOF QB John Elway in 1983 with the Broncos.
  • At his final stop he coached for the Express from 1984-85, posting a 13-23 record.

ACCOLADES:

  • College Football Hall of Fame
  • Pro Bowl 1972-73
  • All-Pro 1973
  • AFL All-Star 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969
  • Chargers Hall of Fame

NOTES:

I don’t know why it took me so long to get around to writing John’s bio, but it could’ve been for two reasons. First, John has a laundry list of accomplishments and accolades. One could even argue that he’s HOF worthy based on his AFL contributions. Second, it was rumored that in his final years, John was really struggling, and that perhaps his autograph was ghost signed. I did kick in 20 bucks to grease the wheels, so the hope is he actually signed these, but they look really.. fluid and not like a struggling octogenarian signed it.

John quickly became a set need based on a variety of factors that did come into play, but most importantly I loved his Topps and Upper Deck entries.

EPITAPH:

On November 30, 2022, John Hadl passed away at the age of 82. No cause of death was given.

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NFL

Barber, Mike

Topps 1981, #99

CARDS: Topps 1981, Topps 1980, Topps 1979
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Work*
SENT: 1/11 RECEIVED: 1/29 (18 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2014, C/o Home
* Donation Enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Converted from QB to TE while playing at Louisiana Tech.
  • In 1975 caught 25 passes for 577 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Second round pick of the Houston Oilers in 1976.
  • Saw first sustained action in 1977 used primarily as a blocking TE in the Oilers run based offense centered primarily around Earl Campbell.
  • Grew into role as receiver in ’78, catching 32 passes for 513 yards and 3 TDs.
  • Although ’79 was a down year, had best year in ’80 setting marks with 59 receptions for 712 yards and 5 TDs- all career highs.
  • After largely injury plagued 1981, joined Los Angeles Rams in 1982.
  • Had another solid year in ’83, posting 55 receptions for 657 yards and 3 TDs.
  • Played with LA through 1985, splitting time with Rams (5 games) and Broncos (10 games), before retiring.
  • Has been involved with coaching and ministry work since retirement.
Topps 1979, #37
Topss 1980, #272

NOTES:

Second time is a charm, and I was happy to add Mike to my collection of Oilers. Unfortunately I saw on Twitter, that he like many Houston Oilers, has forgotten his HOUSTON Oilers fan roots, and has embraced the Tennessee Titan traitors, appearing in Tennessee for franchise’s ‘homecoming game’.

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NFL

McCants, Keith (1968-2021)

Action Packed Rookies 1990, #60

CARD: Action Packed Rookies 1990
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2022
FAILURE: TTM C/o Home, 2018, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Alabama’s very own homegrown product played LB two years for the Crimson Tide in 88 and 89.
  • Highly regarded specimen coming out, finished with 156 solo tackles (216 total), 2 interceptions, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery over college career.
  • Selected #4 overall in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • Converted to DE in 1991, posting 54 tackles and 5 sacks that year.
  • Almost duplicated those numbers again in ’92, with 58 tackles and 5 sacks.
  • Converted back again to LB in ’93, but was cut and later signed by the Houston Oilers.
  • Used as a hybrid tweener DE/LB by Oilers.
  • After about a season and a half in Houston, signed with the Cardinals as a free agent during the ’94 campaign.
  • Recorded first career TD, intercepting a Steve Walsh (CHI) pass and returning it 46 yards.
  • Played one final season in Arizona, in 95, but not before recovering a fumble for a TD for second career defensive TD.
  • Loved scuba so much, that after playing career ended, broke barriers by becoming the first black marine conservation officer.
  • After that was extremely rough. Battled drug addictions, starting with painkillers in playing days, and advancing to more hard stuff after career had ended when those weren’t available.
  • Battled homelessness, financial destitution and attempted to commit suicide in jail.
  • Still managed to emerge from trauma, and by 2015 had written a book about his playing time and even started working as an afternoon sports radio personality in Tampa.

NOTES:

Perhaps the direst of set needs, when this autograph of his showed up on EBay alongside a host of other Bucs autos from the same vendor, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up.

Over the years, Keith had some amazing cards. He was there for the big boom, and had some great ones from 1989’s Pro Set entry to Game Day 1992.

Of small note, Keith was one of the more recognizable players on the Oilers, who got into the middle of and broke up the fight between Buddy Ryan and Kevin Gilbride.

One that just got away…

I mean, really what can I say about Keith? Don’t do drugs just somehow rings hollow- like both sarcastically and in a sense that it just doesn’t do enough justice to fix the problem…. You know like, “Thoughts and prayers.” -Especially when it comes to things like painkillers and prescription over the counter drugs.

I wrote to Keith and failed in 2018. Afterwards I was told he was on Facebook, so I reached out and started having conversations over the next few months with him supposedly on Facebook. I sent him an updated Facebook header and then he’d send me chain letter links and scriptures, but beyond that we didn’t get anywhere on autographs. Sometimes he’d initiate conversations. I unfortunately wondered even then if it was just a byproduct of a bender or something he was struggling with. Strangely it abruptly stopped right after I announced my father’s passing, however I wonder if that was just coincidental.

I was happy to know later that he was doing better, and had recently, with the help of a good samaritan, gotten his hip successfully replaced.

Unfortunately those demons of drug abuse again came to roost. Maybe he was a functioning addict. Who knows when or where it all started up again or if he was truly clean for the umpteenth time? All of that doesn’t matter.

All those dreams… All those memories…

He died of a drug overdose on September 2nd, 2021. -He was just 53.

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