Tag Archives: score supplemental 1990

NFL

Hoard, Leroy

pset90 hoardCards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score Supplemental 1990, ProSet 1990.
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Work*
Sent: 3/12      Received: 3/20   (8 days)
* Donation enclosed

Leroy Hoard is one of the legendary backs that came through the University of Michigan. A punishing frunner who left it all out on the field, he ran 314 times for 1706 yards and 19 TDs playing for the Wolverines as primarily a short yardage back. Considered one of the best backs of this function of the era, Hoard was drafted in the second round of the 1990 draft by the Cleveland Browns. The Browns were a team struggling to maintain positioning in a contentious arms race in the AFC Central between the Bengals, Oilers, and Steelers and still feeling the long presence of former head coach Marty Schottenheimer over the franchise. Still head coach Bud Carson had put his stamp on the team, drafting do-it-all scat back Eric Metcalf the previous year and maintaining the continuity of the offense with Bernie Kosar at the helm. It was an interesting pick however, as the team already boasted a power fullback in the name of Kevin Mack. The team however struggled early and often that year, and Carson found himself ousted during the season. Hoard had a very plain rookie season, but still managed to grab 3 touchdowns rushing, which was quite a feat since the team scored only 224 points en route to a 3-13 season.

sco90sup hoardBill Bilichick was brought in the following season to turn things around. As he remade the team over the next few seasons, Hoard became a more intergral part of the offense.  In 1991 Leroy demonstrated a knack as a receiver, catching a career high 48 passes for 567  yards and 9 touchdowns, including a 71 yarder against the Kansas City Chiefs that year.  In 1994, Hoard rushed for a career high 890 yards and had 1,335  yards from scrimmage earning him his one and only Pro Bowl berth.

In 1996, Leroy made the transition with the Browns franchise to Baltimore. During the season he’d be traded, and spend time on the roster of the Carolina Panthers, before finally landing with the Minnesota Vikings. Although Leroy’s time as a starter had begun to wane, he was still an important part of the Vikings offense. Starting 6 games that year, he ran for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 129 yards. Hoard remained with the Vikings through the 1999 season, – a year in which he ran for a career high 10 touchdowns on 138 carries.

aprks90 hoardLife has been difficult for Leroy since his playing days have ended. Because of his brutal playing style, Leroy suffered multiple concussions and head injuries during his playing time in college and the NFL.  Due to the lack of information on the subject, Hoard, like many players shrugged off the effects and went back into the game, compounding the effects. Today Leroy suffers from frequent and painful headaches and has bouts of ‘forgetfulness’ that plague his memory. I felt it was my responsibility as a fan paying homage to him and asking for his autograph to include a donation. Leroy has found some therapy through sports talk radio, and currently lives in the Miami, FL area.   A member of Tecmo Super Bowl, Hoard is one of the feared ‘popcorn backs’, a runningback so powerful that all you had to do was tap the B button and he’d throw would be tacklers aside as he ran up the field.

 

 

 

G/Gs 144/66       Rush  1008       Yds  3964        Avg 3.9         Td  36    Lg  53
Rec  238     Yds  2430     Avg  10.2    Td  15    Lg  72t

Arena, NFL, usfl

Dupree, Marcus

scosup90 dupree pset90 dupree

Cards: ProSet 1990 Update, Score Supplemental 1990
Acquired: Paid Signing 2014, C/o Sportscollectors.net

Marcus Dupree was supposed to be the second coming of  Earl Campbell at Texas in 1982. Instead Dupree was a major coup for Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners, as they sent none other than their more recent Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims to pay Dupree a visit. Marcus was all that and more his Freshman year for the Sooners, as he was one of the most gifted pure runners to grace the college ranks. He’d pile up over 1100 yards and 13 touchdowns his Freshman year, to go along with a Fiesta Bowl record 239 yards rushing on just 17 carries. (Dupree averaged a whopping 7.8  yards a carry that Freshman year.) Midway through his Sophmore campaign though, Marcus quit the team, perhaps in part because he was rode so hard by the same coaching staff that welcomed him to Norman. He attempted to play for the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi, but ineligibility requirements held him out for the year.

Instead, Marcus resurfaced with the New Orleans Breakers of the upstart USFL in 1984. Throughout his rookie season he’d bide his time behind local product Buford Jordan, and have a decent year (684 yards and 9 TDs). As the USFL had financial issues, the Breakers quickly pulled up the tent stakes and moved to Portland the next season. Dupree assumed the starting role, but destroyed his left knee ligaments in the first game of the 1985 season. It’d be the second time he’d blow out his knee in a bit over a year. In 1986 after extensive rehab, he sought medical advice regarding his injury, but an orthopedic surgeon at Tulane doubted Marcus would ever play again. You see back in the ’80s things weren’t as automatic such as coming back from a knee injury- little less two. Still the Los Angeles Rams liked him enough that they took a stab at him in the 12th round of the NFL draft that year. Dupree in the meantime tried to move on, but an encouraging chance encounter with NFL great Walter Peyton, (who hailed only 125 miles from where Marcus grew up,) got Dupree thinking, so he whipped himself back into playing shape and decided to follow his ‘what if?’ dreams and try out for the NFL. -The year was 1990.

