Tag Archives: ttm football autograph

NFL, WLAF

Brinson, Dana ‘D-Rock’

Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992, Ultimate WLAF 1992 League Leader
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home*
Sent: 8/7  Received: 8/31   (24 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Home
* Donation Enclosed

Dana Brinson was one of the most dangerous speed merchants to hit the WLAF during its short time.  He was one of the few names I recognized right off the bat when the league was formed and I felt that London already had an unfair advantage with his speed and pedigree on offense. Selected by the Monarchs as a wide receiver in the first round of the inaugural WLAF positional draft, Brinson originally played runningback in college and early in his NFL career, but produced for London as a jack of all trades. His statline was pretty loaded in 1991: 28 catches for 351 yards and a TD, 4 carries for 47 yards and a TD, 31 punt returns (tops in the league) for 181 yards, AND 12 kick returns for 317 yards and a 93 yard TD (first in league history). His best game came arguably against the Knights, when he had 8 receptions for 114 yards. Dana was injured during the Monarchs World Bowl I victory, but still earned second-team All-World League Honors at the conclusion of the season.  He did not return to the team for the 1992 season.

Dana Brinson originally played ball for Nebraska from 1985 to 1988. Clocking in at 5’9″, 165, Dana was an all around threat as a RB, PR, KR and WR at wingback. He’d have 330 yards on 27 punt returns in 1986 leading the Big 8.  Later he was voted the Big 8 All-Conference Kick Off Returner when he had 510 yards on 23 returns, and he also led the conference in punt return yards with 196.  During his time at Nebraska he’d score 2 TDs on punt returns and finish with 1154 career kick off return yards.

A member of the prestigious 1989 draft class, Brinson was selected in the 8th round by the San Diego Chargers. He did not endear himself to teammates or fans by saying that he’d unseat Lionel James -but he did just that. He finished his only season in SD with 17 carries for 64 yards, 12 receptions for 71, and 11 returns for 112 yards.  Somehow he even started at H-Back during the season, but a burner sidelined him for a few games. Later, Dana signed with the Falcons in 1990, but did not make the squad.

Dana had 3 outstanding action cards, and I had been trying to locate him since the beginning of the WLAF project. Recently I saw that an unsavory EBayer was selling his autograph online and that got me to searching. Eventually, I was able to finally locate him through Facebook. He signed these 3 cards with a donation in a very short time. He was very touched to know how his former teammates were doing. In 2009 Dana was elected to the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

NFL G 10/0      RUSH 17      YDS 64      AVG 3.8      TD 0      LG  9
REC 12      YDS 71      AVG 5.9      TD 0      LG 11
PR  11     YDS 112     AVG 10.2     TD 0     LG 52

WLAF          RUSH   4        YDS 47       AVG 11.8     LG  23T    TD 1
REC  28      YDS 351     AVG 12.5       LG 38      TD 1
KR  12        YDS 317     AVG 26.4    LG 93T   TD 1
PR  31        YDS 181     AVG 5.8       LG 24     TD 0

NFL

Jordan, Steve

Cards: Score 1990, Action Packed 1991, Action Packed 1992
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent:  11/23/16   Received: 4/14/17    (142 days)

Steve Jordan went to college at little known football school Brown from 1978-1981.  As a Junior he finished 5th in the league in receiving, but but gained real recognition as a Senior when he posted 38 receptions for 693 yards and earning numerous awards. Jordan made enough of an impression that the Minnesota Vikings drafted Steve in the 7th round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He’d initially bide his time on special teams and work his way up from 3rd string.

After 3 seasons, Steve finally was named starter at tight end. He’d go on to start every game over the next 10 years. During that period he also established himself as a dependable go to man, pulling down 3 or more passes a game during the 150 game stretch. Steve was definitely ahead of his time in an era when tight ends were more relied on for blocking than their receiving skills.  Over that period Jordan appeared in 6 Pro Bowls, which is more than HOF greats: Jackie Smith, Ozzie Newsome, Kellen Winslow, Dave Casper, John Mackey, and Mike Ditka.  Oddly Steve has not received any HoF considerations.  As of 2017, he is the Vikings All-Time receiving leader at tight end.

