Tag Archives: players who should be in the NFL HoF

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Simms, Phil

sco90 simms HGCards: Pinnacle 1992, Score 1990 Hot Gun, 1990 Pro Set SuperBowl XXI MVP, Action Packed Rookies 1992
Acquired: 2012 & 2013, Canton Acquisition & TTM C/o Home
Sent: 4/5/2012     Received: 7/20/2013   (470 days)
Failure: 2011, C/o Home (RTS)

So here is one I totally wrote off. It seems rarer and rarer to get these long waits back, but finally on the second tenacious attempt, I got Phil Simms. Simms had previously returned cards I sent in 2011, -7 months later.  Even more frustrating for me, he continued to spontaneously respond to autograph requests through his address. I went ahead and fired out another shot. I had definitely given up on this after the one year marker, and became so sore about it, that I was more than happy to acquire a Simms through the ‘Canton Acquisition’. Recently again Phil had shown up on the autograph blotter, so I held out hope that something was going to happen, and lo and behold the Score, Pro Set, and Action Packed cards all came in the mail autographed at last, – a brisk 470 days after I had sent them.

aprks92 simmsSimms went to little known Morehead State- a school known more for its modest affordability, underrated class sizes, and a radio telescope/space tracking system that reaches the stars. Phil grew up in the Kentucky area, so this made perfect sense to him to attend here. Among his highlights for the college were leading the Ohio Valley Conference in passing in 1977, but as the team transitioned to a ball control offense his senior season, Phil’s numbers sunk. He had an impressive workout at the combine, so much so that the 49ers were planning to sneak him in as a 3rd round pick, -but in the end, they were beaten to the punch by the Giants, who invested a 1st rounder into Simms, calling him a ‘value pick’. As the boos reigned down from the audience who hated the pick, Simms wasn’t too happy about playing for New York either. Still, Simms managed to prove everybody wrong, and by the end of his rookie season, he finished second (to future teammate) Ottis Anderson in voting for rookie of the year in 1979. In 12 starts his rookie year, Phil threw for 1,743 yards and 13 touchdowns.

pset90 simms MVP

 

The Giants continued to struggle until 1984, with injuries, inconsistent play, quarterback controversies, and a head coaching change to Bill Parcells, but still Phil persevered, with a bit of work, conditioning, and tutelage. He’d turn it all around that year throwing for a club record 4,044 yards and 22 TDs in his first 16 game slate, then turn around prove it wasn’t a fluke throwing for 3,829 yards and 22 TD in 1985. 1986 proved to be the pinnacle of Phil’s career again with another 20+ TD season and nearly 3,500 yards, he led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXI. His Super Bowl effort (22-25, 268 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int) earned him MVP honors and it remains one of the best performances in league history.

He’d return to the Super Bowl again in 1990- Superbowl XXV, but due to a season ending injury earlier in the year, he sat on the sidelines while the team won 20-19. There were two bittersweet points to the season. First, before the injury, Phil was having one the best seasons of his career with 15 touchdowns and only 4 picks. Second and finally, his injury opened the door for Jeff Hostetler, who created a QB controversy, that was only amplified by the Giants victory in the big game. The latter proved to be his ultimate undoing. With Parcells retirement, Ray Handley- (his right hand man) stepped up to the plate to be coach. He named Hostetler starter, and Simms was back to square 1 fighting for his job. While there were some bright spots there, the team itself slipped into mediocrity. Simms still had one good season left in him though, and threw for 3,038 yards and 15 TDs, before retiring in 1994.

pin94 simmsSimms is a highly underrated quarterback who really has never gotten his due for his time playing for the Big Blue. He played 14 seasons, spanning 3 decades of football, and really  after the game slowed down for him, was an understated reason why the Giants became true contenders. A master of the audible, Simms could pick teams apart with his recognition of defensive alignments. A true pocket passer, Simms was oft-injured and frequently criticized for taking needless sacks to avoid an interception, but you can’t deny his abilities as a winner (95 wins) and playoff leader (Super Bowl MVP). Phil also was the 1985 Pro Bowl MVP, has had his number retired by the Giants, and is a member of the team’s Ring of Honor.  It really is an injustice that Simms is not in the Hall of Fame.

Phil has enjoyed a career as a color commentator in sports and NFL football. Well respected by most of the networks, Simms made the transition from a player to a broadcaster seem effortless. His sons, Chris (UT) and Matthew have both gone on to play quarterback in the NFL. He is also of a select group of players who show up in the original Tecmo Bowl and its sequel Tecmo Super Bowl.

G/Gs 164/159    Att 4647     Comp  2576     Yds 33462    Pct 55.4     Td 199    Int  157    Rat 78.5  |
Rush 349    Yds 1252     Avg  3.6    Td 6      Lg 28

NFL

Butler, LeRoy

sco90 butlerCards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score 1990
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o The LeRoy Butler Foundation*
Sent: 9/10     Received: 9/26    (16 days)
*donation of $10 per flat.

