Tag Archives: ttm autograph

NFL, usfl

Mora, Jim (E.)

Pro Set 1992, #261
Pro Set 1990, #221
Pro Set 1989, #278

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Pro Set 1990, Pro Set 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 3/22/22 RECEIVED: 4/15/22 (24 DAYS)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Mora played college ball (TE) at Occidental, graduating in 1957.
  • Went into coaching at his Alma Mater in 1960 as a positional coach, later being promoted to head coach in 1964.
  • Earned a Master’s in Education in ’67 and promptly moved to Stanford, after compiling an 18-9 record.
  • After a year with The Cardinal as LB coach, joined the staff at Colorado filling multiple defensive positional coaching assignments, working there through 1973.
  • Spent a year at UCLA in ’74- then joined Washington’s staff as a DC in 1975.
  • In 1978, Jim made the jump to the pros, working with the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive line coach through 1981, and then in ’82 with the Patriots in the same capacity.
  • 1983 would be the first of many bellwether years for Mora, as he’d ascend to head coach, taking over for the Philadelphia/ Baltimore Stars in the USFL.
  • His teams would go 48-13-1, appearing in 3 USFL championship games, winning 2.
  • In 1985, Mora took over the perennially beleaguered New Orleans Saints, turning the moribund franchise around.
  • By 1987, he led the Saints to new levels of respectability, posting a 12-3 record and earning the franchise’s first playoff berth.
  • Team won a franchise best (at the time) 9 games straight.
  • A 10-6 record in 1988 disappointingly didn’t lead the Saints back to the playoffs, after they lost out on tie breakers to the Los Angeles Rams.
  • The NFC West was incredibly competitive at the time, and after a 9-7 record in 1989, the Saints again found themselves on the outside looking in.
  • 1990 saw the Saints break through to the playoffs again and the following season, New Orleans won the division outright for the first time in the franchise’s history.
  • In each post season appearance, the Saints were bounced in the first round of the playoffs.
  • Mora coached with the Saints through 1996, resigning about midway through a very difficult season.
  • After a year working as a commentator for NBC, Jim heard the siren’s call to return to coaching, taking over as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in 1998.
  • In 1999, guided the franchise to the largest turnaround in NFL history, going from 3-13 to 13-3.
  • Refusing to fire some of his staff to appease management, Mora was terminated after the 2001 season.
  • Mora since that point has become an on air personality for the NFL Network and also did some work in radio as well.

ACCOLADES:

  • New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame
  • NFL Coach of the Year 1987
  • Occidental Athletics Hall of Fame

NOTES:

Jim’s also known for some quality soundbites up there with guys like Bill Parcells. An intense guy. I was sure he’s signed, “Playoffs? Playoffs?”, Too many times to count, so I felt just asking for his autograph on these three cards was a mercy bullet.

I loved Jim’s coaching style. Albeit it was a bit conservative- well really conservative up there with ‘Martyball’, he favored strong running games supported by nasty defenses. He was instrumental in convincing defensive stars to sign with the Saints from the USFL after its dissolution.

When the Texans got rid of Dom Capers, Jim was on my shortlist to replace him alongside Marty at the time, and I wondered why neither was interviewed, because they had a habit of quickly returning and rebuilding teams into a level of unprecedented… respectability. While he didn’t manage to get his NFL teams over the hump, I always felt he was a great sandbox team builder and coach. I would’ve loved to see him come out on top.

Jim has a decent coaching tree that includes branches Dom Capers, Vince Fangio, Bruce Arians, Jim Haslett and his son Jim Mora Jr.

Loved the 1992 card of Jim. Great lighting and profile shot. Takes the cake easy. The TM on the back of the card next to the NFL shield is missing. It’s an UER, and worthless. The ’90 entry had some variants that all based on black or white type for his profile on the back. Also no big deal there.

