Tag Archives: cincinatti bengals

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

Brown, Eddie (U MIA-FL)

Cards: Topps 1990, Topps Stadium Club 1991
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 10/9    Received: 12/16    (68 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Home

Eddie Brown played for the Miami Hurricanes. A two year starter in 1983 and 1984, he posted 89 receptions for 1754 yards (19.7 yards per reception) and 14 TDs. Gifted with a great skillset of speed and hands, Brown was selected with the 13th pick overall in the 1985 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.  This draft is known for its incredibly strong wide receiver pool, which included notables such as: Jerry Rice, Andre Reed, Al Toon, Jessie Hester, Vance Johnson, Reggie Langhorne, Emile Harry, Eric Martin, and Willie Drewery.

Despite putting up solid numbers for the Bengals, Brown has always been mistreated by fans and the media outside of Cincinnati- as he was selected 3 picks before Jerry Rice. Still early on the Bengals looked like the winners as Eddie won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award, after he caught 53 passes for 942 yards and 8 TDs.  His best season came in 1988 when Eddie had a career high 53 receptions for 1,273 yards and 9 TDs- earning him his one and only Pro Bowl appearance.  (His single season 24 yards per reception average set an NFL record that still stands today.) For most of his career, Eddie’s numbers middled around 800 to 900 yards. He got really beat up over his career and retired after the 1991 season. Eddie teamed up with Tim McGee and QB Boomer Esiason and gave the Houston Oilers continual fits.

Eddie has had lingering injuries since retirement. Alarmingly, he has not been able to turn his neck since 1992 thanks in part possibly from a herniated cervical disc. He was kind enough however to sign these two cards for me, since I could find neither the ProSet 1990 or the Action Packed 1991 that I wanted to send. The Topps 1990 card is one of those oddballs. It’s a great photo of Brown- even if he’s not making the catch. Stadium Club was Topps attempt to create a premium line to keep up with the ProSets and Scores of the world. The strategy worked, and all the other brands established their own parallel premium brands to keep pace.

G/GS 102/99     REC 363    YDS  6134    AVG 16.9    TD 41   LG 86t

NFL, NFLE, ufl

Ragone, Dave

Card: SPX 2003  (0331/1100)
Acquired: 2017, EBay

Dave Ragone was one of the granddaddy’s of Louisville respectability when it comes to quarterbacks. He posted some good numbers there while with the Cardinals as a 3 year starter setting numerous records at the school, finishing 685/1180 for 8564 yards and 74 TDs to just 29 interceptions.  He was picked near the top of round 3 by the Houston Texans in the 2003 NFL draft.

At the time the young Houston Texans franchise were looking to groom a competent, low cost backup to incumbent starter David Carr.  (The sexy thing to do in the league during those days was to groom a 3rd stringer that had potential enough to entice other teams to drop draft picks in order to get after a one game audition.) The pick by the Texans was widely panned.  Dave got to start 2 games his rookie season throwing for 135 yards and an interception.

Ragone went to NFL Europe in the meantime. He’d play for the Berlin Thunder in 2005 and was named the league’s Offensive MVP, as he threw for 1,746 yards and 13 TDs en route to an appearance in World Bowl XII.  Dave returned to the Texans and backed up David Carr for the full 16 game slate, not seeing any action.

In 2006, the Texans team was completely scrapped, front office down. The Texans new head coach Gary Kubiak decided to go in another direction at quarterback and waived Ragone. He’d be claimed by the Bengals and quickly traded to the to the Rams, who cut him during training camp.

Dave has gone into coaching since his playing days ended, first being seen on the pro scene honing his skills as a quarterbacks coach (under his former OC from Houston, Chris Palmer) for the UFL Hartford Colonials, helping to turn Josh McCown into the biggest UFL success story.  He then had stops with the Titans (2011-2013) as both a WR and later as a QB coach, the Redskins (2015) as an offensive quality control coach, and finally with the Bears, who he has been the quarterbacks coach of since 2016.

NFL
G/GS 2/2    ATT 40    COMP 20    YDS 135     PCT 50.0
TD 0     INT 1      RAT 47.4
RUSH  6     YDS  51   AVG 8.5         TD 0              LG 14

NFLE
ATT 251   COMP 158  YDS 1746   PCT 62.9  TD 13   INT 2   RAT 97.5
RUSH 35    YDS 166    AVG 4.7    TD 1   LG 14T