Tag Archives: philadelphia eagles

NFL

Barnett, Fred

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: In Person 1994, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp

Wide receivers weren’t highly rated coming out of the 1990 draft and there wasn’t even one taken in the 1st round. In fact the #1 rated receiver Reggie Rembert didn’t even log 500 career yards. There were 6 receivers taken (7 if you include supplemental pick Rob Moore,) before Fred Barnett out of Arkansas State, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles along with Calvin Williams (5th round) and Mike Bellamy (2nd round). The Eagles were desperate to rejuvenate a beleaguered wide receiver corps that had Mike Quick retiring due to patella tendinitis in 1990 and Cris Carter being cut the previous year.  With Mike Bellamy wearing out his welcome and being cut midway through the 1990 season, Barnett and Williams became Randall Cunnningham‘s go to duo. Fred would not disappoint, hauling in a 95 yard touchdown in his rookie year and was known to sacrifice his body to go up top to make the catch. (Perhaps there was added pressure because head coach Buddy Ryan hated wide receivers, even going so far as saying to Barnett, “To catch the damn ball or you’re fired!”) Barnett would make the ProBowl in 1992, – with 1083 yards and 6 touchdowns. After an injury plagued 1993, Fred would return to form and have a career high 1127 yards in 1994.  He’d leave the Eagles in 1996, playing two oft injured seasons for the Miami Dolphins before retiring in 1998.

Barnett since retiring has remained physically active and fit- even considering returning to the sport as late as 2005. He has dabbled in a variety of ventures including fashion design, acting, and a variety of charitable work. At last glance he still lives in the Philadelphia area and still passionately follows the Eagles. I got his autograph at Philadelphia Eagles training camp in West Chester back in 1994. Also of note is that Fred is a cousin of former wide receiver Tim Barnett of the Kansas City Chiefs.

G/Gs 96/88     Rec  361       Yds 5362        Avg  14.9       Td 32        Lg  95T

NFL, University of Texas

Jeter, Tommy

Card: Star Pics 1992
Acquired: In Person 1994, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp

Tommy Jeter played for the Texas Longhorns during the waning days of the Southwestern Conference, (which consisted at that point of a bunch of teams from Texas after Arkansas left). He’d be drafted in the 3rd round by the Philadelphia Eagles, where I’d get his autograph in West Chester in 1995.  Although he was well sized at 6-5, 285, Jeter would rarely get playing time under Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes, and injuries took its toll on the young defensive lineman as he spent the greater part of his final season with the Eagles on IR before being released. Jeter would then sign with the Arizona Cardinals and be cut in training camp and then end up with the Panthers before retiring in 1996.

I think I got like 14 or 15 autographs on my trip to West Chester that year. My parents felt bad because I wanted to go to the Pro Football HoF but we were unable to go even though we were in the general area.  I think the biggest haul I got from this group was Herschel Walker, but Randall Cunningham completely denied me, by dropping my card on the ground outside the fence and insisting I already got one from him, – even though I hadn’t.  Training camp there was set up much the same way as Cowboys training camp, with a long metal fence that players walked by, but a lot less fans. It was interesting too because the player’s wives came out with them too, almost like they were trying to show them off to the crowd. Tommy was a really nice guy. He saw that I was wearing my high school hat, and asked me, “What I was doing here and how was Austin?”

G/GS  32/0    Tac  15    Sac   1    FF  0     Int 0   Yds 0   Avg -.-  Td 0

NFL

Johnson, Jimmy

Cards: Proset 1989, Proset 1990, Proset 1991, Proset 1991 AP, Proset 1992
Acquired: In Person 1991,1992,1993, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Coach Johnson would be one of the first autographs that I’d get at training camp at St. Edwards in Austin, Tx. With his trademark hair, Jimmy has an alpha personality, loves the limelight, and signing autographs, sometimes by the dozens in his golf cart before and after practice.

Jimmy has been a winner at every level he has played at. First as a player for Arkansas 1964 National Championship team as an All American Defensive Lineman (where he was a teammate of future Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones), as a head coach at Oklahoma State, and then at the University of Miami where he guided the Hurricanes to its highest level of elite dominance from 1984-1989. The Miami Hurricanes were not without controversy. Dominating the college ranks, the Hurricanes were considered highly undisciplined off the field because Johnson encouraged the players to have a lot of swagger openly embracing the moniker of being the “Bad Boys of Football”. After his tenure with the Hurricanes ended with one national championship in 1987, Johnson would then move on to the professional ranks, hired by Jerry Jones to coach the Cowboys in 1989. (He’d finish his college coaching record at 81-34-3.)

This timing was tough for Jimmy as he was taking over for coaching legend Tom Landry.  He arrogantly proclaimed with Jones at their initial press conference that he’d have the franchise turned around in 3 seasons time- ostracizing many loyal fans who preferred the quiet, professional demeanor of Landry. After an initial extremely rough 1-15 start in 1989, Johnson would begin to right the fortunes of the Cowboys, and winning melts most resentment. By season 3 the Cowboys were back in the playoffs, and won consecutive Superbowls in 1992 and 1993. Johnson orchestrated the most lopsided trade of all time, trading runningback Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for a bevvy of draft choices and players. Jimmy had an eye for talent, and while not having the final say on all draft choices, played a large part in locating talent and underrated free agents, signing often Miami Hurricanes that he was familiar with as situational players.

After leaving the Cowboys over personal differences with once friend Jerry Jones, Jimmy briefly retired from coaching, turning to the broadcast booth. He was offered the head coaching  job for the Eagles in 1994, but declined, instead taking over for legendary Don Shula and the Dolphins in 1996, where he’d coach through the 1999 season. Although he’d guide the team to 3 playoff appearances, he’d not move beyond the divisional round and cited burn-out as his reason for retirement.

Since re-retiring Johnson has remained front and center on Fox’s NFL pregame show and the College Championship Series and owns a restaurant in Miami. An extensive coaching tree has formed from Jimmy, including Dave Wannstedt, Butch Davis, and Norv Turner. Jimmy Johnson is also the only coach to win a National Championship and the Superbowl. He’s also done a bit of bit acting, on “The Shield”, “Coach”, and “The Waterboy” and in commercials. In 2006, Johnson was linked briefly to the Houston Texans as a dark horse candidate for the open coaching job, but declined the reports as pure speculation.  Jimmy is a huge fan of the series “Survivor” and was cast in the 2010 season.

Oddly despite his accolades Jimmy has not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his coaching accomplishments with the Cowboys.

W  80     L 64    T 0       Pct .555