Tag Archives: chicago bears

NFL

Howley, Chuck (2)

pset90 howleyudldg97 howley

Cards: ProSet 1990 Super Bowl MVP,  Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Home
Sent: 3/12    Received:  3/18     (6 days)
See Also:  Chuck Howley

Considered one of the greatest linebackers Tom Landry had ever seen, the bionic Chuck Howley split time between the Bears and the Cowboys. It would be with his Super Bowl V efforts, (the only one in which a player from the losing player won the MVP honors,) that Chuck really received his due.  The next season the Dallas Cowboys won Super Bowl VI, and Chuck retired officially after the 1973 season.  The 6 time Pro Bowler, and 5 time All Pro, made every one of those years playing for the Cowboys and is a member of the 20/20 club – with more than 20 interceptions and sacks in their career (although sacks weren’t an official statistic until 1982).  A cornerstone of the “Doomsday Defense”, the Cowboys traded a 2nd and 9th round pick to the Chicago Bears to acquire Howley, who had suffered from a catastrophic knee injury that kept him out of the previous 1960 season.  He earned numerous accolades since retirement from his native West Virginia where he was born and also from the state of Texas. The Cowboys inducted Howley into their Ring of Honor in 1977.  Chuck Howley- What a name. Just has that iconic ring to it that screams physical, down in the dirt, classic, football player. Now this is definitely a Cowboy I’d vouch for that deserves to be in the HoF. He’s got the stats, the championship, and the MVP honor.

I had been kicking the can down the road on Chuck for a while, but I had these two great cards sitting around and had to give it a shot. The ProSet 1990 Super Bowl MVP cards, that were included in the set, covered SuperBowls I-XXIV. Merv Corning did some amazing illustration for these pieces and I’d love to get a few more of these signed. I’ve also become fond of the Upper Deck Legends 1997 set. There’s some excellent photography, design, and typography in this definitive set.

NFL

Fencik, Gary

Card: Topps 1985
Acquired: Canton Acquisition, 2012

A 10th round draft choice out of Yale- by the Miami Dolphins in 1976, nobody really gave Gary Fencik a chance to make the team roster; However by the time he retired after the 1987 season, he was the Chicago Bears All-Time leader in career interceptions (38) and tackles. Gary didn’t even make it out of camp before he was cut, and the Bears snatched him up where he appeared in 13 games his rookie season. In 1977 Fencik, earned the starting job at Strong Safety and held the position for the next 5 seasons, before he shifted over to Free Safety. Gary earned AP honors in 1981 with 6 interceptions for 121 yards and a touchdown, and a Pro Bowl nomination for his efforts both in 1980 and 81.

With the shift to Free Safety in 1983, Gary saw his time increase as an enforcer closer to the line of scrimmage in defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan‘s scheme. Although Fencik had a super 1984 season with 5 interceptions, a sack, and a fumble recovery, he didn’t find himself earning anymore accolades, but in 1985 contributed to the Bears 15-1 Super Bowl winning season, playing in one of history’s greatest defenses and participating in the Super Bowl Shuffle. Retirement came after the ’87 season, which came on his own terms.

Gary has been in the in the financial industry since 1995. He’s also spent time as a color and in studio commentator for WGN and CBS.

G/Gs 164/140      Tac  1220        Sac  2.0     Fum 13
Int 38          Yds 488       Avg      Td  1       lg 69

NFL, WLAF

Gilbert, Greg

scan0001Card: Pro Set 1991
Acquired: TTM work 2013, C/o Central Florida University
Sent: 2/5     Received: 2/28     (25 days)

Greg Gilbert played for the Crimson Tide of Alabama from 1985-1988 posting 256 tackles. In his banner  Sophomore season he recorded 103 tackles, (5 TFL), recovered 2 fumbles, and intercepted a pass. While he posted 90 tackles in his Junior season (second on the team,) an injury riddled Senior season sent his draft stock plummeting. Gilbert was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 6th round of the 1989 NFL draft. He’d then spend the 1990 season on the roster of the Indianapolis Colts after some training camp action with the Raiders, a team that he returned to in 1991 after a training camp stop with the Eagles.

In 1991, the San Antonio Riders, (coached by Alabama alum Mike Riley,)  selected Greg Gilbert with the second overall pick of the league’s initial positional draft (after Wayne Davis, Orlando). Starting for the Riders at linebacker in the team’s 3-4 alignment, Gilbert starred alongside linebackers Tim Walton and Mark Ledbetter.  He’d make a pick for 15 yards that year, but by the end of the season was on the roster of the Barcelona Dragons. Greg played in 1992 with the Dragons again before the league suspended operations until 1995.

Gilbert is a player that I had been trying to find for a long time. Occasionally I will do Google searches of players, and sometimes, I get a hit. I happened to get lucky and find Greg working for Central Florida University where in 2012 he was named Associate Director of Athletics Development. Since 1995 Greg has been an outstanding member of the business community, working in communications, marketing, and consulting roles.  I immediately put a letter in the mail to him, and he responded in a little under a month. He enclosed a nice note to me, thanking me for the nice letter and how much it means to be remembered, and how great the league was, as they were all just kids trying to play the game they loved. Really nicely put.

G/Gs  N/a    Tac  N/a   Sac  N/a   Fum N/a    Int 1   Yds 15    Avg 15.0   Td 0   lg N/a