Tag Archives: San Diego Chargers

AFL, NFL, WLAF

Little, Larry

Cards: ProSet WLAF 2014 hack, Majestic 2010
Acquired:  TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 5/31    Received: 7/14      (43 days)

I remember vividly back when the Riders played the Glory, how the fans swarmed Larry for his autograph. The former NFL Great guard was kind and signed as much as he could after the game. Little was one of the few black head coach at the professional level of football in many years, and it was a big deal- even if it was the WLAF in 1992.  While the Glory finished with a dismal 1-9 record, the team was competitive in many contests. While Wild Card and Ultimate both contributed cards to the World League family in 1992, none outside of ProSet made any cards that showcased coaches- and ProSet bailed out on the WLAF market by 1992, so I made my own.

Larry played offensive line in college at Bethune-Cookman, but was not drafted in 1967. (It’s not known whether it was an issue of scouting or lack of film, but it was obvious that Larry was overlooked not only by the NFL but the AFL as well.) He’d sign as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers of the AFL. In 1969 Larry was traded to the Miami Dolphins where he quickly distinguished himself.  Larry was a key cog of the Miami Dolphins 1970’s dynasty, blocking up front for Jim Kiick, Mercury Morris, and Larry Czonka. He’d be named to the Pro Bowl 5 times (1969, 1971-1974,) and earn All-Pro 5 times (1971-1975) over his career.

After retiring from the NFL in 1980, Larry coached at his Alma Mater Bethune-Cookman from 1983-1991, before joining the WLAF with the Ohio Glory. Little was primarily known as a player’s coach. He returned to college after the WLAF went on hiatus, and coached at North Carolina Central from 1993-1998.

He’s earned numerous accolades from his playing career as well, being named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, and The Sporting News 100 Greatest Football Players in 1999.

Larry signed these 2 cards for me through the mail. I should’ve actually included the Ultimate WLAF Ohio Glory Checklist but, maybe that’s for another time. I sent him the rest of the WLAF cards that I made for him to keep and he returned two of them, one inscribed with 17-0 and the other with HOF 1993.  The photo is of him from his interview with the WLAF Gameday Magazine from 1992 and it makes a solid, if not stoic impression of the former Glory coach. I really have warmed up to the Crown Royale Majestic line of cards from 2010.  While the card is very busy design-wise, it almost has a carnival appeal to me, emphasized by the typeface used for Majestic. How Majestic is lined up and off center within the marquee drives me a bit nuts, but otherwise the patch and autograph tie up this card nicely.

G/GS  183/157

CFL, NFL

Kramer, Erik ‘Brass’

Cards: ProSet 1991, GameDay 1993, Action Packed 1992
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 3/20      Received: 4/17     (28 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Home

I’m not sure where to start with Erik Kramer. I tried him back in 2011- shy a few months before his son tragically died of a drug overdose. Things spiraled out of control so much that Kramer in 2015 attempted to take his own life with a gun. Somehow he managed to survive and over the past two years has been rising from the ashes of his own personal pain.

Kramer went to college at NC State. He was the team’s starting quarterback in 1985 and 1986.  Posting solid numbers as starter, over his time with the Wolfpack, he threw for 4,602 yards, 30 TDs/ 28 INT, on 334 completions and 616 attempts. Kramer also posted an 11-11-1 record as a starter and earned ACC Player of the Year honors as a Senior.  He went undrafted in 1987 and initially signed with the New Orleans Saints, but was subsequently released. Quickly he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as a replacement player during the 1987 strike.

Erik joined the Calgary Stampeders in 1988.  Playing in 5 contests he threw for 5 TDs and 964 yards. The next season he’d blow out his knee and not see a snap under center. Afterwards he was released by the Stampeders. Erik’s story could’ve very easily ended there, but he chose to give it another shot in the NFL, signing with the Detroit Lions after getting spotted during a tryout by offensive coordinator Mouse Davis.  Kramer’s string of bad luck continued, as he suffered a season ending shoulder injury during the 1990 preseason.

