Tag Archives: action packed rookies 1990

NFL

Warner, Curt

Cards: Action Packed 1990, Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o Work
Sent: 12/31 Received: 1/13 (14 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Work. TTM 2017, C/o Home.

I think the first time I really heard of Curt Warner was when I picked up the original copy of Tecmo Bowl on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It took me a little bit to get used to it but I really liked playing the Seattle team as I relied heavily on the run with Curt Warner. I’d add a ProSet 1989 card and his Starting Lineup figurine to my collection soon enough. Despite the fact that he was in the downward phase of his career at that point- Curt was my favorite player on the Seahawks so I was really surprised when they left him unprotected for 1989.

Curt Warner played for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1979 to 1982. There he became a legendary runningback for the school running for over 900 yards in 3 consecutive years. He’d finish ranked first on Penn State’s all time rushing list with 3,398 yards, and a bevvy of school records.

The 1983 NFL Draft was considered by many to be one of the best in league history. After John Elway and Eric Dickerson went off the board 1 and 2 respectively, the Seattle Seahawks selected Curt with the 3rd overall pick. Curt would become the bell cow of rookie head coach Chuck Knox’s ‘Ground Chuck’ attack.

An electric player out of the backfield, Curt could do it all for the Seahawks, running, catching or blocking. He led the AFC in rushing with 335 carries for 1449 yards and 13 TDs on the ground, He also caught 42 receptions for 325 yards and a TD. The Seahawks became legitimate contenders when Warner was in the backfield, and if not for Eric Dickerson, Warner probably would’ve won rookie of the year in 1983. As it stands he settled for his first of 3 Pro Bowl appearances.

After a gruesome knee injury in the opening game of 1984 ended his season, Curt rebounded in 85 with another 1,000 yard season. He’d have the best season of his career in 1986, returning to Pro Bowl form when he rushed for 1481 yards on 319 carries (13 TD)- averaging 92.6 yards per game. Warner earned his final Pro Bowl nomination in the strike shortened 87 campaign, with 985 yards in 12 contests. While he’d still cross the 1,000 yard barrier in 1988, Warner’s production began to slow down.

He’d sign as a free agent in 1990 with the Los Angeles Rams, expected to replace newly departed RB Greg Bell in the lineup. Things looked good initially as Curt scored the first TD of the Rams 1990 season, but it was pretty much downhill from there. After the Rams stumbled to a 2-5 record, they decided to lean on young backs Gaston Green, Cleveland Gary, and the reborn Marcus Dupree. Curt was unceremoniously cut rushing for 139 yards on 49 carries for LA. It was a quiet end to a quick and prolific NFL career.

Curt was inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 1994. He’s done some coaching and in the founder of an autism foundation. In 2018 he popped up onto my radar thanks to my hobby friend Deadhorse, who found that Curt was now an insurance agent. I had burned through all my cards for him in my previous attempts- so I opted to nab this Action Packed card to go along with the Rams card I had wanted for so long to be signed.

I had tried previously in the past to get Curt, but admittedly he is as elusive as he was in his playing career. He has two twin boys that have autism which understandably has been quite a handful. He and his wife have written an inspiring book about their experiences called “The Warner Boys”- Our Family’s Story of Autism and Hope.

Great cards here of Curt. It was really tough to choose between any of his modern NFL cards from Score, ProSet, and Action Packed- but in the end I settled on these two. The Rams card was a set need, and is the only card during a game in the uniform. It’s a great looking card. Too bad his career didn’t work out in LA. His Seahawks card shows Curt in all his imposing glory and it was a tough choice between that and his Score 89 card.

G/GSRUSHYDSAVGTDLG
100/94169868444.05660T
RECYDSAVGTDLG
19314677.6730
NFL

Broussard, Steve

Cards: Score Supplemental 1990, Score 1990, Action Packed Rookies 1990, SkyBox 1992
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Work
Sent: 10/9/17 Received: 1/17/18 (100 days)
Failure: 2011, C/o Arizona State

Steve Broussard has some great cards. His Skybox is exceptional. The resolution on the shot is so high you can make out the expression on Steve’s face. After nabbing him for my set need in Action Packed Rookies 1990, his two Score entries make the list for me, just barely over his Proset 1990 draft card. I tend to lean more full body shot if I can, especially if it is one where the player is in the open field. Anyway, I am very pleased to get him. I took a shot in the dark at his work address, knowing fully that in the past he has pulled any number of hijinks on autograph requesters, including having his kids sign for him. I did not count on getting these back also based on my previous experience, but after 100 days flat, the enigmatic back kindly signed these 4 cards for me. The autograph is in ball point pen- a disappointment, considering the amazing loops and varying size of his graph.

Steve finished second all-time on the Washington State career rushing charts with 3,054 yards and first in total touchdowns (41). During his Senior year in ’89 he had a career high 41 carries for 205 yards against Oregon. He also displayed his versatility by winning the WAC rushing title in 1989 (1237 yards) and receiving title in 1987 (59 receptions), distinguishing himself as only the second player in Conference history to do so.

