Tag Archives: action packed 1990

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Rypien, Mark (2)

Card: Action Packed 1990
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 12/12/16    Received:  1/3/17  (22  days)
See Also:  Mark Rypien

The first success I got in calendar 2017, Mark Rypien was kind enough to sign 1 of 3 cards I sent him. He inscribed the one card with Super Bowl XXVI MVP, which I thought was still cool.  Rypien’s family drips with athleticism.  His daughter has carried on in his footsteps and is a quarterback in the Lingerie Football League, while his Nephew, Brett is a starting quarterback for Boise St.

In 2014 the Washington Redskins inducted Mark into their Ring of Fame. Rypien spent eight seasons with the Redskins. From 1986 to 1993 he started 72 games for the Redskins, completing 1,244 passes for 15,928 yards and 101 touchdowns. Modestly, Rypien dedicated his enshrinement to his teammates and the 55,000 or so fans that showed up every week to cheer on the team during his magical 1991 Super Bowl and MVP run.

NFL

Fox, Mike (DL)

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: 2018, Paid Signing

At defensive tackle, Mike Fox could come alive and take over a game during his college days. A dominant defender, Fox was considered one of the best defensive linemen  to ever play for West Virginia. He had his best year in his Senior campaign, when he had 71 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks earning him Honorable Mention All-American.

He’d be selected in the second round by the New York Giants, who decided that his massive frame (6’6″, 272) was a good fit for their 3-4 alignment. They thought he had the versatility to play both defensive end and nose.  The Giants were pretty stacked with Erik Howard and Leonard Marshall, but were always looking for up and coming talent. Mike played sparingly his rookie year, but won Super Bowl XXV as a member of the team.

Mike’s best year with the Giants came as a full time starter in 1993. Playing at right defensive end he had 32 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. He’d play with New York through 1994, and then was selected by the Carolina Panthers during their expansion draft. He had his best season as a pro for the expansion Panthers in 1995, posting 42 tackles, and 4.5 sacks in 16 starts. Over the next 3 additional seasons, injuries would catch up with Mike and hamper his productivity. The Panthers left him exposed for the Cleveland Browns Expansion Draft in 1999 but he’d go unselected. Soon thereafter he’d be cut and retired.

Mike seldom signs through the mail, so to get him on a cheap paid signing didn’t really ruffle my feathers too much. His autograph is pretty pedestrian, but the card is really nice. Thankfully he signed it on the front and not in that tiny autograph box on the back.

G/GS 133/84    TAC 198    SAC 17.0    FUM 4
INT 0     YDS 0       AVG -.-    TD 0    LG -.-

NFL

Fryar, Irving (2)

Cards: Action Packed 1990, Action Packed 1991, GameDay 1992
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o New Jerusalem House of God
Sent:  1/13            Received:  3/17     (64 days)*
See Also: Irving Fryar
* Donation Enclosed

I had seen a fair amount of TTM returns coming in for Irving Fryar for a nominal donation. Armed with a few extra cards I always wanted to get autographed, I decided to give him another shot.
To be honest, things have been rough for Fryar since his playing days, as he has been in and out of trouble with the law for mortgage fraud. He was released in 2016 after serving 8 months in prison.

GameDay and Action Packed were among the most gimmicky of the early 90s cards you could get, but early on they rewarded you with outstanding action shots of your favorite players.  I couldn’t decide between these 3 cards, so I went ahead and sent all three out and took a shot. I really liked the GameDay card. It’s impactful and the framing is deliberate and precise. You can feel that Fryar is right at the moment of making that catch. The Action Packed 1991 is a very nice profile picture taken and framed at just the right size.  While the 1990 Action Packed card does nothing to stand out from his other cards, it is a rarity to see- little less to have autographed.