Tag Archives: action packed rookies 1992

NFL

Williams, Harvey

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1992, Gameday 1992
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 8/1     Received:  8/11  (10 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Harvey Williams is an intriguing story in football history.  A tricky inside runner with really nice hands, Harvey played for the LSU Tigers from 1986 to 1990. His best season came in 1987 when he had 1001 yards on 154 carries and 11 TDs, along with 20 receptions. He finished 3rd in school history with 2,660 yards rushing, and set a few records along the way. He rushed for a single game high 213 yards against Kentucky, and tied a school record with 4 TDs rushing against Miami, OH.  With intriguing size and speed, scouts were concerned about lingering knee injuries and his consistency entering the pro level.

Harvey was the second runningback taken during the 1991 Draft. He’d go at #21 overall to the Chiefs surprisingly- a team that was deep with Christian Okoye, Barry Word, and Todd McNair at runningback. Still Harvey was pictured as the game breaker that the Chiefs needed for their Martyball offense. (Notably the 1991 draft is a graveyard of runningbacks. Among them, the most successful is probably Gary Brown– and he was converted from Safety.)  Harvey had a pretty decent run his rookie campaign.  He led the team in yards from scrimmage with 1,118 yards putting in time as a kick returner (524 yards), and change of pace back (97 carries, 447 yards, 16 receptions 147 yards). He also scored 2 TDs receiving and 1 rushing.   He continued to bide his time in 1992 as a kick returner and 3rd down back.  After the backfield moved on from KC, Harvey got beat out by future HoFer Marcus Allen for the starting gig in 1993.  Things got worse when Harvey suffered a frightening hit that left him motionless on the turf.  While he recovered, it pretty much ended his season and his time in KC.

He finally reached his potential when he signed with the Raiders the following year in 1994. Harvey was a true Raider through and through. He walked the walk and talked the talk.  During his first season with the Raiders he ran 282 times for 983 yards and 4 TDs. He also got to display those impressive hands, snatching 47 receptions for 391 yards and 3 TDs. In 1995 he had his best season as a pro registering 1114 yards on the ground and 9 TDs, along with 54 receptions for 375 yards. While he lost the starting job to Napoleon Kaufman in 1996, Williams continued to play for the Raiders and even made a memorable transition to TE/ H-Back, retiring after the 1998 season.

Great cards here of Harvey. It was impossible to choose even my top 5, as all the vendors at the time had great photos of him in action. These 3 cards were among my favorite. Both of his Action Packed entries really stand out with their vibrant color and just bursting with action. Even though I am very disappointed in the dying marker he used to sign my cards, I was happy to finally get Harvey’s autograph.

G/Gs  110/47    Rush 1021    Yds 3952     Avg 3.9     TD  20     Lg 60
Rec  193     Yds 1442   Avg 7.5    Td 7   Lg 32
KR  54   Yds 1135   Avg 20.3    Td 0   Lg 76

 

NFL

Smith, Rod (DB) (2)


Cards: Classic 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1992, ProSet 1992
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 4/7       Received:  5/26   (49 days)
See Also: Rod Smith

I reached into the open mailbox right before the 2016 Memorial Weekend Flood III, and found a soaked self addressed stamped envelope.  I had to medically remove the three cards that had
slid slightly out of plastic sleeve, from the envelope.  Some moisture was on the cards, but after dabbing them off, they were in surprisingly good condition, and the autographs were not harmed.

pset92 rsmithThe 1992 Action Packed Rookies & Stars was among my favorites during that early heyday of collecting. I had already gotten Rod Smith in a Patriots blitz I did in 1992 before the set came out. (Back then you could send a stack of cards to a bad NFL team and they’d typically respond by signing most of your stuff.) A great action shot here, I had been wanting to come back and get this one for a while. The ProSet and Classic cards were gravy on top. ProSet still had some nice action photos, sans the bad design and company logo.

 

NFL

Perry, Michael Dean

sky92 mdperryaprks92 mdperry

Cards: Skybox 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1992, Gameday 1992
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent:  7/1   Received: 10/3   (94 days)

With uncanny quickness off the snap Michael Dean Perry smashed the record books for career sacks (24) at Clemson from his defensive tackle position.  At 6-1, 285, Perry would be considered slightly undersized by today’s standards. Even then he was considered a bit smaller than usual, but Perry turned this to his advantage and wrecked opposing backfields.

sky92 mdperry BBeing drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 2nd round of the 1988 draft was a blessing to MDP, and he’d quickly endear himself to legions of Browns fans everywhere. In his rookie season, Perry flashed his playmaking skills. Coming in as a situational pass rusher, he logged 25 tackles, 6.0 sacks, recovered 2 fumbles, one of which he rumbled with for a TD.  In 1989, Bud Carson switched the defense to a 4-3 alignment and Perry became a sensation. He’d earn the first of 5 Pro Bowl nominations, and his first of two All-Pro Honors. Michael Dean’s 1990 was so dominating (107 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 2 FF) that talk around Cleveland was that MDP should receive NFL Player of the Year Honors. At one point the fanfare around Perry was so crazy, McDonalds started selling burgers in the Cleveland area called the MDP- which consisted of a double quarterpounder with double bacon. Ugh… Michael continued to play for the Cleveland Browns through the 1994 season.  At that point head coach Bill Belichick was going in another direction on defense, so the team had a mutual parting of ways with Perry.

gday92 mdperryMichael still had some gas in the tank, so he signed with the Denver Broncos in 1995. He’d somehow earn one last Pro Bowl berth in 1996. 1997 was MDP’s final season in the NFL. He’d play primarily for the Broncos, and then the final month of the season with the Chiefs. By then the nicks and cuts had caught up with him and Perry decided to call it a career. While other teams attempted to lure Perry out of retirement, he resisted and sequestered himself to South Carolina.  Of the offensive linemen that he faced over the years, Perry considered Randall McDaniel and Mike Munchak his most difficult opponents.

Since then Michael has invested in a string of Subway sandwich shops.  He is the younger brother of William ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry, who he remains extremely close to. I’ve always found it odd when a player decides to sign his card on the back. Still not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I was very happy to add this fan favorite to the collection.

G/Gs  148/127          Tac  534             Sac 61.0              Fum  13
Int  0         Yds 0          Avg  -.-           Td 0              Lg -.-

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