Tag Archives: los angeles rams

NFL

Berry, Latin

sclub91 berryCard: Topps Stadium Club 1991
Acquired: TTM 10/19/13, Gift

I recently went to the GMC NFL Texas Tour event and on a whim since I had a few more free autograph vouchers than cards decided to get a few of my friends some autographed photos. A true gift to me is one that somebody doesn’t expect, so I didn’t bother telling anybody until after I had already done it.  On a whim I got on of my friends from Fanmail and Houston Fan Fest a Priest Holmes autograph, so he in return was so touched, he sent me back this sweet looking card.

Latin Berry was a dual threat man who played both football and track for the Oregon Ducks. Following his redshirt year in 1985, Latin began his career at tailback, before shifting fulltime to become the team’s starting fullback, blocking for quarterback Bill Musgrave.  He finished fourth on the school’s career rushing list with 1,548 yards and 11 touchdowns. With incredible speed,  and prowess at the long and triple jumps, scouts were eager to see the 5’10”, 196 Berry make a shift to a position more suited to his athletic talent and size at the professional level. The Los Angeles Rams drafted Berry with their 3rd round selection 1990, and tabbed him to be a defensive back. He’d make the squad that year and spell time with fellow returners Gaston Green and Robert Delpino on returns. The next season with Darryl Henley ailing from a hamstring injury and rookie Todd Lyght holding out, Berry got his shot to crack the starting lineup. He’d get some valuable preseason time, but as soon as Lyght signed and Henley was back, Berry went to odd man out among the final cuts. He’d quickly find a home in Cleveland in 1991, and remain with the team the next 3 seasons before retiring.  In 2013, he was honored with an induction into the Oregon Ducks Hall of Fame for his 4 time All-American Honors in Track & Field.  Latin lives in the Sulphur, LA area where my friend found Berry at his son’s high school football game. Latin was quite flattered by the cards and autograph request after all these years.

G/Gs 32/0    Ret  17    Yds 315    Avg   18.5     Lg 29   Td 0

 

 

NFL, usfl

Landeta, Sean

to89 landeta tosc91 landeta sco90 landetaud90 landeta

Cards:  Stadium Club 1991, Topps 1989, Upper Deck 1991, Score 1990
Acquired: Canton Acquisition, 2012.

Sean Landeta is considered a legend when it comes to Tecmo Super Bowl lore. He is the last person to retire from not only the original game but also the sequels that followed that he also appeared in. The iconic mustache and sometimes mullet he sported alongside his single bar punter helmet lasted until 2006 amazingly for the Rams, after he started his career eons ago in 1983 in the USFL for the Philadelphia Stars.

Punters for the most part, go undrafted, and Landeta was like all the others after graduating from Townson State. A division II star at punter, Landeta was a first team All-American in 1980. He played with the Philadelphia Stars from 83-84, and then the Baltimore Stars the following year.  He’d earn USFL All-Star Honors both years and earn recognition on their All time team.

It’d be after his stint in the USFL that Sean would make his iconic appearance playing for the New York Giants in 1985, where it seemed like he’d stay forever. Landeta remained with the Giants from through 1993, making appearances on Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl with the Giants. It’d be there that he’d establish a penchant for long, booming punts, finishing his career at New York with 526 punts and 22806 yards (43.4 average).  He earned All-Pro nominations for his 1986 and 1990 seasons, and Pro Bowl honors for those years as well as in 1989. In 1993 he’d split the season with the Giants and ultimately end up on the Los Angeles Rams. He’d transition with the team to St. Louis in 1995 and remain with the franchise through 1996. After a one year stint with the Bucs in 1997 and Green Bay in 1998, Sean played the next 4 seasons in Philadelphia from 1999-2002 and have a career high 107 punts in 1999. It’d be confusing following Landeta the next few seasons, with him playing in St. Louis again in 2003 and 2004, and then a final season in 2005 with the Eagles.

In 2006 he retired from football on the 25th Anniversary of the USFL, after signing a one day contract with the New York Giants. He became the last member of a USFL team to retire from the league, and also was the longest tenured member of the original Tecmo Bowl to retire as well.

G 284    P  1401    Yds  60707      Avg 43.3    Lg  74   Blk 6

NFL

Fuller, Steve

Card: Topps 1985
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

With Jack Thompson and Phil Simms off the board of the 1979 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs nabbed Steve Fuller at the bottom of  the first round. A quarterback with good legs at Clemson, Fuller rushed for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns on 153 carries and threw for 7 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions in his final season for the Tigers. During his time there he’d set 3 passing records for the school, accumulate 22 TDs and 4359 yards.

He’d spend the next 4 seasons with the Chiefs, and throw for 22 touchdowns. His best season came in 1980 when Fuller had 2250 yards and 10 touchdowns to rank 4th in the AFC. Fuller moved to the Rams as a backup in 1983 but saw no playing time, and then signed with the Bears in 1984 to back up oft injured Jim McMahon.  Fuller played a vital role in the offense during the 1985 season and guided the team to a 4-1 record in Jim’s absence. This allowed the Bears to reach Super Bowl XX with little fanfare in the NFC. (While he wasn’t the fanciest of passers, Steve managed to find the endzone 5 times during the season.)  He’d appear in the memorable “Super Bowl Shuffle” video along with most of the starting cast. Fuller played one final season in 1986 and retired to South Carolina soon thereafter.

G/Gs    90/42     Att 1066     Comp 605     Yds 7156      Pct 56.8%        Td 28    Int 41       Rat 70.1     |        Rush 186        Yds 908       Avg 4.9       Td  11       Lg  49