Tag Archives: Los Angeles Raiders

Gogan, Kevin ‘Big Nasty’

CARDS: Pro Set Platinum 1991, Topps Stadium Club 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2024, C/o Home
SENT: 5/6 RECEIVED: 7/1 (56 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Kevin Gogan was a big and agile lineman who played college ball at Washington.
  • A 3 year starter at Tackle, he also possessed the ability to kick in at guard in a pinch.
  • Selected in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cowboys in the 8th round, he was one of the last big draft steals of the Tom Landry era in Dallas.
  • As the Cowboys continued to rebuild their OL, Gogan provided valuable depth and saw action at every position across the line (with the exception of center) and as a 3rd tight end.
  • Helped pave the way for Emmitt Smith‘s early rushing success.
  • Signed with the Raiders in 1994 and started at RG.
  • Played for LA/ Oakland through 1996.
  • Signed with the 49ers in 1997 where he became entrenched at RG.
  • Paved the way up front for Garrison Hearst‘s resurgence.
  • Traded to Dolphins in ’99 and played a season with the team.
  • Finished career as a member of the San Diego Chargers in 2000.
  • Loves the sport and is a high school coach and color commentator.
  • Started 179 of 213 contests.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Bowl 1994, ’97, ’98
  • 2nd Team All Pro 1998

NOTES:

Great autographs here on some nice cards of Kevin. Love the red paint pen he used. You can tell because the ink looks a bit flatter than the conventional sharpie. Over his career Kevin only had 17 cards- of which the Pro Set Platinum 1991 is considered his rookie card.

I never got Kevin at Cowboys training camp. I think the only OL I could corner was Nate Newton because he was such a popular personality.

Haslett, Jim

Pro Set 1991 Helmet Card, #9

CARDS: Topps 1982, Topps 1986, Pro Set 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 1/17/22 RECEIVED: 2/7/22 (21 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Haslett played college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1975-’78.
  • Played LB, DE, and P for the Crimson Hawks.
  • Dominant player who etched his name in the school’s record books.
  • Over 4 years had 35 sacks, 412 tackles, and 13 fumble recoveries.
  • Selected in the 2nd round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
  • Jim hit the ground running and in his first contest notched a team leading 17 tackles.
  • In rookie year had 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries playing at LILB.
  • Alongside fellow Bills players Fred Smerlas and Shane Nelson, they formed the nucleus of the defense’s ‘Bermuda Traingle’ unit.
  • An aggressive player and big hitter, Jim recorded over 100 tackles 5 times in his career.
  • He’d play 7 seasons in Buffalo, starting 86 games posting 7.5 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, and 6 interceptions.
  • In 1987 he came back for 3 games playing for the New York Jets before moving into the coaching ranks.
  • After three years working for Buffalo University both as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator, Jim moved up to the spring football league circuit.
  • He’d coach the Sacramento Surge in 1991 and 1992.
  • He parlayed his experience in the World League into a positional coaching job in the NFL with the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1993.
  • After two years there, Jim spent a year with the Saints as their linebacker coach.
  • It’d be in 1996 that Haslett experienced his first taste of being a defensive coordinator with the Saints where he saw potent results.
  • He’d not be retained by the Saints after they cleaned house in ’97, so he spent the next 3 years as the DC of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • The Saints cleaned house again in 2000, and brought Haslett back to be head coach that year.
  • Jim led the Saints to their first playoff win that year.
  • He’d be fired after a tumultuous 2005 season, one in which the team cratered thanks in part to having to relocate temporarily from Hurricane Katrina to San Antonio.
  • Haslett then was defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams from 2006-’08.
  • Jim replaced Scott Linehan as interim head coach in 2008.
  • In 2009, Haslett was head coach of the UFL ’09 Florida Tuskers.
  • From 2010 to ’14 Haslett served as defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins.
  • After a consulting gig with Penn State in 2015, Jim served as linebackers coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2016-’18.
  • That’d lead to an inside linebacking coach gig with the Titans in 2020 and 2021.
  • He then served as head coach of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2023 finishing with a 7-3 record and a playoff berth.
  • Unfortunately after the league merged with the USFL, the Sea Dragons were not retained.
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ACCOLADES:

  • NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 1979
  • IUP Athletics Hall of Fame 1996
  • NFL Coach of the Year 2000
  • UFL09 Coach of the Year 2009
  • College Football Hall of Fame

NOTES:

Jim is one of the many members of the World League pipeline working his way up from the coaching ranks after his playing career ended.

Gossett, Jeff (2)

CARDS: Topps Stadium Club 1992, Action Packed 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 9/25 RECEIVED: 9/30 (5 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I had gotten Jeff at Dallas Cowboys training camp so long ago, I figured it was time to get him on the remaining cards I had. The Action Packed 1992 was a great dual signature candidate, since both players remain decent signers through the mail, and it’s a great card to boot.

I was surprised that Gameday didn’t have a 1992 card of him, but the Topps Stadium Club fit in nicely as a nice c-tier card to get autographed.