The season had ended and I got a letter two weeks later stuffed with cards from the Indianapolis Colts! For a team that finished- 1-15, it still made me super happy to get these cards from the players. Maurice Carthon was in that lot. Initially unheralded Maurice Carthon- blocking fullback to the stars- would be signed by the upstart USFL, where he’d block for the New Jersey Generals and… football rushing record holder Herschel Walker. After the 1985 season, Carthon didn’t miss a beat jumping straight to the New York Giants. A strong inside runner with excellent run blocking skills and impressive pass protection ability, Maurice would play for the Giants primarily during the Bill Parcells era winning a championship ring in both SuperBowls XXI and XXV. Carthon would play one season for the Colts in 1992 where I’d get his autograph, and then retire. Since then Maurice has spent his entire post playing career as an assistant in the NFL with the Patriots, Jets, Lions, Cowboys, Browns, Cardinals, and as of this post in 2010 with the Chiefs. He is considered an apostle of the Parcells’ coaching tree working for Bill at three different teams.
Bruising tailback Keith Byars was drafted from Ohio State by the Buddy Ryan regime in Philadelphia after losing out on the Heisman Trophy race to Doug Flutie in 1985. A do all back, Byars was an absolutely devestating receiver out of the backfield and a solid blocker. His effectiveness was limited by lisfranc injuries and coach Buddy Ryan used this to scare other teams away from him so they could take him with the 10th overall pick of the 1986 draft. Although injured from time to time, Keith never failed to give it his all, rarely running out of bounds to avoid a hit, playing with such offensive weapons Keith Jackson and Randall Cunningham. From time to time Byars would be used to make trick plays, throwing 6 touchdowns in his career. In his final season with the team in 1992, Byars would amazingly line up at runningback, fullback, and tightend in almost an H-Back role. After 7 solid seasons for the Eagles, Byars would sign with the Dolphins as a free agent in 1993 where he’d make the transition to fullback playing there for over 3 seasons. Keith would then sign with the Patriots playing for two seasons and making his only SuperBowl appearance there before one season with the Jets in 1998. After football Keith has been involved with broadcasting and enjoys coaching high school football in Boca Raton, Florida.
Cards: ProSet 1991, Classic 1991
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1991, 1992
Neither of these cards probably do Dixon Edwards enough justice. The ProSet pose feels obviously staged and faked, while the Classic 1991 is just one of the ugliest cards I’ve ever seen. Whoever convinced the Classic card corporation that grey on grey leopard print on a football card would be good looking should be thrown down a hole.
Dixon Edwards was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1991 draft with a pick that was directly related to the Herschel Walker trade. When we got his autograph at training camp he had this very odd hair style and pencil thin mustache. A rangy linebacker with good speed and coverage ability, Edward’s strength was playing weakside lienbacker, but he had the ability to play inside, outside, or the middle linebacker position. He’d contribute at left linebacker and special teams for the Dallas Cowboys organization through their SuperBowl years starting for the team from 1993-1995 after two years as a backup. After his stint in Dallas, Edwards would play for the Viking organization from 1996-1998 where he would excel. In 1999 Dixon would then sign with the Dolphins where Jimmy Johnson was building ‘Dallas South’. Edwards would be diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in training camp and would retire soon thereafter.
G/Gs 120/90 Tac 347 Sac 7.5 Fum 6 Int 2 Yds 54 Avg 27.0 Td 1 Lg 36T
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
