Tag Archives: score 1990

CFL, College Football HoF, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFLE

Ware, Andre “Air Ware”

pset90 wareCards: Pro Set 1990 Heisman Winner, Pro Set 1991 Heisman Hero, Score 1990, Action Packed Rookies 1990
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 9/7     Received: 12/12   (96 days)

Way back in the days of the SWC (SouthWestern Conference) the Houston Cougars were continually struggling for attention under the heels of the traditional powerhouses of the conference. While peppering occasional league titles and bowl appearances, the team went some 10 years without a top 25 finish from the late 70s through the mid-late 80s. It’d be with the arrival of Jack Pardee that the team experienced a renaissance, and return to the national stage. Andre Ware stepped up at quarterback to command Pardee’s Run ‘N Shoot offense in 1989. Despite being under pressure from NCAA sanctions limiting scholarships, and a bowl and TV ban, the Coogs posted a 9-2 record.  Ware lit the offensive record books on fire, including a 95-21 drubbing of SMU, where Andre threw 6 TDs in one quarter. Andre went on to set 13 NCAA records, including most yards passing in a season (4,699),pset91 ware HH while his 46 TD passes fell one short of Jim McMahon‘s record. Ware won the Heisman in 1989 after the season during 4th closest vote- ahead of RB Anthony Thompson (Indiana),  QB Major Harris (West Virginia), and QB Tony Rice (Notre Dame).  Initially Ware intended to stay for his Senior season at UH, but with Jack Pardee bolting for the Houston Oilers down the street- Andre changed his mind and declared for the 1990 NFL draft.

When the draft rolled around I had hoped the Oilers would take Ware to become quarterback Warren Moon‘s heir apparent but Andre did not last long enough for the Houston to nab him. The Lions took Ware at #7. (The Oilers later in the round took another UH alum instead- linebacker Lamar Lathon.)

The Lions ran the ‘Silver Stretch’ Run ‘N Shoot variant under head coach Wayne Fontes, and offensive coordinator Mouse Davis. At quarterback the team had Rodney Peete, and Bob Gagliano, but the Lions were truly built to run with Barry Sanders in the backfield. Ware only started 1 game over the next two seasonssco90 ware rarely getting a chance behind Peete and later Erik Kramer. He was rumored to have alienated players and coaches with his attitude, but Ware, just wanted to play. The Oilers in the meantime attempted to trade Cody Carlson on two occasions to the Lions for Ware, but failed.

After the 1994 season, Andre began the journeyman phase of his career. Over the next few years, Ware saw offseason stops with the Vikings, Raiders, and expansion Jaguars, before finally landing in the CFL with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1995. Later he signed with the BC Lions in 1996, and then found himself backing up Doug Flutie on the Grey Cup Championship winning Toronto Argos in 1997.

Andre last played football in 1999 for the Berlin Thunder in the NFLE, finally retiring after the season due to a fractured shoulder.

Andre has kept to his hometown area, working in the Houston media. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He currently works for the Houston Texans as a radio color analyst.

Ware marks another in a long line of players that I really wanted on aprks90 waretheir cards. With an abundance of amazing shots, it is easy to notice that many of the companies had Andre tabbed as one of the next big superstars and did not want to have their set left in the cold. I had previously attempted to get Andre through my Houston Texans connection, but that obviously failed when he was cut. It took me some time but with some responses popping up occasionally through sports collectors, I jumped at the opportunity to sign the former Cougars’ signal caller. I really couldn’t decide which cards to send to him. His ProSet 1990 Lions card, and Andre’s Score 1990 Supplemental card also deserved some mention along with these 4. Even his Pacific entry had a nice, dynamic look to it. Feeling guilty about sending these four cards, I sent a check for the autographs, but Andre voided the check, and signed and inscribed all of them, in a bit under 100 days.

G/Gs 14/6    Att 161   Comp 83     Yds 1116    Pct 51.6
Td 5   Int 8    Rat 79.4  |
Rush 38     Yds  217    Avg  5.7    Td 0    Lg 32

CFL 29     Att  252    Comp 134   Yds 1542   Pct 53.1    Td 10  Int 10  |
Rush 40   Yds 316    Avg 7.9      Td 1    Lg 39

WLAF    Att 121   Comp 54   Yds 715   Pct  44.6
Td  4   Int 4   Rat 61.1
Rush 16   Yds  170   Avg  10.6    Td 2     Lg 45

 

NFL

Bickett, Duane

Cards: Topps 1988, Score 1990, Upper Deck 1990
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Duane Bickett played collegiately for USC at linebacker. He’d be taken off the board with the 3rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1985 by then coach Rod Dowhower. After a supurb rookie campaign Bickett was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, recording 141 tackles, 6 sacks, and a fumble recovery at right outside linebacker. A man mountain at 6-5, 250, Bickett had a knack for always finding the ball in the backfield and shedding would be blockers. He was considered one of the most complete linebackers of his day. An incredibly slow start the following season (1986), by the team ushered in a new era under head coach Ron Meyer, but that didn’t stop Duane from recording a career high 144 tackles. (In fact Duane recorded 7 straight seasons of 100 or more tackles when all was said and done.)  His 1987 season sparked his only Pro Bowl berth, as he notched 8 sacks, 2 FF, and 113 tackles. Indianapolis began to slide backwards and despite Duane’s solid play, the team hit bottom by 1991 with a 1-15 record. Still Duane put up respectable numbers (5 sacks, 125 tackles), but by then his numbers were largely ignored outside of Indy.  Ted Marchibroda returned as head coach of the team the following season. As Bickett’s numbers finally dipped under the century mark in tackles in 92 (89) and 93 (97), Duane would be allowed to test the free agent waters in 1994. The Colts simply couldn’t afford to keep Bickett any longer.

The lifetime Colt ended up in Seattle in 1994, as he wanted to play on the West Coast closer to California, but Bickett only started 1 game recording 7 tackles playing second fiddle to Rufus Porter. Again in 1995 he came off the bench for the Seahawks and recorded 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery and 5 tackles.  Duane signed with the Carolina Panthers after the season, and recorded 2 sacks and 7 tackles but persistent back and foot problems had been creeping up on Duane so he decided to retire after the ’95 season.

Duane is considered one of the first ‘true’ Indianapolis Colts, since the team had played its tenure in Baltimore since its inception. He is also the only Colt to win defensive rookie of the year honors. Bickett is also notable for his appearance in both Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl for two woeful Colts teams. Duane had quite the equipment manager’s nightmare quirk, as he frequently requested up to 3 uniforms on game day so he could choose the one that matched his current mood and perfectionist style of play.

Duane is apparently an art enthusiast (especially impressionism) who enjoys his time visiting museums. He currently lives in Southern California and is a regular donor to his former High School in Glendale, California.

G/Gs 173/138   Tac 1071   Sac 53    Fum 9    |
Int  9      Yds 46     Avg  5.0    Lg 14

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  -.-