Tag Archives: phoenix cardinals

Manley, Dexter “Secretary of Defense”

pset89 manley pset90 manleyCards: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990, Score 1991
Acquired: 2014, Paid Signing
Failure: 2012, C/o Home

Dexter Manley has proven himself to be a very popular and colorful figure during and after his time in the NFL. A dominant pass rusher during his time with the Washington Redskins, Manley spent as much time in his career injured as he was suspended for drug abuse. Dexter Manley was a fast lane living defensive lineman at Oklahoma State University. He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the 5th round of the 1981 NFL draft. During his rookie season, he posted 6 sacks (before the NFL recognized them officially as a statistic). In 1983, Dexter began to establish himself as a top flight defensive terror, with his first of 4 consecutive 10+ sack seasons with 11.  Over the next 3 seasons, Manley’s sack numbers continued to climb, from 13.5 in 1984, to a league leading 18.5 in 1986. It’d all culminate in a Super Bowl victory in 1987 and an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He’d post 8.5 sacks in 87, and back to back 9 sack seasons in 1988 and 1989. By this time though the nasty spectre of cocaine began to assert itself in Dexter’s life- and by the 10th game of the 1989 season, Manley had received his 3rd strike and was suspended by the league for 1 year. Later Manley was cut by the Redskins, unceremoniously ending his tenure in Washington.

sco91 manleyA year after the suspension, Manley signed with the Phoenix Cardinals and played 4 games for the team in 1990. In 1991 he’d sign with the Buccaneers and experience a return to form, drawing in another 6.5 sacks. Unfortunately Manley relapsed and received a lifetime ban from the NFL, forcing his tearful retirement. Still desiring to play football, Dexter played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the CFL from 1992 to 1993.

After officially retiring, Dexter has continued to make waves, testifying before a league senate committee that he was a functioning illiterate even after college.  He’s also had to battle multiple relapses, was briefly incarcerated, and at one point facing homelessness, even pawned one of his Super Bowl rings. Still Manley has his friends and family to thank who strongly stuck by him through thick and thin, – and he did get that Super Bowl ring back. In 2002, he was named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins of all time, and in 2005 underwent surgery to treat a life threatening brain cyst. Still a popular figure in Redskins lore, he’s done talk radio and is a motivational speaker.

Dexter used to be a decent signer through the mail, and I attempted to get him a few years ago, but it was RTS. After seeing multiple failures on him, I went ahead and just did a paid signing for him through Sportscollectors.net. I always liked Dexter as a kid, unaware of drugs or what it was doing to him. I even had Manley’s Starting Lineup figure and had always hoped that he would return to the defensive dominance that he exuded during the mid-80s.

G/Gs 143/120    Tac  N/a    Sac 103.5      Fum  6      Int 2     Yds -1   Avg -.5     Td 0    Lg -.-

 

Thompson, Anthony

aprks90 athompson fraprks90 athompson ba

Cards: Pro Set 1990 MAW, Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Home
Sent:  7/6    Received: 1/28/14   (206 days)

pho athompson2A two time Big 10 rushing champion, Anthony Thompson put the Indiana Hoosiers football program briefly back on the map with his solid NCAA career from 1986-1989. He’d finish second in the Heisman Trophy race in 1989 to Andre Ware, but win the Maxwell Award after finishing his senior season with 358 carries for 1,793 yards, and 24 TDs rushing.   Anthony amassed 5,299 yards and 67 rushing TDs, including an NCAA single game record of 377 yards rushing against Wisconsin in 1989, breaking the record held by Rueben Mayes and Mike Pringle.  His 67 rushing TDs were at the time an NCAA record as well, but have both been since surpassed.

A deeply pious individual, Anthony never knew his patience would be so tested at the pro level. The 1990 draft was considered to be a decent followup to the 1989 blockbuster, and runningback was a pretty deep class. It’s amazing looking back at how Thompson was the 8th RB taken off the board- at only the 31st overall pick (2nd round). The Cardinals were a team mired in misery. The punching bag of the NFC East, Phoenix had not had a runningback rush for over a 1,000 yards since Ottis Anderson was jettisonedpho athompson1 in favor of Stump Mitchell back in ’85. Thompson was immediately pencilled in as the starter, but as a contract holdout dragged on, a late start allowed 7th round pick Johnny Johnson usurped the starting role. There were flashes from Anthony when Johnson was not in the lineup, as Thompson averaged over 100 yards per game for a 3 game stretch his rookie year, but outside of that, it was a frustrating campaign in Phoenix. Anthony was released by the Cardinals during the third week of the 1992 season.  Given an audition by the Los Angeles Rams, he suited up for 7 games for the team that year, but played primarily on the scout team. He’d be waived by the team in 1994, but not before he was immortalized in Tecmo Super Bowl.

pset90 athompson MAXAnthony eventually went back to college and finished his Batchelor’s of General Science in 2002, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He currently is a Pastor in Indiana.

A class act all the way around, Anthony actually sent me a manila envelope with my cards and the two additional photo cards covering his career at Indiana. It may have taken sometime, but it was totally worth it considering the return.

G/Gs  37/7    Rush  251    Yds 831    Avg 3.3     Td 6      Lg 40   |
Rec   14      Yds  74      Avg 5.3     Td 0    Lg 14

 

Hess, Billy “Bill”

ULT92 hessjo95 hess

Cards: Ultimate WLAF 1992, Jogo 1995
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Work
Sent: 7/15    Received: 8/24  (40 days)

Billy Hess at the time of his departure from West Chester University was the school’s all-time leading receiver with 2,729 yards and 19 touchdowns. Playing both ways at the tiny college, in his senior year he caught 47 passes for 833 yards and 11 Tds while also recording 23 tackles and 3 interceptions.  He’d be signed by the Eagles as a free agent in 1989, and then by the Cardinals in 1990.

The San Antonio Riders decided to draft Bill in the 4th round with the 37th pick of the 1991 WLAF wide receiver pool draft.  A crafty receiver who runs good routes and has solid hands, Hess caught 28 passes for 399 yards and 2 touchdowns from quarterbacks Jason Garrett, Lee Saltz, and Mike Johnson.  He had his best game against the Skyhawks catching 2 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. After the season he resigned with the Eagles.

Later on he’d go on to play for the San Antonio Texans of the CFLUSA in 1995. A possession receiver, Hess caught 28 passes for 333 yards in 12 games from QB David Archer in the slot. He’d play one final season in the CFL after it folded the USA franchises with the Ottawa Rough Riders before retiring.

As of 2013 he works in real estate in the greater Philadelphia area. I was scouring the web and got lucky on this hit. As I get further and further along in my attempts to track down members of the WLAF, it has gotten progressively more difficult to find some of these players. Bill was also nice enough to include a Jogo 95 and a note for me as well thanking me for bringing back some great memories.

WLAF    Rec  28    Yds 399    Avg     Td 2