Tag Archives: Seattle Seahawks

NFL

Donaldson, Ray

Card: Pro Set 1990
Acquired: TTM 1992, Colts Blitz

After an impressive career at Georgia, Ray Donaldson was originally a second round choice of the Baltimore Colts back in 1980.  He would take over the starting duties at the postion in 1981 and saw the team through the final years in Baltimore, the Eric Dickerson years and up through the beginning of the Jeff George era. He’d play for the Colts franchise through 1992, earning a Pro Bowl Nod from 1986-1989.  In 1993 Ray signed with the Seahawks playing for the team through the end of the 1994 season. He’d then sign with the Dallas Cowboys, replacing departed Mark Stepnoski playing two additional seasons. Ray would experience a late career renaissance and return to the Pro Bowl in 1995 and 1996 before retiring with 17 seasons under his belt.

In 2006, Donaldson was honored with an induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.  His 184 games started ranks 4th on the Colts all time list and 1st among linemen for the franchise. A 6 time Pro Bowler Ray Donaldson lives in Indianapolis and is currently a high school football coach. He holds the odd accomplishment of being the first African-American football player to play center.

CFL, NFL, usfl

Ellis, Ricky “Hollywood”

Card: BK 2009
Acquired: In Person 2011, Christian Okoye Foundation Skills Clinic

I met Ricky at the Christian Okoye Foundation Skills Camp in 2011. He was running drills with kids and giving them pep talks on life. Keenly aware possibly of the value and rarity of his card from the Topps 1985 USFL set, he had his own card printed that he gave to the kids. As I was wandering around taking photos of the different drills and kids, I was able to finagle a card and autograph off of him. We talked at length about NCAA corruption and how the history of the franchises he had played for had been erased.
When one kid refused to play as a ‘skin’ when the boys played were scrimmaging, the child came over to sit on the bleachers to pout with his father. Ricky noticed that the boy was not playing and literally came over to drag him back in. The child went ahead and scored a touchdown and made an interception during the scrimmage. An excitable and electric personality, it’s no surprise that Ellis is President of NFL Alumni Association in Southern California.

After graduating from Cal State Fullerton, Ricky would be signed by the British Columbia Lions of the CFL in 1978.  He’d then make the jump to the USFL. Ricky would play in the USFL in 1983, where he’d establish himself as one of future NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young‘s primary targets on the Los Angeles Express.  During the 1983 season, he’d make 69 receptions for 719 yards and 6 touchdowns. In 1984, Ricky would make 25 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown.  Among Ricky’s fondest memories of playing in the USFL was after a game against Bobby Hebert‘s Michigan Panthers, they’d head south to face the Tampa Bay Bandits, but were given a week off in between games. He spent the whole week jet skiing and started the game against the Bandits with sore hamstrings. Before the USFL imploded Ricky signed with the Houston Oilers and retired after the 1985 season.  He also at some point also played for the Seattle Seahawks.

As Ricky and I talked he lamented about how his history was being erased. The Astrodome and the Oilers were gone, Kingdome in Seattle imploded and the jerseys changed, the USFL of course long gone, and his college killing the football program there because of costs. After his NFL career Ricky has also spent time teaching, being a motivational speaker and a parole agent.

Below are Ricky’s USFL statistics:

GP 36    Rec 94     Yds  907     Avg   9.6     Td  7

 

NFL

Thomas, Robb

Cards: Topps 1992, Score 1991, Stadium Club 1992, Fleer Ultra 1991
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Home
Sent:  4/27   Received:  5/13  (23 days)

I don’t know why, but Robb Thomas had a few cards in my collection that just kept popping up when I was looking for a player to send to. Then all of a sudden Sportscollectors.net lit up with TTM successes from him, so after a few days of debate I grabbed a stack of his cards and sent them out. In less than a month I got a response from the former Beaver on these 4 cards to which he also inscribed one of them in ball point pen with, “Go Beavs!”

Robb Thomas was a class member of the super draft of 1989. Drafted near the top of the 6th round by the Kansas City Chiefs, he’d be a nice acquisition for the team with 4.55 speed.  (The wide receiver class statistical output quickly drops off after him, with New Orleans Saints WR Floyd Turner being the only notable blip on the radar after Thomas.)  After a weak rookie season, in which Robb spent half the season on IR, he’d make 8 receptions for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns while adjusting to Marty Schottenheimer‘s offense in 1989. In 1990 he’d start 12 games for the Chiefs snagging 41 receptions for 545 yards and 4 touchdowns. A sure handed pass catcher with good instincts, Robb would follow his 1990 campaign up with a similar 1991, leading the team with 43 receptions and chalking up 495 yards again starting 12 games alongside rookie Tim Barnett.

Thomas would sign with the Seahawks in 1992 where he provided depth to the team and would start only 1 game  over 3 seasons. In 1995, Robb would start 2 games and make 12 receptions for 239 yards and a career high 19.9 yards a reception. In 1996 Robb would sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and play for rookie head coach Tony Dungy. Back in the lineup for his most solid playing time since 1991, he’d make 33 receptions for 427 yards and 2 touchdowns in 8 starts. He’d return to the bench in 1997, before returning again briefly in 1998, to help out the Buccaneers devastated wide receiver corps and  ironically make the longest reception of his career, and then retire soon thereafter.

Topps in  1992 finally started seeing the light and the majority of their cards matched this respectable quality card of Robb that they put out. The Stadium Club card, (which was their premier line,) was unique, had higher quality imagery, and the back of the cards had the player’s first card appearance and “The Sporting News” rating system. It was an obvious step up. Fleer on the other hand fumbled the ball right out of the gate. After a decent debut in 1990, Fleer decided in 1991 to release 2 lines as well, but it was gallingly apparent that the 1991 regular was retooled so that it was an even lower quality, imagery, and design than the previous year’s offering. The 1991 Fleer Ultra set was a disaster in itself. I really disagree with squeezing so many type faces into the player information area and the silver seems too strong and almost unnecessary to the design space. The back of this card is even more ghastly, with simple usage of the selection tool to isolate player figures that have arbitrary body parts cut off and a centered picture isolated in a NFL logo mask. An absolute travesty. It was a struggle in approach and feel to even reach the quality of their debut set. The Score 1991 card is a great action shot of Robb, and while they seem to have clearly lost a step, it’s just not as obvious a loss in design as Fleer displays or as much as Topps and its Stadium Club line gained.

Robb was a Tecmo Super Bowl veteran on an offense that largely relied on the ground game of Okoye and Word. Respected by the Tecmo gods, Thomas was always an underrated receiver that could be counted on in a pinch. A big Beaver backer, Robb enjoys sporting events and has dabbled in high school coaching as a wide receivers coach for Summit High School in Oregon where he lives with his wife and kids.

G/Gs  136/37       Rec 174        Yds 2229        Avg  12.8           Td 11         Lg 50