Tag Archives: ttm football autograph

NFL

Miller, Billy

sco03 millerCards: Topps 2004, Score 2003, Score 2004
Acquired: 2013, C/o Elite Performance Factory
Sent: 6/1   Received: 7/8   (37 days)

Billy Miller is best remembered by Texans fans for scoring the franchise’s first TD against the Dallas Cowboys in 2002. His reaching grab on the opening drive of the game, (an eventual 19-10 victory) served notice of Miller’s determination to be accepted as a football player on the pro stage. It also was the first touchdown scored at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Miller was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos as a wide receiver out of USC in 1999. The 7th round choice did not see any playing time through 2001, and was so upset about being cut that season by the Broncos that he used his ‘turk buckslip’ as motivation, taping it to the inside of his locker.

Basically adopting a “Will do anything mentality”, Miller arrived in Houston before the team took the field its inaugural season, not even really registering a blip on the free agent signee radar. sco04 millerShifting to TE, Billy supplanted Rod Rutledge in the lineup and quickly developed a rapport with quarterback David Carr as his safety valve. With his soft hands and speed, he provided a mismatch against nearly all opposing linebackers and defensive linemen that might shift into coverage to stop him, forcing most teams to deploy a DB in coverage when he released out into the flat. Billy became the team’s first receptions leader, finishing the 2002 season with 51 catches (for 613 yards and 3 TDs), in 7 starts. In 2003, he added another 40 receptions to his team leading total, but already with the emergence of Andre Johnson by 2004, Miller’s reception accomplishment has been rendered to an interesting footnote.  An injury riddled 2004 limited Billy to 17 receptions and a touchdown. He’d score that final touchdown with the Texans, in a 31-21 rout of the Tennessee Titans, as the franchise finished 7-9.

The Texans in 2005 decided they were ready for primetime football with the big boys, after their impressive 2004 season. To further this theory they decided to purge their roster of many of their expansion draft players. Billy in the meantime signed with the Cleveland to04 millerBrowns, suiting up for only 3 games but getting no play time.  In 2006 he’d join the roster of the New Orleans Saints and his statistics saw a slow but strong rebound. Over the next 3 seasons, he’d record 86 receptions for 1036 yards and 3 touchdowns. Resigning with the team in 2009, Miller blew out his Achilles in training camp. While he’d win a Super Bowl ring for the Saints victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Billy decided that it was fine time to retire.

Miller currently runs Elite Performance Factory, a strength and conditioning facility gym in California. In 2013, Miller was named the strength and conditioning coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

G/Gs  114/36      Rec 200     Yds 2248    Avg 11.2   Td 10    Lg 57

 

NFL

McCaffrey, Ed

pset91 mccaffreyap91 mccaffrey

Cards: Action Packed 1991, Pro Set 1990
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Pro Link Sports
Sent: 1/7   Received: 4/16   (99 days)

Underutilized by the Giants in their ground and pound based offense, nobody really paid much attention when he signed with the San Fransisco 49ers as a free agent in 1994. Why, Ed McCaffrey only had totaled 92 receptions for 1091 yards and 7 touchdowns in 3 seasons after being a 3rd round pick of NY. It’d be in those early years with the Giants, who were struggling with the departure of their coach Bill Parcells, and a Super Bowl hangover, that I’d see McCaffrey go out one Thanksgiving contest and give his all in a game, while his team lost 30-3 to the Cowboys.  Ed didn’t really impress with the 49ers that next season either, however he won his first Super Bowl title. After that one unimpressive season, the jig was up in San Fransisco-land and Ed was back on the street by 1995.

With the Three Amigos at the end of their career, new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak was looking to stir things up. The Broncos were transitioning at the time and McCaffrey (and fellow receiver Rod Smith,) seemed to fit the bill. McCaffrey proved to be a nice find for the Broncos as every season through 2000, he increased his receiving production with his sure hands and deceptive speed.  This culminated in career highs that year (2000) with 101 receptions for 1317 yards and 9 touchdowns. While injuries finished his NFL career prematurely in 2003, Ed won 2 Super Bowl rings with the Broncos and was named to the Pro Bowl for his 1998 performance. As one of John Elway‘s favorite targets, McCaffrey finished his career in Denver with 462 receptions for 6200 yards and 46 touchdowns.

In 2009, Ed was named to the Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team and in 2012, became a color analyst for the Broncos Radio Network.

