Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

AFL, College Football HoF, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Staubach, Roger “The Dodger”

Card: ProSet 1990
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992

Reluctantly I went to Cowboys training camp that day. I was in a really bad mood but my neighbor took pity on me and took me up to St. Edwards with his kids. I used to always pack as many players as I could- and I’d also pack their most popular retired players gambling that perhaps one of them would show up. This worked for me twice. First with Harvey Martin and the second time with Roger Staubach. Roger was a killer victory for me. He was quite overwhelmed in the autograph alley- surprised at the reaction he got, but signed quite a few cards. My neighbor got behind me and shoved me through the crowd up to the fence line. Roger saw the card and grabbed it and penned it with his marker. Later I’d open a pack of Proline cards and also find another Staubach autograph in there. Josh was jealous and smacked himself on the head for not going that day, so mercifully I gave Josh the Proline card.

The forerunner to John Elway– Roger Staubach was a Heisman Trophy winner at Navy in 1963. (Roger would be drafted in 1964 by the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and in the NFL by the Dallas Cowboys.) After serving his military duty, Staubach would sign with the Dallas Cowboys in 1969 developing quickly into a star. Staubach was an accurate quarterback who could stretch defenses with his legs. With nicknames like “Roger the Dodger”, “Captain America” ,and “Captain Comeback”, Staubach was originally a part-time change of pace starter with Craig Morton, but by the end of the season in 1971 he was beginning to eclipse Morton, and Staubach would guide the Cowboys to the SuperBowl and was named MVP. Injuries limited his 1972 season but he’d rebound to lead the team to eventual glory. A 6 time Pro Bowler, Roger would lead the team to three more SuperBowl appearances, winning his second championship in 1977.  Voted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, -at the time of his retirement Roger held the highest passer rating in HoF history and has an incredible 85-29 record as a starter.

Staubach is also arguably known as the ‘Greatest Dallas Cowboy of All-Time’. Staubach was a cardiac kid leading the Cowboys back from impossible odds doing so on 23 game winning drives.  In 1975 after an improbable comeback against the Vikings in the playoffs where Roger threw a last second bomb for the win, Roger was quoted in the locker room as stating that he “said his Hail Mary’s before the throw in the huddle.” The name stuck and that is how the term came to be.

Roger after retirement has diversified his holdings into real estate, NASCAR, and sold his holdings of his personal corporation for over 100 million dollars. He is active politically and helped in Dallas’ bid to host the SuperBowl in 2011.

G/Gs 131/114     Att 2958    Comp 1685    Yds 22700     Pct 57.0
Td 153    Int 109    Rat 83.4  |
Rush 410    Yds 2264     Avg 5.5     Td 20     lg  33

NFL

Murray, Eddie

Cards: ProSet 1990 PB, ProSet 1991, Score 1990
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1993

One of the rare Canadians who played in the NFL, Eddie Murray graduated from Tulane in 1980 and is most remembered for playing 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions after being drafted in the 7th round. A solidly consistent kicker -during an era of notable kickers, (Pat Leahy, Gary Anderson,Morten Andersen,Norm Johnson, Nick Lowry, etc) Eddie was amongst the best of them named to the ProBowl on numerous occasions and being named MVP of the game in 1981. Named to the NFL All 1980’s team, Eddie finished as 6th all time in scoring before retiring with 1594 points, (but as of 2010 he’s ranked 14th,) and is the highest scoring Canadian born citizen in the NFL record book. He was 238/275 within the 39 yard line and frighteningly effective from 20-29 yards hitting 92 of 98 field goals.

After playing  for the Detroit Lions through 1991, Murray would hop over to the Chiefs and Buccaneers for 1992, then over to the Dallas Cowboys winning a SuperBowl ring in 1993. It was here at training camp I’d get his autograph on 3 separate occasions at camp. He was a really gracious signer and would pretty much sign everything before and after practice. Amazingly after his one year stint with the Cowboys Murray just kept going, playing for the Eagles and Redskins one year a piece through 1995. It was thought he retired in 1996 but was called up by the the Minnesota Vikings where he kicked in 1997, the Cowboys again in 1999 and in 2000 for the Redskins before finally retiring after 21 seasons. He currently lives in relative anonymity in Michigan where in 2010 he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

G/Gs 250/250    Xpa 538   Xpm 545   Pct 98.7%     FGA 352    FGM 466      Pct 75.5%    lg N/a

NFL

Stephens, John (1966-2009)

Cards: Action Packed 1991, SkyBox 1992
Acquired: TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz

John Stephens was a bruising halfback drafted in the first round of the 1988 draft by the New England Patriots. A tough, relatively unknown competitor from a small Louisiana college, John would burst onto the scene and in his rookie season it would culminate with him taking the offensive rookie of the year award home rushing for 1168 yards and a Pro Bowl nod.   A relatively plain halfback with excellent quickness and relentless, churning legs, he would lead the Patriots in rushing the next two seasons, but never eclipse the 1,000 yard mark or return to the ProBowl with injuries beginning to slow him down. With Leonard Russell drafted in 1991, John would be relegated to backup- but refused to give up and moved to fullback where he refined himself as a tough blocker. He’d stay with the team through 1992. In 1993 he’d play in one final season splitting time with the Chiefs, Packers and Falcons before retiring. Since then, John had led a relatively quiet life in the Louisiana area, but tragically was killed in 2009 when his car slammed into a tree and he was thrown from the car. Below are his career statistics:

G/Gs 88/64    Att 945    Yds 3440   Avg 3.6   Td 18   Lg 52  |
Rec 105     Yds 812     Avg 7.7    Td 1    Lg 43