Category Archives: NFL

Arena, NFL

Swann, Eric

aprks91 eswannCards: Action Packed Rookies 1991, GameDay 1992
Acquired: 2016, Paid Signing

Eric Swann does not sign through the mail. When I saw this affordable signing, it was a no brainer to go ahead and send out two of my favorite cards.

Swann took a unique route to the pro level. Academically ineligible he was unable to begin college at NC State. Instead he enrolled in JC at Wake Technical, but left soon thereafter to join the semi professional football Bay State Titans in 1990.  During his single season with the Titans, Swann rocked the league with 72 total tackles, 11 sacks, 4 blocked field goals, and 4 forced fumbles playing at both defensive end and tackle.

The Arizona Cardinals fell in love with Swann’s unusual combination of size (6’3″, 311), strength (bench press of 400+ lbs), and speed (4.98 40). They’d select Eric with the 6th pick of the first round during the 1991 draft. He’d be the first non-college player chosen in the first round since Emil Sitko was selected by the Rams in 1946.

gday92 eswannSwann’s rookie season was slowed by injuries. Shortly after taking the field in minicamp, he blew out his knee and had to have arthroscopic surgery.  He’d see action in 12 games though, starting 3, and record 4 sacks to go along with 22 tackles.  Swann over the next few years solidified his role on the Cardinal defense, recording a career high 70 tackles in 1992, and 7 sacks in 1994.  Eric also recorded a safety in 3 straight seasons from 1992 to 1994.

1995 marked the first time in some 30 years that a defensive lineman from the Cardinals was named to the Pro Bowl, as Eric recorded the first of his two nominations, with 45 tackles, a career high 8.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. A 1996 followup yielded another 3 fumble recoveries, 5 sacks, and 60 tackles.  Although Swann had an equally dominant 1997 campaign with 7.5 sacks and 52 tackles, he did not see any further Pro Bowls. Eric played for the Cardinals through the 1999 season, joining the Panthers for a final season in 2000.  At the time of his departure from the deserts of Arizona, Swann was the most decorated and feared lineman to play for the Cardinals.

Swann briefly popped up on the football radar again in 2007 playing for the Hudson Valley Saints, and later the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League in 2008.  He was also inducted into the Semi-Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

G/Gs 126/87        Tac 386          Sac 46.5         Fum 6
Int 2          Yds  42         Avg 21.0          Td  1         Lg 42t

NFL

Brooks, Michael

flr90 mbrooksCard: Fleer 1990
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent:  3/16    Received: 4/23    (34 days)

One is better than none- I always say as Michael Brooks returned only this Fleer 1990 card from among the four cards I sent. You never know why he decided to only send one back, but I will assume that it is because he didn’t have the other cards in his personal collection.

Michael Brooks was a 3rd round pick of the Denver Broncos from the 1987 draft.  His draft stock plummeted after Michael had a major knee injury during his final year at LSU. It took Brooks some time to recover, and the Broncos brought him along slowly his rookie year.  Michael eventually made a really nice compliment to Karl Mecklenburg in the linebacking corps. From 1989 to 1992 Michael logged at least 120 tackles in each season, including 2 seasons with over 170 (1990- 175, 1992- 170).  He earned his only Pro Bowl appearance for his 1992 season.

Brooks career continued with the New York Giants in 1993, where he put together 3 more solid 90+ tackle seasons. He’d play 4 games in the 1996 for the Lions, retiring after the season. Brooks is immortalized in Tecmo Super Bowl, and was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

G/GS   138/113        TAC   962              SAC 7.0               FUM   9
INT 4          YDS  34          AVG 8.2          TD 0            LG 17

NFL, University of Texas

Jackson, Lee ‘Lee J’

tntcol ljackson Card: TNT College
Acquired: In Person 2016, Mighty Fine Burgers Battle of the Beast

Lee Jackson has had an interesting football career. He arrived at the University of Texas in 1998, in the same year the school hired coach Mack Brown. He overhauled the defense, and Jackson got the nod at Free Safety in 1999, and was named as Texas’ Most Outstanding Defensive Newcomer.  In 2000, things went sideways when Jackson suffered a nagging season long hamstring injury.  Buried on the depth chart, Jackson was given an opportunity to shift to linebacker by the coaching staff in 2001 and after an encouraging Spring things were looking up.  Lee then had a toe injury that sidelined him for the season. In the meantime the Longhorns saw the emergence of All American Derrick Johnson at linebacker.  Still it was onward and upward for Jackson in 2002.  With a full injury free season at linebacker in 2003,  Lee capped his career recovering a pair of fumbles and returning one 46 yards for a touchdown to help the Longhorns earn a 35-20 win against LSU in the Cotton Bowl.

With an intriguing pro day, Jackson became a priority free agent after the 2003 draft. He’d be signed by the Tennessee Titans but did not make the squad.  Jackson quickly found his footing… as an actor, joining the cast of Friday Night Lights.

Lee is frequently seen at UT events- or at least the ones I go to. I first met him way back at the UT Neighborhood Alumni Bowling Tournament in 2013. He and I just sat there chilling while everybody else bowled talking about football. Later I ran into him at the grand opening of Derrick Johnson’s new sport performance gym in 2014. I caught up with him and I brought up football cards and how he was on Tecmo Rose Bowl. He was excited to know I was involved with those things. It took me a long time to find a photo, but eventually I got his card made. In 2016, I ran into him at the Mighty Fine event and gave him his card. He was very touched by what I did and I know it meant a lot to him. We exchanged pleasantries and talked for about 15 minutes.

Some of my fellow collectors call him ‘Hollywood Longhorn’,  but I scoff at that notion, because Jackson’s career contributions are frequently overlooked due to his injuries and position changes. To me, his LSU game alone justifies him in any course.