G/Gs 185/109     Rec 565    Yds 7422   Avg 13.1    Td 55     Lg 78

NFL

Majkowski, Don “Majik Man”

sc92 majkowskipset89 majkowski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cards: Pro Set 1989, Pro Set 1990, Score Hot Gun 1990, Action Packed 1990, Fleer 1990, Fleer 1991, Stadium Club 1992
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Home
Sent: 5/29     Received:  6/10  (12 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Home

Don Majkowski was the offensive signal flare that went up briefly in the night to herald the return of the long dormant Green Bay Packer franchise before its current era of consistent playoff and Superbowl dominance. A long suffering franchise ever since its two Super Bowl victories in the 60s, the Packers had been fighting for respect in the NFC Central against the Bears, Lions, Vikings, and Buccaneers. The Packers only made the playoffs twice from 1968-1992, illustrating how bad things were in Packerland, as they were the laughing stock of the NFC. Majkowski was the bridge from those years of struggle that transformed into years of stability under Favre, and recently into the current era of prominence under Aaron Rodgers.

flr91 majkowskiNot really very many people paid attention by the 10th round of the 1987 draft, when the Virginia Cavaliers all time leading passer, Don Majkowski was selected by the Green Bay Packers. He immediately stepped into the backup job behind Randy Wright, and began to apply pressure to start. During his rookie season he threw for 323 yards in a 34-33 win over the Detroit Lions. Don would be the first Packers’ rookie QB to throw for over 300 yards in a game. He’d finish with 875 yards passing and 5 touchdowns that season. In 1988, Lindy Infante- an offensive mastermind, became head coach of the team. He’d give Majkowski more slack on the reins as the lead in the quarterback derby, and Don began to mature as a starter.

It’d be in 1989 that Majkowski put together an incredible run virtually out of nowhere, leading the NFL in passing yards (4,318) completions (353), and attempts (599). His 27 TD performance that season ranked second, and for his efforts Don was named to the Pro Bowl. He’d finish second to Joe Montana in the MVP balloting that year as well. Majkowski was a feared rusher as well that learnedap90 majkowski how to tear teams apart with his scrambling ability, buying needed time in the pocket for Sterling Sharpe and Perry Kemp to get open, or on the ground stumbling for 358 yards and 5 TDs. The team became known as the ‘Cardiac Pack’. Majkowski set an NFL record with 4 1 point victories, including a controversial one against the Bears. At 10-6 though, the team was left looking in on the playoffs- despite even beating the future NFL Champion 49ers. Still it appeared as though the sky was the limit for the team, and already people were crowning them the new kid on the block.

So 1990 came as a disappointment and shock to the Packer fan base. Disaster struck as Don held out missing the first game. and then later, a shoulder injury that was not diagnosed until later as a torn rotator cuff. This cost him the final 6 games of the season and the team collapsed down the stretch. After a 6-5 start, Green Bay lost their final 5 games to finish 6-10.

Don’s struggles continued in 1991 where he’d be replaced by free agent signee Mike Tomczak in the lineup. He finished with 3 TDs to 8pset90 majkowski picks that year and 1,362 yards. At the end of the season, Infante was fired, and with a new regime in place with GM Ron Wolf, the team started looking at bringing in other options.  New head coach Mike Holmgren gave Don the green light as starter for the 1992 season, but barely 3 games in, Majkowski tore a ligament in his lower leg. His backup, took the field and thus the Brett Favre era began in Green Bay. After the season, Don signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts and began the journeyman phase of his career.

Majik backed up Jeff George in Indianapolis in 1993, and then Jim Harbaugh in 1994. During the 1994 season he’d see his first meaningful playing time as a starter since he left the Packers finishing with a shade above 1000 yards and 6 TDs to 7 interceptions. He’d then depart for the Motor City. In Detroit, the Lions were rebuilding as usual. Majik backed up Scott Mitchell at quarterback for the next two seasons, -even providing some occasional flashes of brilliance, and again sparking controversy at the #1 spot, but in the end of the 1996 season Don retired.

flr90 majkowskiWith his trendy blond mullet and his incredible 1989 season, Majik is well regarded by Packer fans and was inducted into the Packers HoF in 2005, where he still ranks in the top 5 in many passer categories for the storied franchise. While injuries have taken their toll on Don over the years, he still manages to get to a game here and there for the Pack, and enjoys coaching kids football.

I had written Don a year or two ago, but had no luck, so I decided to give him another shot since I had a recent RTS from another player. I enclosed a few extra cards for him to keep, but was surprised to open the return envelope from him and see that he had signed everything and kept only 2 for himself, leaving me with a grand total of 7 signed Don Majkowski cards!

There were some great shots of Majkowski from back in the day. Again Pro Set delivers with their 1989 and 1990 releases while the 92 Stadium Club provides some amazing clarity near the end of Don’s Packer career. The Score Hot Gun set, -while admittedly, a humorous oddity at the time, has become one of my favorite cardsco90 majkowski HG subsets of all time. Some great Photo montage is used with the clouds and player photo to really give an even more exciting shot. Nowadays, people tend to take things like Photoshop for granted, but back then, this was gold.

G/Gs 93/57    Att 1905     Comp 1056     Yds  12700   Td 66
Int 67     Rat  72.9  |
Rush  248    Yds 1114    Avg  3.5    Td 12   Lg 33