Tag Archives: fleer 1990

NFL

McNeil, Freeman

Cards: Fleer 1990, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 10/19 Received: 11/17 (29 days)

Freeman McNeil was one of these players that rarely, if ever signed. I had pencilled him in for a paid signing with a stiff fee last year, but forgot about the event. Then a new event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Fast forward to mid-September 2020, and I saw a response for him come across SCN, so I quickly popped these two cards in the mail. As the successes slowly trickled in, mine showed up after about 30 days of waiting. Considering that up to this year Freeman was a career 1 for 30 type of guy, I was pretty happy to add him to the collection on these beautiful cards.

Freeman’s career was already on the back nine when I became familiar with him as a kid through trading cards and Starting Lineup figurines. He was a solid back and very productive, but injuries derailed what could’ve been a hall of fame career. – And back in the 80s when you needed to have a knee or ankle procedure? Something like that could end your career. Freeman was the epitome of the walking wounded. When he was a rookie in 81 his season ended due to a sprained foot. In 1983, he landed badly and separated his shoulder and then in 84, he broke some ribs… 1986 saw Freeman dislocate his elbow… and in 87 he got lucky and just pulled his hammy very, very badly. It’d be in 1989, McNeil ripped his knee ligaments. All in all, over 12 seasons, Freeman only played 2 full 16 game slates.

Freeman played for the UCLA Bruins from 1977-1980. He had 1,396 yards rushing in 1979, and 1,105 yards in 1980. He’d be the second runningback selected in the 1981 NFL Draft, with the 3rd overall pick by the New York Jets. He ran for 623 yards his rookie year in 6 starts in his debut NFL season. In 1982, Freeman ran for 786 yards on 151 carries in 9 strike shortened games. His 786 yards and 5.2 yards per carry led the league. (It is notably the only time in NFL history that a Jets runningback has led the league in rushing.) He’d earn his first Pro Bowl and only All Pro nomination for that season.

The Jets were a team during that period that ran the ball heavily. Once Johnny Hector was brought on board, the offense was referred to as a ‘two headed monster’. In 1984 Freeman broke the 1,000 yard barrier for the first time, rushing for 1,070 on 229 carries. Then in 1985, McNeil rushed for a career high 1,331 yards on 294 carries. – Again, all the more impressive as he and Hector were splitting time in the backfield.

Although Freeman didn’t break the 1,000 yard barrier again throughout the remainder of his career, he managed to put together campaigns in 1986 (856 yards) and 1988 (944 yards) that put him close enough. By 1990, Freeman began passing the torch to the next man up, which by that point was Blair Thomas and Brad Baxter. McNeil retired after the 1992 season as the franchise’s all time leading rusher with 8,074 yards, (since surpassed by Curtis Martin).

He has been inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor and the Nassau County (NY) Hall of Fame.

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144/97179880744.53869
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295296110.01259
Arena, CFL, NFL, WLAF

Collins, Shawn

Cards: Gameday 1992, Proset 1989, Action Packed 1990, Topps 1990, Fleer 1990
Acquired: 50/50 Consignment- Sportscollectors.net, 2020

Shawn Collins was actually a tight end at Northern Arizona where he set the school’s all-time career records for TDs (24) and catches (201). In 1986, he posted 70 catches for 1,016 yards- a school, single season record, and then followed up with 61 receptions in 1987, and 54 in 1988. Scouts decided that Shawn was best suited to play wide receiver before the 1989 draft. He’d be selected near the back end of round one by the Atlanta Falcons.

Shawn had an outstanding rookie season for the Falcons. He led all rookie receivers with 58 catches, and set rookie franchise records, leading the Falcons with 58 catches for 862 yards. An acrobatic receiver who is fearless in traffic, Collins’ 58 receptions were the most by any rookie during the 80s and 16 of his 58 grabs went for 20 yards or more. He’d be an unanimous 1989 NFL All-Rookie selection.

With a sea change at head coach in Jerry Glanville, the Falcons were expected to be very aggressive at WR, but after landing in Jerry’s doghouse, Shawn’s numbers suffered and he finished with 34 catches for 503 yards and 2 TDs in 90, and just 3 catches for 37 yards in 91. He joined Browns in 1992 and caught 3 more passes for Cleveland. Shawn joined the Bucs in 1993, but did not make the roster. He’d later sign with the Packers and was on their roster for 4 additional games.

Shawn then made a comeback with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the newly retooled World League, catching 18 passes for 215 yards and a TD. Returning stateside, he immediately joined the CFL where he played for the Memphis Mad Dogs and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1995, posting 29 passes for 536 yards and 2TDs. Shawn played one final year in the Arena Football League for the Iowa Barnstormers catching 5 passes for 52 yards.

Shawn does not sign through the mail at all. I had spied out a signing through Sportscollectors.net at a really fair price, and waited for the event to pop. I was not disappointed and jumped at the chance to have him sign these 5 cards.

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98143314.6561
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55210.40N/A

AAF, NFL, NFLE

Metzelaars, Pete

Cards: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990, Fleer 1990
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 7/3 Received: 8/13 (41 days)

Pete Metzelaars made his mark at tiny Wabash, as a two sport star playing basketball and football. He was selected in the 3rd round of the 1982 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. After catching just 27 passes in 3 seasons for the Seahawks, Pete was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1985.

He caught 49 passes for 485 yards and 3 TDs in 1986 starting his first 16 game slate. In 1988, Pete put up another 33 passes for 438 yards and a TD. After a few years being used primarily as a blocking tight end Pete saw an uptick in 1992, and then caught a career high 68 passes for 609 yards and 4 TDs in ’93 starting all 16 games for the first time since 1989. Metzelaars played one more season for the Bills in 1994, adding another 49 catches for 428 yards and 5 TDs.

In 1995, Pete was allowed to walk via free agency. He joined the expansion Carolina Panthers for a season catching 20 passes and recording 3 TDs. He then played 2 more additional seasons for the Detroit Lions in 1996 and 1997 catching 17 passes in both years. Metzelaars retired after the ’97 season, and decided to go into coaching.

Pete spent 5 years honing his craft at the high school level as an offensive coordinator. He then coached in Europe with the Barcelona Dragons in 2003, and Wingate College as well. In 2004, Pete joined the Indianapolis Colts where he saw the most success, coaching the offensive line from 2004-2011. He then saw a one year stint as tight ends coach of the Bills in 2012, and then the Chargers in 2014 and 2015. After spending another two years back at the high school level, Metzelaars coached offensive line for the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

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