Tag Archives: proset 1989

College Football HoF, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL

Brown, Tim


Cards: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1991, Score 1989
Acquired: In Person, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1990, 1992

In the history books of modern American Football, Tim Brown stands near the top of the elite wide receivers. The 1987 Heisman winner from the golden domes of Notre Dame (and the first wide receiver to win the honor), Brown was drafted  in the first round of the 1988 draft with the 6th pick overall by the then Los Angeles Raiders. An impressive physical specimen with a total package, of speed, quickness, hands, consistency, and durability, Brown in his first season in the NFL lead the NFL in a variety of kick and punt return categories while racking up over 700 yards receiving. When all was said and done and the dust cleared Brown would own many Raider records, including most games played (224), receptions, yards, and punt return yards.  In his rookie season  Brown would lead the NFL with 1542 punt and kick return yards, and in 1997 would lead the NFL with 104 receptions. He’d also be named to the Pro Bowl 9 times, and the NFL All 90’s team. Tim Brown was not a noisy playmaker, but he quietly amassed incredible numbers that at the time of his retirement left him tied for 3rd all time in receiving touchdowns,  second in yardage, third in receptions and fifth in yards from scrimmage.  He also had incredible streaks that underlined his longevity. An NFL record 10 seasons with 75 or more catches and consecutive starts at wide receiver at 176.

Brown may have even left a bigger mark on the record books if in his final 3 seasons he wasn’t slowly phased out of the offense by owner Al Davis and former coach Norv Turner. In his final season the team asked him to take an even more reduced role to which Tim balked and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a season. To say that owner Al Davis and Tim Brown had a difficult relationship (at least from the outside world) would be  considered a conservative estimate as Brown had no problem expressing his dismay for his treatment at the hands of his owner, but regardless of their feud and problems, after his final season in 2005, Tim signed a one day contract with the Oakland Raiders and retired.

Since football Tim has  been involved with NASCAR, on the FSN Network and was inducted into the College Football HoF in 2009. It was widely hoped that in 2010 he’d also make it into the NFL HoF in his first year of eligibilty, but he was passed by while the #1 receiver of all time Jerry Rice was enshrined. He made the first cut of the current list and hopes to make it to the HoF in 2011.

Josh and I had a certain respect for Tim Brown, who was a Dallas native. Josh had always hoped that Brown would hop ship from the Raiders to the Cowboys and I always would destroy Josh throwing to Tim Brown on Tecmo Super Bowl.

G/Gs  255/202   Rec 1094     Yds 14934     Avg 13.7    Td 100     Lg 80T
Kr 49     Yds 1235     Avg 25.2      Td 1    Lg  97   |
Pr 326   Yds 3230    Avg  10.2     Td  3   Lg 88

College Football HoF, NFL

Lomax, Neil

Cards: Topps CL 1985, Score GC 1989, Topps 1987, Score 1989, ProSet 1989
Acquired: In Person 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament

Incredibly underrated and forgotten quarterback Neil Lomax lit up the scoreboards during the 1980s for the St. Louis Cardinals. Discovered by then offensive guru Darrell ‘Mouse’ Davis up at Portland State, Neil helped put the school on the map setting offensive passing records in the NCAA.  Lomax would be drafted in the 2nd round of the 1981 draft (,and finish as one of only 2 quarterbacks[ Wade Wilson], to make the Pro Bowl from that draft).

In 8 seasons, he only posted 2 losing records- but finished with a 47-52-2 record. His career highlights would include a 1984 in which he threw for 4614 yards, (which still stands as a team record), and he’d lead the NFL in attempts, completions, and yards averaging 282 yards a game in 1987. An injury in 1989 would curtail his season, and while he’d sit on IR all year, doctors would discover Lomax had an arthritic hip, effectively ending his career. It’s a shame really because if Lomax just had a few more years under his belt, he’d probably be remembered by Cardinals fans as affectionately as Kurt Warner is. (He was at the time of retirement and still over 20 years later, ranked in the top 100 of quarterbacks since 1950.) With the untimely loss of Lomax, the Cardinals would quickly collapse into the doldrums of the NFC East where they’d remain until the emergence of Jake Plummer in 1998.

I met Neil at the CGA Youth Golf Tournament in 1993. He was really flattered by the drawing I did of him and his kids clamored around to look at it to, “Oooh and ahhh”. Neil asked if I had a problem letting his kids hang it up in their room (to which I obviously didn’t) and then signed all of the cards I had brought. An accomplished golfer, Neil is president of the ProMax corporation and has dabbled in coaching. Lomax was inducted into the Oregon Sports HoF in 1993, and the College Football HoF in 1996. He and his family currently reside in Oregon.

G/Gs 108/101    Att 3143   Comp 1817    Yds  22771   Pct 57.6
Td 136     Int 90    Rat 82.7   Lg 93

NFL

Bates, Bill

Cards: ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990, Score 1989
Acquired: In Person 1990, 1992, 1997, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Bill Bates is a special player and is one of those players of Dallas Cowboys lore. Undrafted out of Tennessee in 1983, he’d sign a free agent contract with Tom Landry’s Cowboys, where Bates excelled as a fan favorite and a special teams commando.. Undersized and considered slow, Bates had a heart and a motor that made up for both of those shortcomings. His ability to get down the field and uncannily make the jarring hit on the returner was so unbelievable that the NFL basically created a special teamer’s slot in the Pro Bowl just for him. He was named AP and to the Pro Bowl in 1984.  Bill early in his career was also utilized well on safety blitzes as he made 9 sacks over his first two seasons. He had a career high 4 interceptions in 1985 and a career high 124 tackles in 1988 from his strong safety position. With a new coach on board (Jimmy Johnson) in 1989 there was some fear that Bates would be cut. Instead he found himself back on special teams again where he remained a key backup with the team through 2 Superbowl victories and retirement after the 1997 season.

Bill has remained quite active since retirement and has spent time as an assistant coach with the Jags and at the high school level. He’s been a motivational speaker, penned his own autobiography and owns a ranch outside of Dallas. -And of course Bill Bates remains a Cowboys spokesperson.

G/Gs 217/47    Tac 667      Sac 18      Fum 7     Int 14    Yds 122     Avg 8.7     Td 0      lg 29