Tag Archives: New England Patriots

NFL

Thomas, Blair

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Action Packed Rookies 1991
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 4/22     Received:  8/6  (106 days)

Blair Thomas is from a long line of Penn State runningbacks: Franco Harris, Curt Warner, and Lenny Moore. He’s also part of a long line of, some would say… cursed Penn State runningbacks: DJ Dozier, Curtis Enis, and Ki-Jana Carter.

Thomas was a great runner for the Nittany Lions. He would finish second all time behind Curt Warner in school history, breaking the 1400 yard barrier rushing twice in his career and earning All American Honors in 1987 and 1989. A cut back runner, Thomas was best suited for a zone blocking system.

The Jets under Bruce Coslet drafted Thomas with the 2nd overall pick of the 1990 draft just after Jeff George. As the highest rated RB off the board, he’d be most notably taken ahead of future Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. Thomas had a respectable season where he led the AFC rookies in total yards (824 yards),  NFL rookies in yards per carry (5.0),  and dash 55 yards on a reception for a touchdown during his rookie year.  After the season he’d be immortalized favorably in Tecmo Super Bowl. In 1991 Blair started 12 games, and rushed for a career high 720 yards, but his yards per carry would drop substantially to a 3.9 average. Injuries began to catch up to Thomas by this time, and after only starting 7 games in 1992 and 5 in 1993, he would be let go by the Jets in 1994.  Thomas would head over to the Patriots for 4 games, then to the Cowboys for an additional 2.  In 1995, he’d play one final year for the inaugural season of the Carolina Panthers, retiring after the season.

Blair has maintained his football ties since retirement. He has coached running backs at Temple University, and worked for Football University- travelling to Barrow, Alaska to help the town set up its football program.

G/Gs     64/26   Att 533   Yds 2236  Avg 4.2   Td  7   Lg 41t   |
Rec  71    Yds  513   Avg 8.0    Td  2    Lg  55t

NFL

Molden, Antwaun

Card: Bowman 2008
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz

Promising cornerback from Eastern Kentucky- Antwaun Molden was drafted in the 3rd round by the Houston Texans in the 2008 draft. A series of unrelated injuries have limited the young, rangy defensive back from participating with the team since being drafted. In 2008 he made a fumble recovery and a tackle, and in 2010 he made 6 tackles. He’s played primarily on special teams for the Texans, but has seen little or no time on the field in the secondary.

With the team blowing up its defense after the 2010 season because of an extremely porous secondary, it is suspected that it is do or die time for Antwaun as the team will be looking to shake things up. Antwaun’s future may lie eventually at safety as this former track man has the speed to play the position, but has yet to find the place he fits best in the Texans’ defense.

UPDATE: On late Tuesday, August 30th, 2011, Antwaun would be among the Texans first round of cuts and would be claimed by the Patriots.

NFL

Grogan, Steve

Cards: Fleer 1990, Topps 1990, Score 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent:  5/18   Received: 5/31   (13 days)

Let me preface this by saying that Steve Grogan is a New England Patriots and Tecmo Super Bowl legend.  Playing for some good and bad teams over the years, and their lone SuperBowl appearance during the 80s, Steve has seen the highs and lows of the franchise. A superb athlete during college, Grogan would be taken in the 5th round of the 1976 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. In 1976 he earned the respect of the Patriots faithful, by guiding  the team to the playoffs for the first time since before the AFL merger and set an NFL record with 11 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. The team would continue its revival making the playoffs again in 1978 and setting a league record for combined net rushing yardage for a season with 3,156 yards.  Over the next few years Steve would battle a series of injuries and quarterbacks competition with the early part of his career consisting of Jim Plunkett and then later on with Tony Eason who joined the franchise in 1983.

After the 1982 season (in which the Patriots made the playoffs a 3rd time under Grogan’s leadership), the team drafted strong armed young quarterback Tony Eason in the infamous quarterback loaded 1983 draft. (In this draft such legends as Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and John Elway were selected in the first round.) Eason would come off the board a pick after Kelly and 12 picks before Marino, and by 1985 Eason was the team’s defacto starter at quarterback. Despite this Grogan soldiered on but would come off the bench for the team that season and rally them into the playoffs. A broken leg would stop Grogan late in the year, but he’d return to play in the team’s SuperBowl appearance versus the Chicago Bears.

Thus the third act of the Steve Grogan began. In 1987, the Patriots were looking to shake things up again at quarterback, so they traded the Chicago Bears for the rights to Boston College, Heisman Trophy Winner Doug Flutie. Once again it appeared that Steve’s time was over in New England, but he continued to come off the bench in relief for whatever quarterback was in front of him, even guiding the team to a 4-2 record in 1987. Unfortunately the team continued to collapse around him to 3-13 by 1989 and in his final season to 1-15 in 1990 where he guided the team to its lone victory of the season. Steve retired after 16 brutal seasons in the NFL where he suffered a malaise of injuries (11 major ones) but always toughed it out.

For his short performance, he was rewarded by the Tecmo gods as one of the worst quarterbacks in Tecmo Super Bowl. Now I say that with a heavy heart as most fans who play the game have a certain affection for old #14 and his perfect lob throw.  Although Grogan’s scrambling ability is not accurately portrayed in his numbers, -even in those 8-bit pixels, you know he was the player who wanted to win a game the most for you.

Since retirement, Steve has been named to the Patriots 35th anniversary team, and their team of the 70’s and 80’s.  Grogan has also been enshrined in the Patriots Hall of Fame. At the time of his retirement he was the franchise’s leading passer (since surpassed by Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady). He also holds the mark for the most yards rushing by a Patriots quarterback and most touchdowns by a Patriots quarterback.

G/Gs  149/135    Att  3593     Comp 1879     Yds 26886      Pct 52.3%       Td 182    Int  208   Rat 69.6   Lg 76 |
Rush 445    Yds 2176      Avg  4.9    Td 35    Lg 41