Tag Archives: philadelphia eagles

NFL, WLAF

Gilbert, Greg

scan0001Card: Pro Set 1991
Acquired: TTM work 2013, C/o Central Florida University
Sent: 2/5     Received: 2/28     (25 days)

Greg Gilbert played for the Crimson Tide of Alabama from 1985-1988 posting 256 tackles. In his banner  Sophomore season he recorded 103 tackles, (5 TFL), recovered 2 fumbles, and intercepted a pass. While he posted 90 tackles in his Junior season (second on the team,) an injury riddled Senior season sent his draft stock plummeting. Gilbert was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 6th round of the 1989 NFL draft. He’d then spend the 1990 season on the roster of the Indianapolis Colts after some training camp action with the Raiders, a team that he returned to in 1991 after a training camp stop with the Eagles.

In 1991, the San Antonio Riders, (coached by Alabama alum Mike Riley,)  selected Greg Gilbert with the second overall pick of the league’s initial positional draft (after Wayne Davis, Orlando). Starting for the Riders at linebacker in the team’s 3-4 alignment, Gilbert starred alongside linebackers Tim Walton and Mark Ledbetter.  He’d make a pick for 15 yards that year, but by the end of the season was on the roster of the Barcelona Dragons. Greg played in 1992 with the Dragons again before the league suspended operations until 1995.

Gilbert is a player that I had been trying to find for a long time. Occasionally I will do Google searches of players, and sometimes, I get a hit. I happened to get lucky and find Greg working for Central Florida University where in 2012 he was named Associate Director of Athletics Development. Since 1995 Greg has been an outstanding member of the business community, working in communications, marketing, and consulting roles.  I immediately put a letter in the mail to him, and he responded in a little under a month. He enclosed a nice note to me, thanking me for the nice letter and how much it means to be remembered, and how great the league was, as they were all just kids trying to play the game they loved. Really nicely put.

G/Gs  N/a    Tac  N/a   Sac  N/a   Fum N/a    Int 1   Yds 15    Avg 15.0   Td 0   lg N/a

NFL, wfl

Bergey, Bill

Cards: Topps 1980, Topps 1981
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Bill Bergey was a monster middle linebacker with a motor that never quit. After setting multiple records for tiny Arkansas State, he’d be drafted by the Cincinatti Bengals in the second round of the 1969 AFL draft. He immediately contributed to the team as a starter, and was named an AFL All-Star and Sporting News defensive rookie of the year, after recording 2 picks his rookie season. He continued playing with the Bengals through 1973 when he had 3 picks and 3 fumbles. After the season, the upstart WFL was picking off established and upcoming names from the NFL to pepper its rosters. Bill Bergey signed a futures contract with Jack Pardee‘s Florida Blazers, and then was promptly sued by the Bengals for breach of contract.  The NFL ended up losing in court, and Paul Brown traded the rights of Bergey for what seemed an exorbitant amount at the time- two first round draft choices and a second rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles.  When Bergey quickly figured out that the Blazers were all fuzzy math, he made the correct choice and returned to the NFL for the 1974 season.

The Eagles trade immediately paid off. Bergey solidified the center of the ‘Gang Green’ defense for Philadelphia, and his ability to read and react quickly and heat seek out ball carriers, led him to set the team record with 233 tackles in one season.  Bergey also set the NFL record for most interceptions by a middle linebacker in a season with 5 in 1974. He’d follow that up in 1975 as he led the league in fumble recoveries with 6. 1977 saw a switch of defensive philosophy for the Eagles, and the 3-4 was in order. Bill shifted inside to left inside linebacker and didn’t miss a beat recording 4 picks and 4 fumble recoveries in 1978.  Over his time with Bergey, the Eagles were a dominating force in the NFC East, and they’d reach the Super Bowl in 1980. He’d retire in 1981.

Bill was inducted into the Eagles Honor Roll in 1988, and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. (The Bengals also consider him one of their best defensive players ever too.) He remains popular with fans of that era, and has gone into color, and radio game commentary for the Eagles. With surprising interception numbers that look like a defensive back, its disappointing that there hasn’t been a stronger case made for Bergey in the HoF at least as a ‘seniors’ candidate.

G 159     Tac   N/a        Sac  N/a      Fum 21    Int  27     Yds  397    Avg  6.8    Td  0     Lg  58

NFL

Kelso, Mark “The Great Gazoo”

Cards: ProSet 1989, Score 1990, Upper Deck 1993
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Mark Kelso always looked like a little kid out there playing football. As the first player to wear a ‘ProCap’ helmet, he was actually over 20 years ahead of the game and its current state in regards to concussions. Mark began wearing the helmet after his first concussion in 1989, when he was diagnosed with migrane syndrome and although it looked quite ridiculous, the helmet with its extra level of padding probably helped Kelso sustain his playing career another 5 years (primarily) for the Bills.  The helmet earned him the nickname ‘The Great Gazoo’, (after the alien from the “Flintstones” TV series, who wore a helmet similar in shape,) and constantly was pointed out and circled by TV commentators- only endearing him to Bills fans further.

Mark Kelso was a safety drafted in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985 out of William & Mary. The Eagles were stacked at the position, so the smaller Kelso standing at 5’11”, 177 found himself in a numbers game and unable to crack the squad. The Bills picked Mark up and he soon became a fixture at free safety for the Bills by the 1987 season. A ball hawk, Kelso always happened to be at the right place, at the right time in the Bills defensive scheme. In 1987 he recorded 6 picks, and recorded 2 fumbles- one of which he returned for a touchdown. He quickly followed the season up in 1988, recording a career high 7 interceptions, for a league leading 180 yards and a touchdown. Mark wasn’t done as he bookended the two season in 1989 with another 6 picks and 2 fumble recoveries. Teams began to throw away from Mark by 1990, respecting his abilities. Over those next two years he’d have back to back 2 pick seasons, before returning to form one more season in 1992 with 7 more interceptions. Mark was truly unsung over his career with the Bills, and while he did post stellar numbers at Free Safety, he received no Pro Bowl nominations or attention for his numbers outside of the AFC East, outside of winning the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year award in 1993 for community development.  Sadly, the ProCap retired with Kelso. It did not catch on because either the perception it was unattractive and/or the helmet makers told players that it would void the warranty of the regular helmet since the ProCap was a ‘stick on’.

Mark has continued to be involved in serious discussions and development of helmet wear to reduce the risk of injuries in pro football and has made his home in Buffalo. He has also done radio color commentary  for Bills games, and is involved with coaching and management of youth sports teams. Oddly, this is the first autograph in the collection where a player inscribed “God Bless” on the card, as opposed to a bible verse.

Part of the ‘Canton Acquisition’, a small collection of autographed cards I acquired from a friend of mine who had fallen on hard times, I found it hard not to justify the purchase. A few of the cards were from players I already had, and after verifying the autographs, I went ahead and made a deal to preserve them from falling into the hands of somebody who might just resell them again. It is a tricky slope, because I am not fond of people who sell or buy autographs, but I felt in this extra ordinary case, the situation was justified. I was disappointed that when I asked the seller about these autographs, he didn’t have any fond memories of the players or why he wrote them- other than the fact that had been doing this in the hope of passing it down to his son.

G/Gs 99/95     Tac  N/a   Fum 8  Sac 0  Int 30    Yds 327    Avg 10.9     Td 1    Lg  78t