Tag Archives: topps 1983

College Football HoF, NFL

Nielsen, Gifford ‘Giff’

CARDS: Topps 1982, Topps 1983
ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home
SENT: 5/27 RECEIVED: 7/5 (39 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2022, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Gifford Nielsen played QB at BYU from 1975-’77.
  • In 1976 he finished 6th in Heisman Trophy voting, leading the WAC in nearly every statistical category.
  • He completed 207 of 372 passes for 3192 yards with 29 TDs to 19 picks that year- which were considered titanic numbers for that era of football.
  • 3rd round pick in 1978 of the Houston Oilers.
  • Was backup quarterback nearly his entire career, first to Dan Pastorini, then to Ken Stabler, and then later shared QB duties with Oliver Luck and Archie Manning.
  • After retirement, he worked as a color broadcaster for the Oilers radio network, and as the Sports Director of KHOU in Houston.

ACCOLADES:

  • College Football Hall of Fame 1984

NOTES:

I had been oddly after Giff for a while. Back when I was a kid, I’d go to Oilers training camp here and there when the team practiced at San Marcos and later in San Antonio. Giff was a sports reporter for one of the Houston stations. He was very engaging with fans, but I didn’t make the connection the first time I went to camp he was a former player or that he had a card. (Remember this is the dark times- before the internet.) After being told he was a former Oiler, I tracked down a card, but never saw him again at camp close enough that I could flag him down for an autograph.

I held onto that Topps ’83 and tried him TTM back in 2022 but didn’t hear back. I reloaded and added the Topps 1982, waiting for another shot that finally came. He’s got a great autograph and signed these two cards from Utah in a bit over a month.

NFL

Butler, Bobby

CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Topps 1983, Score 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home
SENT: 2/19 RECEIVED: 3/12 (21 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Bobby Butler played DB at Florida State from 1977-’80.
  • In 44 contests he intercepted 11 passes for 122 yards and blocked 7 kicks.
  • First round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1981.
  • With great speed prized in the Falcons man to man schemes, Bobby earned the starting nod at CB and intercepted 5 passes his rookie season, and blocked a kick.
  • During 83 and 84 seasons, only managed to pick off 6 passes- but 4 of them came in the end zone.
  • Tied a career high in ’85 with 5 interceptions, to go along with 21 pass breakups, and 68 tackles.
  • Retired after the 1992 campaign.

ACCOLADES:

  • Seminoles Hall of Fame 1987

NOTES:

Although Bobby only had 18 cards he made the most of it appearing in both Score and Pro Set on solid cards near the tail end of his career.

NFL

Camarillo, Rich (2)

Score 1990, #132
Bowman 1991, #424
Topps 1983, #327
Fleer 1990 All Pro, #22
Pro Set 1990 Pro Bowl, #383
Action Packed 1990, #211
Fleer 1990, #332

CARDS: Topps 1983, Action Packed 1990, Bowman 1991, Fleer 1990, Fleer All Pro 1990, Pro Set 1990 Pro Bowl, Score 1990
ACQUIRED: 2012, Akron Acquisition, TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 3/14 RECEIVED: 4/2 (19 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I had gotten Rich way, way back when he was with the Houston Oilers TTM. He had some great cards, but I only got one at the time. Later I acquired the Topps, Bowman, and Score autographs as part of what I call the ‘Akron Aquisition’- a stack of autographs I got from Bryan when he briefly left the hobby. A consistent signer, I put out these last 4 to Rich, with the majority of them being set needs. Honestly one of the best autographs out there- if not for punters alone. Love the loops. Solid.