Tag Archives: Dallas Cowboys

NFL

Smith, Jimmy “Silk”

Cards: Star Pics 1992, ProSet 1992
Acquired: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992
See Also: Jimmy Smith Lightning

Another one of these great autograph stories was Jimmy Smith out of tiny Jackson State University. His rookie Star Pics 1992 card I had extensive player information on the back, down to things like nicknames, so when I saw players, I was sure to initiate contact with them by calling them by that nick. Jimmy was seeing the trainers along with Ricky Blake and a few other players in training camp and Josh and I had shrewdly decided to camp our spot in autograph alley throughout the whole morning practice. We recognized Smith so I erroneously called him ‘Slick’. When he signed my cards and told me his nickname was silk,  -we looked at the back of his card, to which I admitted I was wrong . We had a good laugh at my expense, so he was sure to add in his nickname with parenthesis so I could get it right. (He was a rare 2 card signer.)

Jimmy was a second round choice of the Dallas Cowboys, who were looking for that special slot receiver to go with Alvin Harper and Michael Irvin. Smith would find himself on injured reserve from a broken leg in 1992 and a freak appendectomy in 1993.  The team would become impatient with him and cut Smith in 1994 over the fault of the appendectomy Smith had sustained. The Eagles would immediately claim him off of waivers but he would not make the roster of the squad. For all points and purposes- Jimmy Smith’s career was dead on arrival after 3 seasons, -but Jimmy’s mom would not be deterred.

On a whim, Tom Coughlin coach of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars would give Jimmy a final shot because his mother sent a highlight tape for Coach Coughlin to look at. Smith’s first season with the Jags in 1995 was more like a rookie season for him as he had never seen the field playing for the Cowboys. He’d quietly earn 288 yards and 22 receptions, scoring his first 3 touchdowns of his career. In 1996 however, Silk would burst onto the NFL scene with his first of 7 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Injury would slow Smith down in 2003 where he’d only notch 800 yards, but he’d return to form for his final two seasons in 2004 and 2005 with 1,000 yards in each season for the Jaguars. A devastating combo when paired with Keenan McCardell, Smith as the career leader in yards and touchdowns for the Jaguar franchise. His 12,000+ yards ranked him 10th all time at retirement. So much for a guy who was cut by the Cowboys out of spite over medical issues… From 1997-2001 Jimmy would be named to the ProBowl and in 1999 he’d lead the NFL in receptions with 116 (6th in NFL history at the time).

Jimmy from time to time has had some issues with drugs, and with the backlog of wide receivers now waiting to get into the Hall has not made it easier for him to find himself anywhere near the final ballot. He currently resides in Florida and works in radio.  I’ll probably make another loop around later to get Jimmy as I have another card or two of his I’d love to get signed.

G/Gs 178/150   Rec  862      Yds  12287       Avg  14.3      Td 67      Lg  75T
NFL

Millen, Hugh

Cards: GameDay 1992, ProSet 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz, In Person 1993, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Hugh was a veteran journeyman whose best years as a quarterback came playing for the New England Patriots for Dick MacPherson during the early 90s. Millen was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams out of Washington in the 3rd round of the 1986 draft. After breaking his ankle in training camp he became an unlucky casualty of the Jim Everett trade the next season. For the next two seasons, Millen would back up oft injured Chris Miller in Atlanta, starting 3 games and picking up some garbage time. Heading Plan B to New England in 1991 and 1992, he’d share time with Tom Hodson and Scott Zolak as starting quarterback of the team. His most notable game was when the team upset the Oilers on the weekend of ‘Babygate’ throwing to Greg McMurtry in the final minutes of the game. With the team’s collapse again in 1993, Millen would be traded to the Cowboys and the Patriots would select Drew Bledsoe.  He wouldn’t play in a game, but would sign my Game Day card in camp that season- as he would be released with the signing of Bernie Kosar. With Aikman, Kosar, and Jason Garrett, Hugh was once again expendable and would sign with the Dolphins. In 1994, Hugh would sign with the Denver Broncos where he’d finish out his career over the next two seasons backing up John Elway. For the 1996 season he’d sign with the New Orleans Saints but would not make the roster of the team and retire. He currently lives in Washington.

GameDay really had a nice card set when they came out in 1992. Its unique design coupled with innovative Photoshop masks to desaturate the background,  leave the players firmly in the focus of the image. Well tracked type, does not cloud the picture plane and helps activate the white space outside of the image area. When I got signatures on GameDay cards it was because most of them had a certain “whoa” factor that really caught my eye.

G/Gs  40/25      Att 928     Comp 560     Yds 6440    Pct 60.3      Td 22    Int 35     Rat  73.5

NFL

Noonan, Danny

Cards: ProSet 1989, Action Packed 1990
Acquired: In Person 1990,1991, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

A Home grown All-American defensive lineman at Nebraska, Danny Noonan was selected in the first round of the 1987 draft by the Tom Landry era Dallas Cowboys. He’d be the 4th DL off the board in the top 12 coming behind Reggie Rucker, Jerome Brown, and Shawn Knight.

Noonan had a difficult time living up to the team’s expectations, as he was frequently injured and had trouble keeping up with the speed of the game. He’d have a decent season in 1988, making 7.5 sacks and pulling in an interception for a touchdown, but as Jimmy Johnson took over as head coach in 1989, Danny by then had additional problems maintaining his playing weight. (It was then later revealed that Noonan had been a steroid user in his playing days at Nebraska and had tested positive before the combine- something the Cowboys had to have known before they drafted him.)

After his 1988 season, everything seemed to unravel, and by 1991 he had been cut by Dallas. Signed by the Packers, who needed defensive line depth, he’d play there for a season. He’d retire after a short 2 game stint with the Broncos in 1993.

A criminal justice major, Danny went back to school and got a business degree with a specialty in e- business. He also did some web management, helping to originate huskerpower.com and is now a financial advisor in the greater Omaha area. To stay in shape he does some jiu-jitsu and martial arts to keep up with his kids.

I got Danny’s autograph twice during training camp that first year during the first or second day, near the entry way of the St. Edwards campus building that they went into at the end of practice. At first this seemed like the primo place to get autographs, then we realized it was all about the fence line near the edge of the practice field that was the best spot to nab autographs.

G/Gs 73/41   Tac n/a     Sac 15   Fum n/a
Int  1  Yds 17   Avg 17.0   Td 1   Lg  17T