LeRoy Butler’s story is an inspiring and amazing tale, as he spent the early years of his childhood confined him to a wheelchair.  As he recovered from his impairments, he got up, and never appeared to stop running.  LeRoy was part of a devious secondary for the Florida State Seminoles playing alongside Deion Sanders and high school friend, – runningback Edgar Bennett. He’d replace Sanders in the lineup at cornerback, converting from Safety in 1989. A solid tackler with a good nose for the ball, Butler played well for the Seminoles that year, etching 7 picks and 94 tackles. His 139 return yards that year broke the record set by Sanders, while his 106 yards against Syracuse broke Sanders’ single game mark.  LeRoy also spent time returning kicks, displaying his quickness and speed. He was also named first team All-American from both the AP and UPI in 1989. LeRoy finished his college career with 194 aprks90 butlertotal tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 9 interceptions for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Green Bay selected LeRoy with their second round pick of the 1990 draft. Used sparingly his rookie season, Butler still managed 3 picks, 19 tackles, and a forced fumble. That was enough for the coaches to promote him to starter at right cornerback in 1991 and Butler turned in another 3 pick season. As the Packers continued to remake their secondary with the addition of Terrell Buckley in 1992, Butler moved to his native strong safety position.  In the meantime the Packers also drafted Butler’s friend Edgar Bennett as well. It’s here that Butler enjoyed the best football of his career and perhaps for any safety in the league. After a quiet ’92, LeRoy in 1993 had his first AP season, with 6 picks and 2 fumble recoveries. It’d be in this season that he’s best remembered for taking a lateral from teammate Reggie White (who was gassed) and ran a fumble 25 yards into the endzone. At the end of the play LeRoy jumped up into the stands, thereby creating what is known today as ‘The Lambeau Leap’. Butler continued to play the next 9 seasons in Green Bay winning Super Bowl XXXI earning AP honors in 1996, 1997, and 1998. During the 1996 season, LeRoy intercepted 2 passes and returned one of them 90 yards for a score against the San Diego Chargers. Butler suffered a separated shoulder during the 2001 season, ending his season after 9 games.  Quietly though it also ended his career as during training camp the following season, it was discovered that it didn’t heal properly.

Since then Butler has devoted himself to charitable activities and speaking engagements.  A member of the NFL’s All-1990s team, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, and the first defensive back to earn 20-20 club honors, the hope is as more defensive backs finally get some recognition from the NFL HoF, Butler will also get the honor he’s long deserved.

G/Gs 181/165      Tac 721       Sac 20.5    Fum 13   Int 38    Yds 533     Avg    Td 1   Lg 90t

NFL

Ellard, Henry

sco94 ellardCard: Score 1994
Acquired: 2013, Trade via Sportscollectors.net
Failure: 2010, 2011, c/o The Jets

Henry Ellard is like many of the members of the Los Angeles Rams club of the late 80s that is a complete enigma to me when it comes to answering fanmail. Much like Kevin Greene, Greg Bell, and Flipper Anderson, there seems to be this unsaid code not to answer any autograph requests through the mail. While Ellard seems to boast the highest dismal answer rate between the 4, occasionally signing through whatever team he’s coaching with, I completely whiffed on him both in 2010 and 2011 via the Jets and Rams.

The Sportscollectors message board had a ‘free autographed cards’ deal where you give  your doubles out to needy fans in exchange for a future considerations, and since I was sitting on a small loot-splosion of them, it was time for me to hop in the pool. This allowed me to claim both Ellard- which I had direly wanted and another player. A pug ugly card, I definitely would have preferred to have gotten one of his earlier Pro Set or Action Packed entries signed instead of this Score ’94, but beggars can not be choosers.

A top flight receiver from Fresno State, Ellard, today, some 30 years later, still holds many of the school’s receiving records. His best year came in his Senior year when he posted 1495 yards and 15 TDs on 61 receptions. The 1983 draft was considered weak at the overall position however, and outside of Willie Gault going to the Bears, no other receiver was taken in round 1. The Rams grabbed future NFL rushing leader and record setter Eric Dickerson in round 1. Sweeping back around to their pick in round 2, they’d take Ellard off the board and plug him right into the lineup as the team’s punt returner. With Ferragamo and Kemp sharing most of the quarterbacking duties in the early years, it wasn’t until 1988, with the maturation of Jim Everett at quarterback, that Ellard broke the 1,000 yard plateau, but in the meantime he quickly cemented his status as a starter by his second season in 1984.   Ellard and the Rams were considered for a brief span the second best team in the NFL, but unfortunately that was always behind their sister team and city- The San Fransisco 49ers. He’d post a career and NFL high 1414 yards in 1988. It’d be the first of 4 1,000 yard seasons in a row for Henry, as the Rams climbed the ladder to the NFC championship game and then collapsed in 1991. Still Ellard along with Flipper Anderson provided a veritable deep threat to keep teams honest against the Rams rushing game. As the Rams fired Robinson after 1991, owner Georgia Frontiere brought in Chuck Knox to run the team. Coach Knox attempted to return the Rams back to a ground and pound offense. In his final season with the Rams in 1993, Ellard posted 945 yards on 61 catches and 2 touchdowns. Ellard was allowed to test the waters of free agency because the Rams felt at Henry’s age of 32, – that he was old and the team needed to go in another direction.

When former Rams offensive guru Norv Turner came calling, he knew what a bargain he was getting in the starting caliber ability of Henry Ellard. The Redskins plugged him right into the starting lineup and Ellard responded by rattling off 3 more consecutive 1,000 yard seasons catching passes from the likes of Heath Shuler, John Friesz, Gus Frerote, Jeff Hostetler, and Trent Green. He retired with the New England Patriots after the 1998 season and 16 seasons.

He has jumped into coaching, where he has remained since with stops with his Alma Mater- Fresno State, the St. Louis Rams, the New York Jets, and as of 2012 with the New Orleans Saints. Considered by many of the NFL’s elite defensive backs of that age to be one of the greatest receivers they ever faced, Ellard is long overdue for the recognition that he deserves.  He remains critically underrated by both the media and voters despite his career numbers and the respect he garnered from his peers.

G/Gs 228/199     Rec 814    Yds 13,777     Avg 16.9      Td 65      Lg 81t
Kr  19       Yds 364       Avg 19.2     Td 0       Lg  44
Pr  135    Yds 1627     Avg  11.3     Td  4      Lg  83t