Tag Archives: Minnesota Vikings

Jones, Henry

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1991
Acquired: TTM, C/o The Buffalo Bills 1992

The 1991 draft was considered in retrospect a fairly stellar draft class for defensive backs. A run in the first ensured that Henry Jones would be the 6th DB off the boards in that round with the 20th pick.  Among the notables taken ahead of Jones were Eric Turner, Todd Lyght and Stanley Richard. (After Jones Aeneas Williams, Merton Hanks, Todd Scott, and Darryll Lewis would all come off the board.) In the end Jones was right where he should.  Although Henry didn’t have a breakout rookie season, his sophomore season would be one for the ages. 1992 would be his AP season. He’d pull down 8 picks for 263 yards including 2 touchdowns- one of them he returned 82 yards for the score. By 1993 teams began to avoid Henry skulking about in the secondary, he did however have a return for 85 yards and a touchdown. By 1995 injuries started impacting Henry’s playing time and most of his 1996 was marred by injury. He’d return in 1997 starting 15 games. In 1998 he’d add an additional 3 picks, and in his final season with the Bills, Jones would have 2 more interceptions and a touchdown, giving him 4 for his career. His 2001 season would be spent with the Minnesota Vikings while a final season in 2002 would be set in stone with the Falcons. Henry’s interception to touchdown ratio for the amount of games played and interceptions made is impressive but aren’t considered exceptional when compared to the top defensive backs in league history, even though there are some players who have made twice as many interceptions but have half as few touchdown returns.

G/Gs 158/134    Tac  585     Sac   5    Fum 7   Int 18    Yds 455   Avg  25.3   Td  4    Lg 85T

McMahon, Jim “Jimmy Mac”

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: In Person 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament

Jim McMahon was the strangest name ever to graduate from the college of BYU. Setting then passing records at the time at the religious institution, he’d be taken by Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears run consumed offense. A practical joker and a guy who loved to goad authority with his free-spirited ways, Jim would be drafted in 1982 with the 5th pick overall and immediately clash with teammates, media, administration, coaches, and the commissioner’s office. Well his rookie season got fairly squealched by the NFL players strike, but he did accomplish a few things including being named starting quarterback of the Bears and NFC Offensive RoY. By 1985 the Chicago Bears juggernaut was rolling through the NFL finishing with a 15-1 record on the back of Jim’s improved play and its nightmarish defense. The team would march into the SuperBowl and crush the Patriots 45-10. They’d even make a commercial along the way called the “Superbowl Shuffle”. McMahon would do other comical things along the way such as moon the camera of a helicopter before the Superbowl while he was getting acupuncture treatment, and get into a heated commercial endorsement battle with commissioner Pete Rozelle over Jim’s headbands. Jim’s response to a fine he received for one of them was to put the word “Rozelle” on the next headband he wore. The commissioner was not amused and fined him again.

McMahon wore out his welcome in Chicago. In a way I always thought  he was beloved by the town of Chicago, but not necessarily by the Bears organization. McMahon was traded to the San Diego Chargers, who pegged him as their savior encouraging him to throw and throw often. Jim’s stint in San Diego did not last long, but it did last long enough for awkward cards to be made of him. 1989 and 1990 were the first major years that Action Packed, Score and Fleer made cards. All of them made cards of him in his San Diego dubs not his Chicago uniform. McMahon was reunited with his former defensive coordinator at Chicago, Buddy Ryan in 1990 when he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. By this point many fans regarded him as washed up and after his short stint in San Diego where he ostracized much of his teammates and coaches. McMahon was considered a pariah. Backing up Randall Cunningham was a perfect stint for him as he’d fit in great with the team culture there. His 1990 season was largely off the radar and out of the media spotlight. A season ending injury would sideline the previously invulnerable Cunningham in 1991, and in trotted Jim McMahon who performed admirably in 11 games, posting an 8-3 record and earning a tough as nails reputation for playing through injury. Jim won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors that season. In 1992 Jim played one more season for the Eagles, but was relegated to the bench. He’d then begin his career as a journeyman quarterback. Beginning his NFC Central tour, McMahon in 1993 would start for 12 games for the Minnesota Vikings, posting an 8-4 record and some of the best statistics of his career. In 1994 McMahon was again reunited with head coach Buddy Ryan (his 3rd such stop with him) where he’d back up Steve Beuerlein in Arizona. After that season Jim signed with the Browns in the offseason, but by the end of the preseason was on the roster of the Green Bay Packers in 1995- backing up Brett Favre. He’d end his career in the right way winning another SuperBowl ring with the Packers, beating ironically the New England Patriots for a second time -10 years after SuperBowl XX.

