Tag Archives: oakland raiders

NFL

Ervins, Ricky ‘Ric’

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1991
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1996

Near the waning days of my first autograph collecting stint, (which could be directly attributable to a horrid relationship I began in a different story all together for a ‘my diary posting’,) I got wind that Ricky Ervins was signed by the Los Angeles Raiders who needed depth at running back to get through training camp because of injuries to many of their key players in 1996. I’d get him along with a few other players that year, but this would be my final time at Cowboys Training Camp at St. Edwards in Austin. It was a good, long run which yielded a slew of SuperBowl talent and interesting stories, but the Cowboys were leaving Austin and the Oilers had already packed Bud’s moneybags for backroom promises in Tennessee. I’d effectively tune out of the sport after 1997- not even watching it again until 2000.

Ricky Ervins from Pasadena, Ca is considered a USC legend- (holding many records that Reggie Bush would later break) for the squad and is most remembered for his 1990 campaign in which he won the Rose Bowl MVP honors. Despite his credentials, Ricky had to wait until the 3rd round of the 1991 draft to hear his named called-  by the Washington Redskins. You see, Ervins is another case of a player before his time.  At 5-7 , 200, Ervins was considered undersized for a tailback, but in this day and age Ricky would fit right in with most West Coast offenses and their 3rd down, ‘scatback’ roles. The Redskins immediately put him to work along side Earnest Byner and the electric duo would help the Redskins make other teams respect the run. In his rookie season, Ervins scampered for 680 yards (leading all NFC rookies), a 4.7 per carry average (leading all rookies),  a 65 yard long jolt for a touchdown, and win SuperBowl XXVI. (Ricky would be the leading rusher of the game with 72 yards.) He’d rarely see starting time but rather was brought in for a fresh set of legs and a change of pace. Ricky also was a formidable receiver out of the backfield making 32 catches in 1992 and start a career high 10 games en route to 51 more receptions in 1994.  He’d be signed by the San Fransisco 49ers in 1995, and inexplicably for no reason, got lost in the backfield shuffle and be out of a job at the end of the season. The Oakland Raiders came calling in 1996, where Ricky flew down to be in camp with the team in Austin for training camp. Unfortunately he wouldn’t make the final roster and retired. Since football, Ricky has opened a successful high school athletic prep academy called Xtreme Xplosion (http://www.xtremexplosion.net/) in Northern Virginia.

G/Gs 76/11   Att 554     Yds  2114   Avg 3.8   TD 8    Lg 65T    |
Rec 117    Yds 870    Avg  7.4     Td 2    lg  28

NFL

Harrison, Nolan

Card: GameDay 1992
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1993

Indiana University is not really known as a hotbed of football talent- but the Raiders took a chance on Nolan Harrison in the 6th round of the 1991 draft as a possible replacement for star defensive end Howie Long or Greg Townsend. In the meantime the Raiders would utilize him also at defensive tackle, until 1994 when he’d get a career high 5 sacks at left defensive end. Nolan would sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997, and play there through 1999 making 7.5 sacks and then close out his career with the Washington Redskins in 2000. As a player, Nolan’s strength would be his high motor and flexibility along the defensive line providing invaluable depth for 10 seasons.

Since retiring Harrison has remained extremely active in NFLPA activities, serving on a variety of boards, financial management, and being a motivational speaker. In 2010, Nolan was named Senior Director of Former Player Affairs and he and former Raider Dave Pear have also squared off on disability and retirement benefits over the last few months.

On top of the possible 2011 NFL strike, there’s actually another party involved in the labor dispute that must not be ignored- those retired players that paved the way for the rest of the league’s success. Many former players who did not live on the ballooned million dollar contracts and on a pittance of severance sacrificed their bodies for our entertainment and now their pain and problems are largely ignored by the league. While Nolan has made some contact with Dave Pear- it remains to be seen whether or not our former greats are treated with the respect they deserve.  You can follow Nolan on twitter at: http://twitter.com/NolanHarrison74.

G/Gs  128/83      Tac 199      Sac 22.0     Fum 5      Int 0     Yds 0     Avg  -.-      Td 0      Lg 0

NFL

Klingler, David

Cards: Action Packed Rookies 1992, Classic 1992, SkyBox 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, C/o The Cincinnatti Bengals. In Person 1996, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp.

David Klingler was another in a line of Houston Cougar record-setting quarterbacks (Andre Ware) under the Run and Shoot offense. He’d set a then record with 11 touchdown passes and 716 yards in a game against Eastern Washington in 1990, winning the Sammy Baugh award after that season. David would also break Ware’s career passing records and set the NCAA record for touchdowns in a season (since broken) with 54. In 1992, Klingler would be the #1 pick of the floundering Cincinnati Bengals franchise with the 6th pick overall (right after Terrell Buckley).(Thinking in terms of quarterbacks that were from the 1992 draft, the only members of this draft to make the Pro Bowl ever in their careers were Brad Johnson and Jeff Blake.) The Bengals had a fresh new coach in Dave Shula, and he wanted a fresh, new face at quarterback along with him. This meant Klingler also had the very unenvious position of replacing extremely popular player Boomer Esiason at quarterback. Klingler in his rookie season would start 4 games under center for the Bengals posting 3 touchdowns to 2 picks, and throwing for an anemic 5.4 yards per throw. He’d also be sacked 18 times in 1992- a rate of a bit over 4 a game. In 1993, Klingler was dubbed starting quarterback, where I’d send off through the mail to get his autograph. In 13 games, the Bengals allowed Klingler to get sacked 40 times, but he’d try to make up for it with his rushing ‘prowess’, running for 282 yards and a 6.9 yard average. He would only throw for 6 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. David would almost duplicate those numbers in 1994, starting in only 7 games and being sacked 24 times. In 1995, he had a forgettable season with the Bengals and was released. Considered one of the many busts of the early nineties, Klingler never really stood a chance behind a patchwork line and in his first career game he was sacked 7 times by the Steelers. The Raiders would take a flyer on Klingler, where he played 2 more seasons and I got his autograph in 1996 at Dallas Cowboys training camp. After his 1996 season with the Raiders, he’d be signed by the Packers looking for competition behind Brett Favre, but he’d lose out in training camp and retire soon thereafter.

Klingler since leaving the NFL has graduated with a Doctorate in Old Testament Studies from the Dallas Theological Seminary. He remains an avid football fan and backer of the University of Houston.

G/Gs   33/20    Att 389    Comp 718     Yds 3994     Pct        Td 16     Int 22   Rat 65.1