The Lions had a classic quarterback rivalry going on between Andre Ware and Rodney Peete going into 1991. Erik Kramer was an afterthought on the squad.  This worked to his advantage as he was a consummate professional in preparation for each and every game. He supplanted Ware and then bode his time until Peete was injured. Kramer picked up and after a rough start or two, he led the Lions on a 6 game winning streak to conclude the season. The Lions made the playoffs, and Erik set team playoff records with 29-of-38 passes for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Lions ambushed the Dallas Cowboys. It’d be the Lions first playoff victory since 1957.

It would be safe to assume that after the season Kramer would’ve been chosen to be the hands down starter for the Lions, right? Well this is the Lions and that didn’t happen. Instead 1992 opened again with another open quarterback competition- this time lasting into the regular season. While it finally took Kramer being named starter and then rallying Detroit to a 3-1 record down the stretch to win the division title, the Lions lost a home wild card game to Brett Favre and the Pack 28-24. Detroit had another bumpy season in 1993 and while Kramer went 3-1 as a starter, the Lions ran out and signed Scott Mitchell, effectively ending their quarterback carousel in 1994.   Erik in the meantime took a flyer with the division rival Chicago Bears.  While his first season there was met with mixed results due to a separated shoulder, there is no question that he had an impact season in 1995 setting personal highs and franchise records going 315 of 522 for 3,838 yards with 29 TDs to only 10 interceptions. Kramer hung around with the Bears another 3 injury plagued seasons before abruptly retiring midway through the 1999 season with the Chargers due to a persistent neck injury.

Kramer was the definition of the ‘walking wounded’ during his playing career in the league. He gave up his body to injury leading Detroit and Chicago back to periods of respectability. Concussions may have also contributed to his severe depression as well.

It is said that the bullet traveled through Erik’s chin, tongue, nose, and out the top of his head. Amazingly, the damage was so clean, and the medical attention paid to him was so quick, he survived.  Much like his playing career- Kramer quickly has moved to rise from controversy and loss, making an impressive recovery- and coming to an understanding that life is worth living for.

Pro Set struck gold in Erik’s initial release in their 91 update set with a nice straight on shot of him. This was Proset at their best: minimal design, dynamic action photography, and an unobtrusive logo. I was a big fan of Action Packed- but their 92 set annoyed me by flipping profile information on the back. The player name type was also just a tad too small. Gameday barely tweaked an overall successful design over the entire lifetime of the brand. I liked this 1993 issue of Kramer in the elements.

G/Gs 83/67        Att 2299      Cpd 1317       Yds  15337       Pct 57.3
TD 92    Int 79      Lg 85t
Rush  153       Yds 217      Avg 1.4      Td 5     lg 31

CFL, NFL

Watkins, Pat

Card: Sage 2006
Acquired: 2016, Kenny’s Grab Bag

Pat Watkins was a rangy defensive back at Florida State measuring at an impressive 6’5″. For the Seminoles, Watkins played in 49 consecutive contests from 2002-2005.  He ranked third on the Seminoles with 77 tackles in his final season at Florida State in 2005, while laying down the wood at safety.  The Cowboys selected Watkins in the 5th round of the 2006 draft. He primarily made his living over his career in Dallas as a special teamer, although he managed to pull in 38 tackles, 3 interceptions, 7 passes defensed during his rookie campaign.  In 2007 he blocked a field goal by the Minnesota Vikings and returned it 68 yards for a TD, but unable to make the transition to free safety, and suffering some injuries, the Cowboys cut Watkins in 2010. He spent the remainder of the season with the San Diego Chargers, but was not retained after the year.

Watkins traveled to the CFL, where the Argonauts signed him as an import player and transitioned Watkins to corner in 2012. After a brief period of adjustment, Pat earned All-Star Honors from the league in his rookie season. He’d finish the season with 67 tackles and 5 interceptions- which tied Watkins for first in the CFL. He’d continue his stellar play in 2013 earning another All-Star Honor while posting 43 tackles and 5 interceptions. In 2014, he took his show to the Edmonton Eskimos. There Pat helped the Esks win the Grey Cup in 2015, with a key critical interception to keep Edmonton in the game.   As of 2017, Watkins still plays for the Eskimos.