Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

NFL, WLAF

Mandley, Pete

Card: ProSet 1989
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Montreal Machine
See Also: Pete Mandley (2)

Northern Arizona’s very own Pete Mandley stood at 5’10”, 190, setting all sorts of receiving and returning records for the school, parlaying it into an NFL career. Pete heard his name called in the second round of the 1984 draft, and initially was utilized by the Lions as a kick returner. In 1985 he’d switch primarily to punt returns where he found his niche.

One of the more formidable returners in the league, Pete had 403 yards on 38 returns and a touchdown. Mandley nearly duplicated those numbers again in 1986, with 43 returns for 420 yards and a touchdown. He then became the team’s primary receiver in 1987 pulling in 58 receptions for 720 yards and 7 touchdowns (- the most for a Lions receiver since 1968,) and again had similar numbers leading the team in catches with 44 for 617 yards and 4 TDs. For Pete’s efforts in 1987 he was named a Pro Bowl alternate.  With Plan B in full swing, Mandley signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989. In 12 games he had 35 catches for 476 yards and a TD, before a largely forgettable 1990.

Sitting out a season, Pete attempted to reinvigorate his career by signing with the WLAF. Picked up by the Montreal Machine in 1992, Pete would put on a clinic for the young franchise setting marks across the board in receiving, punt returning, and yards from scrimmage. His presence certainly helped stabilize young quarterback Michael Proctor, as Pete had 45 receptions for 605 yards and 4 touchdowns. Mandley would almost spoil the Riders 1992 season opener with a devastating punt return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter, but the Riders managed to pull the game out. He’d finish the season with 16 returns for 150 yards, a 9.4 average and a TD. Despite accounting for the majority of the Machine’s offensive firepower, Pete did not find himself on the All World squad.

I only had Mandley’s ProSet 1989 card, but Ultimate and Wild Card aggressively made cards of his that were not released until after the season opener. Still Pete recognized me as a fan, smiled, and signed my Lions card. After retiring from pro football, Mandley struggled with leaving it behind and even resented the sport, but over the years has rekindled the fire and interest he’s had in it.

In 1993, Pete was inducted into the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Hall of Fame. He is also an entrepreneur, and owns numerous businesses in the Phoenix area.  Mandley’s family is notable as they avoided tragedy when one of their young children took ill and prevented them from boarding Northwest plane flight 255, which crashed and killed all but one, in 1987.

NFL
Rec 172    Yds 2370       Avg 13.8        Td 12       Lg 56
Kr 35   Yds  630   Avg 18.0   Td 0   Lg 37  |      
Pr 162   Yds 1511  Avg 9.3    Td 2    Lg 81t

WL
Rec 45     Yds  605     Avg 13.4    Td 4    Lg 61
Kr 7    Yds 103    Avg 14.7   Td 0    Lg  22  |    
Pr 16     Yds  150    Avg 9.4   Td  1   Lg 73t

AFL, NFL, wfl

Culp, Curley (1946-2021)

Cards: Topps 1978, Topps 1976, Topps 1974
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 11/16    Received: 11/23   (7 days)

Curley Culp is another great example of a player that if they inducted a player at every position into the HoF, – Culp would be inducted at the inglorious, in the trenches position of nose tackle. When people talk about players who redefine a position, I think of Culp defining one all by himself. He not only was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL Superbowl victory, he also reinvigorated a sad sack Houston franchise on defense by being the final cog in challenging the supremacy of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 70s.

After graduating from Arizona State in 1969, the Denver Broncos drafted Culp with their second round pick of the common NFL draft. Unable to make the squad, Culp was considered undersized and too slow to play linebacker or defensive end, but had some great advantages in his strength, quickness off the line, and technique. He was an enigma.

Moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs, Curley played defensive tackle and was inserted into the lineup and played directly over the center, creating one on one situations, and opening up interior lanes for rushers. This heralded the birth of the 3-4 defense and the nose tackle position. While with the Chiefs, Culp appeared in 82 contests, the 1969 All Star Game, the 1972 Pro Bowl, and was a key cog in Kansas City’s Super Bowl IV victory.

