Tag Archives: los angeles rams

College Football HoF, NFL, XFL

Long, Chuck

Cards: Score 1989, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Work
Sent: 5/17 Received: 5/23 (7 days)

Chuck Long made his mark at Iowa. Playing for the Hawkeyes from 1981 to 1985, showing growth in every season as he cemented his name in Iowa lore. In 1983, he threw for 2434 yards- on a gaudy 10 yards per completion. Chuck would be named to the All Big 10 in ’84, passing for 2871 yards, completing an unheard of 67.1% of his passes (216/322) and throwing 22 TDs. He’d finish his final year in 1985, breaking his single season passing records again, passing for 2978 yards, 26 TDs, on 351 attempts, and 231 completions. Chuck Long left the school owning virtually nearly all the Hawkeye’s passing records, both for single season and career passing numbers. His impressive resume included 70 career TDs, 721 completions on 1111 attempts, and 9671 yards.

Chuck was the second overall quarterback taken in the 1986 NFL draft, (behind Jim Everett) at #12 overall by the Detroit Lions. Chuck worked his way through training camp, and was entrenched behind incumbent Joe Ferguson. Head Coach Darrell Rogers planned to groom Chuck as the quarterback of the future, sitting on the bench that year.

Unfortunately almost right out of the gate, Joe Ferguson went down in the opener against the Cowboys, forcing Chuck into action early. Chuck played the next three games going 21 of 40 for 247 yards, and 2 TDs to 2 interceptions. In 1987, Chuck was handed the reins to the franchise. He responded by going 3-9, throwing for a career high 2598 yards and 11 TDs, however he led the NFL with 20 picks. With Rogers on a short leash for 1988, the Lions got off to a fast start winning their opener against the Falcons 31-17. Chuck was workmanlike efficient, going 13 of 19 for 107 yards and 2 TDs. Then the Lions proceeded to lose the next 6 games. Chuck was benched and soon thereafter Rogers was fired. He’d spend one more year in Detroit- but was firmly behind not only Rodney Peete, but Bob Gagliano, and Eric Hipple as well. Chuck was traded to the Rams in 1990 where he backed up Jim Everett at quarterback, before returning to the Lions to ride the bench in his final season in 1991.

Chuck went into coaching where he quickly rose up the college ranks, first at his alma mater Iowa, and then over to Oklahoma. He earned his first head coaching gig with San Diego State in 2005. He finished his tenure at SDSU at 9-27, and then was named offensive coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks. In 2020, Chuck was named the offensive coordinator of the St Louis Battlehawks of the XFL. The Battlehawks finished second in offensive yardage averaging 349.6 yards per game, before the league was aborted due to COVID fears.

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AAF, NFL

Martz, Mike

Card: Topps AAF 2019 Certified
Acquired: EBay, 2020

An offensive mastermind, Mike Martz has had a career in coaching that has lasted nearly 50 years, in stops through college and the pros. He’d make his mark after joining the Los Angeles Rams in 1992 as a quarterbacks coach, and after the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995, he moved to coach the wide receivers. After a brief stay with the Redskins in 97 and 98, Martz returned to the Rams, as the franchise’s offensive coordinator in 1999 as they won Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans- with ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’.

“He was by far the smartest football mind I’ve ever been around. The things he was teaching was so far ahead of what others were teaching.”

– Rams QB Marc Bulger

In 2000, Mike would replace retiring Dick Vermeil as head coach, but the Rams failed to return to the Super Bowl, losing in the wild card to the Saints. Martz’s Rams rebounded in a big way in 2001, posting a 14-2 record and returning to the Super Bowl, but ultimately losing to the New England Patriots on a last second field goal. Mike coached with the Rams through 2005 and finished with a 53-32 record. His teams made the playoffs 4 times and finished in either first or second place every season.

Mike since then has coached with the Lions, 49ers, and Bears, as an offensive coordinator. He semi-retired from the sport in 2012, working as an analyst and occasional NFLPA Collegiate Bowl coach, before deciding to give it another shot in 2018.

Mike joined the Alliance of American Football in 2018, where he was hired to coach his hometown San Diego Fleet.

“It didn’t make any difference whether I was in high school. That’s what you do. You walk onto the practice field, and that’s who you are, that’s what you are. I can’t stop and go. That’s just where it is. To be any different would cheat these players. I love this game. I wouldn’t disrespect it by not being intense.”

-Mike Martz

Mike led the Fleet to a 3-5 record, dogged by quarterback issues. Still there were shades of the mad genius coming through with the Fleet as they finished second in total yards (2,649 yards), passing yards (1,798), and 4th in rushing (851 yards).

As previously discussed, AAF certified autographs from coaches are severely overpriced. Thankfully with all the XFL hoopla this autographed card snuck under the EBay radar set with a low bid. Typically Martz’s certifieds have floated around anywhere between 30-75 dollars. I think I sniped this one out under 10. It was doubly happy to nab this one, as Mike is not a great signer through the mail.

Mike was within two feet in the visitors’ endzone coaching his quarterbacks before the Fleet’s opener, but feeling his intensity, I chickened out on chatting it up with him or asking for his autograph. Charlie Ebersol came up to Mike and chatted with him about the league before they shuffled off to another drill.

AAF, CFL, NFL, XFL

Northrup II, Reggie (2)

Card: Topps AAF 2019
Acquired: IP 2020, Houston Roughnecks / Tampa Bay Vipers Joint Practice
See Also: Reggie Northrup II

After the AAF folded, Reggie’s football dreams did not end. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers during the XFL 2020 draft.

When I heard that the Vipers and Roughnecks were doing a joint practice, Reggie was one of the top players I was after. I wasn’t sure if he’d be a viable TTM candidate due to his pending litigation against the former AAF. I thought perhaps he might have sour grapes over even signing autographs- so in person was the way to go.

Reggie stayed after the joint practice to work the kids clinic. I loved his energy, how he smiled, and had fun with all the kids. He made them each feel special. It so moved me that it made me wish that these sort of initiatives existed when I was a child, and that my father had taken me to one.

After the clinic ended Reggie and a few other players retrieved their backpacks and equipment that they had left stashed by the visitor’s wall. I caught him on the way out, and he beamed when I asked him for his autograph on his AAF card. He excitedly pointed out to his teammates that I had his card, and then when I asked him if he knew where Obum Gwacham was, he flagged him down for me! Then Reggie jokingly leaned in and said, “I didn’t even know he played for the Hotshots.” It was a great experience, and we wished each other the best and that the AAF didn’t need to end the way it did.

Reggie was on and off the roster of the Tampa Bay Vipers throughout the short 5 week season. His litigation against the former AAF is still pending.

With how things have happened since then with COVID, which occurred a month or two after this event, it seems so long ago now how I was able to go to public events like this and get autographs.