Along with Mike Cofer (LB Detroit), and Greg Lang (RB Atlanta), McMahon would be among the first players to wear a protective visor for his eyes (see card above). He was also trendy with those headbands and was among the first quarterbacks to regularly wear gloves. Although many would credit this as his legacy, I’d also point out his talented ability to market himself to both the media and commercially that enamored and ostracized fans alike. Notable is Jim’s starting record at quarterback- which was 67-30 (he only posted two losing career records on 6 stops) but in 15 seasons, never played a full season. I met him at the CGA Youth Golf Tourney, where his appearance was a last second add. I was happy to put him in my collection, on this Action Packed card.

McMahon has lost none of his color since his retirement. He owns a team in the IFL called the Chicago Slaughter with his coach (former teammate) Steve McMichael. He reprized his role as  from the infamous “Super Bowl Shuffle” video in 1985 in Boost Mobile’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2010. He plays some golf, makes regular USO appearances as a motivational speaker, and is attempting to finish his college degree from BYU as of 2010. Jim was inducted into the College Football HoF in 1999.

Below are his statistics, “The SuperBowl Shuffle”, a commerical endorsement he did for “Gotcha” Paintball guns, and his appearance on “The Late, Late Show with David Letterman”.

G/Gs  120/97   Att 2573   Comp 1492   Yds 18148  Pct 58.0%   Td 100 Int 90  Rat 78.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFnbYW8MCXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUVsxwivkHA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EBrJCJJr_g&feature=related

Murray, Eddie

Cards: ProSet 1990 PB, ProSet 1991, Score 1990
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1993

One of the rare Canadians who played in the NFL, Eddie Murray graduated from Tulane in 1980 and is most remembered for playing 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions after being drafted in the 7th round. A solidly consistent kicker -during an era of notable kickers, (Pat Leahy, Gary Anderson,Morten Andersen,Norm Johnson, Nick Lowry, etc) Eddie was amongst the best of them named to the ProBowl on numerous occasions and being named MVP of the game in 1981. Named to the NFL All 1980’s team, Eddie finished as 6th all time in scoring before retiring with 1594 points, (but as of 2010 he’s ranked 14th,) and is the highest scoring Canadian born citizen in the NFL record book. He was 238/275 within the 39 yard line and frighteningly effective from 20-29 yards hitting 92 of 98 field goals.

After playing  for the Detroit Lions through 1991, Murray would hop over to the Chiefs and Buccaneers for 1992, then over to the Dallas Cowboys winning a SuperBowl ring in 1993. It was here at training camp I’d get his autograph on 3 separate occasions at camp. He was a really gracious signer and would pretty much sign everything before and after practice. Amazingly after his one year stint with the Cowboys Murray just kept going, playing for the Eagles and Redskins one year a piece through 1995. It was thought he retired in 1996 but was called up by the the Minnesota Vikings where he kicked in 1997, the Cowboys again in 1999 and in 2000 for the Redskins before finally retiring after 21 seasons. He currently lives in relative anonymity in Michigan where in 2010 he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

G/Gs 250/250    Xpa 538   Xpm 545   Pct 98.7%     FGA 352    FGM 466      Pct 75.5%    lg N/a