In 1974, the NFL began to feel pressure from a new upstart league: The WFL.  At the same time as Culp began to make rumblings about leaving for the other league to play for the California Sun, defensive coordinator Bum Phillips of the Houston Oilers, had convinced head coach Sid Gillman that the 3-4 could be run full time in the NFL. He insisted that the main piece that he needed to begin a defensive renaissance in Houston was Curley Culp. Pulling the trigger in exchange for John Matuszak, the Oilers struck gold and immediately saw dividends on their investment into Culp as in 1975, he was named AP defensive player of the year after recording 11.5 sacks for the Oilers.  Culp would remain a stalwart member of the Houston defensive front, but as injuries mounted, he would be cut midway through the 1980 season, sign with the Lions and retire after the 1981 season.

Culp somehow ended up down the street from me in the Austin suburb of Pflugerville. When I learned of this, I quickly shot him a letter and a few cards to sign. I love his Topps 1975 card.  He looks like a hungry, angry hobo with that grizzly beard.  A 5 time Pro Bowler, a member of the Kansas City Chiefs 35th anniversary team, the Chiefs All-Century team, the Oilers All-Century team and inducted into the Chiefs HoF, Culp certainly has the credentials, but lacks the glamour and tracked statistics to be in the HoF.

G  179      Tac  N/a    Sac 68     Fum 13     Int   1    Yds   25   Avg   25.0     Td 0      lg 25


UPDATE 11/27/21- On November 16th, Curley Culp announced he had Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and asked that his friends, family and followers donate to foundations to help eradicate this disease. His family announced his passing on social media on November 27th.

In 2013, Curley got the long awaited invitation and the gold jacket he should’ve been awarded so long ago, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

NFL, NFLE, ufl

Gray, Quinn


Cards:  UD MVP 2003, Topps 2008
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Florida A&M Rattlers
Sent: 11/8   Received:  11/21   (13 days)

A strong armed quarterback that resembled Daunte Culpepper, (6’3″, 246) Quinn Gray set benchmarks at Florida A&M with 7368 yards passing and 57 touchdowns. Undrafted, Gray would be signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002, and then be allocated to NFL Europe to play for the Frankfurt Galaxy in 2003. While with the Galaxy, Quinn would have a good season (58/131, 1099 yards, and 11 tds to only 5 picks) playing alongside former Texas Terminator and Texas Longhorn James Brown, leading the Galaxy to a World Bowl victory (XI). He’d return stateside, and not throw a pass in the NFL through the 2004 season.

Gray in 2005 saw some cleanup action, and again in 2006, earning a reputation as a solid backup. With the Jaguars jettisoning Byron Leftwich, Gray slid into the backup position behind incumbent David Garrard in 2007. He’d hop into the starting role near the end of the season as the injury bug would sideline Garrard. Quinn started 4 games, completing 80 of 144 passes for 966 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a head stomping of the Houston Texans. At the end of the season, Gray became a free agent and ironically signed with the Texans. Facing stiff competition, Gray would lose out on the backup job to Matt Schaub against Sage Rosenfels. Quinn later saw time also on the rosters of the Colts and Chiefs before being named the starting quarterback of the New York Sentinels of the UFL in 2009. The team would finish a woeful 0-10 and relocated to Hartford. In the meantime, Quinn has gone into coaching in what he calls, “A dream come true,” with his former Alma Mater, Florida A&M where I got his autograph in under two weeks via the school.

This Upper Deck MVP card is one of the ugliest I’ve seen and lacks any subtly to its design and texturing. The flagrant abuse of the jersey stock, not only on the front but the back as well, renders much of the type distracting and illegible, especially when there is use of thin black 6pt type on a gray backdrop. How did this get past QC? The Topps card, -probably the only one of Quinn in a Texans uniform, is a conservative yawner attempting to capture a look from years past in the use of the type. The framing and insistence of having the Topps logo front and center is ugly and makes me feel like I am looking at a one toothed monster, but I digress. I am none the less happy to add Quinn to the collection with his illustrious NFLE, NFL, and UFL careers behind him. Below are Quinn’s shockingly good limited NFL statistics:

G/Gs  12/4    Att  188     Comp   108      Yds 1328      Pct   57.4     Td  13      Int   5      Rat  91.4
Rush 25    Yds  111   Avg  4.4    Td  2    Lg 27