Tag Archives: pinnacle 1992

NFL, ufl

Krumrie, Tim


Cards: Score 1990, Fleer 1990, Pinnacle 1992
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 3/25  Received: 4/4   (9 days)

Tim Krumrie was the man in the middle at nose tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1983-1994, and the team’s last Super Bowl appearance in 1988.  His stabilizing force on the line allowed the Bengals to make multiple appearances in the playoffs under head coach Sam Wyche. At nose tackle, Krumrie made an astounding 1017 tackles and 34.5 sacks over his career.  It is also of note that he held at one point the most career tackles at his college, (Wisconsin,) with 444. Tim probably would’ve had even more of an impact at the pro level, if not for a broken lower leg he sustained during Super Bowl XXIII, -considered one of the most gruesome injuries caught on television. Still the hard-charging Krumrie returned from injury by 1990, and continued to play for the franchise until his retirement a few seasons later.

Tim continued to be involved in football and jumped pretty much into coaching after retirement, joining the defensive staff of the Bengals in 1995. In 2003, Krumrie punched his ticket to Buffalo for a few years, joining the Chiefs in 2006. It was with the Chiefs, he would be lionized in the TV show “Hard Knocks” on HBO, before his dismissal in 2010. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as the lockout left him knocking on doors. The UFL’s Hartford Colonials led by Jerry Glanville offered him the defensive line job for the 2011 season, and Krumrie jumped at the opportunity, putting in a playbook and planning to look at potential players, but the league suspended operations of the franchise leaving him in limbo.  In the meantime, he’s embraced a lifestyle as a fitness nut, dabbling in high school football, and lives with his wife in Colorado.

G/GS  188/161    Tac  1017       Sac  34.5   Fum 13
Int  0   Yds 0    Avg -.-     Td  0     lg  -.-

College Football HoF, NFL, usfl

Carter, Anthony “AC”

Cards: Proset 1989, Proset 1990, Pinnacle 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home.
Sent: 1/13    Received: 3/12  (42 days)
See Also: Anthony Carter (2)

An elite, hard- working speedster allowed to wear the hallowed #1 jersey while in college at Michigan, Anthony Carter is the Wolverines all-time receptions leader and was nicknamed “AC” and “the Darter”.
The Michigan Panthers of the USFL drafted Carter where he elected to play over the NFL counterpart Dolphins. With quarterback (and Autograph HoF member) Bobby Herbert at the helm, Carter had a nice rookie season with 60 receptions for 1081 yards in 1983. AC would be named to the All-USFL team as a punt returner after the season.  An injury would sideline Carter in 1984 after only 6 games, but he’d rebound in 1985 with the Oakland Invaders with 70 receptions for 1323 yards and 14 touchdowns, which would earn him All USFL team honors.

As a member of a USFL team, Carter’s rights were locked in by the Dolphins who drafted him back in 1983 (so he was not subject to the USFL CFL talent dispersal draft that the NFL later held). He would be traded away to the Minnesota Vikings who were still looking for a solid receiving force to replace Ahmad Rashad.  AC would fit right in with the Vikings, plus it kept him close to Michigan where he went to college and played the majority of his time in the USFL. He would be a great asset to the Vikings and would demoralize opposing defensive backs with his speed averaging 19.1 yards a reception his rookie season on 43 receptions. In 1987 he earned his first Pro Bowl honor with a jaw dropping 24.3 yards per catch on 38 receptions. He’d hit paydirt 7 times that season including a career long 73 yard bomb for a touchdown.  1988 would see career highs again in receptions (72) and yards (1225) for the USFL speedster. Carter would follow this up again in 1989 and 1990 going over 1000 yards both seasons. He’d also have an incredible playoff game where he burned the San Fransisco defense for 10 receptions and 227 yards.  As the 1991 season approached, Cris Carter arrived in Minnesota effectively halving AC’s production, but Anthony would continue playing for the Vikings over the next 3 seasons providing the team solid veteran leadership. Anthony would be left exposed during the free agent purge of 1993 by the Vikings and signed with the Lions, however injuries and time had caught up with the former Wolverine and he’d play only 4 games with the Lions and retire in 1995.

