Tag Archives: tnt ufl 2011

Arena, NFL, NFLE, ufl

Boyd, Shane

psetwlaf14 boyd tntufl11 boydMM

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tntafl14 boydCard: TNT AFL 2014, TNT AFL 2014 B, TNT UFL 2011 Memorable Moments, Pro Set WLAF 1991 Final Update
Acquired: IP, 5/3/2014 Talons vs. Barnstormers. IP, 7/6/14 Talons vs. Sharks.

Shane Boyd joined the San Antonio Talons a few games into the 2014 season. He fits the mold of the prototypical quarterback that head coach Lee Johnson likes- big and with a cannon for an arm. Shane boasts an impressive resume. Playing for the Cologne Centurions he set the career and single season marks for quarterback rushing yards in the NFLE with 339 in 2006. He put up decent stats initially for the Talons, but got into a quarterback controversy with Matt Bassuener as the season drug on.

Joining the UFL in 2009, Shane was the starting quarterback for the California Redwoods. He scored the first points in the short lived league’s existence.  Boyd finished the season with 3 touchdowns and 5 interceptions to 814 yards to go along with a 60.5 compleation percentage. He was not retained the next season, as the Redwoods moved to Sacramento, -rebranded themselves the Mountain Lions, and then signed Daunte Culpepper to a contract.

Later, Boyd joined the AFL, in 2012 with the Milwaukee Mustangs, throwing for 557 yards and 6 TDs, and the Tampa Bay Storm in 2013. He’s also spent time on NFL rosters through the years including the: Titans (2005), Steelers (2006), Texans (2007-2008), the Alouettes, and Colts (both 2009). Boyd also was drafted by the Portland Thunder, but later saw action with the Bluegrass Warhorses (of the CIFL) in 2014.

I spotted him out near the edge of the arena after the Barnstormers game and quickly approached him before the throngs arrived. Although Boyd appreciated the card I rendered of him, he lamented the ‘nasty #19’ jersey that I had him in. He asked me for an updated card of him with the correct number on it. Later when I ran into him getting an autograph from Shannon Tevaga, he told me that the #19 card could be a promo or limited edition card. Boyd also had me tell Tevaga about Shane’s Jeopardy question relevance in football history, scoring the first TD in UFL history.

I went ahead and did those extra cards for Shane: a correction card with his 17 uniform on, a UFL memorable moments card, and a Pro Set WLAF hack card. I was finally able to get back around to him after the squad lost to the Jacksonville Sharks where I gave him the extra cards. He loved them, and gleefully signed and incribed them for me.

NFL, ufl

Putzier, Jeb

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Card: TNT UFL 2011, Upper Deck 2006
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 2/10    Received: 6/23   (133 days)

Jeb got his start in 1999 with the Boise State Broncos. He got out onto the field as a Freshman and logged 10 receptions for 120 yards and 2 TDs from the tight end position. Considering the offensive wizardry that was employed at Boise St., Putzier was redeployed as a wide receiver from his Sophomore season on out. He topped his numbers fairly evenly each season, culminating in a Senior year with 44 receptions for 824 yards and 12 touchdowns when he was an All WAC selection. He finished his career on the blue tundra with 128 receptions for 2,050 yards, 16.0 YPR, and 19 touchdowns.

The NFL reclassified Putzier back as a tight end, going into the 2002 draft. He did not receive a combine invite, but his fairly productive career at Boise St., coupled by his size (6’4″, 251) and well received team day (4.6 40), turned some heads of the scouts enough to get some attention. He was also valued for his special teams play as a long snapper. Jeb was tabbed in the 6th round, by the Denver Broncos as a ‘value pick’. He’d start off slowly and not even see the field consistently until 2004. He’d provide some nice mismatches, making 36 receptions for 572 yards and 2 TDs in 2004. (The 15.9 YPR was the highest number by a Bronco TE in over 25 years.) Putzier then followed it up in 2005 with a modest 37 receptions for 481 yards. With the Houston Texans making Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak their head coach, Putzier signed with the team to replace Billy Miller at the position in 2006. The Texans however found Owen Daniels in the draft. While the position was retooled now with Daniels getting the majority of the snaps, Putzier ended up sharing time with Mark Bruener as well. He’d log 126 yards on 13 receptions. In 2007, he made 6 receptions for 39 yards, and 1 TD- a 7 yarder in a 38-36 loss to Tennesseee. After the season Putzier was allowed to sign with the Seattle Seahawks for 2008. There, he lasted about 6 games before resigning with the Denver Broncos, where he was cut in 2009.  Jeb signed with the UFL Hartford Colonials, but was waved in June of 2010. The Omaha Nighthawks picked him up, and he immediately fit right into the offense guided by Jeff Garcia. Putzier had 14 receptions for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns- which tied for the team lead. Of the 3 touchdowns, 2 were game winners against the Moutain Lions and the Hartford Colonials. Due to financial instability in the league, (namely players not being paid,) Putzier decided to retire after the season. Currently he lives in the Denver area where he has served as a guest on some of the local sports radio stations.

