Tag Archives: Houston Oilers

AFL, College Football HoF, NFL

LeVias, Jerry

to71 jlevias to70 jlevias

Cards: Topps 1970, Topps 1971
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent:   12/30/15   Received: 1/7/16    (8 days)

Jerry LeVias went on to play in the AFL and NFL, but is also recognized as a pioneer, breaking segregation in the SWC, playing for the SMU Mustangs.  It was not easy for Jerry, as he faced constant harassment.  LeVias made them pay though as he was a 3 time All-SWC selection from 1966-1968. His best year came in 1968 when he caught 80 passes for 1131 yards and 8 touchdowns.  Jerry finished his career at SMU with 155 receptions for 2275 yards and 22 TDs.

In 1969 Jerry was drafted by the Houston Oilers and led the NFL his rookie season in all purpose yards with 1946 yards, and punt returns with 35 for 292 yards. He also chipped in a career high 42 receptions for 696 yards and 5 TDs, including a league leading long 86 yard TD.  Jerry’s 1946 yards consisted of nearly half the team’s total yardage. He’d earn a Pro Bowl trip after the season and Rookie of the Year honors.   In 1970, he finished with 1377 yards from scrimmage, but Jerry was already preparing himself for life after football.

LeVias was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1971.  He’d have his final season with over a 1000 all purpose yards, but the constant pounding his small frame (5’8″, 165) was taking its toll. Jerry retired after the 1974 season.

As of 2015 Jerry serves as a Houston Texans Ambassador. He’s been honored with inductions into the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame,  College Football Hall of Fame, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.  A few years ago I went to the Kickoff at Kemah in Houston during a tropical storm. An early rumor placed LeVias at the Texans event, but in the end it was three other ambassadors. I decided to go ahead and shoot some cards out to him instead. Luckily he signed these two classic Topps cards.

G/Gs  70/35     Rec 144    Yds 2139    Avg 14.9    Td 14    Lg 86T
Rush 19   Yds 161   Avg 8.5    Td 0    Lg 38
KR  94      Yds 2213    Avg 23.5    Td 0    Lg 87
PR 35       Yds 687       Avg 7.8       Td 0    Lg 46

AFL, NFL, Pro Football HoF

Joiner, Charlie

ud97lgd cjoiner
Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 1/2     Received:  2/2    (31 days)

Charlie Joiner played an exhaustive 18 seasons in the AFL/NFL. Originally a 4th round pick of the Houston Oilers in 1969, as a defensive back, he made the switch to wide receiver and then started 8 games in 1970. He’d record 28 receptions for 416 yards and 3 TDs, including a 87 yarder.  He’d play with the Oilers through 6 games of the 1972 season but was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Joiner spent the next 3 seasons there where he started coming into his own during the 1975 season. He’d pull down 37 receptions for 726 yards and 5 TDs.  The Bengals then traded him to the Chargers, where Charlie became the perfect fit for Air Coryell’s West Coast Offense catching passes from young Dan Fouts. In the midst of the ‘Dead Ball Era’, Charlie had 50 receptions for 1056 yards and 7 TDs -earning his first Pro Bowl nomination. He’d return to form in 1979 with a career high 72 receptions and 1008 yards with his second Pro Bowl berth.  The following year in 1980, Charlie earned his final Pro Bowl trip, and his first and only All-Pro Honor with 70 receptions for 1132 yards and 7 TDs. While he’d log a career high 1,188 yards in 1981, he did not earn any additional honors for the remainder of his career.  Joiner personified longevity in a league meant to break people.  He continued to play for the Chargers until his retirement after the 1986 season.  His 239 games played as a wide receiver, receptions, and yards, were NFL records at the time of his retirement.

G/GS  239/211      REC 750       YDS 12146     AVG 16.2    TD 65   LG 87

NFL

Manning, Archie

udlgd97 amanning
Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: 2015, C/o Home
Sent:   10/13  Received: 10/30  (17 days)
Failure: 2014, C/o Home

Archie Manning’s legacy has been somewhat embellished and romanticized over the years, thanks partly in part to the successes of his pro quarterback sons Peyton and Eli who have achieved Super Bowl success over their long careers.  While Manning played during the prime of the notorious ‘Dead Ball Era’, surrounded frequently by a misfit cast of players, he himself only had 2 seasons in his career where he threw more TDs to interceptions, while also posting a woeful 35-101-3 career record as a starting quarterback.  It should be noted that he led the NFL in attempts (448) and completions (230) in 1972, and earned Pro Bowl nominations in both 1978 and 1979.  His best season came at the expense at his team’s record in 1980. He’d throw for 3,716 yards and 23 TDs on 509 attempts, as the Saints stunk it up to a 1-15 record. One would think that somebody like Bobby Herbert might have made the cut over Manning, but it’s understandable that Archie’s sheer numbers and character are what endears him to this set.

During the 1982 season, the New Orleans Saints parted ways with Archie, trading him to the Houston Oilers for offensive lineman Leon Gray. He’d play there for roughly 16 games before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings with Dave Casper during the 1983 season, in exchange for two 1984 draft choices.  After the 1984 season, Manning retired. His journeyman years with the Oilers and Vikings are viewed much like other players who are associated only with their original long tenured franchise and are largely ignored.

Manning’s true strength is his character. Despite playing for some horrid teams, he was always well respected by teammates and foes alike around the league.  Through 2015, Archie has been a long time commentator on Saints games, and is a solid TTM bet. For some reason however I failed on my first attempt, and upon completion of my second try- it was slightly smudged. With Archie’s autograph in hand, the family trifecta of Archie, Eli, and Peyton has also been completed.

G/Gs 151/139   ATT 3642   COMP 2011    YDS 23911   PCT 55.2%
TD 125    INT  173       RAT 67.1
RUSH  384   YDS 2197     AVG 5.7     TD 18    LG 27