Tag Archives: action packed 1992

NFL

Crockett, Donald “Ray”

Cards: GameDay 1992, Action Packed 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 6/23   Received: 7/1 (8 days)

Ray Crockett is another in a long line of defensive players that came from the University of Baylor in Waco, Texas. For some reason, Baylor always had the luck of having some immense talent with Mike Singletary, Robert Blackmon, Thomas Everett, Santana Dotson, James Francis, and Vann McElroy all being drafted and having some great playing careers during the 80s and 90s.

Originally a 4th round pick of the Detroit Lions during the deep 1989 draft, Ray didn’t get much playing time in the starting lineup his rookie season. In 1990, he’d make three interceptions starting opposite Leroy Irvin. Solidifying the secondary in 1991, Crockett became a feared defender during the final years of the last Lions’ playoff runs. He’d make 6 picks and return one 96 yards for a touchdown against the Cowboys.

In 1994 Ray signed with the Denver Broncos. As teams would throw to the other side of the field avoiding Ray, his statistics suffered, but he’d continue to provide blanket coverage against unfortunate receivers.  In 1998 and 1999, as a member of the Broncos Ray won Super Bowl titles with the franchise. Over his time with the Broncos, Ray logged 17 picks and a touchdown. After a nice season in 2000, in which he had 4 interceptions and a touchdown, Ray signed as a free agent with the rival Kansas City Chiefs for the 2001 season.  He’d wrap up his career in 2002 with his 35th and 36 pick.  Crockett over his career was also a fearsome corner blitzer, and was the career leader (surpassed by Rhonde Barber) at the position with 15.5 career sacks at his retirement in 2002.

Since retirement Ray has done a variety of things. Touched by the paralysis of his friend and teammate Mike Utley, Ray’s participated on Morgan Spurloch’s show “30 Days”,   spending 30 days in a wheelchair focusing on the everyday challenges that physically challenged people deal with in their lives. Ray has also done some game show work as well and currently lives outside of Dallas, Texas.

I got these two cards signed by Ray in no time flat. This Action Packed 1992 card is an exceptional photo with great lighting and focus and it’s among my favorite of the set.

G/Gs 214/174      Tac 802      Sac  15.5   Fum 9   Int 36     Yds 460      Avg 12.7       Td 3    Lg  96t

NFL

Sharpe, Sterling

Cards: SkyBox 1992, Action Packed 1992, Score 1990 HC, ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990 LL
Acquired: TTM 1993, 2011, C/o The Green Bay Packers, C/o The NFL Network
Sent: 5/27   Received: 6/7  (11 days)
Address:   c/o NFL Network  10950 Washington Blvd.  #100  Culver City, CA 90232*

I was pretty disappointed in the SkyBox and Action Packed autographs I got back in 1993. I thought they were fakes and added them to the collection; However after further study this years it appears that Sterling Sharpe perhaps had a very boring autograph or a ghost signer at the time. Recent success through the NFL Network shows a grandiose signature, while earlier in his career it looks like… a signature on the dotted line.

After attending South Carolina, Sterling Sharpe would be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1988 draft. Overall he went 7th and was the highest rated wide receiver off the board. Sharpe’s first season would be respectable. He’d have 55 receptions for 875 yards and 5 touchdowns working with primarily Don Majkowski. In 1990 Sterling would lead the league in receptions with 90 and be named to his first of 5 Pro Bowls and 5 APs. In 1992 he’d form a great bond with quarterback Brett Favre, and record a season for the ages leading the league in all receiving categories and lodging 107 receptions, becoming of only 7 players to do so. 1993 would see him break his own record, and he’d become the first player to record back to back 100+ receiving seasons. 1994 would see Sharpe lead the league in touchdown receptions with a career high 18. and Sterling appeared to be on his way to another great season for 1995 but he suffered a career ending neck stinger.  Sterling has become a successful commentator after his retirement working for NBC, CBS, ESPN and the NFL Network.

I sent off for his autograph in late May of 2011. Recent successes that I’d seen on the web had indicated as many as 5 signatures per attempt, but I didn’t want to pester him, so I went with the two Pro Set 1990 cards and this rare Score 1990 Hot Card. (The Hot Cards were only packaged in blister packs sold for retail in places like Target and Toys ‘R Us.) Even though the Hot Card does not have the most amazing looking pose of Sterling, it was still a really nice design. I got the additional autographed cards back in 11 days, and you can tell the difference in the grandiose autograph, from the signatures I got back in 1993.

G/Gs 112/112     Rec 595       Yds  8195      Avg 13.7       Td   65    Lg  79

*Forwarded and postmarked from South Carolina.

