James Bostic played RB for three years at Auburn from 1991-’93.
Had a really solid ’93 campaign rushing 199 times for 1206 yards and 12 TDs.
Parlayed his performance into a 3rd round selection of the Los Angeles Rams in 1994.
Didn’t see any playing time, buried on the depth chart until being cut during training camp in ’95.
Spent ’96 on IR with the Packers and ’97 out of football.
In 1998, spent training camp with the Chiefs, then went to the practice squad of the Dolphins, before joining the Eagles roster.
Spent ’99 with the Eagles, working primarily on special teams, but still managed to gain 19 yards on 5 carries.
Out of football in 2000, reemerged in 2001 with the XFL with the Birmingham Bolts.
Ran hard for the team carrying the rock a league leading 153 times.
Had both a 50+ yard run and reception- the only player in the XFL to achieve such a feat.
Lives in Florida and works as a police officer.
Topps 2001 Gridiron Gear, #NNO
NOTES:
James had 14 cards over his career. It’s interesting to note because the vast majority of them appeared in 1994 (11). Then after 6 years, he pops back up in 2001 with 3 more XFL cards. I was super eager to get James on these cards. I was pretty disappointed to send him his XFL promo card and never see that again back in 2019, little less to the same address that I saw a success from later. In the interim I had reloaded and had gotten really lucky, picking up this patch card of him that I later sent to him as well.
Mike Schad (OL) was a 1st Round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1986, who hailed from Queens, Canada.
At the time, was the highest Canadian born player selected in NFL Draft (#23 overall).
Injuries derailed Schad’s first two seasons in the NFL so badly, he was left exposed by the Rams in Plan B during 1989.
Joined the Eagles in March of ’89 and was immediately slotted in as starter at LG.
Ironically earned a game ball for helping the Eagles beat the Rams in 1990, 27-21.
Played with the Eagles through 1993 and the Browns in 1994.
Started 55 games (62 played) over NFL career.
Returned to Canada for final season with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1995.
NOTES:
I think Mike had 3… maybe 4 cards total in his career, so the fact I had 50% of them, and one of them was a set need- I think it was a good sign to go ahead and send these two out to him.
Yes! At long last another retry reply in Jessie Hester. Jessie was one of my very first failures from way back in 2010. I thought that I had sent to him multiple times in between 2010 and 2022, but apparently I had not. He had some great cards that I appealed to, especially the classic shot of him from Pro Set’s 1990 Update. (An Action Packed 1992 and Pro Set 1991 were sacrificed to the mail gods in the previous attempt.) The Gameday and the Skybox cards over the year became particular set needs and all of them are welcome additions to the collection.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
