Tag Archives: tnt afl 2014

Arena

Reed, L.A.

tntafl14 reedCard:  TNT AFL Talons 2014
Acquired: IP 5/17/14, San Antonio Talons vs. New Orleans Voodoo

I met L.A. Reed at the previous game against the Iowa Barnstormers when I was getting the autograph of another injured player. I think he felt miffed that I didn’t have a card of him yet, as the only thing I had found was a photo of him going face first into the turf, so I was resolved to finding something more exciting and suitable. I must say this one really hit it out of the park. While I was wandering around the field, a woman in a walker beckoned me over to see him at the trainers’ table. He was extremely gracious and asked me what I wanted for the card. I told them the price was an autograph, and the rest that I gave him that evening were free.

I understand that players are just as much as fans as we are. Their own football card, especially at the level of Arena football, is a way of a player actualizing one of those dreams they’ve always wanted. It is a way of saying that they have indeed arrived on a professional level.

A four-year letterman for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, L.A. switched from wide receiver to safety as a Senior in 2008. He collected 19 tackles and 3 pass breakups that season, and is considered a blistering hitter and special teams demon. As a wide receiver, Reed had 39 receptions for 482 yards and 2 TDs. He was a surprising find for the San Antonio Talons in 2014 and really started laying down the wood before he was injured in Week 8 against the Barnstormers.

I ran into LA hiding out in the crowd in the same section as me after the Talons loss to the Rattlers,  with some of his rehab team. We talked briefly about basketball and the angst he was feeling as a LeBron fan being in a city full of Spurs fans.  After discovering that I was a Spurs fan, he told me that he still liked me, – since I did such an awesome card of him.

Arena, CFL

Pierce, Doug

tntafl14 pierceCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: 2014, IP San Antonio Talons vs. New Orleans Voodoo

Doug Pierce is a lanky and large prospect out of Friends College. He’s joined the AFL to make his football dreams come true. Playing for the Falcons in college Doug recorded 91 catches for 1,693 yards and 20 touchdowns in two years.

After college, Doug had tryouts with both the Titans and Vikings, later joining the Sabrecats prior to the 2012 AFL season, but finally landed on Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he spent two seasons. In 2013, he played for the Wichita Wild, and later to the Pittsburgh Power, before joining the San Antonio Talons for 2014.

Getting some valuable playtime in during the Iowa Barnstormers game, he caught two touchdown passes, including a rainbow bomb from Shane Boyd.  He finished the season with 36 receptions for 462 yards and 8 touchdowns, including a 42 yarder.

Arena

Goodman, Dominick

tntafl14 goodmanCard: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: 2014, Trade

Dominick has been with the Cleveland Gladiators his entire career in the AFL. In each season, he’s recorded at least 1,200 yards, including a career high 1,782 yards and 170 receptions in 2012. 2014 was nothing less than another blockbuster year for Goodman, who cleared 1,500+ yards and 34 TDs, helping power the Gladiators to their first Arena Bowl game (XXVII).

Previous to his time in the Arena league, Dominick played for the Cincinnati Commandos (CIFL) in 2010, and was on the offseason roster of the Northern Kentucky River Monsters briefly in 2011. Dominick racked up incredible numbers while with the Commandos and earned multiple honors from the CIFL including Offensive Player of the Year Honors, and was the statistical leader both in yards and receiving touchdowns.  Goodman has also played for the Dresden Monarchs (German Football League) and the Kings Comets (Mid-Continental Football League).  In college at Cincinnati, Dominick caught 204 passes for 2,512 yards and 22 touchdowns during his career with the Bearcats.

A fan of my work who was going to the Gladiators season finale contacted me and really wanted to get some cards made and signed. The problem was I hadn’t made any cards of the Gladiators. I had struck strictly to the Talons. I saw this as a challenge, a great marketing opportunity, and a chance to get a few of these signed. I put together the cards as quickly and professionally as possible. I was really pleased with how they turned out, and in the end, my contact was able to get 4 of the 6 players that I had made sent back to me.