Category Archives: NFL

College Football HoF, NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP, usfl

Young, Steve

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1991, GameDay 1992
Acquired:  TTM 2010, C/o The Forever Young Foundation
Sent: 6/11/10     Received: 6/17/10   (6 days. Donation suggested)

From what I understand, Steve Young has been rumored to be an ‘autopenner’. Autopenning is a relatively new and ruthless thing that players can do to fans hoping for an authentic autograph from them. An autopen is a machine that will line up the card and simulate the player’s signature. While I’m not sure what to think of this, many fans decry it because it lessens the interaction between the fan and the player and thus- it is not authentic. I could see how this would anger somebody who had his rookie card and really wanted him to sign it but for these two cards, it wouldn’t really bother me either way.

GameDay came onto the scene in 1992. That along with Skybox and Action Packed were about all I’d collect before I stopped buying football cards during the 1993 season. From there on out my card collecting became sporadic and based solely on teams and players I wanted. GameDay had some really nice cards with their unique design that represented a ticket. The frames are cropped in just a certain way that the players would appear to burst right off the card edge and this Steve Young card is an exceptional example.

Steve Young is another player who just got no respect- but in his case, he went out and proved them all wrong. As you can tell from these two cards, Steve Young is doing what he does best- run. After graduating from BYU, Steve Young signed a then record 10 year 40 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL. He’d lead the team to the playoffs his rookie season but in 1985 the league financially hemorrhaged.

Steve would be the first player selected in the USFL supplemental draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a rough 2 seasons with the Bucs, the 49ers would pull the trigger and trade for the beleaguered quarterback after Tampa Bay drafted Vinny Testaverde with the first pick of the 1987 draft.  Young was considered a loose cannon on the field by Tampa. Forced to improvise due to a patchwork line, Steve would frequently scramble, and in two seasons had only won 3 games in 19 starts.  For points and purposes he was a bust and discarded for a 2nd and 4th round choice from the Niners.

Steve’s rebirth would begin in San Fransisco as future HoFer Joe Montana’s backup. He’d become the league’s best insurance premium, tutored by coaching wiz Bill Walsh and his offensive staff. As Young would bide his time, Montana’s age and frailty would emerge, and at some points a quarterback controversy would emerge. In 1991 after Montana was sidelined for the season, it was largely believed that this was Young’s shot at being the team’s starter, but after injury and relative ineffectiveness- Young would be locked in a quarterback controversy with Steve Bono briefly losing the job to him. He would recover the starting job, but the team only won 10 games and missed the playoffs.

Young would respond by leading the team to the NFC Championship game the next season in 1993, and was named the league’s offensive MVP. Despite his accomplishments, Young would still have to suffer with fans and the owner expressing their desire to see Montana return to the starting role.

With Bono and Young in the fold at the beginning of 1994 though, Montana was expendable to the 49ers and they traded him to greener pastures in Kansas City ending all controversy. Steve would lead the 49ers to SuperBowl victory at the conclusion of the season and was named NFL MVP again setting an NFL record completing over 70% of his passes.

With Young under center the 49ers always were a threat while consistently making the playoffs throughout the 1990s, but Steve suffered multiple concussions due to his competitive style, 290 sacks, and refusal to dive with his feet. He’d retire at the conclusion of the 1999 season, refusing an offer to join Mike Shannahan in Denver.  After posting a 3-16 record in Tampa, Young would go 91-33 with the 49ers.

Since football, Steve has remained active in his charity “The Forever Young Foundation”- which serves children who face significant physical, emotional, and financial challenges by providing academic, athletic, and therapeutic opportunities unavailable to them. He is also a commentator on the NFL draft and also ESPN. He is avidly involved in Utah Sports and is the great-great-great grandson of Brigham Young.

Steve was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, and had his number retired by the 49ers bringing his career full circle. Winner of 6 passing titles, a then record 112.8 passer rating, the Super Bowl MVP of XXIX, (throwing a record 6 touchdowns)- Young was an AP 4 times, MVP twice and named to 7 Pro Bowls over his career to go along with numerous passing titles repeated 4 times over.  Steve is also recognized as the NFL career leader in rushing touchdowns with 43, (although Otto Graham finished with 44, but the old AAFL’s statistics were not accepted into the NFL statistic books.)

