Tag Archives: cleveland browns

NFL

Barnett, Harlon

 

Cards:  Action Packed Rookies 1990, GameDay 1992, Topps 1992.
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Michigan State University
Sent: 7/20   Received: 7/28  (8 days)

Harlon Barnett was a outstanding hard hitting defensive back  who served as a team captain for the Michigan State Spartans back in the late 1980s. At 5-11, 180 he was a bit undersized to play safety but converted to free safety his senior season and earned All American Honors recording 69 tackles, 3 picks, and 3 fumble recoveries.

The Browns would take a stab at their home state product, and nab Harlon in the 4th round of the 1990 draft. After missing the majority of his rookie season with a back injury, Barnett would return to the line up in 1991 as the team would reshuffle its secondary after the departure of Felix Wright to Minnesota and the drafting of Eric Turner. As injuries would continue to plague the Browns beleaguered secondary, Barnett would start 10 games, making a modest 60 tackles and 1 sack that season. After a lackluster 1992, Harlon would sign with the New England Patriots and play for them 2 seasons making 4 interceptions. In 1995 he’d head over to Minnesota and retire after the 1996 season. Barnett is an astute student of the game and headed into coaching with stops at LSU and Cincinnati. He is currently the defensive backs coach of Michigan State where I got his autograph on these 3 cards in a short 8 days.

Great cards here of Harlon, who was more of a role player and special teams star for the teams he was on. Action Packed once again had a stellar scouting team in place, and had a rookie card out before his rookie season really got underway. This Topps 1992 card was when they finally got the message that action shots were important to collectors. It’s a good shot of Harlon as well, and along with the GameDay cards, these represented the 3 cards I had in my collection of the former MSU star.

G/Gs  99/54     Tac  264    Sac  2.0    Fum 3      Int 4     Yds 91    Avg 22.7      Td 0       Lg 40
Barnett makes a pick against the ‘Canes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB2sKwemGUM
Anthony Johnson takes it on the nose from Harlon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w53R0bikjjw&feature=related

CFL, NFL, NFLE

Stacy, Siran


Card: Classic 1992
Acquired: In Person 1992, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp
Failure: C/o Home, 2011
See Also: Siran Stacy (2)

Siran Stacy was one of many heralded runningbacks out of the University of Alabama, rushing for 2113 yards and 27 touchdowns over his career. He was also an able bodied receiver making 62 receptions for the Crimson Tide. The Eagles drafted Siran Stacy in 1992 in the second round of the draft, but after one season with the team, when he played in no games, he’d be on the street after being charged with assault. The Eagles wanted no part of this.

He signed with the Cleveland Browns the following season, but after being arrested for simple theft, the Browns cut him. This would be the wake up call Siran needed as he would be without football through 1995.

With the return of the World League, Siran Stacy saw a chance to redeem his professional football career. Drafted by the Scottish Claymores and their run based offense, Stacy would set new official marks for the league in rushing running wild for 785 yards and 5 touchdowns in 1995. He’d return to play for the team again in 1996, almost duplicating his numbers, (running for 780 yards and 3 touchdowns,) and for the hat trick in 1997, he’d run again for… 785 yards and 4 touchdowns! Stacy led his team to the World Bowl and was named the league’s MVP in 1997.

He’d retire in 1998, but play one final season in the NFLE and briefly for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL in 2000. Stacy is the career leading rusher of the Scottish Claymore franchise, and the NFLE with 2362 yards.

After retirement, Stacy went into corporate banking and became involved with the FCA, but in 2007 tragedy struck Siran’s life as his wife, 3 daughters and a son were killed in a collision with a drunk driver. This would lead Stacy to another rebirth, as he started his own ministry and became closer to Christ.

He currently runs Siran Stacy Ministries, to which you can visit his website at siranstacy.org. In 2008, he was named the honorary captain of the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn.

G/Gs  N/a      Rush   627        Yds   2362     Avg  3.8    Td 16    Lg  48   |
Rec 94       Yds 720      Avg  7.7       Td 2       Lg 43

Arena, NFL

Kosar, Bernie

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1992, GameDay 1992, Score Hot Gun 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 7/19   Received: 7/27  (8 days)

Playing for the Miami Hurricanes with his unique side arm delivery, Bernie Kosar would have teams salivating to get him when he declared for the draft in 1985 with the Oilers, Browns, Bills and Vikings sending shockwaves through the draft board with their maneuvers. After getting wind that Kosar only wanted to play for the Browns, the Oilers traded away their spot to the Vikings, and then Kosar dropped the real bomb before the draft, by not filing the formal paperwork to declare. Everybody threatened to sue everyone in the ensuing melee, but in the end Kosar skipped around the draft and declared for the Supplemental draft that year where he was signed by the Cleveland Browns.

In Kosar’s rookie season, coming off the bench Bernie would help the team enter the playoffs with an 8-8 record and be immortalized in the original Tecmo Bowl. In 1986, playing full time the famously immobile quarterback would lead the team to a 12-4 record throwing a record 489 yards in a playoff game against the Jets, but losing in the championship game to the Broncos.  The 1987 season would present the same scenario, with a Pro Bowl nomination and a championship game loss to the Broncos again.  Despite injuries, Bernie would again take the Browns to a 3rd and final championship game appearance in 1988. After losing a squeaker in the playoffs to the Oilers in 1989, head coach Marty Schottenheimer would be fired, and the Browns would appoint Bud Carson head coach. Kosar would set another NFL record with 286 pass attempts without an interception between the 1990-1991 season but the team would collapse in 1991 to 3-13.


Under head coach Bill Belichick, the Browns would open up the coffers with the advent of free agency in 1993, signing University of Miami alum and quarterback Vinny Testaverde to compete against Kosar. Despite his popularity Bernie would be cut midway through the 1993 season.  The Dallas Cowboys quickly snapped up Kosar to fill in for an injured Troy Aikman where he won a Super Bowl title with the team after the season.

After his short stint in Dallas, Bernie would sign with the Miami Dolphins as Dan Marino‘s backup (after the departure of  Scott Mitchell to Detroit), retiring in 1996.  Since retirement,  Bernie has remained a popular personality in the Cleveland area. An avid golfer, Kosar was the owner of the Arena football franchise Cleveland Gladiators. Despite facing financial difficulties Kosar has remained steadfast, and was named as a consultant to the Cleveland Browns.  I was surprised to get Kosar’s autograph in such a short period of time. It had been rumored that he was charging a stiff autograph fee, but that proved to be untrue.

Kosar  is one of the select players in Tecmo Superbowl that is not identified by their name. Instead he is identified as “QB Browns” to avoid any legal issues. The only way that you know it is him is based on his abilities and the fact that he is white. Regarldess he is represented accurately in the game with great pass control but some awkward abilities but should have about 0 run speed.

G/Gs 126/108   Att  3365    Comp 1994    Yds 23301  Pct 59.3   Td  124   Int 87   Rat 81.8 |
Rush 180    Yds  265   Avg  1.5    Td 5   Lg 23