Tag Archives: gameday 1992

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

NFL

White, Lorenzo “Lo”

Cards: Action Packed 1991, Score Supplemental 1989, GameDay 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, C/o The Houston Oilers
See Also: Lorenzo White (2) , Lorenzo White ‘Lo’ (3)

Wow… Lorenzo White had these suckers stamped.

Unlike the Jeff George cards that I had in 1992 that had suffered the same fate, (that I later replaced with real autographs) I was unable to replace these in time for this post. The ink didn’t pool at all on these cards. It is obvious though because the signatures are all at the same angle and there are articles of missing ink across each signature. I dislike stamps. I don’t mind autopens if they look legit. I compared this one to others and while there are some of these floating around, it’s obvious in comparison that this was lifted from his contract as opposed to his ‘natural signature’. I’d rather have a player return a card unsigned than stamp them, as it just ruins these cards for me.

Lorenzo White played with names such as Bobby McAllister, Willie Bouyer, and Andre Rison at Michigan State, during one of the team’s last heydays. He was drafted in the first round by the Houston Oilers in 1988 and had some exciting highlight film and some longer nicknames such as the “Great White Hope from the Green and White”. Lo was also an excellent receiver out of the backfield with deceptive speed at 5’11”, 222.

The problem was Lorenzo was a fumbling machine that rarely double cluched the football with both arms. In about 200 touches in 1990 he had 7 fumbles. The game Tecmo Super Bowl infamously memorialized  this by giving him some of the worst ball control in the game. He was almost guaranteed to fumble the ball once a game, and I’d always run out of bounds instead of take the hit with him. While his numbers improved and he became a pretty surehanded back after that, White never could completely erase those memories from fans.

With a new coach in place in Jack Pardee, he’d begin to thin the herd in 1990 after a conversion to the Run N Shoot offense. Gone were Alonzo Highsmith, Mike Rozier, and eventually Allen Pinkett. Lo would be one of the survivors and would produce a career high 1226 yards rushing and 641 yards receiving in 1992 starting for the team. His 1992 season would earn his one and only Pro Bowl moment.  He also gobbled down over 1,800 yards from scrimmage- the most by a runningback probably since Earl Campbell.

My best memory of Lo was that season when he made a 69 yard grab on a screen against the Cleveland Browns in the final minutes of the game to help the team engineer a comeback. He’d be injured during the 1993 season, clearing the way for Gary Brown to take the starting job.

In 1995, White signed via free agency and played for the Cleveland for one final season, but not before going down in Super Tecmo Bowl history as a member of the Browns.

Rush  1062         Yds  4242            Avg  4.0           Td 30              Lg 44            
Rec  192          Yds  1738          Avg 9.1            Td  6                lg  69

NFL

Bono, Steve

Cards: Score 1992, GameDay 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 6/14     Received: 6/20  (6 days)

Another near record signature from another former 49er, -Steve Bono was a local UCLA graduate that was the 3rd quarterback taken in the 1985 draft. Considered one of the weaker quarterback classes, he’d be one of only 3 quarterbacks taken in 6 rounds. Signed by the Minnesota Vikings, Bono would play behind Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson. Staying there through 1986, Steve moved to Pittsburgh, backing up Mark Malone and fought it out with Bubby Brister for 2nd string from 87-88. It’d be in 1989 when Steve would return home to California and sign with the 49ers, to back up Joe Montana and Steve Young. With injuries ailing Montana and Young, Steve would step into the starting lineup in 1991 leading San Fransisco to a 5-1 record. This would ignite a brief quarterback controversy between the two signal callers when Montana was traded to Kansas City- but that eventually was squelched by Young’s outstanding play. Bono continued to back up Young through the 1993 season.

In 1994 ironically Bono was traded from the 49ers to the Chiefs- again to back up Joe Montana under head Marty Schottenheimer. After the 1994 season concluded, Montana retired and Bono was given the keys to the franchise. The following two seasons of 1995 and 96, became the most prolific of his Steve’s career. He’d lead the Chiefs to a 13-3 record, throwing for 3121 yards, 21 touchdowns and only 10 picks in 1995, earning a ProBowl nomination at the end of the season.  In 1996, Bono would go 8-5 in a largely down season with 12 touchdowns to 13 picks. After the 1996 season, Bono signed with the Packers backing up Brett Favre for 1997.  He’d then move on to St. Louis in 1998, ending his career after the 1999 season  as Steve Beuerlein‘s back up in Carolina.

Bono was one of the best 3rd string quarterbacks in the league, posting a 28-14 career record over 14 seasons. He also had a 76 yard touchdown run in 1995 which was an NFL record at the time (since eclipsed by Kordell Stewart’s 80 yard gallop). It’s even more amazing because Bono was a career 2.1 yards per carry rusher. Currently Steve is a financial advisor, and is a golf nut. He also volunteers his time with the National Kidney Foundation.

G/Gs  88/42      Att  1701    Comp 934       Yds 10439         Pct   54.9      Td 62      Int 42      Rat   75.3   |
Rush  125   Yds 257     Avg 2.1    Td 7      lg  76t