He’d be selected in the first round by the Atlanta Falcons in 1990. Steve had a bumpy rookie season as injuries limited his campaign to 13 games. Still the compact halfback showed promise chewing up 454 yards on the ground and making 24 receptions. With a crowded backfield in the Red Gun system, Broussard continued to demonstrate himself as a nice change of pace, 3rd down back throughout his time in Atlanta- however he saw his playing time decrease every year after his rookie campaign.

After the 1993 season, Steve played one year in Cincinnati and recorded a career high 621 yards from scrimmage (403 yards rushing and 218 yards receiving). He then returned to his home state and played for the Seahawks for the remainder of his career in the NFL. With the Seahawks, Steve was used primarily as a kick returner where he demonstrated that burst of speed that made him so dangerous. After the 1998 season, Steve retired.

Steve went into coaching first at the high school level. He then moved on to the college level with stops at Portland State, Washington State, ASU, SMU, ICLA, and Pasadena Community College. In 2017 he returned to Washington and coaches at a local high school in Vancouver.

G/GS 121/21    RUSH  578      YDS 2625       AVG 4.5      TD 19    LG 77T
REC 126       YDS 882       AVG 7.0       TD 3      LG 25
KR  175       YDS 4060     AVG 23.2     TD 1    LG 90T

NFL

Bell, Greg

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score 1990 Ground Force
Acquired: 2017, Paid Signing
Failure: 2010, C/o Home

Greg Bell is one of these pros that got no respect. He flew under the radar at Notre Dame, posting 158 career carries, 870 yards and 10 TDs. His stats were diminished due to a broken leg in his junior year and a sprained ankle in his senior campaign. He’d be selected in the first round of the 1984 draft by the Buffalo Bills. The Bills were reeling from the loss of All-Pro back Joe Cribbs to the USFL Birmingham Stallions.  They ran a ground pound offense that was very much dependent on a solid backfield.  Greg’s rookie season was that solid effort the Bills were looking for. He had 262 carries for 1100 yards -on the dot- 7 TDs and an NFL long 85 yard jaunt. He also displayed solid hands catching 34 passes for 277 yards and a TD. He’d earn his one and only Pro Bowl appearance after the season.

In 1985 things got awkward, as Joe Cribbs returned to the Bills. Greg split time at RB and FB for Buffalo, but with Cribbs return, it ate into Bell’s numbers. Still Greg set a career high with 58 receptions for 576 yards, to go along with a bit over 880 yards and 8 TDs rushing. After a poor showing in 1986, Greg found himself as an integral part of NFL history.

In 1987, Eric Dickerson was having a nasty holdout with the Los Angeles Rams- a notoriously cheap franchise at the time.  The Rams pulled a colossal trigger with both the Indianapolis Colts AND the Buffalo Bills. The Rams received a bevy of draft choices from both teams and running backs Owen Gill (IND)  and Greg Bell.  The Colts got Dickerson, and the Bills got Cornelius Bennett. Before the Herschel Walker trade, this was considered the largest blockbuster trade of all time.

Greg saw very little time in the lineup during 1987. It’d be in 1988 that he’d really shine. Under the Ernie Zampese Rams offense and coach John Robinson, the Rams were a threat not only to throw the ball with Jim Everett, but to run it as well with Greg. Bell had his best season as a pro in ’88, racking up 1212 yards on 288 carries, he’d also lead the NFL in rushing TDs with 16.  He’d follow up his stellar 88 season with much the same in 1989 with 272 carries for 1137 yards and a league leading 15 TD rushing. – All this from the guy who was considered a ‘toss in’ on the Eric Dickerson trade. The problem is Greg didn’t apparently really earn too many friends in the Rams organization. Bell was just different…  He was also what was termed as a ‘sidewinding runner’ which could also have contributed to the 13 fumbles he had in 2 seasons in LA.

Greg wanted to renegotiate his contract with the Rams in 1990. The notoriously stingy Rams felt otherwise, especially after just signing him to a new deal last year. With seemingly solid runningback depth at the time, and gambling on the health of former Seahawk Curt Warner, LA jettisoned Greg for a 4th round pick to the LA Raiders. There he just… disappeared. True. The Raiders were stacked at runningback with Marcus Allen and  (later in the year after baseball commitments,) Bo Jackson, but Bell had no media impact whatsoever. I remember looking at his Action Packed Rookies card and just being so upset he was a Raider.  He was active for just 6 games in 1990 rushing for just 164 yards on 47 carries and scoring just 1 TD. He’d battle for an injury settlement as a final roster cut and retire in 1991.

Greg has had a lot of time to reflect on his playing days. He enjoys being a dad and has his own radio show.

Well Greg Bell was turning into quite the white whale for me. When I mailed out to him in 2010, I was excited for the chance to get his autograph. Instead I got my return envelope back with my cards unsigned. While that was disappointing, I had hoped for another shot to get him on these two cards. Months turned to years, and I waited patiently for a paid signing. Finally almost 8 years after I failed, I found a paid signing through Sportscollectors.net.

G/GS 80/67     RUSH 1204     YDS 4959    AVG 4.1    TD 51   LG 85T
REC 157    YDS 1307    AVG 8.3    TD 7      LG 49