College Football HoF, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL, usfl

Walker, Herschel

Cards: Action Packed 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1992, Pro Set 1991 Heisman Heroes, Score 1989, Score 1990 Ground Force
Acquired: In Person 1994, 1997, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp.  TTM, 2011. C/o Home
Sent: 1/13/11    Received: 7/5/11  (173 days)

Herschel Walker? In my estimates of some of the great runningbacks in football, I would say I was enthralled by Herschel Walker. I knew who Herschel was before I even watched football. A record breaking machine for the Georgia Bulldogs in college, Walker would be a 3 time All American and win the Heisman in 1982. Herschel was a shrewd businessman, and realized that with the advent of the upstart USFL he could effectively carve his own destiny and make more money off of endorsements. Plus without rules regarding underclassmen, Herschel could declare for the USFL draft as a Junior- something he couldn’t do in the NFL. With that being said, Walker would be drafted by the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 1983.  He’d go on to crush opposing defenses winning the rushing title in both 1983 and 1985 before the league dissolved. In the meantime however, the Dallas Cowboys waited, dropping a 5th round choice on Walker suspecting it would just be a matter of time.

Herschel would join the Cowboys in 1987, and go onto etch his name into the Cowboys faithful minds for years to come not only for his incredible play of which he’d earn ProBowl berths in 1987 and 1988 – but for what would later come to be known as “The Trade”.

The Minnesota Vikings believed they needed one more piece in order to get to the SuperBowl, and in 1989 the Cowboys were looking to rebound from a 3-13 season. Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones found the offer from the Vikings too good to pass up. Without going into details the final totals were astounding. The Vikings would trade the Cowboys 5 players, and 8 draft choices – including 3 first round choices over the next 3 years. Minnesota in return got Walker, 2 3rd round choices, a 5 round choice and a 10th round choice. The implications were far reaching and would set the foundation for the Cowboys championship runs. Looking back in retrospect, it’s hard not to see that Herschel took the trade hard. In the end he was treated as a commodity and his Viking tenure was filled with pressure as being the hailed savior of the franchise.

Walker had just come off a 1500 + yard season rushing for the Cowboys and the Vikings were struggling on the ground.  Inexplicably the Vikings really couldn’t figure out the right way to use Herschel even though he was utilized on kick returns and also as a running back, – he became the butt of jokes in Minnesota. After a failed suicide attempt (by carbon monoxide poisoning) the writing was on the wall for the franchise, and by 1992 the Vikings cut Walker.

Immediately the Eagles came calling with fans hailing Walker as their savior. Walker would not disappoint rushing for over a 1000 yards for the Eagles and posting another 200 plus yards receiving in 1992- his best rushing effort since leaving Dallas. Walker would stay with Philadelphia another 2 years afterwards where I’d get his autograph in West Chester at Eagles training camp that year.

Walker would sign in 1995 with the Giants as a free agent and play one non-descrpit season there before returning home to the Cowboys in 1996. The Cowboys would put him to use as a fullback his final two seasons, where I’d get his autograph in 1997 at Berger stadium (next to Michael Irvin), before he retired.

One wonders how Herschel would have been remembered if he did not go to the USFL or if Michael Irvin was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders instead (as was originally rumored). Combining his numbers from his years in the USFL with his NFL numbers, Walker ranks 5th all time on the rushing list. Herschel also holds the all time record for rushing yards in a football season with 2411 yards. In 1999 he was inducted into the College Football HoF, is widely regarded as the best runningback in the history of college football, had his number retired at Georgia and wrote an autobiography. One of my favorite athletes, (-and easily my favorite Cowboy,) I even owned Herschel’s Starting Lineup figurine. If you played the original Tecmo Bowl, all you could do with the Cowboys is run with Herschel, and that gave you a leg up on the puny Colts. The 1991 offering of Tecmo Super Bowl endeared him to us as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Despite his popularity Walker has remained a stalwart TTM signer, and I got his autographs on the Pro Set 1991 Heisman Heroes, Score 1990 Ground Force, and Score 1989 cards in 173 days.

Herschel at the time of his retirement minus his USFL numbers, was ranked 3rd in total yards from scrimmage with 18,168 combined yards rushing, receiving, and kick returning. Including his USFL numbers, Walker would hold the combined yards from scrimmage number with an additional 7,115 yards. He is also one of a select few players to have a touchdown rushing, receiving and kick returning, all of over 90 yards.

Walker is a through and through athlete. He remains in peak physical shape, and has over the years participated in the Winter Olympics, is a 5th degree blackbelt, and recently taken up mixed martial arts winning by TKO his first two matches.

NFL
G/Gs  187/138   Att 1954   Yds  8225    Avg 4.2   Td  61    Lg 91 |
Rec 512    Yds  4859     Avg  9.5    Td  21   Lg  93 |
Kr  215    Yds 5084     Avg  23.6    Td   2    Lg  94