Card: Topps 1990
Acquired: Houston Oilers Training Camp 1991
Robert Banks from Notre Dame was a free agent pick up by the Oilers in 1989 during the waining end of the Jerry Glanville era. He’d stick there for one season before heading over to Cleveland for the next two seasons, notching four sacks. He’d make an appearance in Tecmo SuperBowl on the Nintendo in 1991. In 1991 he returned to the Oilers via Plan B, where I got his autograph during training camp that year, but he would see the Turk during the final cuts of that preseason. Robert was well conditioned and had a motor that never stopped- which he claimed he learned by reading Jack Tatum’s book “They Call Me Assassin”. Banks was ahead of his time, and was a tweener who could play both defensive end and linebacker. The problem was neither the Browns or Oilers could figure out how best to use his physical set as a situational pass rusher. As of 2004 Banks was functioning as a recruiter for ITT.
G N/44/24 Tac N/a Sac 4.0 Fum 2 Int 0 Yds 0 Avg -.- Td 0
Card: Score 1990
Acquired: Houston Oilers Training Camp 1994
During the advent of the 3rd down back, Todd McNair was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Temple in the 8th round of the bell-weather 1989 draft. A solid, yet unnoticed presence in the backfield during the early nineties of the venerable ground game of the Kansas City Chiefs that included such names as Christian Okoye and Barry Word, McNair not only was a solid blocker, but also a smart receiver out of the backfield – devastating on both draws and delays. He’d score a critical touchdown in the playoffs against Houston in 1993, and in 1994 would be signed away from Kansas City by the Oilers. Unfortunately, McNair and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride had a fallout, and Todd was relegated to the scout team. The Oilers collapsed and Bud Adams cleared house, appointing Jeff Fisher as head coach. McNair saw his playing time increased exponentially in 1995, averaging over 7 yards a carry and catching 60 passes. During training camp in 1994 I’d get his autograph as he walked to the locker rooms. After his two season stint with Houston, Todd returned to Kansas City in 1996 and retired.
He’d immediately jump into coaching and by 2001 was back in the NFL coaching the Cleveland Browns running backs. In 2004 he was recruited by USC, where he coached running backs and special teams. He’d also develop quite a knack for recruiting high school athletes. Unfortunately NCAA investigations in 2010 found USC guilty of improprieties in regards to Reggie Bush and his contact with agents. McNair was not retained when USC put a new coaching staff in place as the NCAA levied charges against him. At this time McNair is appealing the charges against him.
G/Gs 107/10 Att 147 Yds 803 Avg 5.5 Lg 47 Td 3 |
Rec 254 Yds 2435 Avg 9.6 lg 65 Td 7
Card: Classic 1993
Acquired: In Person 1993, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp
Barry Minter is a great story about a ‘diamond in the rough’. Drafted out of Tulsa in the 6th round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1993 draft, I think that most people didn’t hold out much luck for him making the stacked Dallas roster. When he was walking to the field one day I and asked him for his autograph he stopped and smiled widely as it was the first time he had seen the card. Barry was unsure how to sign it, since it was his college card so he told me that he’d put his Cowboys # on the back. A real cool cat, Josh and I wished him luck for the upcoming season. He got traded within 2 months as part of a player swap deal with the Chicago Bears.
The Cowboys got disgruntled linebacker John Roper, tight end Kelly Blackwell and Markus Paul. The Bears got Vinson Smith, Minter and some draft choices. Looking back at it, the Bears definitely got the better end of this deal. Minter performed respectably well for the Bears playing through 2000 for the team recording a career high 6 sacks in 1997 and 96 tackles in 1999. During the second game of the 2000 season, he’d be injured and replaced by Brian Urlacher. In 2001 Barry signed with Cleveland playing in one game and retiring after that. Barry’s strength was his ability to play virtually any position in the linebacking corps as he played both MLB and RLB frequently.
G/Gs 111/61 Tac 351 Sac 11.5 Fum 7
Int 5 Yds 90 Avg 18.0 Td 2 lg 34T
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
He’d immediately jump into coaching and by 2001 was back in the NFL coaching the Cleveland Browns running backs. In 2004 he was recruited by USC, where he coached running backs and special teams. He’d also develop quite a knack for recruiting high school athletes. Unfortunately NCAA investigations in 2010 found USC guilty of improprieties in regards to Reggie Bush and his contact with agents. McNair was not retained when USC put a new coaching staff in place as the NCAA levied charges against him. At this time McNair is appealing the charges against him.
