Tag Archives: san fransisco 49ers

NFL, The Spring League

Dixon, Anthony ‘Boobie’

Card: Panini Threads 2010
Acquired: 2017, Walmart Autographed Memorabilia

Selected in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of  Mississippi State, Anthony Dixon was quite a surprise for the San Fransisco 49ers.  The power back made the roster after the sudden retirement of Glen Coffee, by putting together one of the best preseasons in NFL history, rushing 74 times for 300 yards and 4 TDs.

Dixon pretty much backed up Frank Gore and Brian Westbrook during the season, but still managed to carve out 70 carries for 237 yards and 2 TDs in 2010. He spent the majority of the remainder of his 49er career on special teams, signing with the Bills in 2014.

He had his most productive year with the Bills, rushing 105 times for 432 yards and 2 TDs, including a career long 47 yard jaunt. Boobie also earned Special Teams Player of the Week Honors in Week 12 after he blocked a Jets’ punt. A lingering calf injury cratered his 2015 campaign and he was released in 2016.

After spending the entire season out of football, Anthony signed with the Spring League to showcase his talents to NFL and CFL scouts in 2017. He split time at runningback and fullback and had a 45 yard TD run and was considered one of the league’s standout players. Currently he remains a free agent.

NFL

Buckner, DeForest

Card: Sage 2016 Premium Portrait (7/10)
Acquired: 2017, Box Break

DeForest Bucker was a physical specimen with the stats to back his high draft ranking. Playing for Oregon Ducks he had 232 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 10 passes defended.

I was very pleased to pull this limited signature premium portrait of DeForest Buckner when I opened a Sage 2016 Hobby Box. Buckner has a pretty good autograph, and you can tell he took his time to sign these. I liked the portrait cards and it showcases the custom grill on his helmet that was all the rage at the time with defensive linemen.

Buckner delivered in 2016 and had a solid rookie debut with 73 combined tackles, 6 sacks, and 2 FR. He could be due for an even more impactful 2017, as DeForest will be paired alongside first round pick Solomon Thomas.

NFL

Romanowski, Bill ‘Romo’

Cards: ProSet 1990, Action Packed 1992, GameDay 1992
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Work
Sent: 11/14/16  Received: 2/18/17   (96 days)
Failure: 2014, C/o Home

Ah now Bill Romanowski had some awesome cards. I mean he looked like a mean caveman who just had survived a knife fight. With tattered taped gloves and that war paint, he went from just being a linebacker to being a mean and nasty linebacker pretty quickly. His ProSet 1990 entry and Action Packed 1992 are among some of my favorites, and his GameDay card showcases his athletic ability as he gets up in the air, perfect for that tallboy card.

I really didn’t know who Bill Romanowski was at first when he popped onto the scene for the 49ers. Initially- you didn’t hear much about Bill. He was considered, I guess, a model citizen until he started having altercations on the Eagles- a clear 7 years into his career.  It’s not really clear about when he started abusing steroids while playing, but he admitted during a 60 Minutes interview that he was always cutting edge and staying one step ahead of the league.

As of 2017 he owns Nutrition 53 and also is involved in NASCAR.  Bill is a very outspoken and unfiltered guy, and his sometimes, lack of political correctness, has gotten him in trouble on social media. He also appeared on the cover of Midway Games’  Blitz: The League and as a prison guard in the remake of the movie The Longest Yard. In addition he’s done some coaching, and has expressed interest in returning to the NFL in that capacity.

During his career he was an easy plug-and-play linebacker. Instinctual, intelligent, and with solid coverage skills, by the time he hit his stride, Romanowski was not only one of the better linebackers in the league, he was a throwback to the gladiators of old, with that nasty streak.  He is also listed as the 5th dirtiest player in sports history by ESPN.

After playing for the 49ers through 1993 and winning 2 Superbowls, Bill joined the Eagles for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. He’d then head over to the Broncos and earn 2 more rings playing for them from 1996-2001. Afterwards he’d play 2 more seasons in the Raiders organization.  He earned 2 Pro Bowl nominations (1996, 1998) and posted a career high 104 tackles in 1993.

G/Gs  243/222         TAC  1116          SAC 39.5          FUM  16
INT 18       YDS  98       AVG  5.4         TD   1        LG   18