Tag Archives: los angeles rams

NFL, usfl

Eatman, Irv

Gameday 1992, #201
Pro Set 1989, #170
Score 1990, #76

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Score 1990, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 5/18/22 RECEIVED: 6/2/22 (15 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Clocking in at 6’6″, 271, big OT Irv Eatman played college ball at UCLA.
  • He was moved to OT in his Senior season after playing DL most of his career at the school.
  • Selected by both the Philadelphia Stars (USFL) and the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) in the respective drafts for each league.
  • He opted to join the USFL playing for the Birmingham Stars in 1984.
  • In 1986, after the USFL collapsed, Irv took his trench work to the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Irv saw action at both RT and LT, before a knee injury cost him his starting job in 1990.
  • Eatman signed as a FA with the New York Jets in 1991, helping shore up their OL.
  • 1993 saw Irv return out west playing for the Rams, who needed help on the line after the retirement of Jackie Slater.
  • The next season, he’d play for the Falcons- but only saw action in 4 games.
  • I seem to remember at this point Irv was considered a bit washed up coming into his 13th season.
  • The HOUSTON Oilers signed him in 1995 and I remember not being too enthusiastic about the signing.
  • But much to my surprise I was wrong, Irv came through, and in fact started all final 16 games of his career in 1996 in H-Town.
  • Irv went into coaching starting in1999 coaching with the Packers and Steelers (’00), as an OL coach.
  • In 2001, Irv joined Dick Vermeil’s staff in KC, where he coached the OL through the 2005 season.
  • After coaching for the Raiders in 2006, Irv decided to step away from professional coaching to spend more time with family and raising his son.
  • Since then he’s done a lot of charitable work, and worked in youth sports camps.

ACCOLADES:

  • All USFL All-Star 1984-’86
  • USFL Man of the Year

NOTES:

Irv had some great cards, and with two of them being set needs, I sent these two out. As an added bonus he was also a HOUSTON Oiler.

NFL

McNeal, Travis

Fleer 1990, #270

CARD: Fleer 1990
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Travis McNeal played Tight End at the University of Tennessee, Chatanooga.
  • He was selected in the 4th round of the epic 1989 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Started 5 of the last 6 games of his rookie campaign, and his 48 yard reception was the longest by a TE in franchise history (since surpassed).
  • In 1991 caught his first TD pass, in a win over the New York Jets.
  • Caught a career high 17 passes that season.
  • Signed with the Rams in 1992 and used primarily as a blocking TE.
  • Retired after the 1993 season.

NOTES:

Travis makes an appearance as a member of the Seattle Seahawks on Tecmo Super Bowl.

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NFL

Strickland, Fred

Pro Set 1990, #174
Score 1990, #497
Fleer 1990, #U-55

CARDS: Score 1990, Fleer 1990 Update, Pro Set 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 3/23 RECEIVED: 4/5 (13 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Big LB Fred Strickland played 3 years at Purdue where he had a motor for the ball, leading the team in tackles for 3 straight years (1985-’87).
  • A second round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1988.
  • It took him a season but by ’89, Strickland was a starter for the team at Middle Linebacker.
  • Loving his skillset and versatility, the Rams created a new defensive hybrid position for Strickland that was a combination between nosetackle and middle linebacker.
  • Injuries quickly caught up with Fred, and that combined with a coaching change in ’92 and being passed up by Larry Kelm on the depth chart, led to his departure in 1993.
  • Fred’s career was rejuvenated with the Minnesota Vikings, where at weakside LB he posted 137 tackles and 4 fumble recoveries.
  • Taking advantage of his bargaining position, and the Packers need at LB, Fred joined Green Bay that season.
  • He spent the 1994 and 1995 season with the team providing solid play.
  • With the loss of LBs Dixon Edwards and Robert Jones, the Dallas Cowboys signed Fred in 1996.
  • A force in the middle, Fred posted 103 combined tackles in ’96, 95 in ’97, and 81 in 1998.
  • Strickland entered the twilight of his career in 1999 playing for the Redskins.
  • He’d be a backup for the team that season, and retire before the start of the 2000 season.

NOTES:

Fred had a somewhat rocky start, but after leaving the Rams and finding his sea legs, he really showed the versatility that defensive coaches prized. In addition his ability to come in and start in a pinch and then pull down 90 plus tackles on stacked defenses really can not be understated. His Fleer 1990 card you can really see his showcased size that allowed him to hybridize out from linebacker to nose.

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