Tag Archives: kansas city chiefs

CFL, NFL

Rison, Andre ‘Bad Moon’

Action Packed Rookies 1990, #83

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1990
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Signing

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Andre Rison was a dominant receiver who played at Michigan State.
  • He established career record marks for receptions (146), and yards (2992).
  • Also was a great basketball and track man for the Spartans.
  • Selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft.
  • Was second among all rookie receivers in 1989 with 820 yards, and was the first Colts receiver in almost 10 years to catch over 50 passes in their rookie season (52).
  • He and Bill Brooks were an effective 1-2 punch, pairing for the most 100 yard games since ’68.
  • Well in 1990, the Colts were desperate for a QB, so they packaged up Andre, T Chris Hinton, and draft picks to get the #1 pick from the Falcons to select Jeff George.
  • While the Colts were imploding over the next few years, Rison was reaching new heights in the Falcons Red Gun offense.
  • He also adopted a bad boy persona and became known as ‘Bad Moon’ Rison.
  • He had a career high 93 receptions in ’92, 1,242 yards , and a league leading 15 TDs in 1994.
  • Andre started 73 games over his time in Atlanta, catching 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 TDs over 5 seasons.
  • In 1995, Andre signed with the Browns playing one seasons with the team.
  • After a disappointing season in Cleveland, where he feuded with fans, Rison played in 1996 for the Jags, and then was picked up by the Pack who needed help at receiver.
  • He’d earn a Super Bowl ring that season catching passes from Brett Favre.
  • Rison cashed in after the season, proving that perhaps he just needed a change of scenery from his hiccup two previous seasons ago in Cleveland.
  • Andre had a minor resurgence after he signed with the Chiefs in 1997.
  • He’d catch 72 passes for 1092 yards and 7 TDs, earning the nickname Spider-man.
  • Rison at this point of his career was attempting to rehabilitate his image as a diva, and Spider-man seemed like a positive role model.
  • After a total of 3 seasons in KC, Rison played one final year in the NFL with the Raiders in Oakland.
  • Despite not starting that year, he put up 41 catches for 606 yards and 6 TDs.
  • Rison took some time away from the sport, but returned in 2004 to play for the Toronto Argonauts.
  • He played just long enough to help the team win the Grey Cup, and retired after the 2005 campaign.
  • After his playing days ended, Andre has gone into coaching.
Pro Set 1989, #497
Action Packed 1990, #107

ACCOLADES:

  • Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
  • All-Rookie Team 1989
  • AP 1990
  • 2nd Team AP 1991-’93
  • Pro Bowl 1990-’93, 1997

NOTES:

Boasting an extremely low signing percentage and an ancient last return date there was no way I was going to get Andre through the mail. I knew the best chance I’d have is to probably go through a private signing. I follow a couple of private signers and Facebook pages that promote them, and finally after missing out on one already- I was able to get him affordably on these three cards. The problem is with Andre, as he was an early darling of every set that came onto the scene in those early days of the big card boom, so I literally have probably five or six more set needs. Andre was an excellent receiver on the Atlanta Falcons in Tecmo Super Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl.

Andre has a pretty solid resume, but maybe due to his bad image early in his career that caused him to be perceived as a diva, and then just as a bad guy in general, he’s gotten little traction from voters for the HoF, even though he’s gone to great lengths to dispel his reputation. Despite possessing a 10k resume, and impressive TD numbers, Rison is now caught in the logger jam at WR building from more modern candidates that have inflated numbers due to a game geared more towards the passing game. Andre is also one of a unique club of players who has won both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.

NFL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
7431020513.78480t

CFL

RECYDSAVGTDLG
1517811.9135
NFL, NFLE

Niklos, J.R.

VGF 2005

CARD: VGF 2005
ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Purchase

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Solid athlete started career as a DB for Ohio State in 1997 and 98.
  • Transferred to Western Illinois and was moved to TE by coaches who said he reminded him of Marv Cook.
  • Playing for the Leathernecks from 99-01, broke school receiving records.
  • At pro day as FB ran a 4.5 40 and was nicknamed ‘The Fastest Fullback in the NFL’, by then head coach Mike Martz.
  • Undrafted in 2002, was signed to the active roster of the Rams off of the Seahawks as a TE
  • Spent a total of 4 seasons with the Rams, joining the Frankfurt Galaxy in 2005 playing RB.
  • After league folded following the 2007 campaign, Niklos saw time with the Raiders (2005-06), Cleveland Browns (2007-08), and was briefly on IR with the Chiefs before deciding to hang up the cleats.
  • As of 2023, runs a sports performance business in Illinois.

NOTES:

A special bonus card thrown in when I purchased the remaining AAF sets I needed, I really get a kick out of these ‘deep cuts’ like JR Niklos.

NFLE

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
1053793.6430
RECYDSAVGTDLG
262389.5135t
NFL

Hakel, Chris

Classic 1992, #48
Star Pics 1992, #2

CARDS: Classic 1992, Star Pics 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 4/14 RECEIVED: 4/29 (15 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Originally saw limited action at QB for William & Mary in ’88.
  • Worked way up depth chart to starter in ’90.
  • Posted 3415 yards and 22 TDs on 245 of 414 throws that year.
  • Followed up breakout season with 2974 yards, throwing 18 TDs, and completed a whopping 65% of passes in 91.
  • Also rushed for 16 TDs over college career.
  • Selected in the 4th round of the 1992 draft by the Washington Redskins.
  • Spent the 92 and 93 seasons with the Redskins, losing the majority of 1992 to injured reserve.
  • Joined the Falcons practice squad in ’93, finishing career in ’94 with the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Has worked as a coach at the high school level since 2007.

NOTES:

I really liked the Star Pics set at the time. (It was battling Classic for the college draft card market at the turn of the 90s.) As it was quite a niche market, unfortunately Star Pics was one of the first inglorious victims of the card market implosion by 93. As I casually collect the set, it’s more for the design and photos than player notoriety.