Tag Archives: superbowl mvp 1978

NFL

Martin, Harvey ‘Too Mean’ (2) (1950-2001)

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #AL137

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: 2021, EBay

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

ACCOLADES:

  • Super Bowl XII Co MVP

  • NFL Defensive MVP 1977

  • NFL All 70s Team

  • Pro Bowl 1976-79

  • First Team All Pro 1977

  • Second Team All Pro 1976, 1979, 1982

  • Lone Star Conference Player of the Decade (1970s)

  • Lone Star Conference 75 Anniversary Squad

  • Lone Star Conference Hall of Fame 

  • Texas A&M – Commerce Hall of Fame 

NOTES:

Upper Deck Legends 1997 really was a gem of a set and continued to outdo itself with quality photography. This is an excellent shot of Too Mean. Thankfully he didn’t shorthand the autograph on this one. I patiently waited out the market on this autograph since it was exploding, and was able to snipe this one at a fair price under 10 bucks.

College Football HoF, NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Bradshaw, Terry

Card: Pro Set 1990 SuperBowl MVP
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 4/5   Received: 4/14  (9 days)

I love these old Pro Set SuperBowl MVP cards. Merv Corning is an amazing artist and did such a classy set for Pro Set. I wish they had done an addendum later and included the additional cards through the latest MVP using Corning, but this could obviously never come to fruition, especially with the dissolution of the Pro Set company and its assets some years ago. The white hitting Terry’s head as he stands there with his hands on his hips is just a stroke of genius. I can see why Terry didn’t autograph it directly on his likeness.

So with Terry, don’t expect a response from him so quickly. He’s typically somebody who only signs about once a year- if that. I was incredibly shocked to have received a response from him in 9 days, but I suspect tax and off-season may have had something to do with that. I was alerted to him signing about 2 weeks before I got the success when I saw a few successes from other posters on the NFL TTM thread on Fanmail.biz, and dropped something quickly in the mail to him the next day.

Terry Bradshaw is a bigger than life personality and one of the first gunslingers in football. An incredible leader and gambler on the field, Bradshaw had his ups and downs before winning 4 Super Bowl Titles, becoming one of the most indelible Football Commentators on television, and being inducted into the NFL HoF in 1989.  Louisiana Tech wasn’t exactly the hub of pro football when Terry Bradshaw- a local product from Shreveport came a calling, but he certainly put them on the map, for other quarterbacks to come.  The Pittsburgh Steelers took Terry with the overall #1 pick of the 1970 draft, -the first season in which the NFL and AFL had merged. (The two leagues however had been conducting combined drafts since 1967.)

The Steelers had become a doormat of the NFL, but with the hiring of Chuck Noll in 1969 and a switch to the AFC, their fortunes slowly began to change.  Bradshaw’s rookie season was horrendous, as he adjusted to the pro game, throwing 6 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. It’d be much of the same over the next few years, 13 TD – 22 INT (1971), 12 TD – 12 INT (’72), and 10TD – 15INT (’73). With a succession of strong drafts, talent would build, but so would frustration. At one point fans didn’t feel that Bradshaw was the key to the future of the franchise, but Bradshaw turned to his spiritual faith to press forward, and with that an amazing statistical transformation also took place. Shed of his stress and outward pursuits, Bradshaw began to refocus his life and thus began the era of the Second Super Bowl Dynasty- the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’d lead the team to SuperBowl victories in 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979. Bradshaw nabbed MVP honors in both 1978 and 1979, becoming the first two time back to back MVP since Bart Starr. What was more astounding was Bradshaw managed to put up his best numbers in what is referred to in NFL annuls as ‘the dead ball era’- a period of time in which passing favored defenders, so offenses were forced to more of a ground game approach. Although injuries claimed a significant percentage of the latter half of his career, he still managed to lodge 107 career wins and retired following the 1983 season. Among his other accomplishments was being named NFL MVP in 1978, and most people forget that he was an able scrambler, rushing for 35 touchdowns over his career.

Bradshaw made the transition seamlessly into the booth, where he has developed a knack for being openly critical of players who do the sport wrong, and also his self-deprecating sense of humor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, has appeared in a variety of media including television and movie acting, and has recorded some Country music.  Terry was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers 75th Anniversary team, the NFL 1970’s All Decade Team, College Football Hall of Fame and was named the #50 NFL player of all time.  In 2006 Bradshaw donated a truckload of his personal affects and awards to his Alma Matter, LA Tech for display at the institution. Truly a great guy.

G/GS  168/158     Att 3901    Comp 2025     Yds  27,989     Pct 51.9     Td  212      Int  210     Rat  70.9   |
Rush 444       Yds 2257       Avg 5.1       Td 35       Lg 39

 

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Martin, Harvey “Too Mean” (1950-2001)

Card: ProSet 1990, Topps 1977
Acquired: In Person 1991,1993 Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, Autograph Signing

Drafted in the 3rd round of the 1973 draft by the Dallas Cowboys Harvey Martin was a powerful member of the famed ‘Doomsday Defense’ and made 8 sacks out of the gate as a rookie that season. Nicknamed ‘Too Mean’ by his teammates to go along with ‘Too Tall’ Jones, Martin had a 20 sack season in 1977, was NFL defensive MVP, and was co-mvp of SuperBowl XII with defensive tackle Randy White. A member of the All 1970s team, Harvey was an embattled individual who dealt with drug, domestic and financial issues throughout and after his career ended in 1983. He also was named to the Pro Bowl and was first or second team AP 4 times over his career. Upon his retirement he held the team record for career sacks with 114.

I’d get his autograph in 1991 packing former players at training camp. He’d curiously sign his card with only his garbled initials. Josh and I looked at each other so disappointedly thinking that Harvey had just ruined this card with his half-assed signature. Later we’d go to an autograph signing where there was Drew, Preston, Harvey and a few other players that were just charging 5 bucks a signature and we would get his full signature this time.  He’d continue to battle his inner demons post retirement, and occasionally do commentary for wrestling circuits such as the WWF and WCC but sadly in 2001, Harvey passed away from Pancreatic Cancer at the age of 51. At this time Martin is the only player who is a Super Bowl MVP who is deceased and is also of a slim minority who have won the award and not been inducted into the NFL HoF.

G/Gs 158/71     Tac N/a     Sac 114    Fum 6   Int 2   Yds 7     Avg 3.5    Td  0