Tag Archives: action packed rookies 1991

NFL

Wilson, Robert ‘Bull’

Gameday 1992, #470

CARDS: Gameday 1992, ProSet 1991, Wild Card 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Score Supplemental 1991
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2022

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Robert ‘Bull’ Wilson played RB/FB for Texas A&M from 1988-90.
  • Ran 343 times for 724 yards (5 TDs) and had 32 catches for 277 yards and 3 TDs.
  • The premier FB of the 1991 NFL Draft, Robert was selected in the 3rd round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  • An outstanding blocker, Robert started 15 contests his rookie year, scored 2 TDs on pass receptions, and led the team with a 4.3 yard per carry average (42 carries).
  • With the franchise going through some turmoil between coaches, (Richard Williamson to Sam Wyche), Robert didn’t see any playing time again until 1994, splitting time with the Cowboys and Dolphins.
  • He’d spend the 1995 and ’96 campaigns with the Dolphins playing special teams and as a blocking fullback.
  • Retired and lives in the H-Town area, and recently wrote a book ‘Big Hits & Politics’ – about his time in the NFL.
1991 Score Supplemental, #97T
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #62

NOTES:

Thanks to Richmond Webb, I was able to track down Bull. I had some very insightful conversation and comments back and forth with Richmond, when all of a sudden Robert started following me. Staying true to the rule I have of not trying to scare players by immediately engaging them on Twitter, I got really excited when I saw that Robert was releasing his book ‘Big Hits & Politics’. When I asked about a book signing, he and Bam Bam told me to stay tuned.

A non-signer TTM, I considered this one a major coup and a jump start to my 2022. Robert and I talked and he graciously signed the cards I brought. I even gave him a few and put them in a nice binder, since the ones he had were quite beat up.

It was a nice event. Not only was Richmond and Robert there, Kevin Smith also popped in- and I just happened to have cards of him too. Now I gotta say I stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was really impressed I made the journey to come down to celebrate his book and his playing career. It was a nice event, and although my phone almost died I was able to navigate my way back out of town.

Pro Set 1991, #809
Wild Card 1991, #85
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451834.1020
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231295.6315
NFL

Dawsey, Lawrence

Gameday 1992, #438
Star Picks 1991, #26
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #63

CARDS: Action Packed Rookies 1991, Star Pics 1991, Gameday 1992, Skybox Premium 1993
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Work
SENT: 10/3 RECEIVED: 10/24 (21 days)
FAILURE: TTM C/o Work, 2010, 2017

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Lawrence Dawsey played WR for Florida State from 1987-90.
  • Saw marked improvement every year in catches and yards playing for the Seminoles.
  • In his Senior year Dawsey posted 65 receptions for 999 yards and 7 TDs.
  • A 3rd round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991, Dawsey didn’t even start until Week 7 of the season.
  • He’d post 44 receptions after that point, including an 8 catch 100 yard (TD) effort against the Dolphins in week 13.
  • Finished rookie season with a career high 818 yards, 14.9 yards per reception, and 3 TDs (55 catches).
  • In ’92 Dawsey posted a career high 60 receptions (776 yards and a TD).
  • He’d play the next 3 seasons for the Bucs, finishing his career in Tampa with 2842 yards and 206 receptions (5 TD).
  • Joined the Giants for a season in 1996 starting 4 contests catching 18 passes for 233 yards.
  • Signed with the Dolphins in ’97 but saw no playing time with Miami.
  • After a year away from the sport in ’98, Lawrence played one final season in ’99 for the Saints, catching 16 passes for 196 yards and a TD.
  • In 2004 entered the college coaching ranks where he’s been a positional coach.
  • As of 2022, works as a WR coach at Appalachian St.

ACCOLADES:

  • 1991 Offensive Rookie of the Year
Skybox Premium 1993, #179

NOTES:

Lawrence had been a white whale I’d been after for a while and I’d previously failed on two other occasions. I kept reloading in the hopes I could get his autograph on some cards and finally lucked out. Dawsey had an odd career trajectory in the pros. Over his 8 year career he caught 6 TDs on 240 receptions- with 3 of them coming in his rookie season.

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240327113.6665
NFL

Mills, Ernie

Pacific 1991, #538

CARDS: Star Pics 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Score Supplemental 1991, Pacific 1991, Pro Set 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home. TTM 2016, C/o Home.
SENT: 4/22/21 RECEIVED: 1/19/22 (272 days)
SENT: 10/7/17 RECEIVED: 9/17/22 (1806 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Ernie Mills played WR for the Florida Gators from 1987-90.
  • Posted 81 receptions for 1585 yards, a whopping 19.6 yards per reception, and 15 TDs over 4 years in Gainesville.
  • Best year for the Gators came in his Senior year, when he had 41 receptions for 770 yards and 10 TDs.
  • Originally started as a DB but quickly transitioned to WR, hauling in his first career reception of 49 yards from Florida QB legend Kerwin Bell.
  • Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 3rd round of the 1991 NFL Draft.
  • Mills spent his time on special teams and started two games at WR his rookie year.
  • He’d finish first in special teams tackles, and scored his first TD on a punt that hit the opposing team’s blocking back. (See Eugene Lockhart)
  • But things never really materialized for Ernie in Pittsburgh, who had a nascent passing attack, and he was battling for a roster spot with other fresh WRs, Chris Calloway and Jeff Graham.
  • He had his best season in Pittsburgh in 1995, catching 39 passes for 679 yards and 8 TDs.
  • It was a titanic year actually for Ernie as he quietly put up 2,024 all-purpose yards, including 1,304 on kick returns.
  • He’d be injured during Super Bowl XXX, tearing his ACL and being lost for most of the following 1996 campaign.
  • In 1997, Ernie signed with the Carolina Panthers and played one season for them.
  • The final two years of his career were spent in Dallas, as a key roleplayer for the Dallas Cowboys under head coach Chan Gailey, whom he’d played for previously in Pittsbugh.
  • Mills was oft injured, but still managed to post solid numbers as a reliable #3 option behind Michael Irvin and Rocket Ismail.
  • After a brief hiatus from the sport, Mills was spotted at Jacksonville University coaching WRs with his former college QB Kerwin Bell, holding the position from 2007-2012.
  • Then he coached WRs at Florida A&M from 2013-2015.
Star Pics 1991, #66
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #58

NOTES:

Well, there’s Ernie Mills, with an incredibly long orbital trajectory. I had given up on Ernie basically on two separate occasions, but after noticing a few successes, I figured the one for 2021 was in the works to return to me. After some patient waiting, it indeed finally came through, and I added the Action Packed Rookies 1991 card finally to my collection.

Ernie frustrated me as he tended to sign in spurts, sometimes responding to people immediately, while on other occasions-such as mine, languished in wait. I was pretty happy to get the entry sent out in 2021 back early in 2022, but lo and behold, some 8 months after that, the original entry I sent from 2017, also arrived, rocketing up the longest wait charts officially to #5, at a cool 1806 days.

I don’t talk about Pacific 1991 enough right? To me the set was a bold design choice, but quite laughable. For some reason, it just stood out as being… simplistic, with the gradient and the 1970s style typeface. The back was again bold, but a bit wild, as the entire canvas of information was set at a 45 degree angle! I thought that the photo on this Pacific card really nailed it, so I thought it’d make a nice card to get autographed.

With these cards, I can firmly close the door on Ernie. I love his autograph. Well worth the wait and very original. A strong ‘E’, ‘M’, and ‘S’ punctuate his unique signature with great stroke, pen pressure, and placement.

Score Supplemental 1991, #56T
Pro Set 1991, #802
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196293415.02062
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80181822.7057