Category Archives: NFL

NFL

Smith, Jimmy “Silk”

Cards: Star Pics 1992, ProSet 1992
Acquired: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992
See Also: Jimmy Smith Lightning

Another one of these great autograph stories was Jimmy Smith out of tiny Jackson State University. His rookie Star Pics 1992 card I had extensive player information on the back, down to things like nicknames, so when I saw players, I was sure to initiate contact with them by calling them by that nick. Jimmy was seeing the trainers along with Ricky Blake and a few other players in training camp and Josh and I had shrewdly decided to camp our spot in autograph alley throughout the whole morning practice. We recognized Smith so I erroneously called him ‘Slick’. When he signed my cards and told me his nickname was silk,  -we looked at the back of his card, to which I admitted I was wrong . We had a good laugh at my expense, so he was sure to add in his nickname with parenthesis so I could get it right. (He was a rare 2 card signer.)

Jimmy was a second round choice of the Dallas Cowboys, who were looking for that special slot receiver to go with Alvin Harper and Michael Irvin. Smith would find himself on injured reserve from a broken leg in 1992 and a freak appendectomy in 1993.  The team would become impatient with him and cut Smith in 1994 over the fault of the appendectomy Smith had sustained. The Eagles would immediately claim him off of waivers but he would not make the roster of the squad. For all points and purposes- Jimmy Smith’s career was dead on arrival after 3 seasons, -but Jimmy’s mom would not be deterred.

On a whim, Tom Coughlin coach of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars would give Jimmy a final shot because his mother sent a highlight tape for Coach Coughlin to look at. Smith’s first season with the Jags in 1995 was more like a rookie season for him as he had never seen the field playing for the Cowboys. He’d quietly earn 288 yards and 22 receptions, scoring his first 3 touchdowns of his career. In 1996 however, Silk would burst onto the NFL scene with his first of 7 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Injury would slow Smith down in 2003 where he’d only notch 800 yards, but he’d return to form for his final two seasons in 2004 and 2005 with 1,000 yards in each season for the Jaguars. A devastating combo when paired with Keenan McCardell, Smith as the career leader in yards and touchdowns for the Jaguar franchise. His 12,000+ yards ranked him 10th all time at retirement. So much for a guy who was cut by the Cowboys out of spite over medical issues… From 1997-2001 Jimmy would be named to the ProBowl and in 1999 he’d lead the NFL in receptions with 116 (6th in NFL history at the time).

Jimmy from time to time has had some issues with drugs, and with the backlog of wide receivers now waiting to get into the Hall has not made it easier for him to find himself anywhere near the final ballot. He currently resides in Florida and works in radio.  I’ll probably make another loop around later to get Jimmy as I have another card or two of his I’d love to get signed.

G/Gs 178/150   Rec  862      Yds  12287       Avg  14.3      Td 67      Lg  75T
College Football HoF, NFL, usfl

Carter, Anthony “AC”

Cards: Proset 1989, Proset 1990, Pinnacle 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home.
Sent: 1/13    Received: 3/12  (42 days)
See Also: Anthony Carter (2)

An elite, hard- working speedster allowed to wear the hallowed #1 jersey while in college at Michigan, Anthony Carter is the Wolverines all-time receptions leader and was nicknamed “AC” and “the Darter”.
The Michigan Panthers of the USFL drafted Carter where he elected to play over the NFL counterpart Dolphins. With quarterback (and Autograph HoF member) Bobby Herbert at the helm, Carter had a nice rookie season with 60 receptions for 1081 yards in 1983. AC would be named to the All-USFL team as a punt returner after the season.  An injury would sideline Carter in 1984 after only 6 games, but he’d rebound in 1985 with the Oakland Invaders with 70 receptions for 1323 yards and 14 touchdowns, which would earn him All USFL team honors.

