Tag Archives: proset 1991

NFL

Delpino, Robert

Cards: GameDay 1992, ProSet 1991, ProSet 1990, Score 1992
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent:  3/20   Received: 4/5 (15 days)

Names like Robert Delpino- now that brings back memories. I had these cards sitting there when I first started, because Delpino is one of those names that blipped on the radar really brightly back in the early nineties. To boot Robert had some great looking cards and his strong and unique signature compliments these cards nicely. I am a big LA Rams fan and at one point the Rams were one of the few teams that could rival the 49ers during the evil reign of the red and gold. John Robinson was head coach of the Rams during this period and he was a master of the ground game, so after Greg Bell departed via free agency Robert Delpino stepped up in the lineup.

An exceptional blocker and receiver out of the backfield, Robert was drafted in the 5th round out of Missouri in 1988, and excelled his first three seasons on the stacked roster, playing at fullback for the team and on special teams.  He’d be named the Rams Rookie of the year in 1988 making 30 receptions for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with about 150 yards rushing.  1989 would see even more playing time for the young Ram, with 368 yards rushing and 334 yards receiving. After a fairly quiet 1990, where Delpino would make 4 receiving touchdowns, he’d take charge of the LA Rams ground game in 1991 starting 15 games.

He had another well balanced season rushing for a career high 688 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 617 yards receiving. Leading the league at some points during the season, Robert had perhaps his finest game against the Giants that season running for 116 yards on 27 carries as the team ground out a 19-13 victory in week 2. Delpino would hold down the starting position for the remainder of the season, and although he’d not rush for over 100 yards in another contest during the season as teams began to key on the Rams ground game, Robert would sneak up on them with his incredible receiving ability, finishing the season with 1305 yards from scrimmage.

Unfortunately with a changing of the guard at coach after the season Robert would find himself riding the bench again with Cleveland Gary at starting runningback in 1992. Delpino would relocate after the season to Denver playing one final season for the Broncos as their short yardage back.  He’d run for 8 touchdowns and 445 yards in 4 starts and then retire after the season.  Today he lives in relative anonymity in Daisy, Ca. I had to do a lot of internet sleuthing but I was extremely happy to net Robert as currently I am batting 1 success for 6 failures on ex-Los Angeles Rams. I’ve also rarely seen Delpino successes posted up on boards, perhaps due to his obscurity in Rams’ history.

While the Gameday and ProSet cards were exceptionally well designed during this point- Score 1992 cards completely turned me off.  The only thing that saves this card is Delpino’s heroic pose (and by 1992 most card companies were designing their cards so that players broke the picture plane for a more dynamic effect such as on Robert’s helmet). Otherwise the Score 1992 cards completely miss their mark as their execution makes them come off as flash cards for 3 year olds.  The type, color, and framing are simplistic and lack sophistication. Pro Set would follow suit into the abyss of hideous design with their Pro Set 1992 series 2 cards and with the over saturation in the market already taking place, the industry would soon collapse.

G/Gs  88/30        Rush  502        Yds  1815      Avg  3.6      Td  18    Lg  36    |
Rec  178     Yds  1769     Avg  9.9    Td 9    Lg 78  |
Kr  68       Yds 1339        Avg 19.7     Td  0      lg  49

 

NFL

Armstrong, Bruce


Card: ProSet 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz

Bruce Armstrong is a dominant offensive lineman who still has not received his due for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As the Patriots #1 pick in 1987, Bruce anchored the tackle position for the Patsies for 14 seasons earning 6 Pro Bowl nominations and starting 212 games. He is the Hew England Patriots all-time leader in games started.

Highly durable but considered (6-4, 295) undersized to play tackle, Armstrong made up for it with his speed, balance, and hands. He played right tackle for the first 44 games of his career before moving over to left tackle for the remainder of his time in New England.  A career threatening injury ended his 1992 season prematurely, but Bruce surprised even the doctors when he came back from injury the next season.  He is one of three players in the history of the league to play in three decades for the same team, playing his entire 14 season career for the Patriots. Since retirement, Armstrong has been inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, and has opened a salon with his wife.

NFL

Cook, Marv

Cards: SkyBox 1992, Proset 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, 1993, Patriots Blitz

Marv Cook was another underrated player out of the University of Iowa, finishing second on the school’s all-time list with 126 catches. Drafted by the New England Patriots during their darkest times in 1989, Marv Cook would lead AFC tight ends in receptions  in 1991 when the team bottomed out. Surprisingly in 1991 he’d also be named first-team AP as his 82 receptions ranked 4th in the league that season. At the time Tecmo Super Bowl rewarded him by- making him one of the slowest receivers EVER. It didn’t help that Cook offered up a woeful 8.8 yards a reception over his career with the Patriots, but he could be counted on to make the catch in those 4 seasons with the team. Among his other accomplishments with the Patsies was that he was the first tight end in the history of the franchise to finish 3 consecutive seasons with 50 or more receptions. In 1994 Cook would head over to the Bears, starting 8 games and then finish out his career in 1995 with the St. Louis Rams in two lackluster seasons. While with the Patriots Marv wore two different jersey numbers: 46 and 85. At the time of this post Marv currently is coaching football and associated with a financial advisor network.

G/Gs 112/77   Rec  257     Yds   2190    Avg  8.5      Td  13   Lg 49