Category Archives: NFL

NFL

Kelso, Mark “The Great Gazoo”

Cards: ProSet 1989, Score 1990, Upper Deck 1993
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Mark Kelso always looked like a little kid out there playing football. As the first player to wear a ‘ProCap’ helmet, he was actually over 20 years ahead of the game and its current state in regards to concussions. Mark began wearing the helmet after his first concussion in 1989, when he was diagnosed with migrane syndrome and although it looked quite ridiculous, the helmet with its extra level of padding probably helped Kelso sustain his playing career another 5 years (primarily) for the Bills.  The helmet earned him the nickname ‘The Great Gazoo’, (after the alien from the “Flintstones” TV series, who wore a helmet similar in shape,) and constantly was pointed out and circled by TV commentators- only endearing him to Bills fans further.

Mark Kelso was a safety drafted in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985 out of William & Mary. The Eagles were stacked at the position, so the smaller Kelso standing at 5’11”, 177 found himself in a numbers game and unable to crack the squad. The Bills picked Mark up and he soon became a fixture at free safety for the Bills by the 1987 season. A ball hawk, Kelso always happened to be at the right place, at the right time in the Bills defensive scheme. In 1987 he recorded 6 picks, and recorded 2 fumbles- one of which he returned for a touchdown. He quickly followed the season up in 1988, recording a career high 7 interceptions, for a league leading 180 yards and a touchdown. Mark wasn’t done as he bookended the two season in 1989 with another 6 picks and 2 fumble recoveries. Teams began to throw away from Mark by 1990, respecting his abilities. Over those next two years he’d have back to back 2 pick seasons, before returning to form one more season in 1992 with 7 more interceptions. Mark was truly unsung over his career with the Bills, and while he did post stellar numbers at Free Safety, he received no Pro Bowl nominations or attention for his numbers outside of the AFC East, outside of winning the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year award in 1993 for community development.  Sadly, the ProCap retired with Kelso. It did not catch on because either the perception it was unattractive and/or the helmet makers told players that it would void the warranty of the regular helmet since the ProCap was a ‘stick on’.

Mark has continued to be involved in serious discussions and development of helmet wear to reduce the risk of injuries in pro football and has made his home in Buffalo. He has also done radio color commentary  for Bills games, and is involved with coaching and management of youth sports teams. Oddly, this is the first autograph in the collection where a player inscribed “God Bless” on the card, as opposed to a bible verse.

Part of the ‘Canton Acquisition’, a small collection of autographed cards I acquired from a friend of mine who had fallen on hard times, I found it hard not to justify the purchase. A few of the cards were from players I already had, and after verifying the autographs, I went ahead and made a deal to preserve them from falling into the hands of somebody who might just resell them again. It is a tricky slope, because I am not fond of people who sell or buy autographs, but I felt in this extra ordinary case, the situation was justified. I was disappointed that when I asked the seller about these autographs, he didn’t have any fond memories of the players or why he wrote them- other than the fact that had been doing this in the hope of passing it down to his son.

G/Gs 99/95     Tac  N/a   Fum 8  Sac 0  Int 30    Yds 327    Avg 10.9     Td 1    Lg  78t

NFL

DeCastro, David

Card: Leaf Rookies 2012
Acquired: 2012, Box Breaker

David DeCastro had been on my radar for the Texans right after they lost 2 members of their offensive line to free agency in 2012. He’d be off the board before the Texans even got a whiff of him, going to the Steelers overall with the 24th pick.

DeCastro went to Stanford University, blocking for quarterback Andrew Luck from 2008-2011. He quickly earned notice as a freshman with honorable mention All-Pac 10 honors. After being named a unanimous first team All American in 2011, he declared for the 2012 NFL draft.

He made a great overall impression with his sheer numbers. At 6’4″, 316, he was considered the best guard prospect in the draft, with great lateral speed, and a 5.43 40. The Steelers needed a new man up front to block for Ben Rothlisberger, after the team was gashed early and often by pass rushers last season. Unfortunately in the 3rd game of the preaseason, Decastro suffered a gruesome knee injury, dislocating his knee and tearing his MCL. Thankfully it looks like he will make a full recovery, and with the new NFL rules regarding IR, David hoped to be available by mid-season. Indeed DeCastro made a return in late November, and started the final 3 games of the year for the Steelers.

 

 

NFL

Toon, Al

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1992, ProSet 1990.
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 3/26    Received: 11/23  (242 days)

An incredible track man who actually had great hands, Wisconsin found a steal in Al Toon where he excelled at wide receiver for the Badgers over a 4 year career. Considered a world class athlete he competed for the 1984 Olympic trials in both the triple jump and the hurdles. The most well-rounded wide receiver prospect on the board of the 1985 draft, Al went 10th to the New York Jets. (This draft was a strong draft for the position with notables Eddie Brown, Jerry Rice, Eric Martin, Andre Reed, Jessie Hester, and Steve Tasker all being drafted after him.)

After a respectable rookie season, where he posted a career high 78 yard touchdown, Al had an even better 1986 catching 85 balls for 1,176 yards and 8 touchdowns. It’d be his first AP and Pro Bowl mark. Narrowly missing the 1,000 yard mark in 1987, Toon led the NFL in receptions but still earned his second and third Pro Bowl and AP nominations for his 1987 season and his banner 1988 season, in which he had 93 receptions for 1067 yards. The 93 catches led the NFL and were a Jets record, and he was named the AFC Player of the Year. Brutal 1989 and 1990 seasons limited Toon’s production, but he rebounded in 1991 to lead the team in receptions with 74 and post 963 yards. Lingering concussions ended Al’s playing career after the 1992 season and he became one of the first players to publicly retire due to them and then by 1994 entered the league’s ‘sponsored’ concussion study program as one of its earliest patients.

Al is another great story cut short by the scourge of injury. He is a player that I speculate could have finished his career with near identical numbers to Andre Reed, if he hadn’t have suffered from so many concussions. Also Al played for some horrid Jets teams that had their share of bad quarterbacks as the team collapsed back into anonymity after their miracle 1985 run. During his playing time it was recorded that Toon received some 13 concussions while playing football.

He has suffered from post-concussion syndrome, but has not let it stop him from attempting to remain physically fit and active, and involved with the Badgers. Al was named to the 40th anniversary team of the Jets and has been inducted into the team’s ring of honor. His son, also a WR was recently drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 draft by the New Orleans Saints.

G/Gs 107/95     Rec 517    Yds  6605   Avg  12.8    Td  31   Lg   78t