As a member of a USFL team, Carter’s rights were locked in by the Dolphins who drafted him back in 1983 (so he was not subject to the USFL CFL talent dispersal draft that the NFL later held). He would be traded away to the Minnesota Vikings who were still looking for a solid receiving force to replace Ahmad Rashad.  AC would fit right in with the Vikings, plus it kept him close to Michigan where he went to college and played the majority of his time in the USFL. He would be a great asset to the Vikings and would demoralize opposing defensive backs with his speed averaging 19.1 yards a reception his rookie season on 43 receptions. In 1987 he earned his first Pro Bowl honor with a jaw dropping 24.3 yards per catch on 38 receptions. He’d hit paydirt 7 times that season including a career long 73 yard bomb for a touchdown.  1988 would see career highs again in receptions (72) and yards (1225) for the USFL speedster. Carter would follow this up again in 1989 and 1990 going over 1000 yards both seasons. He’d also have an incredible playoff game where he burned the San Fransisco defense for 10 receptions and 227 yards.  As the 1991 season approached, Cris Carter arrived in Minnesota effectively halving AC’s production, but Anthony would continue playing for the Vikings over the next 3 seasons providing the team solid veteran leadership. Anthony would be left exposed during the free agent purge of 1993 by the Vikings and signed with the Lions, however injuries and time had caught up with the former Wolverine and he’d play only 4 games with the Lions and retire in 1995.

A college football hall of fame inductee, Carter has amassed a fair amount of accolades since retirement. Like many former USFL greats, one has to wonder how Carter’s legacy would figure into the football landscape if he had declared for the NFL draft or been paired up with Dan Marino in Miami.  He is considered one of the 50 greatest Minnesota Vikings players of all time and was named the the USFL All Time team as first team wide receiver and second team punt returner. In 2011 he was also named the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

After the stranglehold by Topps was loosened on the football card industry by Score and ProSet, the market was flooded with companies trying to cash in on the frenzy.  Carter’s Topps cards really never did him justice, but Pro Set never failed to hit its mark. Since the implosion of the former card giant, I have gained a new found respect for how it revolutionized the industry and the 89 and 90 cards of Carter are excellent examples of this. Pinnacle was late to the party, and by that point I was sporadically collecting. They were revolutionary cards with a nice design at the time with a profile and action shot on the front.

With an average team on offense, AC was about ALL the Vikin– I mean ‘Monsters’ had in the original Tecmo Bowl.  I also had Carter’s Starting Lineup action figure, which was a very plain action pose that Kenner used in that mold at the time.

USFL: 
Rec    160     Yds  3042     Avg 19.0     TD  28  
PR   45     Yds   408    Avg  9.0    Td  1

NFL:  
G/Gs  140/126    Rec: 486    Yds  7733    Avg  15.9     Td  55  Lg  73

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Simmons, Stacey

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 1992, C/o The Orlando Thunder
See Also: Stacey Simmons (2)

Drafted in the 4th round of the 1990 draft by Indianapolis, Stacey Simmons was a long bomb threat and return man for the Florida Gators. He’d spend one season with the Colts, starting 1 game, making 3 receptions for 25 yards against the Chiefs in in week 5 and 1 catch for 8 yards against the Giants that year.  Contributing primarily on special teams, Stacey had 19 kick returns for 348 yards, but would fail to make the roster of the Colts in 1991.

Signed by the Orlando Thunder of the WLAF in 1992, Stacey would make 6 catches for 55 yards for the Thunder.   While I was scanning through the player rosters I missed Stacey on my original run through that season. Being the obsessive compulsive geek I was, it drove me nuts enough that I wrote the Thunder for his autograph. The Thunder kindly forwarded my card to the 49ers, whom he had recently signed with, and he signed my card there. Simmons would continue to play football in the Arena leagues for the Tampa Bay Storm, winning 2 championships with them.

Since football Simmons has become a shrewd businessman opening up his own training facility in Florida that specializes in boot camps for many sports, conditioning, and speed. (staceysimmons.com).

G  N/a       Rec  6     Yds   55      Avg   9.2      Td 0      Lg  15