Tag Archives: Pro Set 1990

NFL, University of Texas

Gray, Jerry “Jed”

utud11 grayCards: Upper Deck 2011, Upper Deck 2011 NCAA, Pro Set 1989, Pro Set 1990 Pro Bowl, Pro Set 1992.
Acquired: 2015, Box Break. TTM 2015, C/o The Minnesota Vikings
Sent: 1/9/15    Received: 4/17/15  (98 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Another elusive Ram is off my list, as I was finally able to secure UT great Jerry Gray.  With a slew of really good cards and moments in Jerry’s career I wished to immortalize with an autograph,  I settled on four of them, but Jerry kindly added an extra. Despite my earlier failure, Gray remains a fairly dependable signer in the TTM circuit.

utud11 gray AAJerry Gray is considered one of the greatest defensive backs in the history of the University of Texas playing there from 1982 to 1984. His 16 career interceptions is ranked third on the all-time list, while his 7 interceptions in a season during 1984 is good for second all-time at the institution.  Gray was also a devastating hitter and sure handed tackler, recording 297 career tackles while playing at safety.  A rare physical specimen, Jerry was 6’1″, 185, and ran the 40 in  4.4 flat. Even more impressive was his track numbers that emphasized his long distance speed.

pset89 grayThe Los Angeles Rams selected Gray in the first round of the 1985 draft at slot number 21.  Although the San Antonio Gunslingers held Gray’s territorial rights in the USFL, they did not make a pitch to him.  Head Coach John Robinson moved Gray to left cornerback, and Jerry played on special teams as well- something that he readily accepted and enjoyed.

It wouldn’t be until his second season in the league that Jerry became regarded as a dangerous ballhawk. He’d start all 16 games and record a career high 8 interceptions for 101 yards.  As Gray began to let his presence be known as a force to be reckoned with in the NFC West, teams began avoiding him with regularity, but that would not stop him from being selected to 4 straight Pro Bowl appearances.

pset90 gray PBIt’d be in the 1990 Pro Bowl that I perhaps most fondly remember Jerry. After a fine 1989 campaign, when he recorded 6 interceptions for 48 yards and a TD, Jerry earned his final Pro Bowl nod. Pro Bowls over the last 20 years have become an increasingly boring affair, however this one in particular was keyed by defense and an exciting last minute rally by the AFC.  Gray keyed the NFC defensive effort with 6 tackles, and an interception that he returned for a Pro Bowl record 54 yards and a TD. Jerry earned the 1990 Pro Bowl MVP award for his efforts in a 27-21 win.

Before Jerry could continue his meteoric rise, Gray blew out his left knee and had to get arthroscopic surgery during the 1990 preseason. He’d start in 12 games that season, but not make an interception. Sensing a need for new blood at the position and having previous ornery salary negotiations with Gray, the Rams picked Todd Lyght in the first round of the 1991 draft. The writing was on the wall, and after a particularly bad game against the Falcons that season, Gray was replaced in the lineup.  Still Jerry managed to start 9 games, intercepting 3 passes for 83 yards and a TD.

pset92 grayJerry headlined the Free Agent lineup that hit the market in 1992. The Houston Oilers and Gray quickly came to terms. Jerry was excited to play for the Oilers as he had wanted to do so for a long time because of his ties to Texas and the chance to play for a perennial playoff contender. Jerry had a solid season for the Oilers at right corner with 6 interceptions for 24 yards and 2 forced fumbles. Following the Oilers loss in the playoffs versus the Buffalo Bills, owner Bud Adams elected to clean out the defensive staff. In came Buddy Ryan, who overnight quietly cut longtime defensive lineman Doug Smith and Jerry Gray.  Jerry signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quietly retiring after the 1993 season.

Jerry has been an exceptional coach at the pro and college level. He has been linked as a finalist to many head coaching jobs including ones in Tampa Bay and Washington. At one point Jerry was destined to return to the Longhorns as their defensive coordinator, but left the college at the altar for the Seattle Seahawks. As of 2015, Jerry is the defensive backs coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Jerry Rice once said that Jerry Gray was the defensive back that gave him the most trouble over the years, and Gray is also well represented in Tecmo Super Bowl where his merchant speed makes interceptions come easy. Gray’s nickname ‘Jed’ is a reference to the Beverly Hillbillies TV show, that he was a big fan of.

G/Gs  134/103    Tac  N/a    Sac N/a     Fum  9
Int  28      Yds  374      Avg  13.4    TD  3    Lg 59t

 

 

NFL

Hilliard, Dalton

sco90 hilliardCard: ProSet 1990 LL, Score 1990 Ground Force
Acquired: 2015, LSU Paid Signing
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Dalton Hilliard was an accomplished runningback from LSU. Considered undersized, but possessing incredible speed paired with excellent cutting ability and balance- Hilliard fit the mold of a protypical slasherback. Dalton joined an impressive group of runners at LSU in 1982, alongside Gene Lang and Garry James. He’d establish himself as the lead back, narrowly missing 1,000 yards. His 16 TDs shattered the Freshman scoring record held by Herschel Walker. From there Hilliard etched himself into the school’s recordbooks, becoming the Tigers’ all-time leading rusher with 4,050 yards.

Dalton was drafted near the top of round 2 by the New Orleans Saints in 1986.  Again, the knock on Hillard centered on his size and durability at the next level, despite his robust productivity. Head Coach Jim Mora was determined to give the Saints a strong rushing game, and unabashedly drafted 3 more backs during the draft: Rueben Mayes (3rd), Barry Word (5th), and Gil Fennerty (7th). In addition, the Saints signed USFL Breakers runningback/ fullback Buford Jordan. Hilliard finished as the team’s second leading rusher his rookie year with 425 yards and 5 TDs, as Mayes established himself as the lead back. 1987 saw Hilliard emerge as a touchdown threat. He’d lead the team in TDs with 8 as the Saints cracked the playoffs with a 12-4 record, in a rotational platoon. As injuries sapped Mayes productivity, Hilliard began to see more playing time.

pset90 hilliard llIn 1989 Dalton had an impact year for the Saints rushing for 1,269 yards and 13 TDs and 52 receptions for 512 yards and 5 TDs. He’d lead the NFL in TDs that year, and earn a Pro Bowl berth.  He’d not get a chance to repeat, as he had a season ending catastrophic knee injury in Week 6 of 1990.

Dalton returned to the Saints for 1991, but was relegated to primarily scat back status, as Fred McAfee and Craig ‘Ironhead’ Heyward, also shared time with Dalton through the 1993 season. After the season the Saints did not reelect to sign him. Dalton decided to retire, less than 100 yards from being the team’s all-time leading rusher.

Hilliard entered into the business world where he’s had a lucrative contracting businesses, and is currently a CEO for an energy corporation.

At one point, I had gotten Dalton’s Starting Lineup figurine, and back in 2011, I sent out for his autograph but never got a response. He was just one of those players who had some amazing looking cards over the years.  Unable to get a response from him, I did a paid signing in 2015 to finally knock him off my list.

G/GS 108/43      Rush  1126    Yds  4,164      Avg   3.7       TD  39      Lg 65 |
Rec  249     Yds 2,223     Avg  9.0      TD  14       Lg  54
KR  25     Yds  526     Avg 21.0    TD 0     Lg 74
Att 7      Comp 4        Yds 114     Pct  57.1     Td 4      Int 0       Rat  141.4

College Football HoF, NFL

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