Tag Archives: score 1989

Blades, Brian


Cards: ProSet 1989, Score 1989, GameDay 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 7/19   Recieved: 11/5 (109 days)*
*Slight delay. Forwarded from old address

Brian Blades, along with his brother Bennie were members of Jimmy Johnson‘s University of Miami squad during the late 80s. Brian would be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the stacked wide receiver 1988 draft that included such names as Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, Anthony Miller, Wendell Davis, and Willie “Flipper” Anderson being taken off the board before Blades’ name would be called near the back end of round two.  The Seahawks were looking for a compliment or replacement for long in the tooth, Hall of Fame shoe-in Steve Largent.

A bit undersized at 5-11, Brian made up for it with his route runnning and hands.  He would make a nice fit for the ‘Hawks, and put in decent numbers his rookie season starting 7 games and making 40 receptions. In 1989, he’d have his best season as a pro earning AP marks with 77 receptions for 1063 yards and 5 TDs. The torch was effectively passed, as Largent retired after the season.  A disappointing 1990, with teams easily double teaming Blades would shut him down, halving his numbers.  (It also didn’t help that quarterback Dave Krieg had an increasingly short amount of time to function in the pocket.)  The Seahawks would decide to rebuild drafting signal-caller Dan McGwire in the first round of the 1991 draft, jettisoning Krieg to free agency.  In the meantime the team would go through a series of coaching changes and a quarterback carousel. Despite everything Blades would break the 1000 yard barrier again that season, before an injury plagued 1992 took his season after 6 games, but he’d quickly returned to form posting 2 back to back 80+ catch seasons, and a 77 catch season in 1995.

Over the next 3 final seasons, Brian’s career would be consumed by personal tragedy, after a gun discharged accidentally fatally injuring his cousin in 1996. He’d be placed on trial and be found guilty of manslaughter, but the charges would be dismissed by the judge, within hours based on lack of evidence. His numbers would decline due to injury, and he would retire before the 1999 season.

Blades played his entire 11 season career with the Seahawks and the team would honor him with an induction into the team’s 35th anniversary team.  I always got he and his brother Bennie confused but none the less, you could always count on Brian on Tecmo Super Bowl to come through in a pinch for the punchless Seahawks.  I got Brians autograph in about 100 days on these 3 dynamic cards.

G/Gs 156/124      Rec  561    Yds  7620     Avg 13.1        Td  34      Lg 80t

Irvin, Michael

Cards: Score 1989, SkyBox 1992
Acquired: In Person Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1990, Berger Stadium 1997.

Let’s face it, Michael Irvin’s public relations man for the Cowboys should have gotten into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot and certainly Michael Irvin shouldn’t have gotten in sniffing distance within his first 10 tries. Michael Irvin was another player from the productive University of Miami under Jimmy Johnson. Irvin was drafted by Tom Landry‘s Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1988 draft.  His impact was not amazing and his first three seasons were injury plagued starting only 27 games. (In 1991, it was even rumored Irvin was on the bubble to even make the team.) He’d respond in 1991 by leading the league in receiving yards with over 1500 yards receiving en route to 5 straight 1200+ yard seasons only interrupted by a drug suspension in 1996 where he had only 962 yards. In 1997 he’d rebound for 2 more 1000 yard seasons before retiring in 1999 after a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veteran’s Stadium where Michael suffered a devastating concussion. As Irvin laid motionless on the turf and when he was brought off the field- the fans actually cheered. During his time as a member of the ‘Dallas Triplets’ (Irvin,Aikman,Smith) the team won 3 Superbowls and Irvin was named to 5 straight ProBowls being named 1st team All-Pro in 1991.

After a comical incident with the Austin Police department where he was busted speeding and evaded arrest by parking his car in a lot- that turned out to be the Austin Police Department’s car lot back in the early 90s- Irvin’s legacy was tarnished by his controversial off the field record. You see, Michael Irvin had some…. ‘issues’ as a cocaine user.While never being officially busted under the league’s drug rules, Michael was busted in 1996 throwing a stripper filled, cocaine fueled 30th birthday party bash by the cops. In 1998 Irvin attacked teammate Everett McIver with a pair of scissors slashing the player’s neck. Michael also was caught in a drug sting by Dallas Police exchanging a lamp for a bag- ‘of something’. Michael then was busted in 2000 on drug paraphernalia charges and in 2005 was also pulled over for speeding, cited for more paraphernalia, and then arrested for outstanding warrants. He was fired from ESPN in 2007. In 2010 he was facing a civil lawsuit from a sexual assault allegation but still managed to be hired by the NFL Network as a commentator. (I’ve never been impressed by his commentary either and recently they allowed him to bring his ‘insight’ to the table for the 2011 NFL draft.)

Despite all these things, Michael was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his third try in 2007 with other more deserving wide receivers and players left waiting at least another year. In receiving yardage, Irvin is currently ranked 17th. In receptions, Irvin is tied for 27th and in touchdowns, he fares even worse ranking 47th in this category. Such names as Irving Fryar, Cris Carter, Henry Ellard and Andre Reed dominate him across the board. Apparently his SuperBowl victories and mouth meant more to the voting committee than either the other quieter players of the eras numbers or Irvin’s immense rap sheet.

