Tag Archives: new york/new jersey hitmen

NFL, XFL

Elias, Keith

Card: Topps XFL 2001 Authentic Autograph
Acquired: 2020, Future Considerations

Keith Elias was the most prolific runningback to come out of the Ivy League since…. Ed Marinaro. At Princeton he shattered many of the school and league single season and career rushing marks from 1991-1993. At the time of his departure from the school, Elias held 4 I-AA records and 21 school career records including: rushing (4,208 yards), rushing touchdowns (49), yards rushing per game (140.3), carries (736), carries per game (24.5), yards per carry (5.72), all-purpose yards (4,739), overall touchdowns (52) and points (320).

After going unselected primarily due to the prevailing small school stigma, Keith signed with the nearby New York Giants as a free agent in 1994. He made the squad but after getting injured early in the season, he saw little playing time. Facing a stacked roster in 1995, Elias made the team based on his preseason performance and willingness to play special teams, endearing him to fans. He climbed the depth chart in 1996 and looked to be the team’s primary scatback on 3rd downs- but injuries again hindered his season.

Keith picked back up playing football in 1998 this time with a change of scenery playing for the Indianapolis Colts as a back up and special teams captain, moonlighting on returns. He’d be cut in 2000, and join the XFL New York /New Jersey Hitmen in the XFL that year, before retiring.

Topps XFL 2000 set was frankly- gaudy looking, but the certified autographs in there were just horrifically designed. My friend Joe, from a Facebook group I manage popped this in the mail to me as a gift, which I thought was really nice. Although I was not needing this autograph, I am more than happy to accept it into my collection as every player has a story to tell.

G/GS NFLRUSHYDSAVGTDLG
53/0421243.008
RECYDSAVGTDLG
221476.7018
KRYDSAVGTDLG
1939921.0029
G/GS XFL01RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
9/5371153.1028
RECYDSAVGTDLG
40007
Arena, CFL, NFL, NFLE, XFL

Puleri, Charles

Cards: Topps XFL 2001 Promo, Topps XFL 2001
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 8/6 Received: 8/16 (10 days)

Charles Puleri played ball at New Mexico State and saw action in both 1991 and 1992. Playing in 17 contests Puleri completed 257 of 456 passes for 3634 yards, and 21 touchdowns to 17 interceptions as a traditional dropback passer.

He joined the CFL in 1993 and played briefly for the Sacramento Gold Miners- attempting 2 passes, and then riding the bench for the Shreveport Pirates in 94. In 1995 Puleri joined Arena Football League. He played for the Miami Hooters that year and then the Texas Terror in 1996 throwing 3 TDs. Charles then went overseas and played in the NFLE for the London Monarchs. Seeing more mop up duty he threw for 488 yards and 2 TDs. Afterwards he again tried his hand at Arena football playing for the Iowa Barnstormers in 98. He saw his best season as a pro throwing 11 TDs on 67 attempts that season. In 1999 he played sparingly as a backup for the New Jersey Red Dogs, and then was in the camp of the Dallas Cowboys in 2000 but did not make the squad.

Charles is perhaps best known for his time in the XFL in 2001. Selected by the New York/ New Jersey Hitmen, Puleri was the starter for the squad entering the season, but was benched in favor of Wally Richardson during week 2. The league was… different than the NFL. They scripted some of their events including a fake controversy between Puleri and Richardson.

After the end of the XFL, Charlie returned to the Arena Football League, playing two more seasons for the Detroit Fury (2002) and the Buffalo Destroyers (2003).

Since football, Puleri has worked his way into mortgage finance. He signed these two cards for me, wrote me a nice note and included a few business cards.

WLAFATTCOMPYDSPCTTDINTRAT
944248844.724
ARENAATTCOMPYDSPCTTDINTRAT
257128160449.82014
CFLATTCOMPYDSPCTTDINTRAT
200-.-00-.-
XFLATTCOMPYDSPCTTDINTRAT
642941145.322-.-

NFL, XFL

Pearson, Drew (3)

to84 pearson pset90 sb X to80 pearson to79 pearson pset90 sb XXII

Cards: ProSet 1990 SB X, ProSet 1990 SB XII, Topps 1980, Topps 1979, ProSet 1992 88’s, Upper Deck 1997 MM, Topps 1984.
Acquired: IP 11/8/2014, GameDay Sports Tour Austin, Texas.
See Also: Drew Pearson “Mr. Clutch”, Drew Pearson (2)

Texas Autograph Club, or TAC for short, has been a valuable resource for my autograph collecting hobby.  I got wind through GameDay Sports Tours that they were coming to Austin through TAC, and although I have gotten Drew Pearson multiple times in the past, I was still interested in getting his autograph on a few more cards. Chief among them was this Upper Deck that he shares with James Lofton, that I will get Lofton on at a later date. The ProSet 1992 card that he shares with Michael Irvin is also a very nice card, however I doubt seriously I’ll ever get the other 88 to sign this card, especially for the exorbitant price he charges. The other Topps cards were filler in my inventory while the ProSet serve in historical retrospect of Drew’s career. Pearson scored a TD in the Cowboys pset92 pearsonirvin 88Super Bowl X loss to the Steelers,

The event went well enough. It was held in a moderately rough location in Austin, but living in California for a few years, – I had shopped in more impoverished places, so it didn’t bother me at all.  I ran into a few other members of the board that I knew and talked to them for a bit about what they were getting signed. I was pretty close to the front of the line, so it was easy for me to get all of these cards signed. Drew started signing and stopped only briefly to ask me, “If this was it?” He flashed his customary Super Bowl ring at me and I was done. It was pretty much an in and out transaction.

Drew was finally inducted into the Cowboys Ring of ud97 pearson lofton mmHonor and does a lot of sports radio work, hosting his own self-titled hour long show on the Fox Sports Network. He also does color commentary for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. Pearson lives in Plano, Tx and is considered one of the 10 Greatest Cowboys Players ever.