Tag Archives: action packed 1990

Hoge, Merril (2)

Action Packed All-Madden Team 1990, #37

CARDS: Skybox 1993 Premium, Skybox 1992, Proset 1989, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed All Madden Team 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 7/6 RECEIVED: 8/10 (35 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

The Skybox 1992 set was something completely different at the time and I really enjoyed it. The 1993 Premium set was even more… different. In fact at the time initially I was not a fan of it, however the choice simplicity has really grown on me over the years, and in 2022, the set really has resonated with me. If anything could be more minimal than Skybox 1992, this was it. -Now there’s a certain line to me where minimal just becomes nonsensical, and that to me is Pro Set Platinum 1991. (It’s just a photo with the logo on the front.)

1993 was the crash and burn year for me with trading cards, so I really didn’t get as much of a chance with the 93 Premium set as I’d have liked. I curtailed my spending with girls and Nintendo on my mind, and with there being so many options out there, trading cards quickly became a fleeting fancy at Hollywood Video or something to be snobbish about for the next… 15 or so years.

The All-Madden Team subset was really a filler for me at the time. When I got out of school my mom would stop at 7-11 and I’d pick up a pack to keep the habit going when there wasn’t any other cards to buy. Hoge’s card again is an excellent looking canvas. The AMAD logo is a bit overpowering, but otherwise, it gets by. (There seems to be a heavy amount of artifacts on the card itself, but that was probably from the scanner glass.)

Merril had really good luck with some amazing cards during his run in the NFL. Outside of my personal hiccup, Hoge is a voracious TTM signer and I was not disappointed to see that he decided to sign all 5 cards that I sent him. I could say that all of these were set needs, but that still doesn’t really explain away the fact that I had him sign 5 cards for me. I rarely go for such large numbers anymore, and I figured instead of waiting another 7 years or so, I’d just knock him out now.

Rison, Andre ‘Bad Moon’

Action Packed Rookies 1990, #83

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1990
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Signing

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Andre Rison was a dominant receiver who played at Michigan State.
  • He established career record marks for receptions (146), and yards (2992).
  • Also was a great basketball and track man for the Spartans.
  • Selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft.
  • Was second among all rookie receivers in 1989 with 820 yards, and was the first Colts receiver in almost 10 years to catch over 50 passes in their rookie season (52).
  • He and Bill Brooks were an effective 1-2 punch, pairing for the most 100 yard games since ’68.
  • Well in 1990, the Colts were desperate for a QB, so they packaged up Andre, T Chris Hinton, and draft picks to get the #1 pick from the Falcons to select Jeff George.
  • While the Colts were imploding over the next few years, Rison was reaching new heights in the Falcons Red Gun offense.
  • He also adopted a bad boy persona and became known as ‘Bad Moon’ Rison.
  • He had a career high 93 receptions in ’92, 1,242 yards , and a league leading 15 TDs in 1994.
  • Andre started 73 games over his time in Atlanta, catching 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 TDs over 5 seasons.
  • In 1995, Andre signed with the Browns playing one seasons with the team.
  • After a disappointing season in Cleveland, where he feuded with fans, Rison played in 1996 for the Jags, and then was picked up by the Pack who needed help at receiver.
  • He’d earn a Super Bowl ring that season catching passes from Brett Favre.
  • Rison cashed in after the season, proving that perhaps he just needed a change of scenery from his hiccup two previous seasons ago in Cleveland.
  • Andre had a minor resurgence after he signed with the Chiefs in 1997.
  • He’d catch 72 passes for 1092 yards and 7 TDs, earning the nickname Spider-man.
  • Rison at this point of his career was attempting to rehabilitate his image as a diva, and Spider-man seemed like a positive role model.
  • After a total of 3 seasons in KC, Rison played one final year in the NFL with the Raiders in Oakland.
  • Despite not starting that year, he put up 41 catches for 606 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Rison took some time away from the sport, but returned in 2004 to play for the Toronto Argonauts.
  • He played just long enough to help the team win the Grey Cup, and retired after the 2005 campaign.
  • After his playing days ended, Andre has gone into coaching.

ACCOLADES:

  • Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
  • All-Rookie Team 1989
  • AP 1990
  • 2nd Team AP 1991-’93
  • Pro Bowl 1990-’93, 1997

NOTES:

Boasting an extremely low signing percentage and an ancient last return date there was no way I was going to get Andre through the mail. I knew the best chance I’d have is to probably go through a private signing. I follow a couple of private signers and Facebook pages that promote them, and finally after missing out on one already- I was able to get him affordably on these three cards. The problem is with Andre, as he was an early darling of every set that came onto the scene in those early days of the big card boom, so I literally have probably five or six more set needs. Andre was an excellent receiver on the Atlanta Falcons in Tecmo Super Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl.

Andre has a pretty solid resume, but maybe due to his bad image early in his career that caused him to be perceived as a diva, and then just as a bad guy in general, he’s gotten little traction from voters for the HoF, even though he’s gone to great lengths to dispel his reputation. Despite possessing a 10k resume, and impressive TD numbers, Rison is now caught in the logger jam at WR building from more modern candidates that have inflated numbers due to a game geared more towards the passing game. Andre is also one of a unique club of players who has won both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.

NFL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
7431020513.78480t

CFL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
1517811.9135

Walton, Alvin ‘Crushin’ Kansan’

Action Packed 1990, #280

CARDS: Action Packed 1990, Score Supplemental 1989, Pro Set 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 5/3/21 RECEIVED: 5/10/21 (7 days)

  • Alvin was a top flight safety that the Redskins sniped in the 3rd round of the 86 draft.
  • There wasn’t a ton of tape on Alvin since he had academic issues while playing CB at Kansas.
  • Started 4 games his rookie campaign at S and paid immediate dividends, raking in 75 tackles.
  • Had 2 interceptions in 87, and led team in tackles with 148.
  • An enforcer on the line of scrimmage, racked up 11 tackles for loss that season.
  • In ’88, had monstrous campaign putting together 196 total tackles, 3 picks, and a sack.
  • Again, had a team high in tackles in ’89 with 137, and led team with 4 interceptions, including 1 for a TD- despite missing 3 games due to injury.
  • In ’90, returned a Cardinals interception 57 yards for a TD, and led the team for a 4th consecutive year with 143 tackles.
  • 1991 was largely a wash after suffering a shoulder injury during the contest against the Cowboys in week 2.
  • Lost out in a numbers game during camp in 1992 and was cut.
  • Out of football 3 years, reemerged with the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL in 1994 playing LB.
  • Helped the team win the Grey Cup, in 1995 recording 38 tackles- retiring after the season.

NOTES:

Alvin had some great cards during his time in the NFL. I mean on top of this he still had a great Pro Set ’89 and some other set needs. I had been looking for him for a bit, and was happy to get these back in no time flat.

NFL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
7055.021225821.5261T

CFL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
820000-.-0-.-