Category Archives: NFL

NFL

Barnett, Harlon

 

Cards:  Action Packed Rookies 1990, GameDay 1992, Topps 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Michigan State University
Sent: 7/20   Received: 7/28  (8 days)

Harlon Barnett was a outstanding hard hitting defensive back  who served as a team captain for the Michigan State Spartans back in the late 1980s. At 5-11, 180 he was a bit undersized to play safety but converted to free safety his senior season and earned All American Honors recording 69 tackles, 3 picks, and 3 fumble recoveries.

The Browns would take a stab at their home state product, and nab Harlon in the 4th round of the 1990 draft. After missing the majority of his rookie season with a back injury, Barnett would return to the line up in 1991 as the team would reshuffle its secondary after the departure of Felix Wright to Minnesota and the drafting of Eric Turner. As injuries would continue to plague the Browns beleaguered secondary, Barnett would start 10 games, making a modest 60 tackles and 1 sack that season. After a lackluster 1992, Harlon would sign with the New England Patriots and play for them 2 seasons making 4 interceptions. In 1995 he’d head over to Minnesota and retire after the 1996 season. Barnett is an astute student of the game and headed into coaching with stops at LSU and Cincinnati. He is currently the defensive backs coach of Michigan State where I got his autograph on these 3 cards in a short 8 days.

Great cards here of Harlon, who was more of a role player and special teams star for the teams he was on. Action Packed once again had a stellar scouting team in place, and had a rookie card out before his rookie season really got underway. This Topps 1992 card was when they finally got the message that action shots were important to collectors. It’s a good shot of Harlon as well, and along with the GameDay cards, these represented the 3 cards I had in my collection of the former MSU star.

G/Gs  99/54     Tac  264    Sac  2.0    Fum 3      Int 4     Yds 91    Avg 22.7      Td 0       Lg 40
Barnett makes a pick against the ‘Canes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB2sKwemGUM
Anthony Johnson takes it on the nose from Harlon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w53R0bikjjw&feature=related

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Garrett, Judd

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 Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, Ultimate WLAF 1992, ProSet WLAF 1991 LL, ProSet WLAF 1991 WB, Ultimate WLAF 1992 LL, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: In Person 1993, TTM 2011, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, C/o The Dallas Cowboys
Sent: 8/13  Received: 8/20  (7 days)
Failure: 2010, C/o The Dallas Cowboys

The Garrett family has a long lineage of players who have made it to the professional level. Father Jim, and brothers Jason and John have all played or coached in the NFL or WLAF.

Judd Garrett was drafted in the 12th round of the 1990 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He’d be released, but quickly placed on Dallas’ IR list. The WLAF London Monarchs would draft Judd to play runningback for the team in 1991.  While Garrett would spend very little of his time rushing the ball, he’d be an exceptional receiver out of the backfield, making a league high 71 receptions in 1991. In World Bowl I, he’d set a World League record with 13 receptions during the game. He’d return to the Monarchs in 1992, and while the team sunk, Judd would still amass 55 more receptions, finishing his brief career as the WLAF’s leading receiver with 126 catches.  He’s also notable as being the first points scored in the WLAF as he was stuffed in the endzone by the Frankfurt Galaxy for a safety.

ult92 jugarrettAfter playing for the WLAF he’d sign with the Cowboys again. I’d get his autograph at camp but he’d not make the squad. Garrett would play in the CFL for two seasons after that with the Las Vegas Posse (1994) and the San Antonio Texans (1995) before his playing career ended.

Judd went into coaching where he’s served with the Saints (1997-1999), Dolphins (2000-2005), Rams (2006-2007) and is currently serving in the front office of the Cowboys along with his brothers Jason and John.  I attempted to get the autographs of all 3 earlier this year, but met with no success.  I sent again just to Judd in early August and was happy to get a seven day turn around plus a very nice thank-you letter for being a fan and for following him and the league.

G/Gs N/a     Rush  28         Yds    78         Avg  2.8     Td 0    Lg 15   |
Rec  126     Yds  1129    Avg 9.0   Td 2    Lg 47

 

NFL

Carroll, Wesley

Cards: Score 1991, Star Pics 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Topps 1992, ProSet 1991.
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home.
Sent: 7/19   Received: 7/25  (6 days)

Wesely had apparently fallen behind on his TTM autographing. As from what I had researched he had not been signing anything in roughly a year, when all of  a sudden sports collectors.net started registering some hits that got progressively smaller in date range. I went ahead and took a stab at Wesely, partially because he was on my list for Action Packed Rookies to get signed, and also because he was a member of the Miami-FL team that handed the University of Texas one of its most embarrassing bowl losses. I sent him 3 cards to sign, and 2 additional cards to keep. He ended up signing all of them and returning them in a scant 6 days.

A fifth year player, Carroll played 3 years at Mississippi Junior College before transferring to UM in 1989. A fine all around athlete with good size, Wesely made a good slot receiver due to his willingness to block and also fearlessness over the middle. In his senior season at Miami he registered 952 yards and 6 touchdowns on 61 receptions. At the time of his departure from the college he ranked second all time with 114 catches.

The Saints would make Carroll their second round choice in the 1991 draft and he’d be one of 11 from Miami taken that year. A modest rookie season would leave Carroll with 18 receptions and a touchdown in 12 games in 1991. He’d follow that up with 5 starts in 1992, grabbing another 18 balls for 292 yards including a 72 yard bomb for a TD. This would be statistically his best season. In 1993 Carroll would sign with the Bengals via free agency adding 8 more catches to his resume,- but racked up a heavy injury bill over his short playing time and retired before the 1994 season.
Further investigation reveals a workers compensation claim that Carroll won against the Saints and Bengals for his injuries in 2010 that covered industrial injuries to his cervical spine, lumbar spine, left upper extremity, both knees, left lower extremity, left thumb, and hypertension, causing 46% disability and need for further treatment. It is with this, that I hope that Wesley is enjoying as restful a retirement as physically possible.

G/Gs  40/5    Rec 42     Yds  557       Avg  13.3     Td 3      Lg 72t