Tag Archives: cleveland browns

CFL, NFL

Dorsey, Ken

leaflim03 dorseyCard: Leaf Limited Phenom 2003
Acquired: 2013, Target Autograph Memorabilia

The 2003 draft for the most part is considered a train wreck of quarterback talent.  Carson Palmer, taken #1 overall, is the only quarterback from the draft to even make a Pro Bowl.  Ken was selected in the 7th round by the San Fransisco 49ers.

A two-time runner up for the Heisman, Ken Dorsey finished his college career at Miami, FL going 668/ 1153 for 9,565 yards and 86 TDs to only 28 interceptions.  During his time playing for the Hurricanes Dorsey led the team to a 38-2 record and a National Championship appearance in 2002.

His tenure in San Fransisco was… less than desired as he split time with Tim Rattay.  SF was going through a rough transition searching for their QB of the future. The combined Frankenstein effort resulted in a 2-14 record for the 49ers. Starting 7 games Ken posted a career high 6 TD passes and 1,231 yards and 9 interceptions.  After the season the 49ers switched from Dennis Erickson to Mike Nolan, and then drafted Alex Smith in the 1st round of the 2005 draft. Still Dorsey was able to post a 1-2 record throwing for 481 yards and 2 TDs.

In 2006, Dorsey was traded to the Cleveland Browns. He’d ride the bench for the next two seasons, before briefly stopping back into the starting lineup in 2008.  Starting 3 games for the Browns,  Dorsey threw for 370 yards and 7 interceptions.  Ken briefly resurfaced with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2010 , retiring after the season concluded.

Ken joined the Carolina Panthers staff first as a scout in 2011, and then later as a quarterbacks coach- a capacity he’s held through the 2016 season.

Ken’s certified autographed cards briefly experienced a surge in value back in 2015, as he is one of a long line of starting Browns quarterbacks. Steiner Sports ran a promotion to apologize to fans who’d ever gotten a Browns starting QB certified autograph and was offering a $50+ dollar in store credit for any fan who sent in those autographs.  However now that the promotion is over, these autographs along with other former starting Browns’ QBs autographs have returned to normal.

G/GS  17/13     ATT 408    COMP 214     YDS 2082     PCT 52.5
TD  8       INT 18        RAT 55.2
RUSH 11        YDS 18      AVG  1.6      TD 0      LG  6

 

 

AFL, NFL, NFLE, WLAF

Taylor, Lionel

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 6/4/14  Received: 8/13/16  (801 days)

Lionel Taylor had an amazing career that began in 1959 playing for the Chicago Bears.  He didn’t record a reception for the team during his rookie year and opted to join the upstart American Football League during its inaugural season in 1960 for the Denver Broncos. Taylor went on to endear himself as one of the most dominant receivers in the history of the league, leading the AFL in receptions 5 of the next 6 years.  In 1961 he set a modern era record with 100 receptions (which was broken in 1964 by Charlie Hennigan at 101). He played for the Broncos through 1966- joining the Oilers for the 1967 and 1968 seasons.  Lionel retired from the gridiron in 1969.

Taylor established himself quickly as an up and coming assistant coach with the Steelers as a receivers coach in 1970.  He’d remain there through 1976, cultivating a reputation as a Super Bowl winning positional coach.  He joined the Rams from 1977-1979, where he was offensive coordinator in 1980 and 1981.  Lionel then applied his trade at the college level for Oregon State, and then as head coach at Texas Southern through 1988.  Returning to the NFL in 1989, Taylor worked with the Cleveland Browns tight ends and as a pass coordinator.

Taylor joined the World League of American Football in 1995 as offensive coordinator to the London Monarchs. As the league rebranded to the NFLE, he’d take over as head coach of the franchise in 1996 and shepherd the franchise through to become the England Monarchs. It was a tough run for Taylor as head coach at the end, as his team was a vagabond franchise playing all over England looking for a new home. Since there was no established fan base, this gave the Monarchs no home field advantage.  The Monarchs finished with a 3-7 record during their swan song season.

Taylor has fully retired from the sport and lives in New Mexico.  At a clip over 800 days, I had fully given up on getting a response from Lionel, so this one came as quite a surprise to get back. It’s a shame, as with many American Football League players, Lionel has gotten little to no traction in Hall of Fame circles, despite his impressive numbers.

AFL
G/GS 121/NA      REC 567     YDS  7195    AVG 12.7   TD 45    LG  80T

NFLE
W  11     L 17       PCT .393

Arena, NFL

Banks, Carl

plinep92 bankspset90 banks
Cards: ProSet 1990, ProSet 1990 SBXXI, ProLine 1992
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Work
Sent: 11/17  Received: 12/8   (21 days)

Carl Banks played for the New York Giants on a stellar defense. He was a quiet, but noticeable force at outside linebacker that punctuated his career with hard hits and turnovers.  Frequently leading the Giants in tackles, Banks was a consensus All-American while playing at Michigan State, where he recorded 284 tackles over his 4 years for the Spartans. He’d be taken in the first round by the Giants during the 1984 draft.  His best season came in 1987 when he earned AP and Pro Bowl Honors,  with 9 sacks, 101 tackles, and 2 FF in just 12 games.  In 1988, Banks intercepted a pass in the 4th quarter and returned it for the game winning TD against the Falcons.  Later again in 1989, he posted a single season franchise high 7 forced fumbles.

pset90 banks sbBanks was frequently overshadowed by Lawrence Taylor on defense, but Carl had a habit of showing up most when it counted. In Superbowl XXI, he had a team high 10 tackles in a 39-20 win over the Broncos, earning Carl a nomination for the Super Bowl 25th Anniversary Team.

In 1993, he jumped ship for the Washington Redskins, and then a final 2 seasons in Cleveland for his former defensive coordinator (now coach) Bill Belichick, retiring after the 1995 season.

Carl loves doing radio- something that goes back to his playing days with the Giants. Banks was also part owner of a New Jersey Red Dogs in the Arena Football League, and briefly worked for the Jets in 1997. Otherwise, Banks has received numerous accolades from the Giants, including induction into the team’s Ring of Honor, and a member of the Giants’ All-Decade 80s team.

Carl had some amazing cards once the newer players got involved in the business. This ProSet 1990 card is among one of my favorites showing him in action stripping the ball carrier of the rock. I didn’t really like the ProLine series of cards. Most of the cards did not have a football shot, rather they focused on the player’s real lives, interests, and family. Still the subset of portraits, illustrated by Merv Corning (who worked on the Pro Set 1990 SuperBowl MVP subset) is just exquisite, and I am very impressed by the interaction that he uses to activate the white space on the page.

G/Gs 173/151      TAC  826        SAC  39.5           FUM   N/A
INT 3     YDS  21        AVG   7.0         TD   1          LG  15T