A college football hall of fame inductee, Carter has amassed a fair amount of accolades since retirement. Like many former USFL greats, one has to wonder how Carter’s legacy would figure into the football landscape if he had declared for the NFL draft or been paired up with Dan Marino in Miami.  He is considered one of the 50 greatest Minnesota Vikings players of all time and was named the the USFL All Time team as first team wide receiver and second team punt returner. In 2011 he was also named the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

After the stranglehold by Topps was loosened on the football card industry by Score and ProSet, the market was flooded with companies trying to cash in on the frenzy.  Carter’s Topps cards really never did him justice, but Pro Set never failed to hit its mark. Since the implosion of the former card giant, I have gained a new found respect for how it revolutionized the industry and the 89 and 90 cards of Carter are excellent examples of this. Pinnacle was late to the party, and by that point I was sporadically collecting. They were revolutionary cards with a nice design at the time with a profile and action shot on the front.

With an average team on offense, AC was about ALL the Vikin– I mean ‘Monsters’ had in the original Tecmo Bowl.  I also had Carter’s Starting Lineup action figure, which was a very plain action pose that Kenner used in that mold at the time.

USFL: 
Rec    160     Yds  3042     Avg 19.0     TD  28  
PR   45     Yds   408    Avg  9.0    Td  1

NFL:  
G/Gs  140/126    Rec: 486    Yds  7733    Avg  15.9     Td  55  Lg  73

NFL

Reed, Andre

 

Cards: Action Packed 1992, SkyBox 1992, Pinnacle 1993
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent: 2/13   Received: 2/24  (11 days)

A real fast turn around from a big name.  I was really excited to get this one in the mail, especially considering that it is from such a fleet receiver as Andre Reed. He signed all 3 cards and also included a business card with his email and address for his new line of BBQ sauce.

Andre Reed is needless to say, Kutztown Pa College’s most prestigious’ football player to ever play in the NFL. Drafted in the 4th round by the Buffalo Bills during the 1985 draft, he’d be the second most prolific receiver behind all-time great Jerry Rice. This draft in particular was incredibly stocked at receiver with names such as Jerry Rice, Eddie Brown, Al Toon, Reggie Langhorne,  and Eric Martin, coming out of this draft. Andre is considered by all points and purposes one of the great finds of this draft. I’m not sure if he’s considered a steal, because nobody knew who he really was. He was a small town find by the Bills staff.

Andre’s career started off anonymously enough with a respectable rookie season lodging 637 yards, 4 touchdowns, and a meaty 13.3 yard per catch. Notably his yard per catch would become almost a signature of Reed’s career. Over a 16 year career- he’d only have 3 seasons under 13 yards a reception. (A particularly salivating number in today’s pass happy NFL world.) Andre would build off of his rookie season as his receptions and yards would increase through 1988, culminating in his first of 7 Pro Bowl appearances that would last through 1994. In 1989 he’d have a career high 1312 yards, and post career highs in touchdowns with 10 in 1991. Reed in 1993 would have a whopping 16.4 yards a catch and over that period would play in 3 SuperBowls, finishing 3rd in the big game in yards and 2nd in receptions. An injury would sideline him in 1995, but he’d make a full recovery in 1996, logging his 4th 1000 yard season. From 1997 through 2000, Reed’s career would slowly transition downwards, and in 2000 he signed with the Broncos. Unable to make a contribution to the team, he was released and played his final season with the Redskins before retiring.
Reed’s career statistics, when looking at them year over year can be deceptive. While not a perennial 1,000 yard receiver, Andre was an integral part of the no huddle Bills offense in conjunction with Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. His overall career numbers in yardage at the time of retirement were top 10 and his receptions were third all time. Andre Reed has been eligible for the Pro Football HoF since 2006, but has missed the final ballot on every shot. With a large group of receivers who are becoming eligible for the HoF nomination, it is cloudy to say whether or not Andre will get his true due as a member of the yellow jacket club.  Andre was inducted in the meantime into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in 2006.

He’s also started his own line of BBQ sauce as previously mentioned, called “Over the Middle”. Part of the proceeds of the sale of his sauce go to impoverished children. I am told that it is quite good, and may give it a shot here in the near future. In addition Reed has done occasional commentary on NFL games for Fox and appeared in “Pros Versus Joes” on Spike TV. In 2011, he was honored with announcing the Buffalo Bills 2nd round pick.

G/Gs  234/217     Rec 951     Yds 13198     Avg  13.9     Lg  87t    Td 83