Marcus’ rights were still held by the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams were in transition at runningback. With the departure of underrated bellcow Greg Bell and head coach John Robinson needing a strong runner in the backfield, they decided to give Dupree a shot, based on the advice of Dick Coury (who was now on the staff of the Rams and was Marcus’ coach with the Breakers).  Marcus came in and blew the Rams away, making the squad. It was a crowded backfield with Robert Delpino, Cleveland Gary, and Curt Warner, but Marcus made the best of it. The Rams, billed Marcus as the most intriguing comeback player of the year- ever. In his first game he wore 34 to honor Walter Peyton, who had done so much to encourage him to follow his dreams. Marcus had  22 yards on 4 carries after finally coming off the bench in week 9 against the Giants. It was heartwarming. He’d finish with 74 yards on the season.  The NFL had seen enough, and while Marcus did not win NFL Comeback Player of the Year Honors, – Score football cards went ahead and crowned him their comeback player of the year anyway. 1991 was a bad season for the Rams, and proved to be John Robinson’s last, as the Rams slipped to 5-11, Dupree played in the last 8 games of the season. He’d score his first and only NFL touchdown in a 33-7 loss to the 49ers during week 12. After the season, Rams management cleaned house. Chuck Knox was brought in, and while he was famous for his ‘Ground Chuck’ offense, he did not feel that Dupree fit the mold of what the Rams were looking for. Marcus ran for over 100 yards in the final preseason game however, and I thought he’d be a lock to make the roster.  He looked like the Dupree of old- but he was freakish at 6’2″, 225. He was a man of muscle and sinew. The same Dupree, just with more power and determination, that now ran under 4.5 with robotic knees. Knox cut Marcus anyway and I was very, very unhappy with the decision. (It openly made me question my loyalty to the team, but it didn’t matter since the Rams decided to bolt for St. Louis in 1995 anyway.) The 49ers scooped Marcus up and tried to convert him to fullback, but soon thereafter the ‘Marcus Dupree Experience’ was over.

He resurfaced with the Bossier City Battle Wings of the AFL2 where he served in the capacity of General Manager for the franchise. Marcus then returned to the NFL as a scout for the Washington Redskins in 2003. He’s also spent time as a promoter in wrestling. He also likes working construction. In 2010, ESPN aired a really touching “30 for 30” piece on Dupree entitled, “The Best that Never Was”.  You can contact Marcus through his website where you can purchase an autographed copy of the film from him as well at www.themarcusdupree.com.

The Score Supplemental was signed with a dull marker. While the promoter apologized for the error and included an extra, it didn’t bother me that much, until I compared it to the finely signed ProSet Update that I was also given. Still these are two great cards, with the Pro Set being one of my favorite. When I saw this signing come up through Sportscollectors at such an affordable price, Marcus’ ProSet card immediately popped into my head. I sent the extra to a friend who I knew would appreciate it.

USFL   Rush  162      Yds  753    Avg  4.6      Td   10    Lg  N/a    |
Rec 30    Yds  189    Avg 6.3       Td 0    Lg  N/a

NFL 15/2      Rush  68     Yds  251     Avg 3.7      Td 1     Lg  24   |
Rec   6    Yds 46    Avg 7.7      Td 0     Lg 21

NFL

Montgomery, Alton

aprks90 montgomeryCards: Action Packed Rookies 1990, Score Supplemental 1990, Score 1990
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Home
Sent:  1/22     Received: 1/31  (9 days)

Alton Montgomery played collegiately for the University of Houston during the final years of the SWC, garnering a reputation as a physical headhunting defender, and earning a nomination for the Jim Thorpe Award. A first team SWC choice in 1988 and 1989, he played his first two years at Northwest Missississippi Junior College where he made 14 interceptions. Montgomery is well remembered for the curbstomping that Houston inflicted on the University of Texas that year; A game in which he recorded 10 tackles, 4 sacks, and 4 hits behind the line in a 47-9 drubbing. He also had a memorable 72 yard interception return of a Timm Rosenbach pass in the 1988 Aloha Bowl against Washington State.

Montgomery parlayed his accolades into a late second round pick of the Denver Broncos in the 1990 draft. The pick seemed a slightlysco90 montgomery odd one, as the team was already set with Dennis Smith and Steve Atwater playing safety, so the team listed him as ‘defensive back’ initially before officially giving him a cornerback designation. Montgomery’s combine results showed that he had great change of direction, which led scouts to peg him as an excellent man to man defender. He came along quickly as a rookie, as he racked up 37 tackles, and intercepted 2 passes to tie for the team lead. Montgomery also saw some spot time at returner, averaging 20.4 yards on 14 returns, including a 59 yarder. Over the next two seasons the team used him sparingly at defensive back and more for the return game.  As the team cleaned house after the departure of Dan Reeves in 1992, Montgomery hit the free agency market and signed with the Atlanta Falcons, playing there through 1995.  He is best known by Falcons fans, for returning a Scott Mitchell interception 71 yards for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions as the team won 34-22 in his final season in the league. Currently, he lives in the greater Atlanta area and works in human resources.

sco90sup montgomeryAlton is another member of the Action Packed Rookies 1990 club that I was after. I was pleased to add Montgomery to the Hall in a very short amount of time. An absolutely marvelous photo of the safety probably doing punt return duties, the autograph really shows up well on the embossed and dark canvas. The Score 1990 card shows him in his college threads, and while it is not in an action pose, it still resonates a strong presence with Montgomery’s stance. Alton’s Score Supplemental 1990 card is an exciting one, and easily stood out from what felt like an inferior Pro Set offering.

G/Gs  68/6     Tac  114    Sac 3.0   Int 3     Yds 114    Avg  38.0      Td   1    Lg 71t
Kr  65        Yds  1351         Avg 20.8        Td 0       Lg 64