Tag Archives: Houston Oilers

NFL

Pinkett, Allen (2)

Cards: Action Packed 1990, Topps 1990, ProSet 1991, Pacific 1992
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 11/18 Received: 12/2 (14 days)
Failure: TTM 2017, C/o Home
See Also: Allen Pinkett

Allen had some incredible cards over the year and as an Oilers fan I had wanted to get back around to getting these cards signed. I tried back in 2017- but for some reason I did not receive anything back from the usually reliable Pinkett. Luckily I had duplicates for many of the cards that I wanted autographed and just reloaded and waited.

I was also inspired by recently watching his titanic efforts over again in the historic 1988 Houston Oilers v Cleveland Browns playoff showdown. The game- between coaches Jerry Glanville and Marty Schottenheimer, while highly contested, with the Oilers eventually advancing, sealed Schottenheimer’s fate in being unceremoniously fired by the Browns.

The game turned out to be one of Pinkett’s finest moments, as he ground up 82 yards on 14 carries and a TD, as well as 2 catches for 24 yards and a TD. – Come to think of it, his 1992 Pacific entry could be from that game. Anyway it’s worth it if you can still find the game online somewhere to look at as you will also see NBC in all its broadcasting greatness with Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy behind the mic.

After sending out to Pinkett that first time TTM back in 2010, I gave myself a hearty headslap that I left out his ProSet 1991 entry. It’s a dynamic and beautiful card of Allen, where his expression can clearly be read along with his running style.

While I really liked the shot of Allen off to the races in his Pacific entry, his Action Packed card was a classy shot. In one of those rare Topps entries, Allen can been seen catching a pass in a near profile view, however I suspect this was probably during warm ups like many of Topps cards during that period.

NFL, usfl

Rozier, Mike (2)

Cards: Score 1990, Action Packed 1990, Upper Deck Legends 1997, Panini Contenders 2018
Acquired: 2012 Akron Acquisition, TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 1/15/19 Received: 1/22/19 (7 days)
See Also: Mike Rozier

Slowly I had been working my way back around to Mike after about a 9 year layoff or so. I had been sold the Score 1990 card as part of a big lot of cards from the Akron Acquisition- so I needed a few more to fill out the ranks. Mike is another one of these players I didn’t want to see in his other NFL uniform (Falcons in this case). He still had some great Oilers cards I wanted to get signed- and once I got the Upper Deck 1997 card -in 2018, I made the decision to write him again. To seal the deal I also pulled this Panini Contenders card of him and put it aside for send out since I’ve gotten a few autographs recently around that set.

High grades for his Legends card from Upper Deck. Love the sports photography and how its got that nice action blur in the background. Far too often I’ve noticed photos where the people in the background are clear as day and distract from the player. In this case- this photo feels like a training or mini camp shot. I think the bushy trees give it away. Still, it’s a nice piece.

Mike’s Action Packed 1990 card is okay. I think it’s typical of AP at that time with that distance of framing images, but in this case, I feel like the image should’ve been pulled back a bit. Was Mike diving for a TD? Reaching out from a pile? Struggling to get back to the line of scrimmage? The design like all AP from 90 was simple and elegant however.

The Score 1990 set was a letdown from 89. I mean nothing could top what they did in that first set. The design here is nice, but the bordering with the logo is a bit heavy. The neon green marquee feels a bit unnecessary and forced. I kept wondering, “What does purple have to do with the Oilers?” It’s a decent action shot but I question Mike’s sense of dress as his thermal shirt sleeves are quite dated.

No question the Panini Contenders Draft Picks set has grown on me over the last… year or so. While I find it a bit over designed it’s a set that has a good selection of names in it. This shot however of Mike is terrible. He just looks like he’s jogging off the field to the sidelines.

AFL, NFL

Granger, Hoyle

Card: Topps 1970
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 2/4 Received: 2/9 (5 days)

Over his college career Cajun Hoyle Granger ran for 1534 yards and 350 carries (7 TDs) for Mississippi State. He’d be selected by the Houston Oilers in the 5th round of the AFL draft, and the 4th round of the competing NFL draft in 1966. Opting to sign with the Oilers, Hoyle became more or less a fullback for Houston as not only was he a strong North/South runner but also an impressive blocker. After a subpar rookie season, when he rushed for 388 yards on 56 carries, Hoyle burst onto the scene for the first of two consecutive ProBowl appearances in 67 and 68. He’d run for a career high 1,194 yards (6 TDs) in 1967 and 848 yards in 1968 (7 TDs). His 1,494 combined yards in 1967 led the AFL. Although his numbers were in decline after that, Hoyle became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher (since surpassed) during the 1970 season. Afterwards he’d be traded to the New Orleans Saints along with a bevy of players and draft choices. (The Oilers in return received notably WR Ken Burrough whom they had wanted but NO had selected the pick before them.) After just one season in The Big Easy, Hoyle returned to Houston for his final swan song in 1972.

I was not familiar with Hoyle outside of his statistics and the fact he was #3 on the HOUSTON Oilers all-time rushing list, but after reading the book ‘Oiler Blues’ he was one of the more recognizable players from the brief silver Houston Oilers helmet era, and a few photos of him rumbling along really stuck out in my head. I decided to take a shot at him and was pleased to see a response in 5 days flat on his classic Topps 1970 card.

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