G/Gs 169/143    Att  4149    Comp  2667     Yds   33124     Pct  64.3      Td  232   Int  107   Rat  96.8  |
Rush  722        Yds 4239        Avg  5.9        Td  43      Lg  49

Retrospect video of  Young’s career: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d80130084/Hall-of-Fame-Steve-Young

 

NFL

Pearson, Preston

Card: Topps 1978
Acquired: In Person 1993, South Austin Card Convention

Preston Pearson was considered ahead of his time. One of the first 3rd down scatback specialists, Pearson was originally a 12th round choice of the Baltimore Colts back in 1967. What is more amazing is that he was drafted based on his athletic skill, since he never played a down of college football at the University of Illinois.  Preston would play through 1969 with the Colts primarily as a kick returner.  In 1968 he’d return 15 kicks for 527 yards and 2 touchdowns and his 35.1 yard return average for the season is 6th all time. Preston before departing from Baltimore would play in Super Bowl III when the Colts lost to the Jets.

In 1970, Preston would sign with the Steelers.  During his tenure he’d see a career high in rushing with 605 yards rushing in 1972 and 4 touchdowns in 1974. He’d appear in SuperBowl IX with the Steelers, before signing with the Dallas Cowboys and appeared in Super Bowl XII and XIII. Over the latter half of his career the Cowboys would utilize Pearson in more of the 3rd down back role. He’d lodge career highs in receptions (47) and yards receiving (535) during his tenure with Dallas retiring after the 1980 season, finishing his career with 9841 yards from scrimmage. Among his more odd accomplishments is the fact he played for Don Shula, Tom Landry and Chuck Noll. Preston is the president of Pro-Style Associates.

G/Gp  176/N/a        Rush  941      Yds 3609      Avg  3.8     Td  13       Lg  53   |
Rec 254     Yds 3095      Avg 12.2       Td 17       Lg 61
KR  114             Yds  2801              Avg  24.6              Td  2             Lg   102


 

NFL

Irvin, Leroy

Cards: Pacific 1991, ProSet 1989
Acquired: In Person 2011, Christian Okoye Foundation Camp

I had 3-4 of Leroy’s cards sitting in my box to send out, so when I went to the Foundation Camp hosted by Christian Okoye  and Leroy showed up, I recognized him immediately from the cards I had of him. Hedging my bets, I just packed all the boxes of cards the night before I left to go to the camp, so I was able to easily track down Leroy’s cards in the box I had.  I watched him conduct defensive back drills with the kids, while he slightly embarrassed his son who was there in attendance also as a participant. The other players also heckled him, because apparently he’s quite the ladies man.

After practice was over the players signed autographs for the kids. Leroy was kind enough to ink these two cards for me. He was impressed that I had a card with him in his Detroit Lions uniform, as he played there for one season in 1990 at the end of his career. When asked by another fan which team was better, Leroy quickly responded that he played for the Los Angeles Rams for 8 seasons, so he was sure that  the Rams were the better franchise, than playing for the Lions for that single season.

A speedster out of Kansas, Leroy Irvin was drafted  in the the 3rd round of the 1980 draft by the Los Angeles Rams. The team would stick him at cornerback and also at punt returner. In 1981, he set the NFL record for most punt return yards in a single game with 204 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. Leroy would lead the league with 615 in punt return yards, a 13.4 yard average, and 3 punt returns for touchdowns- earning All Pro honors. He’d follow it up again with AP honors in 1982.

Irvin would be incorporated more in the secondary in 1983 and he’d start over 10 games for the first time in his career at cornerback. In 1985 and 1986 Irvin would be named to the Pro Bowl, and also earn AP honors for the latter.  With the addition of Jerry Gray in 1985, Irvin and Gray would form one of the best cornerback duos in the league. Irvin would play with the Rams through the 1989 season, signing Plan B with the Lions in 1990, where he’d finish his career and retire.  Unfortunately for the makers of the game, they were not aware of Irvin’s tremendous speed or previous seasons, hence the gods of Tecmo Bowl, looked poorly upon Irvin and made him one of the worst starting defensive backs in the game.

Besides playing football and coaching Leroy has been working in the mortgage industry and also started his own line of NFL merchandise.

G/Gs  159/123      Tac   N/a       Sac 1.5    Fum 18    Int  35   Yds 676    Avg 19.3     Td 5    lg 81t   |

Pr 147           Yds 1457        Avg  9.9      Td 4    lg  84t