A few things were going in Jeb’s favor for me sending a request out to him: 1) He’s a former Houston Texan, and 2) I did a UFL custom entry of him a few years ago for the Omaha Nighthawks. I really had high hopes things would take off, and as some fans had egged me on to do more cards I expanded off the base set and pushed the original UFL offering out to a bit over 100 cards. It became a labor of love when I lost out on a job in the industry I wanted, and I realized the league wasn’t going to make it. A lot of it to me is about preservation, and recovering that which is already forgotten to some. It’s just an added bonus when the player wants one of these cards to remember it by too, since a lot of them didn’t get squat from the league in the end. I didn’t honestly expect this one back, but lo and behold after a little wait, Jeb signed the TNT card, plus added one of his own, and asked me for a copy of my custom! With the recent flood of requests, I really have my work cut out for me!

NFL   69/17     Rec  96        Yds  251             Avg   13.0           Td  3              Lg 39
UFL      Rec 14       Yds 144      Avg 10.3       Td 3      Lg 33

 

Arena, NFL, ufl

Windsor, Rod

tntufl10 windsorCards: TNT AFL 2011, TNT UFL 2011

Acquired: IP 6/15/2014, San Antonio Talons Vs Arizona Rattlers

Failure: TTM 2011, C/o The Sacramento Mountain Lions, TTM 2013, C/o The Arizona Rattlers

Rod Windsor played only one year at wide receiver in college at Western New Mexico, but he made it count earning All-Conference Honors with 1,118 yards on 81 catches to go along with 6 TDs.

Going undrafted, Rod joined the Rio Grande Valley Dorados of the AF2 in 2009 where he made an immediate impact. He’d rack up 184 receptions for 2,364 yards and 59 touchdowns, and his efforts translated into Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year Honors.

tntafl11 windsorIn 2010 Windsor became a member of the Arizona Rattlers of the AFL. Again he’d have a banner season with 193 receptions for 2,372 yards and 47 TDs, earning Rookie of the Year Honors there as well.  Eager to springboard to the NFL, Windsor joined the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL after the season. He’d have a respectable season with the MoLos with 25 receptions for 379 yards, a 15.2 YPR average, and 3 TDs.

Rod then bounced around in between the Browns and Bills practice rosters, but with the lockout on, and Windsor not being a high priced player, he jumped to the AFL in 2011 to play for the Rattlers. He’d earn First Team All-Arena Honors, as he caught 156 passes for 1,830 yards and 36 TDs. Afterwards, with the strike over, he returned to the Browns, where he was reassigned to their practice squad.

windsor'sgloveRod opted to return to the AFL in 2013 with the Rattlers, earning Second Team All-Arena after totalling 110 receptions for 1,590 yards and 42 TDs. He’d cap his season off with MVP and Offensive Player of the Game Honors for ArenaBowl XXVI, as he pulled in 10 receptions for 145 yards in Arizona’s victory over Philadelphia.

Well, where there is a will there is a way. The Talons game against the Rattlers provided me with the opportunity to get autographs merely by leaning over the rail at my choice seating spot (near the visitors bench in the end zone) and merely getting the player’s attention that I wanted. I then had players daisy chain to the next player that I needed until I got all three members of the Rattlers knocked out who were members of my TNT AFL 11 promo set. I did not have any more extras cards of Rod to give him as I did the others.

Unfortunately I had blown those over the past 2 years on failed attempts through the teams he had played for previously. Still he’s one of the bigger AFL names that I had been wanting, and after explaining to him what happened, he almost looked like he flashed a wry grin of “I got them and thought they were so awesome I kept them all,” so I didn’t feel too badly. He absolutely torched the Talons during the game, adding another 96 yards and 3 TDs on 7 receptions including a diving catch into the back of the endzone I was in. After the game I caught his eye and congratulated him on his great effort and in return he gave me one of his gloves. A nice momento, and a classy move by another Arena player in a league that continues to prove it cares about its fans. Despite the fact that the Rattlers are considered the Talons division rival, they have quickly established themselves as my second favorite team thanks in part to guys like Rod.