Michael had an infamous run-in with me. After the Oilers left- in a time of temptation before I quit the sport for a few years, I went to an autograph appearance by the Cowboys at Berger Stadium in Austin. Irvin and Walker were set up at the same table that I was at, and when I got to the front- I humbly expressed my happiness that, “The last two Landry era Cowboys were there.” Michael brushed me off stating, “Sure, we hear that all the time and then laughed at me.” Herschel looked awkwardly my way after he and Irvin signed my cards. I then told Irvin, “He could use my other card to cut his drugs with,” and promptly left to his angry cat-calls. I still think he’s a jerk.

G/Gs 159/147      Rec  750     Yds 11904   Avg 15.9     Td 65   Lg 87T

Walker, Herschel

Cards: Action Packed 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1992, Pro Set 1991 Heisman Heroes, Score 1989, Score 1990 Ground Force
Acquired: In Person 1994, 1997, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp.  TTM, 2011. C/o Home
Sent: 1/13/11    Received: 7/5/11  (173 days)


Herschel Walker? In my estimates of some of the great runningbacks in football, I would say I was enthralled by Herschel Walker. I knew who Herschel was before I even watched football. A record breaking machine for the Georgia Bulldogs in college, Walker would be a 3 time All American and win the Heisman in 1982. Herschel was a shrewd businessman, and realized that with the advent of the upstart USFL he could effectively carve his own destiny and make more money off of endorsements. Plus without rules regarding underclassmen, Herschel could declare for the USFL draft as a Junior- something he couldn’t do in the NFL. With that being said, Walker would be drafted by the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 1983.  He’d go on to crush opposing defenses winning the rushing title in both 1983 and 1985 before the league dissolved. In the meantime however, the Dallas Cowboys waited, dropping a 5th round choice on Walker suspecting it would just be a matter of time.

Herschel would join the Cowboys in 1987, and go onto etch his name into the Cowboys faithful minds for years to come not only for his incredible play of which he’d earn ProBowl berths in 1987 and 1988 – but for what would later come to be known as “The Trade”.

The Minnesota Vikings believed they needed one more piece in order to get to the SuperBowl, and in 1989 the Cowboys were looking to rebound from a 3-13 season. Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones found the offer from the Vikings too good to pass up. Without going into details the final totals were astounding. The Vikings would trade the Cowboys 5 players, and 8 draft choices – including 3 first round choices over the next 3 years. Minnesota in return got Walker, 2 3rd round choices, a 5 round choice and a 10th round choice. The implications were far reaching and would set the foundation for the Cowboys championship runs. Looking back in retrospect, it’s hard not to see that Herschel took the trade hard. In the end he was treated as a commodity and his Viking tenure was filled with pressure as being the hailed savior of the franchise.

Walker had just come off a 1500 + yard season rushing for the Cowboys and the Vikings were struggling on the ground.  Inexplicably the Vikings really couldn’t figure out the right way to use Herschel even though he was utilized on kick returns and also as a running back, – he became the butt of jokes in Minnesota. After a failed suicide attempt (by carbon monoxide poisoning) the writing was on the wall for the franchise, and by 1992 the Vikings cut Walker.

Immediately the Eagles came calling with fans hailing Walker as their savior. Walker would not disappoint rushing for over a 1000 yards for the Eagles and posting another 200 plus yards receiving in 1992- his best rushing effort since leaving Dallas. Walker would stay with Philadelphia another 2 years afterwards where I’d get his autograph in West Chester at Eagles training camp that year.

Walker would sign in 1995 with the Giants as a free agent and play one non-descrpit season there before returning home to the Cowboys in 1996. The Cowboys would put him to use as a fullback his final two seasons, where I’d get his autograph in 1997 at Berger stadium (next to Michael Irvin), before he retired.

One wonders how Herschel would have been remembered if he did not go to the USFL or if Michael Irvin was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders instead (as was originally rumored). Combining his numbers from his years in the USFL with his NFL numbers, Walker ranks 5th all time on the rushing list. Herschel also holds the all time record for rushing yards in a football season with 2411 yards. In 1999 he was inducted into the College Football HoF, is widely regarded as the best runningback in the history of college football, had his number retired at Georgia and wrote an autobiography. One of my favorite athletes, (-and easily my favorite Cowboy,) I even owned Herschel’s Starting Lineup figurine. If you played the original Tecmo Bowl, all you could do with the Cowboys is run with Herschel, and that gave you a leg up on the puny Colts. The 1991 offering of Tecmo Super Bowl endeared him to us as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Despite his popularity Walker has remained a stalwart TTM signer, and I got his autographs on the Pro Set 1991 Heisman Heroes, Score 1990 Ground Force, and Score 1989 cards in 173 days.

Herschel at the time of his retirement minus his USFL numbers, was ranked 3rd in total yards from scrimmage with 18,168 combined yards rushing, receiving, and kick returning. Including his USFL numbers, Walker would hold the combined yards from scrimmage number with an additional 7,115 yards. He is also one of a select few players to have a touchdown rushing, receiving and kick returning, all of over 90 yards.

Walker is a through and through athlete. He remains in peak physical shape, and has over the years participated in the Winter Olympics, is a 5th degree blackbelt, and recently taken up mixed martial arts winning by TKO his first two matches.

NFL
G/Gs  187/138   Att 1954   Yds  8225    Avg 4.2   Td  61    Lg 91 |
Rec 512    Yds  4859     Avg  9.5    Td  21   Lg  93 |
Kr  215    Yds 5084     Avg  23.6    Td   2    Lg  94