Tag Archives: cincinnati bengals

Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL

Palmer, Carson

Cards:  Upper Deck 2009 SR
Acquired:  TTM 2011, C/o home
Sent:  9/2  Received: 9/10  (8 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o The Cincinnati Bengals

Gotta hand it to Upper Deck on this release.  Rarely am I interested in buying new cards- especially at today’s prices, but these College To Pro’s inserts… (questionably with an apostrophe between the O and the S,)  were a really nice subset inside their UD Star Rookies offering.  A prime example is this really nice Carson Palmer insert that I was just blown away by.  I thought it would look great autographed. I sent off to the Bengals after I heard that there were a few trickle down successes coming across- but unexpectedly Carson ‘retired’ from the team. My letter was RTSed, but on the outside somebody kindly wrote his new address that I quickly sent back out to.

Carson Palmer had a very good career at USC leading the Trojans to an Orange Bowl victory and also claiming the Heisman Trophy in 2002. After graduating from the school, the hard luck Bengals were looking for a new blood at the position and made him the first overall selection of the 2003 draft. As opposed to previous first round selections, David Klingler and Akili Smith, Palmer would spend his entire rookie season sitting on the bench.

In 2004 he officially took over the starting reins at quarterback for the franchise throwing for 18 touchdowns and 18 interceptions and a 77.3 quarterback rating. He’d deliver for the franchise in 2005 leading them to a division title and a playoff run for the first time in some 15 seasons of futility with a career season posting a 101.1 quarterback rating and leading the league with 32 touchdowns.

Unfortunately he would be injured in the playoffs and the team would lose against the Steelers. After an amazing rehabilitation, Palmer was back on the field in 2006 without missing a regular season contest.  He would win ProBowl honors at the end of the season and throw for over 4,000 yards. After another 4,000 yard season in 2007, he’d be shelved a good portion of 2008 with torn tendons in his throwing arm. Carson would answer the call again leading the team to the playoffs in 2009, but as the team slumped to a 4-12 record in 2010, Palmer demanded to be traded.

Unable or unwilling to make his demands, management decided to put him on the reserve/ did not report list.

G/Gs  97/97   Att  3217   Comp 2024   Yds  22694      Pct 62.9        Td 144        Int 110        Rat  86.9

12-18-11 UPDATE: Shortly before the 2012 trade deadline, the Oakland Raiders were looking to make a move and paid a lion’s share to get a hold of Palmer from the Bengals, where he is now the starting quarterback of the team.

NFL

Carroll, Wesley

Cards: Score 1991, Star Pics 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Topps 1992, ProSet 1991.
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home.
Sent: 7/19   Received: 7/25  (6 days)

Wesely had apparently fallen behind on his TTM autographing. As from what I had researched he had not been signing anything in roughly a year, when all of  a sudden sports collectors.net started registering some hits that got progressively smaller in date range. I went ahead and took a stab at Wesely, partially because he was on my list for Action Packed Rookies to get signed, and also because he was a member of the Miami-FL team that handed the University of Texas one of its most embarrassing bowl losses. I sent him 3 cards to sign, and 2 additional cards to keep. He ended up signing all of them and returning them in a scant 6 days.

A fifth year player, Carroll played 3 years at Mississippi Junior College before transferring to UM in 1989. A fine all around athlete with good size, Wesely made a good slot receiver due to his willingness to block and also fearlessness over the middle. In his senior season at Miami he registered 952 yards and 6 touchdowns on 61 receptions. At the time of his departure from the college he ranked second all time with 114 catches.

The Saints would make Carroll their second round choice in the 1991 draft and he’d be one of 11 from Miami taken that year. A modest rookie season would leave Carroll with 18 receptions and a touchdown in 12 games in 1991. He’d follow that up with 5 starts in 1992, grabbing another 18 balls for 292 yards including a 72 yard bomb for a TD. This would be statistically his best season. In 1993 Carroll would sign with the Bengals via free agency adding 8 more catches to his resume,- but racked up a heavy injury bill over his short playing time and retired before the 1994 season.
Further investigation reveals a workers compensation claim that Carroll won against the Saints and Bengals for his injuries in 2010 that covered industrial injuries to his cervical spine, lumbar spine, left upper extremity, both knees, left lower extremity, left thumb, and hypertension, causing 46% disability and need for further treatment. It is with this, that I hope that Wesley is enjoying as restful a retirement as physically possible.

G/Gs  40/5    Rec 42     Yds  557       Avg  13.3     Td 3      Lg 72t



NFL

McGee, Tim

Cards: ProSet 1990, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 6/20     Received:  7/1   (11 days)

Among wide receiver combos during the late 80’s-90’s, the AFC Central sported both the Houston Oilers’ in Hill,Givins,Jeffires and Duncan and the Bengals with equally talented- and in some cases superior group of Brown, Holman, and McGee. Originally a first round pick of the 1986 draft by Cincinnati out of the University of Tennessee, McGee finished as the college’s all-time leader in yards, receptions, and touchdowns. He’d be immediately paired with 1985 1st round choice Eddie Brown, freeing up Eddie and tight end Rodney Holman across the middle.

McGee would start initially as the Bengals’ kick returner. He’d finish his rookie season with slightly over 1000 yards returning and an additional 276 receiving. His total yards from scrimmage would be 1283 for 1986. A fearsome long bomb receiving threat, Tim averaged a 17.3 yards in his rookie season. In 1988, he’d average a career high 19.1 yards on 36 receptions, scoring 6 touchdowns. 1989 would be an impressive season for Tim, as he’d help lead the team to the Super Bowl, with 1211 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns. As the team suffered from the dismissal of head coach Sam Wyche and perennial quarterback Boomer Esiason’s departure, McGee’s statistics and starting time would diminish. As free agency rolled around in 1993, McGee would sign and play one season with the Redskins making 500 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’d re-sign with the Bengals in 1994 and retire after the 1995 season.  McGee is a great through the mail signer confirming this with an 11 day turn around on these 2 cards. He is currently a sports agent in the greater Cincinnati area.

G/Gs  134/97       Rec  321       Yds   5203       Avg    16.2       Td  28       Lg  78