USFL

WLTPCT
41121.769

NFL

WLTPCT
1251060.541
NFL, NFLE, WLAF, XFL

Luck, Oliver

CARD: Pro Set 1991 World League Insert
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 4/21 RECEIVED: 5/2 (9 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played QB for the Mountaineers from 1979-82 setting numerous records at the school.
  • Selected by the Houston Oilers in the 2nd round of the 1983 NFL Draft.
  • Played 4 seasons for the Oilers, starting 9 games and winning 3 contests.
  • Best game perhaps came in 1985, leading the Oilers in a comeback win over the San Diego Chargers 37-35.
  • Threw for 286 yards on 24 of 42 passes with 1 TD and an INT during that game.
  • Over NFL career also rushed 44 times for 237 yards and a TD.
  • From 1984-86, backed up Warren Moon, but in 1987 the Oilers drafted Cody Carlson, so the writing was on the wall for Oliver in H-Town.
  • After retiring, has had a very successful career as an executive in the sport.
  • Got first taste as General Manager of the Frankfurt Galaxy from 1991-’92.
  • After the World League reorganized, returned to be the GM of the Rhein Fire from 1995-’96.
  • Served as NFL Europe President from 1996-00.
  • Returned stateside working with the Houston Sports Authority from 2001-05.
  • Named President and GM of the Houston Dynamo from 2005-10.
  • Served as Executive VP of Regulatory Affairs from 2014-18.
  • Poached to lead the XFL20 initiative, as Commissioner and CEO, but the league shut down operations as COVID took hold.

NOTES:

Getting Oliver for the XFL job was a huge, huge media buzz pull for the XFL. It was a savvy move for Vince to hand over the reins and let someone else handle the operations of the league, and Oliver was the most qualified. It really disappointed me how the league treated Luck after everything shut down and I hope he wins every dollar he sued McMahon for in court.

When I met him, Lance and I were at the Houston Roughnecks/ Tampa Vipers scrimmage, and Oliver just sorta meandered down from the stands down near the field where we were. He was, I don’t know, pleasantly amused that I recognized him, and possibly a bit befuddled nobody caught him before me. Oliver came over and we discussed the league and I told him that I was a big World League fan from back in the day and a season ticket holder to the Riders. He gave me the usual talking points that he circulates of his time in Frankfurt and how they didn’t have any desks and how unprepared they were, but it didn’t matter as we had a great conversation.

I meant to send to Oliver sooner but I couldn’t find a card of him. The only thing I could locate was a McDonalds scratch and win trading card from the mid 80s, but nobody had it in stock, or at a reasonable price. Eventually I settled on the Pro Set 1991 World League Galaxy helmet insert, and I can’t figure out why I didn’t start getting these signed sooner as they are perfect for the job. So I dropped this and a photo in, as well as a card of his son (Andrew), hoping that he’d have Oliver sign as well, but unfortunately that plan backfired, and Oliver signed that card as well. Ah well… Very happy with his response, signing the card and the photo for me with a nice note.

ATTCPDPCTYDSTDINTLGRAT
41323356.4%254413216664.1
NFL

Bentley, Albert (2)

Fleer 1990 Update, #U-1
Skybox 1992, # 179

CARDS: Fleer Update 1990, Skybox 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 4/21 RECEIVED: 5/2 (11 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Well 2 out of 4 isn’t bad as it’s apparent that Albert is a big collector of his own cards. He kept his Score 1989 and Action Packed 1991 that I sent him, but I still got these two nice autographs back on his Fleer 1990 Update and his Skybox 1992.

He also refuses to sign his Gameday 1992- claiming that it isn’t him. -And I mean with good reason, as he was cut by the Colts before he even played that season and later on joined the Steelers. Now I can confirm that Gameday, like other card makers was engaged in the quiet, slick practice of using old player photos for current cards because they just looked good, so it’s entirely possible that they did get a good shot of him from a few years prior so that they could include him in the set with the Colts uniform on.