Steve played for the Vikings through 1994, but as age and injury took their toll, he opted to retire from the sport.

Steve moved to Arizona where he has been involved in engineering and construction. He’s also involved in numerous sports initiatives bringing education, and healthy lifestyle building to Native Americans.  Steve’s son Cameron, also plays in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints.

Steve had a plethora of really nice cards to choose from and it was hard to just choose three, when there was probably 6 to 7 that really merited consideration.  His Score 1990 issue is among my favorite of all time. It was genius by the designer at Score to take this shot of Jordan and flip the naturally composed photo to a portrait. As a landscape image, it probably wouldn’t have worked at all. In general there are few shots from any set like this with the turf set up parallel to the player.  I am a huge fan of Action Packed, and both his 1990 and 1991 issues.  The 1991 in particular is clean and I love how they were able to get the team logo on the front. The photo of Jordan making that fingertip grab really showcases the hands that made him one of the most reliable tight ends of the 80s and early 90s.  A mainstay of the Tecmo series, Steve was a solid receiver on the Minnesota offense.

G/GS 176/149     REC 498     YDS 6307     AVG 12.7      TD 28       LG 68

NFL, University of Texas

Westbrook, Bryant

Cards:  University of Texas Upper Deck 2011, UT UD 2011 All-Time Alumni, Press Pass 1997
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Work
Sent:  11/14  Received: 11/26  (12 days)

A feared and hard hitting cornerback with sizzling speed who played at the University of Texas from 1993-1996, Bryant Westbrook is one of the more lauded members of DBU. He earned SWC Honors second-team All-American his senior year, in addition to first-team selections in both the last year of the Southwest Conference, and the first year of the Big 12. He finished his career at UT with 9 interceptions, 30 passed defensed, 6 forced fumbles, 183 tackles, and 2 blocked kicks.

With the hype train in full swing Westbrook’s draft stock spiked up the charts. He was selected with the 6th pick overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1997 NFL Draft, as the second DB off the board.

Bryant had a pretty solid rookie year. He deflected 20 passes- as QBs tested him early and often in his career. Nonetheless he intercepted his first pass from Dan Marino and returned it 62 yards for a TD that year. Bryant landed on the All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the season.
During 1998, he posted another 19 pass deflections, 3 interceptions, and an 34 yard pick six of Trent Dilfer (TB).  Westbrook suffered a bumpy 1999 as the nicks and tears piled up. He’d be shelved after 8 contests.

Westbrook returned with a vengeance, as he posted his best season as a pro in 2000. Named as a Pro Bowl alternate, he started 13 games and recorded 6 interceptions for 126 yards including a door-blowing 101 yard pick off and score courtesy of Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots.
Disappointingly he’d miss the last 3 games of the season due to a ruptured Achillies.

It was tough for Bryant, because the next season was a contract year, so he had to get back to the game.  He managed to play in 9 contests in 2001 and recorded an interception, but due to his injury, it was obvious that he had lost a step.

Bryant signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2002.  He’d start the opening contest against the Houston Texans, but the Texans had studied the film and knew that Bryant was a liability. He’d be picked on consistently when he was in the lineup in the Texans’ upset 19-10 victory.  The Cowboys quickly cut him and Westbrook joined the Green Bay Packers and made a pick before the end of the season.  The team hoped to convert him to safety in 2003, but he ruptured his other Achillies- effectively bringing his career to an end.

No regrets for Westbrook however, as he’s giving back to the game by coaching (as of 2017) High School football in Arizona. He signed these 4 cards in no time flat for me.

Come on Upper Deck. You could of done better. The 2011 base card is terrible. Rule number one of something you are going to create in a graphics program for production- never ever noticeably stretch an image. I mean the top of Bryant’s helmet makes him look like he’s got a modified Gazoo on. His All-Time Alumni and NCAA All American cards are the same picture. Really? I looked no further than the Press Pass 97 below it to find a differing action shot of Westbrook. The Press Pass card is a bit kitsch, but I do like the die cut action on it.  In the end I liked Westbrook’s larger than life autograph on his Upper Deck All Time Alumni card the best.

G/GS  71/55      TAC  197      SAC 0      FUM 1
INT  13       YDS 239       AVG 18.3      TD 3       LG 101T