Tag Archives: star pics 1992

Arena, NFL

Emtman, Steve “The Machine”

Card: Star Pics 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, Colts Blitz
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o The Spokane Shock

As I was pawing through the stack of autographs I got back in 1992/3, I was disappointed to see that I didn’t get one from Steve. When I flipped the card over later by accident, I noticed the autograph on the back scrawled in ball point pen. Despite this, I was still happy to add “The Machine” to my collection.

Steve Emtman was the #1 pick of the 1992 draft.  An impressive specimen who was the total package, he and overall #2 pick Quentin Coryatt were to be the cornerstone for the future Indianapolis Colts defense. Overall, despite holding the first 2 picks in the draft, this would be another painful round of picks for the Colts as Ashley Ambrose would be the most successful member of the Colts’ draft class. (Of defensive linemen only Joel Steed and Sean Gilbert would be the only ones to make the Pro Bowl from the entire 1992 draft.)

Steve Emtman is difficult to peg, but it’s hard for me to have labeled him a bust. He does qualify certainly as cursed though. I think most teams would have taken him if presented the opportunity. He played far and away at a level above most other college linemen at Washington and won numerous accolades to back it up. All signs pointed up for The Machine as the Colts named him their number one pick.  As the new season dawned Emtman flashed some potential right out of the gate, making his first sack against Cleveland in a 14-3 win. Perhaps in his finest highlight moment, he picked off a Dan Marino pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown in a 31-20 win and make another sack, but week 9, blew out his knee- ending his 1992 season on injured reserve. His 1993 would start out just as promising. After 5 games he had a sack and 22 tackles, but once again this time blew out his patellar tendon ending his 1993 season and perhaps his career. Determined to make a comeback Steve returned in 1994 almost a full year later, with his rehabilitation paying off. He played in 4 games, making a fumble recovery and 3 tackles, but unbeknown to most- Emtman had suffered a ruptured disc in his neck in his first game back heroically playing through the pain for the next 3 weeks. Steve finished his third season on the IR.

In 1995, Steve signed with the Miami Dolphins where he started one game, making a sack, a fumble recovery and 10 tackles. 1996 would see Steve start the most games since 1993. He’d see action starting 4 contests making 2 sacks, 2 FF, and 33 tackles.  The Redskins would sign him in 1997 where Steve would suit up for 3 games and make 4 tackles and retire after the season at the age of 27.

Steve after football was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He also spent some time coaching defensive line with the AFL’s Spokane Shock and is a successful real estate developer.  I sent off for Steve’s autograph courtesy of the Shock on his Action Packed Rookies card, but it appears that by the time my card had arrived, he was no longer coaching with the team. It has been well over a year now and thus logged as a failure.

G/Gs  50/19     Tac  121  Sac  8.0    Fum   3     Int   1         Yds   90      Avg  90.0      Td   1    Lg  90t

 

NFL, NFLE

Lambert, Dion

Card: Star Pics 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, Patriots Blitz

Dion Lambert was drafted out of UCLA by the New England Patriots in the 4th round of the 1992 draft.  He earned Pac-10 Honorable Mention honors in 1990 when he made 48 tackles and broke up 4 passes, but his senior season was largely marred by a torn tendon in his right foot.  An aggressive man to man defender, at 6’1″, 190, Lambert was thought to be a nice sized defensive back that the team maybe able to slot at safety with his long arms and huge hands.  Dion was also strong for his size, rarely got blocked off the ball, and possessed tremendous closing speed.

Dion would play two seasons for New England, making 23 tackles and a fumble recovery in 1992, and 1 pick, 1 FF and 28 tackles starting 4 games in 1993. Lambert would sign with the Seahawks in 1994 where he’d play through 1995.  In 1997 the Amsterdam Admirals of the NFLE would draft Dion with their 8th round pick of the positional draft, and he’d play one season there before retiring. Since then, Dion has done some work for Greg Bell’s Athletes For Life foundation and football camps.

A nice signature in red ink on a great Star Pics 1992 card, I’d get Dion’s autograph along with a host of other Patriots at the conclusion of the 1993 season. Real nice job by the guys at Star Pics, but a common error in design is creating type that flows up the card, such as on the right of this card with the position and name of the player. Regardless, it’s still a well designed card outside of it, and the player framing inside the box is a tantalizing size to the eye combined with vivid colors and nice photography.

G/Gs 31/5     Tac  56      Sac  0         Fum  1        Int   1        Yds   0     Avg 0    Td 0    Lg 0

NFL

Smith, Jimmy “Silk”

Cards: Star Pics 1992, ProSet 1992
Acquired: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 1992
See Also: Jimmy Smith Lightning

Another one of these great autograph stories was Jimmy Smith out of tiny Jackson State University. His rookie Star Pics 1992 card I had extensive player information on the back, down to things like nicknames, so when I saw players, I was sure to initiate contact with them by calling them by that nick. Jimmy was seeing the trainers along with Ricky Blake and a few other players in training camp and Josh and I had shrewdly decided to camp our spot in autograph alley throughout the whole morning practice. We recognized Smith so I erroneously called him ‘Slick’. When he signed my cards and told me his nickname was silk,  -we looked at the back of his card, to which I admitted I was wrong . We had a good laugh at my expense, so he was sure to add in his nickname with parenthesis so I could get it right. (He was a rare 2 card signer.)

Jimmy was a second round choice of the Dallas Cowboys, who were looking for that special slot receiver to go with Alvin Harper and Michael Irvin. Smith would find himself on injured reserve from a broken leg in 1992 and a freak appendectomy in 1993.  The team would become impatient with him and cut Smith in 1994 over the fault of the appendectomy Smith had sustained. The Eagles would immediately claim him off of waivers but he would not make the roster of the squad. For all points and purposes- Jimmy Smith’s career was dead on arrival after 3 seasons, -but Jimmy’s mom would not be deterred.

On a whim, Tom Coughlin coach of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars would give Jimmy a final shot because his mother sent a highlight tape for Coach Coughlin to look at. Smith’s first season with the Jags in 1995 was more like a rookie season for him as he had never seen the field playing for the Cowboys. He’d quietly earn 288 yards and 22 receptions, scoring his first 3 touchdowns of his career. In 1996 however, Silk would burst onto the NFL scene with his first of 7 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Injury would slow Smith down in 2003 where he’d only notch 800 yards, but he’d return to form for his final two seasons in 2004 and 2005 with 1,000 yards in each season for the Jaguars. A devastating combo when paired with Keenan McCardell, Smith as the career leader in yards and touchdowns for the Jaguar franchise. His 12,000+ yards ranked him 10th all time at retirement. So much for a guy who was cut by the Cowboys out of spite over medical issues… From 1997-2001 Jimmy would be named to the ProBowl and in 1999 he’d lead the NFL in receptions with 116 (6th in NFL history at the time).

Jimmy from time to time has had some issues with drugs, and with the backlog of wide receivers now waiting to get into the Hall has not made it easier for him to find himself anywhere near the final ballot. He currently resides in Florida and works in radio.  I’ll probably make another loop around later to get Jimmy as I have another card or two of his I’d love to get signed.

G/Gs 178/150   Rec  862      Yds  12287       Avg  14.3      Td 67      Lg  75T